Butcher, a student in CAC’s Entertainment Industry Technology (E.I.T) program, is the first of what will be six students to receive the honor during the 2012-13 academic year.
Butcher’s story is one of a student who, later in life, has found his calling, and has applied what he has learned at CAC to that niche.
Dan Bush, professor of recording engineering and coordinator of the E.I.T. program, has witnessed Butcher’s story firsthand.
“Over the past several semesters, Matt has exhibited exemplary dedication and self-discipline when it comes to applying what he has learned in the E.I.T. program to real-world applications,” Bush said.
Butcher’s dedication is exemplary especially when one considers that he is simultaneously pursuing a quartet of associate degrees - one for each of the E.I.T. program’s four tracks (recording engineering, live lighting and sound, artist and venue management, and popular music performance).
Even more impressive is the fact that Butcher is doing all of this while working the late shift, full-time as a supervisor, for a local law enforcement agency.
“It is a lot of work,” Butcher explained, “but it’s something I love to do. The scheduling at CAC facilitates being able to do that.”
Most impressive, perhaps, is what Butcher has been able to do outside the classroom. While continuing the E.I.T. program, he has started three recording industry entities - Arizona City Sounds, LLC; Butcher Records, LLC; and Signal Peak Music Publishing, LLC.
Under the umbrella of Signal Peak Music Publishing and Butcher Records, Butcher has produced his first album entitled Proclamation by Maricopa-based punk/pop band So Much for Serious.
If anyone were to question the legitimacy of the album’s release, one could find Proclamation available for purchase on iTunes, cdBaby, Amazon, Spotify, and other websites.
“I did all of this,” Butcher said, “by just applying everything I’ve learned in class. The E.I.T. program at CAC encompasses everything I would need to know and is totally comprehensive.”
When he reflects on his previous collegiate experiences - he attended the universities of Wisconsin and North Carolina and already has a bachelor’s degree - Butcher can fully appreciate all the nuances of an education at CAC.
“The biggest difference is the instructors. I’ve never had a bad instructor here. Their classes are very hands-on and present you with scenarios that you can apply to real life.”
Even in a course like music law, according to Butcher, which is more based on the theoretical, the instructor takes an interactive approach to learning.
For anyone interested in pursuing a career in the recording industry, Butcher is quick to recommend the E.I.T program at CAC for many reasons for its outstanding instructors and affordable price tag.
“Despite the program’s state-of-the-art, top-of-the-line facilities, the price is right.”
Matt Butcher - In His Own Words
My name is Matt Butcher and I am a student of recording engineering at Central Arizona College’s Signal Peak Campus. Although I've never had any formal training, I have played guitar since the age of 11 and have always been interested in all things related to music.
In more recent years, I developed a big interest in recording and the business side of the music industry. I looked into schools to learn the trade but all seemed to require full-time attendance or were too far away. Two years ago I heard about the E.I.T program at CAC and gave it a try. The first semester, I took one class and was hooked.
One major thing I have learned is that the music industry is changing. The business model of a huge record company backing a new musical artist or group is slowly going by the wayside. Small independent (indie) music businesses are replacing the model of the huge companies. With the right training, anyone can start their own music business and produce high-quality recordings.
Everything about CAC and E.I.T. has been a better experience than I had as an undergraduate at the universities of Wisconsin and North Carolina. No traffic or parking issues, excellent facilities, and the instructors have recent and relevant experience in the classes they teach. The way the curriculum is set up allows you to maximize your credits between the four tracks in the E.I.T. program. I have been taking classes in each of the four tracks and have found that they very much complement each other; classes required in one track help you in all the others.
