Year 1

DAW Recording Techniques


Practical tasks and hands-on lectures guide students through the process of learning to use Avid Pro Tools. A portfolio of realistic example work is created as students learn to use Pro Tools from the ground up, and develop the skills necessary when practicing in most aspects of the music industry.

You examine a wide range of compositional and production techniques that harness the vast array of creative options offered by audio/MIDI sequencers.

We provide you with the opportunity to develop the skills, knowledge and understanding to capture, edit, arrange and process (correctively and creatively) audio and MIDI programme material from a range of sources.

This is achieved through creative exercises and experimentation in music production, using digital audio workstations (audio/MIDI sequencers) with MIDI controllers and keyboards in dedicated music labs.

Learning strategies include demonstrations and facilitated, hands-on participation in a series of experiments and music production sessions.

We deliver the module as a series of lectures, built around demonstrations and practical exercises which you attempt in facilitated practical sessions.

Assessment is based on a portfolio of music lab exercises and a creative music production assignment.

Music and Composition Concepts


This module ensures you have an appropriate level of understanding of music theory for a career in music technology, and facilitates musical communication within the composition and production processes.

You undertake practical exercises through a series of facilitated music lab sessions and use a number of music production applications with MIDI controllers and keyboards.

Music Technology in Context


This module develops your verbal and written communication skills through investigations into the relationship between music, technology and popular culture.

You complete an essay and deliver an individual presentation to your peers, which forms the basis of your assessment.

This module also allows you to develop your skills working in a team, whereby a series of team orientated projects are undertaken and run entirely by each group. Examples include the planning, recording, production and editing of a podcast series, as well as the planning and orchestration of a live event.

Recording Studio Techniques


Recording acoustic and electroacoustic instruments requires the acoustical separation and high quality monitoring of a professional purpose built recording facility.

This module provides you with the opportunity to develop the skills, knowledge and understanding to capture accurately acoustic and electroacoustic instruments,such as the voice, drums and guitars, in professional, state-of-the-art recording studio facilities.

Learning strategies include demonstrations and facilitated, hands-on participation in a series of practical exercises and recording sessions.

The range of topics covered includes microphones, mixers, digital audio workstations, analogue and digital signal routing and capture, establishing, maintaining and assessing signal quality, patchbays, gain structure, instrument specific and stereo recording techniques, metering, acoustical separation, monitoring, creative and corrective signal processing, client care and recording studio practice.

You participate in demonstrations, practical exercises and timed, sound engineering challenges with clients.

Assessment is through a portfolio of experiments and practical sound engineering challenges.

Sound & Acosutics


This module offers a theoretical and practical exploration of the relationships between music, sound in air (acoustics), the perception of sound (psychoacoustics) and sound as an analogue/digital signal (electroacoustics).

Time (waveform) and frequency (spectral) descriptions of sound are considered, and you investigate their interrelationship.

You are also introduced to acoustic ecology, to examine your personal relationship with sound and the environment, and to improve your sonological competence.

The potential health hazards of exposure to sound are investigated, and you test and analyse the frequency range of your own hearing.

Sound Engineering Concepts


You explore audio engineering theory, specifically mixers, balanced lines, phantom powering, sound quality, signal levels, metering, compressors, noise gates and equalisers.

You also examine the functionality of – and relationships between - the various components of PC-based audio/MIDI sequencing applications.

You explore the advantages and disadvantages of recording MIDI performance data (compared with recording audio signals) through a thorough examination of the MIDI specification.

Finally, we introduce you to digital audio theory and its relevance to music production and sound engineering.

We deliver the module as a series of lectures, built around demonstrations and practical exercises which you attempt in facilitated practical sessions.

The module is assessed through two assignments which contain written and practical elements.