Make the most of these extraordinary times and gain a nationally-recognised qualification. A short online course is a significant first step to improving your skills and achieving your career goals.
Level 4+
BA (Hons) Music Production
COURSE OVERVIEW
This course is developed and taught by current music industry professionals in unrivaled facilities with the aim of developing your unique career path in music. You will work in our specially designed 24 room studio complex with the technical spec and acoustic performance to match the best commercial studios.
Key features
- Extensive state-of-the-art facilities to rival top commercial studios
- Professional software and plugins
- Taught by industry experts
- Creative freedom on assessed projects
You will work in our specially designed 24 room studio complex with the technical spec and acoustic performance to match the best commercial studios – as well as our five Apple Mac music workstation rooms, our fully equipped Learning Resource Centre, our Theatre, and numerous well-equipped classrooms.
You will build your production, recording and programming skills, and apply them in our artist development programme, in which you can grow as an artist, producer, composer, programmer, engineer or any combination of the above. The course includes track creation, recording, mixing, mastering, live sound, synthesis, sampling, some acoustic and music theory, weekly visits from key music industry practitioners, essential practical music business knowledge and work experience opportunities.
Collaboration opportunities abound with students of performance, production, photography, media, graphic design, props, costume, musical theatre, fashion, games design, acting and other creative areas – and with our extensive contacts in the music industry.
The course involves the making of significant amounts of self-directed music in the form of a project each year, meaning you will be building a significant body of current work.
Facilities
Our custom-designed studio complex features: Four high-spec control rooms, five acoustically-balanced live rooms, three digital/post suites, one DJ room and ten pre-production booths, five computer clusters, three classrooms and a large lecture/performance space.
Using industry standard Logic, Protools, Ableton with a wide range of plugins such as Ozone, Native Instruments –
Hardware includes SSL, TL Audio and Audient desks, for processing Empirical Labs (Distressors), Dbx, Drawmer, TL Audio and many other platforms in studios and production rooms. Access to East West, Sonox plugs, Focusrite, Neve and SSL pre-amps, huge range of microphones and synthesisers, DI boxes, soundcards and headphones.
Contact time and study hours
A full-time student can expect to have around 2 days of timetabled teaching contact per week. You will have approximately 40 hours of timetabled teaching contact for each 20 credit module. This is supported by independent self-guided study.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Each application will be assessed individually, including a review of your grades, interview, portfolio/audition and any experience.
Typical entry requirements are below but offers may vary:
- a relevant A-Level
- Level 3 Extended Diploma
In exceptional circumstances, if you do not meet our entry requirements, your application may still be considered if you demonstrate additional strengths and alternative evidence. This might, for example, be demonstrated by:
- related academic or work experience
- the quality of the personal statement
Portfolio and interview
- You will also be required to provide a portfolio and interview for this course.
- Your interview will take place in the production booths within our new music studio block. You are required to bring a memory stick containing two or three examples of your recorded work. You will also need to bring evidence of your academic written skills; this can be a piece of existing academic work or a 500 word review of a pre-recorded track of your choice, paying particular attention to the production quality.
Your interview process will include the following:
- Demonstration of recorded work
- Evidence of written skills (see above requirements)
- Evidence of aural skills
- Interview with question and answer session
Potential careers
- Music producer
- Studio engineer
- Recording artist
- Live sound engineer
- Mastering engineer
- DJ/producer
- Audio for games
- Film sound
- Post production sound
Teaching and assessment methods
We use a variety of teaching methods, including:
- practical workshops
- discussions
- groupwork
- lectures/seminars
- tutorials
- self-directed study
Assessment methods vary between units but could include:
- recordings
- project work
- portfolios
- dissertation
- presentations
- written assignments
Years 1 – Skills acquisition
The first year is all about the recording and programming skills you will need for the whole degree up to the third year. Using our world class studios and Logic, Pro Tools and Ableton you will be introduced to key concepts including:
- Mixing
- Programming
- Recording
- Arranging
- Routing
- Gain staging
- Mastering
These topics are explored fully in a range of assignments. Alongside this you will be tested in your ability to manage the rigours of desk operation for large recording sessions as well as having a grounding in key cultural and organisational aspects of the music Industry.
Year 2 – Initial explorations
The second year is about applying skills to various real world situations and then evaluating the results along with your tutor and peers. You will also be introduced to more advanced processing and synthesis concepts along with explorations of the mechanisms of sound including:
- Working with clients
- Sound for film and computer games
- Keyboard skills (basic music theory)
- Professional presence (via a blog or website)
- Digital audio
- Analogue audio
- Acoustics and psychoacoustics
Assignments over the year are a 20 minute music portfolio, industry briefs (range of projects for clients) and library music all designed to give you the best range of feedback to enhance your skills.
Year 3
The third year offers students a chance to perfect their mixing, recording, creative, musical and technical skills. Students specialise in their own area and produce ambitious projects to help carve out a career in their chosen field. With extended access to studio facilities and specialist tutors, our final year degree students are producing and releasing professional work that stretches them to realise their highest potential.
*FREE* Online short courses
Financial support
The applicable fees for this course, including any available discounts, will be listed in the information above.
How to apply
Once you have created an account, you can easily apply to your chosen course and track the status of your application at any time.
HOW THE APPLICATION PROCESS WORKS
Step 1
Set Up Your Account
You’ll be prompted to create an account which will allow you to log in to our Application Tracker website whenever you wish. This will provide you with important information and you can also track the progress of your application.
Step 2
Apply
Complete each step of the application form and then submit your completed form. We’ll let you know when we’ve safely received it with an acknowledgement email.
Step 3
Application Review Meeting
Before offering you a place at college, we’ll meet with you (either in person, by telephone or online). We’ll send you a link to our booking page where you can select a time that’s convenient for you.
Step 4
Accept Your Place
Offers will be sent to you via the email address you have provided. The offer will be conditional, based on predicted GCSE grades. You’ll need to accept your offer within 14 days to secure your place.
Step 5
What next?
Once you receive your GCSE results, you’ll need to get in touch with the college to inform us of them and start your enrolment process.
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