Full Sail University's School of Music & Recording features a range of ways for interested students to pursue a career in the music, recording, or entertainment industries. From world-class facilities to real-world education from instructors with years of industry experience, our music-focused degree programs have built a reputation for graduating a wide array of talented and successful engineers, mixers, stage managers, producers, and more.

Graduates from Full Sail's School of Music & Recording have gone on to achieve incredible feats in the industry. At the 2024 Grammy Awards ceremony, there were more than 45 grads credited on 50-plus Grammy-nominated projects in 39 categories, including Album of the Year, Record of the Year, and Best R&B Album. Two of those grads, Colin Leonard and Sebastian Krys, won their own Grammys. Colin won a "Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical" Grammy for his mastering and engineering work on singer/songwriter Victoria Monét's Jaguar II album, and Sebastian picked up an award for his production work on "Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album" winner Vida Cotidiana by Juanes.

Music & Recording Degrees

Recording Arts - Since opening its doors in 1979, Full Sail has continued to evolve as one of the nation's most respected recording schools, and it all started with recording arts. From music production to audio post-production for film, television, and video games, students who study recording arts will get hands-on experience with the same gear found in professional studios while learning from instructors who are veterans of the industry.

Music Production - Students studying music production are given the tools to gain a thorough and comprehensive understanding of music creation and production. The course-content introduces foundational concepts such as music theory and composition and later dives deeper into the complexities of music production, including engineering techniques and digital workstation technology.

Audio Production - Audio production courses are designed with the self-starter in mind. Students are provided access to the knowledge, skills, and attitude necessary to conduct business as an independent audio creator. Studying not just technical skills, those learning about audio production will also engage in courses, such as music business fundamentals, to make them well-rounded professionals.

Show Production - Focusing on the live side of music, students studying show production are able to explore potential roles and careers in the live entertainment industry. With courses ranging from the intricacies of live sound and lighting to live video elements and corporate presentations, students leave their studies with a deep understanding of not just industry standards but what it takes to move an audience.

Music Business - Those studying music business explore the industry beyond the composition, recording, and production of sound. The courses and skills explored in music business give students the knowledge to effectively enter the worlds of marketing and publishing, artist management, and distribution.

Industry-Standard Facilities

Audio Temple - An on-campus classroom facility, Full Sail's Audio Temple doubles as a working studio for projects by some of the industry's most popular acts. Education Director Brandon Egerton and Course Director Darren Schneider have brought several projects to the Audio Temple from artists such as Snoop Dogg, Travis Greene, and Aoife O'Donovan, who, with Schneider, brought the recording process of her album Age of Apathy to students via livestream.

Grad and Grammy award-winning mix engineer Leslie Brathwaite has mixed projects for major acts, including Ariana Grande, Migos, and Cardi B, in the space.

"It's always great to be a part of a successful project. It's even more special that I was able to mix some of it on campus while students got a chance to sit in," says Leslie.

The impressive campus recording studio is outfitted with equipment on par with some of the industry's most state-of-the-art facilities, including an SSL Duality Hybrid console and a Yamaha Disklavier grand piano.

Full Sail Live Venue - Full Sail's Live Venue gives students the opportunity to get hands-on experience in live production and has been home to several large-scale events including WWE's NXT and Trivium's live-streamed concert A Light Or A Distant Mirror. The 22,000 sq. ft. venue is acoustically engineered as a multi-purpose facility with seating for up to 500 people, a moveable demountable stage, and high-end audio and video equipment perfect for preparing our graduates for careers in live entertainment.

Studios & Labs - Beyond our most notable spaces, Full Sail's campus is also home to four additional studios featuring consoles from API, Audient, and Rupert Neve Designs. In these fully equipped studio spaces, students are able to work and learn in an environment that mirrors the industry they're preparing for. On top of working hands-on with instructors in studio spaces and live venues, students are also able to record, engineer, and mix their own audio with access to over two dozen vocal, post-production, music and audio post mixing suites throughout the campus.

Career Success

Faculty & Advisory Board - To keep the school's curriculum in line with the music industry's evolution, Full Sail's Music & Recording Advisory board is comprised of industry experts and works with instructors and program directors by sharing insights on everything from technological advances to hiring needs. Since Full Sail's educational model is structured month-to-month, this feedback can be readily incorporated, allowing students to stay on track with industry trends.

Unique Opportunities - In tandem with state-of-the-art facilities and world-class instructors, students studying music and recording have unique opportunities to gain portfolio-worthy experience while still in school. For example, 3300+ Climbing is an on-campus artist development initiative where students participate in artist development, branding, marketing, event planning, media creation, and leadership activities while developing their skills.

"At Full Sail, our goal is to provide our students with a real-world education. These collaborations allow first-hand access to the production process of high-level industry projects and the professionals involved with them," says program director Brandon Egerton. "Our immersive and project-based approach to education has made us a respected higher learning institution, and our quality of work as professionals has helped establish us as a go-to destination for major projects in the music industry."

Career Development - Through the school's Career Development department, students are provided with life-long assistance in their job search. Career Development advisors work with students to craft resumes and portfolios for specific careers and organizations, to connect them with potential employers and career opportunities.

“Our services don't have an expiration date,” says Career Development Associate Director Brad McDonald. “Our goal is to partner with our grads and maintain that connection as they advance in their careers.”

Accolades

Full Sail University's Audio Temple has been home to the creation of a number of high-profile projects. More more than a dozen Billboard number one hits have been worked on in the studio recently, including Ariana Grande's album Sweetener, The Migos' Culture II, Tye Tribbett's gospel album The Bloody Win, and Snoop Dogg's The Bible of Love. Additionally, Aoife O’Donovan’s Grammy-nominated folk album Age of Apathy was recorded in the Audio Temple.

In addition to our studio credits, Full Sail's School of Music & Recording has also been recognized for educational contributions to the industry, being named to Billboard magazine’s “Top Music Business Schools 2023” list and appearing on The Hollywood Reporter’s list of the Top 25 Music Schools.