B.M. Commercial Media Writing

The Commercial and Media Writing option is a degree that focuses on orchestration and scoring for film, television, video games and other media. A majority of the work is in instrumental composition and orchestration but you will also work on song writing and use of the voice in ensemble settings. Because of the focus of the program, we ask that you have prior training in classical or jazz styles in an instrument or in voice. 

Placement exams are part of evaluation after the applicant is accepted.  Those include exams in theory, oral skills, piano proficiency and knowledge of orchestration.  Transfer students should come in with transferable required music classes in order to finish the degree with 140 units or less.

For detailed information about what you need to submit to audition for this program, please refer to our audition page.

Area Coordinator
Kyle Simpson
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Department of Music
18111 Nordhoff Street
Northridge, California 91330-8314

Audition

• Submit a portfolio of 3 compositions in different styles (submit pdfs of scores, mp3 of matching recordings, and letter of intent to be uploaded directly onto your music department application). Please show dramatic range, and ability to use instrumental samples in a current DAW (Logic, Digital Performer, Cubase, ProTools). At least one piece should illustrate the ability to notate music from a notation program (could be from MuseScore, Note Flight, Sibelius, Finale, Dorico, etc). The PDF of the full score should be included in the portfolio. Your ability to understand how orchestral or jazz ensembles work together, how to write for them, and how their music looks on a score, is a critical requirement.
• You will upload a letter of intent discussing musical background and goals.
• You will schedule an on-campus performance audition with the appropriate applied area (keyboard, woodwinds, voice, etc.). When you fill out the online application you will see the exact requirement for the instrument you play (or voice).
• After the performance audition, you will have an campus interview with the head of the Media option, Professor Kyle Simpson.

Facilities at CSUN Music include two labs, one larger lab with 24 stations (iMacs with Logic, ProTools LE and Finale), and a smaller scoring lab with more extensive software and sample libraries. We recommend students ultimately invest in their own software and computers to facilitate their writing and as preparation for entering the marketplace. The ideal Commercial and Media Writing Option student is at home with music writing technology including DAWs, is eager to write in many styles, understands basic orchestration, reads music fluently and is focused on entering the commercial workplace.

Course Work

Successful completion or transfer of 100 and 200 level core classes and MUS 221 Songwriting, leads to the majority of the media work. 300-level classes required for the option include MUS 307 Music From a Global Perspective, MUS 315A Orchestration, MUS 316 Analysis, MUS 317A Jazz Arranging, MUS 321 Beginning Composition, MUS 322 Beginning Media Composition, MUS 364/L Instrumental Conducting, MUS 391 Midi Sequencing, MUS 397/R Music Recording. We recommend MUS 388 Studio Ensemble as a suitable ensemble requirement. Studio is a lab band and offers practice in arranging and writing in commercial styles.

The 400-level classes include MUS 419 Music Industry Studies, MUS 420A Media Composition, MUS 420B Media Orchestration, MUS 422A Individual Lessons in Composition, MUS 483ME Music Entrepreneurship, MUS 494A CSUN Internship, MUS 494A/B Outside Internship, and MUS 495 Senior Recital.