Undergraduate BA(hons) or BSc (Hons) Creative Industries Futures (Music) Music Production

DAW Composition & Arrangement

This skills unit introduces students to the fundamentals of music production and its importance within the art of songwriting. Students will gain skills, knowledge and experience in composition & arrangement using digital audio workstations.

Sound Recording Techniques

This Skills Unit introduces the students to Large Format Mixing Consoles, a wide range of microphones and associated techniques and how to record and process a range of instruments commonly found in Contemporary Music.

Sound Design 1: Synthesis & Sampling

Synthesis and Sampling techniques are not only used within Electronic Music but also commonplace across most modern music genres. Looking at different synthesis types from Subtractive, Granular and Wavetable, but also including FM, Physical-Modelling and Spectral and the wide and varied ways that Sampling can be incorporated into Production styles.

Music & the Creative Industries

This module enables students to understand how music-related skills, practices and theories are being applied in other industry sectors to problem-solve, connect and innovate.

It examines the principles and terminology used in these professional contexts and requires students to research and investigate the potential futures of music, musicianship, and music applications.

You will consider your place as a musician or music practitioner within the creative industries landscape, mapping out your path and how to maximise opportunities to make money and grow your profile and career.

Music, Media and Technology

This module enables students to examine the role of music across a range of media.

Students will consider and compare the purpose, structure, and method of how music is used across different platforms and for different audiences.

The module requires students to review creative industries theory and practice of creating, sourcing and using music in media in a variety of formats and technologies and to connect the theory with the practice.

Preparing for Collaborative Work

This module enables students to prepare and organise themselves and their work to engage in an interdisciplinary collaborative creative project with other students, with some guidance and support. Students will also prepare to engage with relevant professional networks and any professional contributors by researching working contexts, philosophies, and work. Students will identify their strengths and development needs and examine team profiles and characteristics for participating in an effective collaborative project through a series of practical workshops.

The impact and influence of music: from creator to consumer

This module enables students to understand the impact of music, musical applications and activities on physical and mental health.

Students will consider and contrast the potential and actual impact of music on well-being in different contexts. The module requires students to consider and analyse the components of musical applications and activities to support or challenge current research on this topic and to connect the theory with the practice.

Music, Society, and Culture: Perspectives and Debates

Music is ubiquitous and global, existing everywhere and anywhere across the world, every minute of the day.

Music is also deeply personal and has unique meaning across countries and local communities.

The creation of new music is often a blend of beat, bar, melodies and harmonies, with influence from other artists and genres, from rap to K-pop. As a musician or music practitioner, it is incredibly important to understand where sounds come from, how you can use them and where they will land with the audience that you are trying to build. There will be those who like what you do and others who criticise. The easiest way to become a target for criticism is if you are perceived to have not taken care to understand music within societies and across cultures, being aware of issues and challenges that have shaped and continue to shape your industry.

For example, as a creator, you may love the syncopation or phraseology of another language, but it may not always be appropriate to lift, stitch and sample words from other cultures in an unsympathetic way.

At one level, this is known as ‘censorship’, which we often associate with regulation, government or policy. However, this module also places an emphasis on self-regulation and self-censorship by having a deeper understanding of how music works across cultures and societies.

Words matter; words can start wars or friendships.

Therefore, in this core module, we aim to inform you, whilst also allowing you a safe space to discuss and debate amongst yourselves about your own views and forms of artistic and academic expression. There is often no right or wrong; it is just important that you can discuss and explain your creative outputs in an evidence-based and critical manner. This is a skill that is valued in the professional sphere too, giving you the ability to know who you are as a creative practitioner and explain your influence and values to your industry networks and audiences.

Engaging in Collaborative Work

This module enables students to work collaboratively on a shared project brief. Students will carry out a collaborative creative project in which they will apply their Level 4 personal, interpersonal and soft skills; their technical and sector-specific professional skills; their creative, critical thinking and problem-solving skills; and their project management, research, networking and presentation skills. Students will regularly and routinely meet to develop, manage, problem-solve, reflect on and evaluate the project progress and success at meeting the project brief with support from staff with professional industry project experience.

Sound Design 2: Instrument Design

This Skills Unit gives students the opportunity to design and/or adapt their own instruments with a focus on Sound Design. Looking at virtual software instrument development platforms such as Reaktor and circuit bending within hardware.

Musical Directing and Studio Craft

Every Producer working in a studio environment at some stage will work with other Artists. This Skills Unit links Production students to Musicians with a focus on communication & collaboration. Getting the best performance from an Artist, while also managing the technical responsibilities in the studio, is a skill set that prepares the students for the Industry.

Creative Mixing

Building on skills and knowledge gained in the Mixing Fundamentals Skills Unit, this course explores the creativity that emerges from breaking the rules and pushing recording and mixing equipment beyond its sensible limits. Here, you can explore creative approaches and processes as applied to mixing and begin to develop a unique sound as a producer.

Acoustics

Understand the properties of sound in enclosed spaces, from room modes, reverb times, treatment and how to apply this to a practical working environment, such as a venue or studio.

Audio-Visual Composition

In this Skills Unit, you will learn the fundamentals of writing music for visual media, including film, TV and games. Explore best practices as well as a number of compositional strategies that can be utilised when approaching the composition for any media project.

Live Sound Engineering

The Live Sound industry is directly linked to Music Production. This Skills Unit will enable students to understand how their mixes can translate across to venues’ PA systems. Giving the opportunities to learn new skills used by Live Sound Engineers within setup, monitors and Front of House and previous technical knowledge can be adapted from Studio Production to work in a live environment.

DJ & Remixing

This Skills Unit looks at DJs and Remixers within Production. Utilising both hardware and software to develop DJ mixing skills and how the use of cue points, loops and stem mixing can link to the production techniques used within Remix Production.

Ensemble Recording

Recording an ensemble of instruments is a skill used across numerous genres. Working with the acoustic space and how this interacts with the musicians, this Skills Unit enables students to enhance their recording skills by working with instruments within ensembles such as String Quartets, Jazz bands and grouped or choir vocals.

Specialist Collaborative Work

This module enables students to contribute through their chosen specialism to an interdisciplinary collaborative creative industries project. Students should engage with the appropriate professional networks for their specialist or interdisciplinary field.

Specialist Route Skills

This module enables students to use tools, techniques, and procedures to work toward producing work of a professional standard in their chosen specialist route. These sources will be used to critically reflect and analyse their work and the work of other practitioners in the appropriate frameworks. ARTS-RELATED SPECIALIST ROUTE (A) Students will be able to use relevant academic research and sources to critically review and place their practice in a humanities, phenomenology or cultural framework. SCIENCE-RELATED SPECIALIST ROUTE (S) Students will be able to use relevant academic research and sources to critically review and place their practice in a scientific methodological and technical framework.

Professional Collaborative Work

This module aims to enable students to explore, examine, and review the function of a professional project. Students will work in a professional context to deliver a project in their specialism. Students will be responsible for identifying the requirements of a professional project brief. They will plan, deliver and review a professional project to current industry standards with their peers. Students will register themselves or/and their work as appropriate with a professional association and actively manage their professional networks, professional ethics and professional communications.

Professional Route Skills

This module enables students to create a portfolio of professional, specialist work demonstrating transferable skills to meet sector expectations. Students will apply sector-specific creative and technical skills in different industry contexts. ARTS-RELATED SPECIALIST ROUTE (A) Students will be able to use relevant academic research and sources to critically review and place their practice in a humanities, phenomenology or cultural framework. SCIENCE-RELATED SPECIALIST ROUTE (S) Students will be able to use relevant academic research and sources to critically review and place their practice in a scientific methodological and technical framework.

Performance and Technology

The modern concert uses many technologies to enhance the performance. This module looks at Playback rigs, concert control software, show calling tech and much more.

Arrangement and Orchestration

This Skills Unit focuses on the arrangement & orchestration techniques used by Producers. Taking a song in its basic format and being able to expand its instrumentation is a valuable skill. Linking to previous work with Ensembles, the students will work with a variety of music & instruments to understand how they can be arranged within their productions.

Mastering

Mastering is the final stage of any audio production. This Skills Unit gives students the opportunity to advance their mastering skills, using both software & hardware. As Digital Distribution continually evolves, keeping up to date with the latest formats and specifications is important. From vinyl, CD and digital mastering, the students will learn the skills to finalise their own music within industry standards.

Interactive Sound

This skills unit looks at how interactive systems can be used to enhance sound and music through audio for games and sound installations.

Mixing for Screen & Broadcast

This skills unit will introduce you to the unique requirements and challenges of mixing audio for visual media and broadcast. Alongside learning about approaches and processes involved in mixing for media, you will gain a deep understanding of the technology that underpins media broadcast, including both terrestrial and online delivery platforms.

Sound Design 3: Max/MSP and Jitter

Max/MSP is an infinitely flexible, visual programming language for creating interactive music and visual applications. It is a powerful platform for exploring new ways to connect technologies and pushing the boundaries of musical interaction and engagement. This course will get you up and running with Max, give you the tools to begin creating your own applications and expose you to some of the incredible examples of how Max is utilised in the professional industry.

Mix with the Experts

Leading mixers from a variety of genres will share their knowledge and experience in this skills unit through masterclasses, workshops and mix deconstructions.

Immersive Audio

The world of Immersive audio is ever-changing and evolving. The aim of this Skill Unit is for students to be able to explore areas such as the use of Dolby Atmos and the way that sound can be produced and mixed to work in immersive environments.

Navigating the Industry

The skills you need to step into the industry as a well-rounded person, innovator and asset to the industry. From portfolio creation to strategies around career and personal development.

Leadership and CPD

This module enables students to engage with continuing professional development and to review and develop their leadership skills in different contexts. Students will examine different models of leadership and review and develop their range of leadership tools, techniques and expertise in this area.

Critical Review

This module includes a research or practical project that critically reviews one or more current issues, constraints or practices that impact the music and wider creative Industries, the application of music to other industry sectors or broader cultural or workforce issues relating to music and the creative cultural industries. ARTS-RELATED SPECIALIST ROUTE (A) Students will be able to use relevant academic research and sources to critically review and place their practice in a humanities, phenomenology or cultural framework. SCIENCE-RELATED SPECIALIST ROUTE (S) Students will be able to use relevant academic research and sources to critically review and place their practice in a scientific methodological and technical framework.

Leading Professional Collaborative Project

This module aims to enable students to build their leadership and professional skills through an interdisciplinary collaborative professional project. Students will design the requirements of the professional project brief, manage the project and communications and evidence project outputs.

Independent Portfolio

This module enables students to create a portfolio and digital presence that includes course output, work experience, freelance work or volunteering targeted to professional opportunities or further study. ARTS-RELATED SPECIALIST ROUTE (A) Students will be able to use relevant academic research and sources to critically review and place their practice in a humanities, phenomenology or cultural framework. SCIENCE-RELATED SPECIALIST ROUTE (S) Students will be able to use relevant academic research and sources to critically review and place their practice in a scientific methodological and technical framework.

Making Connections and Building a Community

This module enables students to identify, inform, and establish a network of peers and relevant industry and community contacts to develop opportunities and advocacy in key organisations in the local community, research organisations, charities and the creative industries, as well as connect with communities of investors. Students will engage core stakeholders in activities and communications to enable effective development of opportunities and increased advocacy using professional development tools such as action learning, critical reflective practice, clinical supervision, or other appropriate methods. Students will design, coordinate, and evaluate internal and external communications in a portfolio of evidence that tracks responses, activities, ethical considerations, influence, and impact.

Professional Practice Frameworks

This module enables students to demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the professional sector-specific expertise required for a creative industries profession. Students apply these creative and technical skills in a wide range of interdisciplinary contexts. Students will create or synthesise tools, techniques, and procedures to produce work that solves complex problems and disrupts in order to meet interdisciplinary objectives.

Applied Research (Focus and Impact on Creative Industries Futures)

This module enables students to evidence academic expertise in an applied research context. Students will engage and reflect on the developmental process and develop learning strategies for applied research. They will work on a project collaborating with local communities, industry or academic networks as appropriate. This module runs across two terms, the first term focuses on the specific focus of the applied research and the second with the delivery and impact measurement for the research. ARTS-RELATED SPECIALIST ROUTE Students will be able to use relevant academic research and sources to critically review and place their practice in a humanities, phenomenology or cultural framework. SCIENCE-RELATED SPECIALIST ROUTE Students will be able to use relevant academic research and sources to critically review and place their practice in a scientific methodological and technical framework.

Ideas into Action

Within this module, students will investigate the project management processes needed to develop a project from concept to release. Students will explore projects from the perspectives of different collaborators in the research. They will identify potential collaborators for the different stages of developing and implementing their ideas and will develop skills and techniques to effectively pitch at a high level to a variety of audiences.