Music Technology
An 18-credit minor across music production, recording, mixing, mastering, and the music industry — with hands-on training in Logic Pro, Ableton Live, and Pro Tools.
About the Minor
ACU’s Music Technology Minor is built for students serious about the production side of music — producers, engineers, songwriters, podcasters, worship-arts professionals, and anyone whose work involves recording, mixing, or releasing audio. The 18-credit minor pairs four core production courses (MTE 220 Computer-Based Music Production, MTE 330 Mixing and Mastering, MTE 440 Music Producer, and MUS 330 Introduction to Music Industry) with four credits of focused electives, one applied-lesson credit, and one credit of performance ensemble experience.
The elective shelf lets you specialize in your DAW of choice (Logic Pro via MTE 221, Ableton Live via MTE 222, Pro Tools via MTE 223), broaden into Recording/Streaming/Webcasting (MTE 256), pick up Music Technology and Creative Innovation (MTE 325), or add Songwriting and Demo Production (MTE 335). The applied lesson and performance ensemble requirements ensure you stay connected to musicianship, not just engineering.
Pairs especially naturally with Communication, Music, Christian Ministries (especially worship arts), and any creative or media-adjacent major.
What You'll Learn
Produce Music Digitally
Build foundational skills in computer-based music production — the working craft of arranging, sequencing, and producing in a DAW.
Mix and Master Audio
Develop the technical and artistic skills of mixing and mastering — the work that distinguishes amateur recordings from professional ones.
Work in Multiple DAWs
Choose your specialization across Logic Pro, Ableton Live, or Pro Tools — and pick up additional DAW skills as electives.
Understand the Music Industry
Study how the modern music industry actually works — labels, streaming, rights, distribution, and the business of music.
Stay Connected to Performance
Take an applied lesson and an ensemble credit alongside the technical work — production is better when the producer can play.
Music Technology From a Biblical Worldview
A Biblical Worldview treats music production as creative work — the same image-of-the-Creator engagement musicians have always pursued, now extended into the technological realm.
Technology as Creative Tool
Music technology is a tool, not an end. A Biblical Worldview keeps that distinction clear: the work matters because of what gets made through the tools, not because the tools themselves are impressive. The minor's pairing of production craft with musicianship reflects that conviction."
Equips you to be a producer first and a software user second.Excellence in the Craft
Mixing, mastering, and producing well takes patience and practice — the same kind of skill development musicians have always pursued. A Biblical Worldview takes that effort seriously as worthwhile work, not as drudgery to be automated away."
Grounds your daily studio time in the conviction that the craft matters.Serving Listeners and Worshipers
Recorded music reaches audiences far beyond the room where it was made. A Biblical Worldview takes that responsibility seriously — what gets recorded and released shapes how people think, feel, and worship. The minor treats that audience-facing reality as central, not incidental."
Prepares you to produce music that serves the people it reaches.Where This Minor Takes You
Music Technology opens doors across the music industry, audio production, worship arts, podcasting, and any field where recording or producing audio is part of the work.
Music Producer or Engineer
Step into producer, recording engineer, or mixing engineer roles at studios, labels, or as an independent operator.
Worship Arts and Live Audio
Lead audio, recording, and production work at churches, conferences, and worship-arts organizations.
Podcast and Audio Content Production
Move into podcast production, audio storytelling, and content-creation roles — strengthened by MTE 256.
Songwriter and Demo Producer
Build a songwriting and demo-production practice through MTE 335 and the broader DAW preparation.
Music Business and Industry Roles
Apply MUS 330 Introduction to Music Industry to label, management, rights, or streaming-platform careers.
Christian Recording and Media Industries
Bring formal music-technology training into Christian recording labels, ministry media organizations, and faith-based content production.
Why Students Choose This Minor
The Music Technology Minor at ACU stands out for the depth of its production core and the breadth of DAW preparation it offers.
MTE 330 Mixing and Mastering Required
Mixing and mastering — the working craft of audio engineering — is required, not optional.
Three DAWs Available
Choose your DAW specialization — Logic Pro (MTE 221), Ableton Live (MTE 222), or Pro Tools (MTE 223) — or pick up multiple.
Music Producer Capstone
MTE 440 Music Producer pulls the production-craft side of the minor together.
Music Industry Course Built In
MUS 330 Introduction to Music Industry ensures you graduate with business literacy alongside production skill.
Connected to Musicianship
One applied lesson credit and one ensemble credit keep the minor anchored in actually making music, not just producing it.
Getting Started
The Music Technology Minor builds on MTE 220 as the foundation — most upper-division MTE electives require it.
Talk With the Music Department
The Department of Music will help you place into the right ensemble, applied lesson, and MTE sequence based on your background.
Take MTE 220 Early
MTE 220 Computer-Based Music Production is the foundation course and the prerequisite for MTE 222, 223, and 440. Schedule it freshman or sophomore year.
Choose Your DAW Specialization
Pick Logic Pro (MTE 221), Ableton Live (MTE 222), or Pro Tools (MTE 223) based on the direction you're heading.
Audition for an Ensemble
The 1-credit performance ensemble requirement (MEC 100, MEJ 300, MEP 100, MES 100, or MUP 371) requires audition or instructor approval.
Explore More Options
Ready to Build Real Production Skill?
The Music Technology Minor gives you the production craft, DAW preparation, and music-industry literacy real audio careers require. Apply or reach out today.
