The successor to the Artists-and-Repertoire executive of pop's golden era, the producer, stands at the point of intersection between a recording's human element and its increasingly advanced technological aspect. Often a producer's work results in a signature style or "sound"; if this sound is especially novel or musically persuasive, top recording artists may energetically seek the producer out. SRT 159 will explore the art and history of production as it relates to music past and present. Students will experience the original recordings of great songs recorded by great producers. Emphasis will be placed on the differences between producers and their individual styles, identifying key production techniques, and utilizing them in recordings that students will produce themselves. This course is subject to a course fee.