MEIEA Summit 2025

Jessica Muñiz-Collado, Moderator
1:15 - AI Music Generators in Music Industry Curriculum
1:45 - Practical Music Theory for the Music Industry Student

AI Music Generators in Music Industry Curriculum
  Benom Plumb, University of the Pacific
Benom Plumb gives a presentation about incorporating AI music generators, particularly Suno and Udio, into Music Industry Studies curriculum. The research focuses on the results of an assignment titled, “Create an AI Song!”, from Plumb’s MMGT 11: Introduction to Music Business course at University of the Pacific from the Fall 2024 semester. Of particular interest are the resulting positives and negatives, student conclusions, and creative outputs of AI music generators, Suno and Udio. The sample size of the research information is derived from a class of 50+ students that includes music industry majors and non-music majors. The research conclusions are unique because of this mix of creative and non-creative students (due to the course being offered as a General Education requirement at Pacific). Plumb offers insight for curriculum development in the fast-paced world of artificial intelligence as it relates to student learning outcomes—and connecting those experiences to current event impacts and the legal challenges brought by major music companies against Suno and Udio.

Practical Music Theory for the Music Industry Student
  Charles Brooks, University of North Alabama
After 25 years of teaching music to middle school students, high school students, college students, and some industry professionals, I find that almost all people who take up music have issues understanding music theory as a form of study. Music is a language and learning how to use a new language is very difficult. Many music industry students wind up leaving the industry and music altogether because of the perception that understanding music theory is mysterious and daunting, far too daunting to unravel. The fact is this is just not true. When stripped down to its bare essentials, the building blocks of music can be very straightforward and easy to understand. So, that’s what my book: A Practical Guide To Understanding Music Theory is dedicated to accomplishing. It gives the music industry student music theory in a way that’s accessible and straight-forward. Many music industry and entertainment students are quite good storytellers and stumble upon a hit from time to time. However, if the independent contractor is to be consistent as a new artist they need as many tools at their disposal that they can obtain to set themselves apart from others in the industry that have similar skill sets. My methodology follows a spiral-learning model in order to introduce theory to the reader in a way that is flexible enough to slowly add more complex ideas as the student progresses. Starting with a basic, easy-to-understand concept and slowly adding to that, one piece of information at a time.