Music Production

In your first year, you will be introduced to Music Production principles. Your studies will be directed into three broad areas; Foundations of Audio Recording; Foundations of Sound Reinforcement; and the Foundations of MIDI Programming and Automation. You will be taught holistically as you explore themes including; the physics of sound, audio signal, audio mixing, audio editing, digital signal processing and introducing automation.

You will attend the Foundations in Music Production lecture series, which will explore questions such as; understanding microphone type and placement, principles of audio editing, mixing, post-production techniques and the preparation required to manage a live show. These lectures will be linked to two themed seminar series: The Foundations of Audio Recording Seminar allows for a focussed study of practical mic placement and recording of various instruments (solo and group); these seminars will also include the theory of audio signal flow. The Foundations of MIDI Programming and Automation Seminar will allow for the focused, practical study of the automated mixing of audio stems within various genres and settings; these seminars will also include the theory of audio perception.

All first-year students will attend compulsory concerts and events throughout their first academic year. The shows included in this series are intended to illustrate the musical genres studied in other course areas and add an additional enhancement.

You will further develop your skills, understanding and appreciation of more advanced studios and live sound production techniques, and MIDI programming, automation and interactive applications in music.

You will attend the Explorations in Music Production lecture series, where these areas will be taught in an integrated way through shared themes such as stylistic sound production techniques; digital signal processing techniques; automation; music interactivity; digital sound theory; sound synthesis; surround proper techniques; expanded engagements with live music; MIDI arrangement and orchestration; introduction to audio/visual (theory and practice); and introduction to generative music. This lecture series will be linked to two themed seminar series: Explorations in Studio and Live Production and Explorations in Interactive Music Programming Seminar.

Students will attend the Advanced Studies of Music Production lecture series and explore themes such as advanced practice and theories of stylistic sound; sound and perception theory; sound synthesis; mixed-media, interactive and immersive music and sound; surround-sound techniques; live coding; algorithmic music modelling; music for content; project management; and generative composition.

In your third year, you will be encouraged to hone further your skills, understanding and appreciation of advanced studio and live sound and digital music.

The third-year lecture series will be linked to two themed seminars: Advanced Studio and Live Production Seminar and Advanced Digital Music Seminar. Each student will also attend a weekly tutorial with their allocated personal tutor and be required to participate in the recording of our music concerts.

All third-year single honours students will also have to carry out an extensive research project, report or dissertation linked to issues about music recording, live event planning or digital music and the changing opportunities for these areas in today’s music profession, regionally, nationally or internationally. In this way, students will recognise that academic study need not be directly linked to employment but can be used to compete in a constantly evolving job market.