Christoph Thompson teaches Recording Technology, Immersive Recording, and Signal Processing at Ball State University. He is the program lead for the Music For All / Bands of America Summer Camp Music Production Boot Camp, giving nearly 50 high schoolers professional level training in recording and music production along with TI:ME instructors Jeffery Seitz, Ryan Van Bibber and Will Kuhn.
How has technology changed music teaching since the beginning of your career?
Technology has become much more user friendly, with a shallower learning curve. Interactive software solutions can be used to support complex topics. Comprehensive DAWs that are easy to use, allow students of all technical skill levels to be creative.
Briefly describe your journey in building a technology infused music curriculum
The challenge for building a technology infused curriculum, especially at the college level is that it needs to apply to the real world of the audio industry. It is important that students are ready for the various fields that exist, but it is equally important that students are ready for careers that do not exist yet, but will upon their graduation. I try to bring as many outside opportunities to my students as possible: masterclasses with industry icons, manufacturers, fortune 500 streaming services, etc. This keeps my students in touch with real world application and challenges for their skills set.
What technology are you using in your music lessons on a daily basis?
Software: Pro-Tools, Logic, Native Instruments Reaktor, Mathworks MATLAB.
What is a particular success story from using technology in your music classes?
In the summer of 2019 myself and students from our music production program installed a basic recording studio and computer lab in a community center in an underserved part of Muncie. In addition to the install we provided classes for the high school and middle school students who would attend the program at the Boys and Girls Club. It was very successful, in that it taught my college level students important people skills and made them better communicators in the studio, since they would need to distill technical processes to basic concepts in order to teach the younger students. The program was called “The Junior Producer’s Club”
Christoph’s interest in youth programs also led to the creation of the Music Production Boot Camp at Bands of America Summer Camp. Led by Division Coordinator Christoph Thompson and faculty, the Music Production Bootcamp gives students an immersive, hands-on experience in recording, acoustics, production, and game audio.
“I try to bring as many outside opportunities to my students as possible: masterclasses with industry icons, manufacturers, fortune 500 streaming services, etc. This keeps my students in touch with real world application and challenges for their skills set.”
-Christoph Thompson, on teaching for the audio industry
What advice do you have for others reshaping their music classes with technology-based lessons?
One is tempted to jump into the very latest trend in technology, and it is very important and very challenging to keep up with recent developments. However, nothing is as important as building a logical foundation. The basic concepts of sound, physic, and digital processing need to be firmly instilled. Creativity is always the common denominator. Students can be creative independent of a specific genre and they enjoy the concept of shaping something. Especially for younger students every lesson should yield a product in which the student can take creative ownership.
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