Syllabus
FA26-MUSC-232: Media Music Tech Lab I
Course Information
Schedule: Monday, 9:00 AM – 10:50 AM
Location: 1014 S. Michigan Ave, Room 201 “Digital Music Lab”, Chicago, IL 60605
Credits: 2
Class Fee: None
Semester: Fall 2026 Full 15 Week Semester
Columbia College Chicago – School of Audio and Music
| Audio Center | 33 E Ida B Wells – 312-369-8820 |
| Music Center | 1014 S Michigan – 312-369-6300 |
| School Office Hours | Mo-Fr 9:00am-5:00pm |
Instructor Information
| Name | Dr. Daniel R. Dehaan |
| Preferred Names | ”Dr. Dan” or “Dr. Dehaan” |
| Pronouns | He/His/Him |
| ddehaan@colum.edu | |
| Office | 1014 S. Michigan Ave, 333, Chicago, IL 60605 |
| Office Hours | By Appointment |
Student Resources
- Dean of Students Help Page
- Center for Student Well-Being (312-369-7861)
- TimelyCare - 24/7 Medical & Mental Health Support
- Columbia Scholarships
- Campus Card
- TechBar
- Discord Server
Important Dates
| Deadline | Date |
|---|---|
| Semester Start Date | Tuesday, September 8, 2026 |
| Add Deadline | Monday, September 14, 2026 |
| Drop Deadline | Monday, September 21, 2026 |
| Academic Progress Reports | Week 6 (week of October 12, 2026) |
| Withdrawal Deadline | Friday, November 13, 2026 |
| Course Evaluations Open | Week 12 (week of November 23, 2026) |
| Pass/Fail Election Deadline | Monday, November 30, 2026 |
| Course Evaluations Close | Week 14 (week of December 7, 2026) |
| Semester End Date | Saturday, December 19, 2026 |
| Grading Deadline | Friday, December 25, 2026 |
No class: Labor Day (Monday, September 7) · Thanksgiving Break (Wednesday, November 25 – Friday, November 27)
Supplies/Materials
- A laptop that meets the current Audio/Music Tier Requirements
- A digital audio workstation (DAW) program — one of: Logic Pro, Ableton Live, Cubase, Digital Performer, Pro Tools, Reaper, or Studio One
- Wired headphones (closed-back or semi-open preferred)
- Laptop-to-dock adapters (USB-C hub/dongle with HDMI pass-through)
- MOTU 828es drivers installed before your first studio session
Course Description
Part of the MUSC Composition for Media BA program, this course serves to support MUSC 230, Composition for Media Studio I, by providing students with hands-on help regarding the realization of projects initiated in the classroom. The course provides instruction in a broad range of hardware and software tools employed in the various parts of the media music production process. The instructor also works with students on specific technical and creative issues that arise with assignments in MUSC 230.
Learning Objectives
- Apply core workflow and DAW fluency skills, including session setup, MIDI sequencing, and template use;
- Apply sound creation fundamentals: synthesis, sampling, and recording;
- Apply processing and mixing fundamentals with an introduction to each;
- Apply delivery basics — naming, exporting — and build awareness of interactive audio.
Prerequisites
Concurrent requisite: MUSC 230 Composition for Media Studio I.
Course Policies
Grading Scale
The college grading scale is as follows:
| Percentage | Grade |
|---|---|
| 94-100% | A |
| 90-93% | A- |
| 88-89% | B+ |
| 84-87% | B |
| 80-83% | B- |
| 78-79% | C+ |
| 74-77% | C |
| 70-73% | C- |
| 60-69% | D |
| below 60% | F |
Grading Policy
Grading is based on in-class participation and engagement. Because there is no homework, your in-class exercise each session is the participation evidence.
| Area | Weight |
|---|---|
| In-class participation / engagement | 100% |
Each 2-hour session pairs a planned tutorial with hands-on work completed within the room, so there is no take-home, spec-graded deliverable. Attendance and engagement drive the grade.
AI Policy
As there are far-reaching implications regarding authorship, ownership, and similar legal concepts central to our industry, the use of AI tools and similar external aid in the completion of class assignments are subject to prior approval by the instructor, and in all cases must be fully disclosed. Violations are subject to the college’s Academic Integrity Policy.
Other Policies
- No food or drink in the classroom except bottled water.
- Unless explicitly requested by the instructor, personal electronic devices not being used for coursework must be stowed away during class time.
College Policies
Attendance
Class attendance is expected of all School of Audio and Music students. Missing class may have a negative impact on your academic progress. If you anticipate an absence, you are expected to communicate proactively by notifying your instructor in advance, contacting classmates to obtain assignments and missed information, and discussing possible opportunities for make-up work with your instructor when appropriate. In case of an unexpected absence, please contact your instructor as soon as possible to discuss missed material and coursework.
Additional attendance policies may apply to individual School of Audio and Music courses as outlined in each course syllabus. Students are responsible for reviewing their course syllabi for specific attendance requirements and should consult their instructors if further clarification is needed.
The College’s Mandatory Attendance Policy requires all faculty to report students who do not attend classes by week three within the 15-week semester, and earlier for shorter sessions. Students reported as non-attending will be withdrawn from the course and receive an “NS” grade on their academic record. Please see catalog.colum.edu for more information.
Mandatory Attendance Policy Statement
Students are required to attend class regularly. Failure to attend class in the first two weeks of the term will negatively impact financial aid. If your professor reports that you failed to attend and participate in class during the add/drop period, a grade of NS (no-show) will be entered on your record for the course. Please note: You will still be charged tuition and fees for any course for which you receive an NS grade. For more information on non-attendance, please visit the Columbia Central website.
Assignments
Homework must be submitted on the due date. The instructor will accept homework submitted after the due date as long as it is submitted personally to the instructor prior to the start of the next class session following the original due date. Plan to spend at least one hour outside of class for every hour in class. Some assignments, however, will take longer than that amount of time to complete. Plan accordingly.
Evaluations
Student Course Evaluations will be open from week twelve to week fourteen, and you will receive information on submitting evaluations via Outlook email(s) from the college.
Academic Progress Report Statement
During week 6 of the fall and spring terms, Columbia measures the academic progress of all undergraduate students. The academic progress report is meant to provide a sense of your performance at this point in time. For each course in which you are enrolled, your instructor will assign you one of the following academic progress reports:
- Exceeds basic expectations: Demonstrating performance at a very high level in the course, typically shown as consistent attendance, earning high grades on assignments, and displaying a deep engagement with course content.
- Meets basic expectations: Demonstrating behavior proven to produce success in college, such as consistent attendance, class participation, and on-time completion of assignments.
- Does not meet basic expectations: Demonstrating behaviors known to put students at risk for failure, such as excessive absences, lack of class participation, and missed or incomplete assignments.
While the academic progress report is not a final grade and will not affect your grade point average, it is a valuable indicator of your performance in the course to date. Columbia is committed to your success, and this process is important to understand your progress towards that success. If you are not meeting basic expectations, you will receive this progress report via email, and you are strongly encouraged to discuss course expectations with your instructor(s).
Undergraduate Academic Policies
All Columbia College Chicago academic policies are available in the catalog.
- Academic Integrity Policy
- Grade Grievance Policy
- Sexual Misconduct Policy and Procedures (Title IX)
- Other Student Complaint Policies and Procedures
- College-wide Grading System
Students with Disabilities Statement
Columbia seeks to maintain a supportive academic environment for students with disabilities. Students seeking accommodations for a disability must register with the Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) office. To register for services, students should go to the SSD website to start the online application process.
Center for Student Wellbeing
623 S. Wabash Ave, Suite 303 & 304, Chicago, IL 60605, (312) 369-8700. The Center for Student Wellbeing offers a variety of rapid intervention mental health service options for students of the College, as well as a room that welcomes students needing decompression, resources, quiet, or access to sensory tools in a decompression space designed to engage wellness and resilience. Service offerings include a consultation line for campus wide requests for mental health support for students; a drop-in decompression space; group offerings; therapeutic case management; acute care; and short-term counseling. The College also offers 24/7, “in your pocket” mental health support through TimelyCare where students can request both one-time and ongoing therapy services at any hour from any device.
College Advising Center
Center for Student Success, 33 E. Ida B. Wells, 1st floor, Chicago, IL 60605, 312-369-7645, collegeadvising@colum.edu. The College Advising Center assists undergraduate students with all transitional issues as they navigate their entire college experience. Students at Columbia are expected to meet with their academic advisor at least once a semester during their first year, and once an academic year until graduation. Students can make an appointment through Oasis (using the “Make Appointments” tab) or by contacting the College Advising Center.
Library Statement
624 S. Michigan Ave., First Floor, 312-369-7900. The Library serves students with resources and support for research, study, collaboration, fun, and information in all formats—books, eBooks, articles, primary sources, images, film, music, space, programs, technology, and equipment. Our specialized materials and services focus on what students need and want—textbook reserves, study rooms, collaborative technology, maker lab, 3D printer, light boxes, scanners, equipment checkout (cameras, camcorders, projectors) and research assistance by chat, text, email, phone, or in-person. For more information, visit the Library website.
Schedule for each Class Session
Please consult the class homepage in Canvas. All deadlines and information will be posted there, and students are responsible for that information.
Important Notice This syllabus is intended to give the student guidance on what may be covered during the semester and will be followed as closely as possible. However, instructors reserve the right in their discretion to modify, supplement, and make changes as course needs arise.
Course Calendar
Mondays, 9:00–10:50 AM · term runs Sep 14 – Dec 14 (14 sessions; Labor Day removes Week 1, Thanksgiving doesn’t affect Monday).
| Wk | Date (Mon) | Unit | Planned topic |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9/14 | Orientation | Lab orientation + how the class works; studio/system setup; signal flow |
| 2 | 9/21 | DAW & Workflow | DAW navigation, session setup & MIDI basics |
| 3 | 9/28 | DAW & Workflow | MIDI sequencing & editing; templates & efficiency |
| 4 | 10/5 | Sound Creation | Synthesis fundamentals I — oscillators, filters, envelopes |
| 5 | 10/12 | Sound Creation | Synthesis fundamentals II — modulation & basic sound design |
| 6 | 10/19 | Sound Creation | Sampling & instrument basics |
| 7 | 10/26 | Sound Creation | Recording basics — interfaces, mics, gain staging, Foley capture |
| 8 | 11/2 | Sound Creation | Editing & processing recorded audio (cleanup, comping) |
| 9 | 11/9 | Processing & Mixing | Effects fundamentals — EQ, dynamics, time-based |
| 10 | 11/16 | Processing & Mixing | Mixing fundamentals I — levels, panning, the four dimensions |
| 11 | 11/23 | Processing & Mixing | Mixing fundamentals II — frequency carving & depth |
| 12 | 11/30 | Delivery & Integration | Export & delivery basics — bouncing, stems intro, naming & organization |
| 13 | 12/7 | Delivery & Integration | Interactive audio — awareness/taste (what middleware is; light demo) |
| 14 | 12/14 | Delivery & Integration | Integrative wrap & semester reflection |