Academics

School of Music Production & Sound Design for Visual Media

Turn your passion for music and audio into a career. At the School of Music Production & Sound Design for Visual Media, you’ll learn how to create, produce, record, edit, mix, and design sound that tells a story—and sticks. From scoring and MIDI to sound design and final mix, you’ll train with industry professionals and work across every part of media production. You’ll learn how to tap into AI to push your creativity and sharpen your edge.

This is where passion meets production—and turns into a career.

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Fast Facts

    More To Know

    Develop a rare blend of technical expertise and aesthetic sensibility under faculty who work in the industry. You’ll train across the full audio pipeline—music production, composition and scoring, MIDI, recording, editing, mixing, sound design, dialogue, sound effects, and final mix—using tools like Logic Pro, Pro Tools, and Sibelius. Build momentum with credentialing courses such as Ableton Live Certification Prep, and on‑campus Avid Pro Tools Certification.

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    Undergraduate
    Music Production AA
    Music Production BFA
    Music Scoring & Composition BFA
    Sound Design AA
    Sound Design BFA
    Music Technology AAS
    Graduate
    Music Scoring & Composition MA
    Music Scoring & Composition MFA
    Sound Design MA
    Sound Design MFA
    Other
    Upskill Classes
    Pre-College

    Student Experience

    Rock out with friends in our Jam Room, adjacent to a sound mixing stage and equipped with a variety of instruments and mics. Everything is free for you to use.

    Collaborate with students from Motion Pictures & Television, Animation & Visual Effects, and Game Development on real projects—everything from animated films to video games—that travel the global film festival circuit.

    Careers

    Turn up your passion and your career. At the School of Music Production & Sound Design, you’ll master every beat of the audio pipeline, from scoring and sound design to AI-driven mixing, graduating with the skills and credits to make your mark in film, games, and beyond.

    • Score Composer
    • Music Editor
    • Production Recordist
    • Re-recording Mixer
    • Sound Designer
    • Sound Editor

    Areas of Study

      Music Scoring & Composition

      Visual media surrounds us—on screens big and small and in immersive, fast-paced games. In nearly every instance, music drives the experience. The craft of scoring has become one of the most in-demand careers in today’s industry. In the Music Scoring and Composition program, you’ll build the creative skills and technical mastery to compose, produce, and deliver the soundtracks that move audiences.

      Sound Design

      The Sound Design degree program blends storytelling and technology to prepare you for a career crafting the audio experience of visual media. You’ll master the tools of cinematic sound—dialogue, effects, Foley, and ambience—alongside an introduction to synthesis and digital sound creation. With an emphasis on creative problem-solving and emerging AI technologies, you’ll learn to design sound not just for music, but for the aural worlds of film, games, television and beyond.

      Music Production

      The BFA in Music Production trains you to create and produce music for today’s entertainment industry. You’ll master digital audio workstations, sound design, and new AI-based tools that shape modern production. The program ends with a professional demo reel that showcases your skills and prepares you for real-world opportunities.

      Student Work

      See More Student Work
      Niko Nettesheim Chain Edit

      Niko Nettesheim
      Chain Edit

      Kirsten Johnston Joy and Heron

      Kirsten Johnston
      Joy and Heron

      Ian Pillai Dariyaa

      Ian Pillai
      Dariyaa

      Guillermo De Andas Casa Johnny Express

      Guillermo De Andas Casa
      Johnny Express

      Gilly Miller Sokito

      Gilly Miller
      Sokito

      Study with Industry Professionals

      View Faculty

      Facility Highlights

      The Academy’s facilities are designed to prepare you for a career in music production and sound design. Our hands-on learning environment in the recording studio creates a culture that supports curiosity, investigation, and production.

        ADR Studio header

        Voice Recording Studio

        Create pristine vocal recordings for voice-over, ADR, music sessions, and more in our new ADR room, featuring a dedicated iso booth, two-way video, great vocal microphones and pristine mic preamps like the Avalon 2022.

        Audio Production Workstations

        Audio Production Workstations

        Each student gets their own workstation desk with headphones, a MIDI keyboard, and an iMac computer fully loaded with the latest sound and music production software.

        Studio 254 Rick Smith

        Avid S6 Mixing Console

        Practice on our Avid S6 Mixing Console, a control surface fully integrated with Pro Tools software in our surround sound classroom.

        Music Session Recording Studio Academy of Art University

        Session Recording Studio

        Take advantage of our full-featured, professional recording studio with an isolation booth, outboard equipment, and professional near-field mix monitoring.

        Music Virtual Instruments Lab Academy of Art University

        Virtual Instruments Lab

        The School of Music Production and Sound Design for Visual Media has a new virtual instruments lab with professional level equipment and software, including leading computer and audio interfaces, high-end audio monitors, and samples and software from Vienna Symphonic Library, East-West, and Spectrasonics (Omnisphere). This lab allows students to use the highest grade professional gear to create orchestral and electronic music scores for films and other visual media.

        Online Learning

        In our flexible online program, you will learn the art of music and sound design, guided by the same working artists, engineers, and curriculum that shape our in-person experience. And you can do it from wherever you are in the world. To create your personal studio, all you’ll need is a laptop, a drive, a mic, a keyboard, and a pair of headphones. You’l submit your work and mixes through our powerful online platform, and get personalized feedback from your instructors and peers.

        Online at the Academy doesn’t mean alone. You’ll be connected with a powerful community of collaborators that will expand your artistic network. You’ll graduate with a reel of work that demonstrates your readiness to enter the professional world.

        Online Learning Program

        Students & Alumni

        Always Creating. Always Moving Forward.

        At the Academy, creativity doesn’t pause at graduation; it accelerates. Our students leave with portfolios that speak louder than résumés, catapulting them into creative careers.

        This is where passion meets purpose—on campus, in studios, and on global stages.

        Our alumni are out there now winning awards, leading teams, and shaping culture.

        Read More Success Stories
        Steven Lamar Moore

        Steven Lamar Moore

        “Being able to collaborate with students and develop relationships that later became mentors, supervisors, and colleagues really helped me find my craft and my niche. The Academy gave me the foundation to grow creatively and professionally.”

        MFA Music Composition for Visual Media, Composer for Netflix

        Tre Elrod

        Tre Elrod

        “The professors aren’t just teaching, they’re actually working in the industry and giving you real advice on your craft and the music business. The facilities and labs make it feel like you’re already in the field, which really prepares you for life after school.”

        BFA Music Production student

        Hannah Hsieh

        Hannah Hsieh

        “Studying at the Academy and living in San Francisco was the most beautiful time I have ever had… I feel I deeply know myself again and finally realized it was really important to every composer and artist as well.”

        MA Music Production, Composer at Tainan Chinese Orchestra

        Diego Garcia

        Diego Garcia

        “Even if you’ve never played an instrument, the Academy equips you with the knowledge and resources to mix, master, and produce music at a professional level.”

        BFA Music Production for Visual Media student

        COMPANIES THAT EMPLOY OUR STUDENTS

        Blizzard, Apple, Facebook, and Bungie logos

        Related Programs

        Motion Pictures & Television

        Direct. Produce. Shoot. Edit. Production Design. Write. Crew up and follow your passion for creating entertainment. Master post-production software, acquire VR experience, delve into drone and VFX cinematography, explore documentary filmmaking, commercials and music videos…the choice is yours.

        Animation and Visual Effects

        Join one of the most dynamic Animation and VFX programs in the country. If you’re an aspiring storyboard artist, visual effects artist, or 2D/3D animator, come learn from some of today’s most accomplished professionals in the heart of the animation industry.

        Game Development

        Learn about the entire development pipeline and focus on one of the following areas: concept art, 3D art, game play, level design, or programming. You’ll be able to play with cutting-edge technology like our networked VR treadmills and haptic vests. You’ll hang out in our esports lounge with your peers and experience the thrill of being part of a competitive gaming squad.

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