DVC Music Industry Studies

DVC Music Industry Studies The Music Industry Studies Program at Diablo Valley College is a leader among the California community colleges. Why Music Industry Studies?

DVC was one of the first community colleges to offer electronic music, and houses the state-of-the-art Music Technology Center (MTC). The Music Industry Studies program at Diablo Valley College prepares students for a variety of careers in music production, audio engineering, and the business of music. For more info, please contact Dr. Nick Vasallo, Director of Music Industry Studies, at [email protected] with any questions you might have. The MTC is a successful, fully networked lab equipped with cross-platform Macintosh and Windows workstations. We are an AVID Learning Partner with several AVID Certified Instructors, ensuring that students will be receiving instructional consistency and up-to-date education. Mark Steidel, Music Industry Studies program creator, has provided dynamic leadership for the development of the Electronic Music and Recording Arts programs at DVC from their inception. The final results of the new MTC clearly demonstrate a commitment to quality and innovation in teaching and learning experiences. Students gain hands-on learning experiences using software applications that have been developed under true cross-platform equivalency standards. In addition to Steidel, many of the faculty in the Music Industry Studies program are also award-winning musicians who have received recognition for electronic music, composition, teaching, and performance. The DVC program is highly regarded throughout the community with students recognized in statewide competitions. What is the Music Industry Studies program?ourvoice
The Diablo Valley College music industry studies program prepares students for a variety of careers in music production, audio engineering, and the business of music. As a music industry studies student, you will gain an in-depth understanding of all aspects of the music production process including recording, marketing, and distribution. This same skill-set will also prepare you for a career in specialized areas of the music industry such as recording engineer, producer, composer, arranger, songwriter, sound designer, artist manager, and marketing representative. The music industry studies program has several unique features:

It has a distinctive entrepreneurial focus emphasizing an industry trend toward DIY (Do It Yourself) music production, marketing and distribution via newly emerging Internet based markets. It has a unique program of study that embraces the enormous and continuing changes in music marketing and distribution by allowing students to incubate business concepts with a variety of student-run music businesses. It has a one-of-a-kind music production facility, the Music Technology Center, with 26 Digital Audio Workstations (DAW) as well as a professional multi-track recording studio. It has a music industry partnership with Avid allowing us to provide a range of Pro Tools certification classes. Those who work in the music industry enjoy an exciting and dynamic career combining a passion for music, artistry, and business know-how. The music industry studies program prepares students for one of the many careers in the music industry including:Mix board

Careers in music production and engineering: record and mix engineer, mastering engineer, producer, sound design
Careers in contemporary music writing and production: composer, arranger, jingle writer, producer/songwriter, lyricist
Careers in music business: music publisher, artist manager, public relations, marketing representative, music supervisor and licensing, music marketing
Careers in sound for picture: ADR, Foley, production sound mixer, sound designer, film composer, music editor
Careers in game audio: game music note tracker and transcriptionist, game music composing and scoring, sound designer, production coordinator
Careers in sound reinforcement: front of house engineer, concert sound, monitor mixer

08/19/2026

Learn how to Record, Sequence, Mix, Program Beats, Sound Design, Synthesis, ReMix and make and produce music in one of the coolest music software programs around.

Get college credit and learn Ableton Live – online - through Diablo Valley College. This class is part of our Music Industry Studies Certificate and A.A. Degree. Here’s the link to the class information:
MUSX 176-8136 Introduction to Ableton Live

https://www.dvc.edu/academics/explore-our-programs/music-industry-studies

Sign up Today!!
If you have any questions, email me at: [email protected]

Music by Doug Michael
https://www.youtube.com/user/outerdarkness

Music Industry Studies presents guest speaker Reed Mathis who will discuss his approach to composing, performing, and pr...
04/14/2026

Music Industry Studies presents guest speaker Reed Mathis who will discuss his approach to composing, performing, and producing music projects: Electric Beethoven, Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey, and countless other musical projects.

When: Thursday April 16th, 12-2 pm
Where: Viking Recording studio, room L-106
What: Composer, Bassist, and Producer Reed Mathis

The DVC community and music students are welcome to attend.

Reed Mathis is an innovative composer and virtuoso soloist from the Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey. He is the bandleader and arranger who created the improvisation-leaning funky take on classical forms that is Electric Beethoven. To many, he is the bassist who accompanies and challenges Bill Kruetzmann, Bob Weir, and the other surviving members of the Grateful Dead in projects such as Billy & the Kids (featuring Billy Strings), Golden Gate Wingmen, and 7 Walkers.

Check out Reed’s projects: Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey, and Electric Beethoven. Reed has created a multitude of tracks for music licensing, as well as a recent podcast “The Gifts of Improvising”

Check out this local Dolby Atmos Workshop happening next month!
02/14/2026

Check out this local Dolby Atmos Workshop happening next month!

Learn music production with Logic Pro.  Take you music to the next level.  Tuesdays @ 5:30pm in the DVC Music Lab.
01/18/2026

Learn music production with Logic Pro. Take you music to the next level. Tuesdays @ 5:30pm in the DVC Music Lab.

MUSX-174     Introduction to Music Technology and Pro Tools with Bill WolterLATE START CLASS - starts Week of Feb 9thHyb...
01/14/2026

MUSX-174
Introduction to Music Technology and Pro Tools
with Bill Wolter
LATE START CLASS - starts Week of Feb 9th
Hybrid (5266) Monday 5:30 pm

AVID Pro Tools is the industry standard Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) used in recording studios and films worldwide. As an AVID training partner, this class includes a Pro Tools certification test. All courses feature hands-on experience with mics and recording, editing, MIDI, electronic music creation, post audio film sound, mixing, and mastering. Email instructor Bill Wolter [email protected] for more info.

Improve your music and audio skills! This course is focused on practical, creative, and engaging projects in Pro Tools.

Pro Tools is the Industry standard Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) software used in nearly every professional recording studio for recording, editing, mixing, mastering, films, and games.

We have a hybrid online course which will meet in person, as well as a fully online course. This term we can provide FREE Pro Tools ultimate software to use from home.

Diablo Valley College – Music Industry Studies Presents GUEST SPEAKER Los Angeles based Sound Designer.Andrew Vernon wil...
04/28/2025

Diablo Valley College – Music Industry Studies Presents GUEST SPEAKER Los Angeles based Sound Designer.

Andrew Vernon will visit DVC and discuss sound design on Hollywood films.

What: Andrew Vernon discusses sound design techniques with MUSX-178 - Music and Sound for Film, Games, and Digital Media.

When: Thursday May 1st, 10-11:30 am.

Where: Room M136, Music Building DVC campus or via zoom (dm for zoom link)

All DVC music students and community are welcome to sit in on this class.

Andrew Vernon is a sound designer re-recording mixer and music editor whose work has included Oscar-nominated shorts and feature films. His creative work has been showcased in various film festivals, including Cannes, Annecy, Berlin, Palm Springs, Austin International, and many others. Andrew has worked on countless Pixar films, as well as more recent films such asNetflix feature Rebel Moon - Part One, Transformers One, and Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio.

DRUMMER AND DRUM TECH CHAD TASKY VISITS DVC RECORDING CLASSWhat: Drummer Chad Tasky shares his wisdom on drum setup and ...
03/17/2025

DRUMMER AND DRUM TECH CHAD TASKY VISITS DVC RECORDING CLASS

What: Drummer Chad Tasky shares his wisdom on drum setup and recording
Where: Viking Recording Studio, L-107 Library Building, DVC campus
When: Thursday, March 20, 12-2:30 pm

DVC Music industry studies presents guest Lecturer Chad Tasky as he joins our Music Production and Multi-track recording course. Please join us for an in-person session where Chad talks about his experience working as a drum tech touring the world. We will glean Chad’s input on drum setup, tuning, recording, and working with artists.

Chad Tasky is a drummer and drum tech based in San Francisco. Chad has toured the world as a drum tech for artists such as The Dead (formerly The Grateful Dead), Santana, Primus, Deftones, and many other artists. Chad has supported some of the world’s best drummers such as Stewart Copeland, Dennis Chambers, and Cindy Blackman Santana to name a few.

RSVP to [email protected] if you wish to attend

A huge thanks to brothers Jordan and Jonas Richardson who worked hard over the winter break installing the SSL Origin 16...
02/04/2025

A huge thanks to brothers Jordan and Jonas Richardson who worked hard over the winter break installing the SSL Origin 16 mixing board. It would not have been possible without their help. These brothers are highly skilled in music, audio engineering, and film sound. They helped so much soldering all the cables used to hook up the board. They will be around this term helping in the studio. If you see them around campus please thank them!

The new      has been installed and is up and running at Viking Studio. This has been a major upgrade to our studio on a...
01/30/2025

The new has been installed and is up and running at Viking Studio. This has been a major upgrade to our studio on all levels. The Solid State Logic Origin 16-channel console integrates seamlessly into modern DAW-centric studios. Evolved from its highly successful 32-channel big sibling, Origin 16 delivers the same features and legendary SSL analog sound and workflow efficiencies in a compact recording, mixing, and summing desk that fits the budgets and space constraints of smaller professional studios and educational facilities. Featuring 16 input channels fitted with SSL’s acclaimed PureDrive preamps, Origin 16 can handle even the most demanding tracking sessions with ease. And loaded with E-Series 4-band parametric EQs and SSL’s sought-after bus compressor, Origin 16 supercharges your mixes with the signature SSL sound heard on countless hits.

We are fast at work here installing the SSL Origin 16 mixing board at Viking Studio at  This mixing / recording console ...
01/06/2025

We are fast at work here installing the SSL Origin 16 mixing board at Viking Studio at This mixing / recording console will be at the core of our studio in the future.

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321 Golfclub Road
Pleasant Hill, CA
94523

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