BA (Hons) Sound Technology

The lectures will be mainly based around the theory that underpins recording systems along with the peripherals that are usually associated them.

You will investigate the integration of audio and MIDI in modern recording systems through your coursework, which is structured to make you practically apply and demonstrate your understanding and knowledge of the recording environment as well as be creative in your use of the tools we are using.

You should always be aware that much of the theory and practice covered in this module is immediately transferable to other, more specialised areas.

This module is delivered in a lecture and workshop format. The lecture will discuss some of the theoretical or general concepts that you will cover practically in the workshop later.

This module is delivered primarily through lecture and practical workshop delivery. The content is mostly theoretical and is intended to support understanding in many other areas of the programme, Concepts are introduced and explained in the lecture. The workshops are in various forms some using spreadsheet software to enable efficient calculations and graph plotting, some are more demonstration focussed in the recording studios / digital audio lab, and some are to teach cable building and connectors in a live sound workshop.

Practical assessments are generally arranged in pairs and the exam to assess theoretical understanding is an individual assessment.

This module helps you develop collaboration, planning, time management and project specific technical skills by assigning you to work on one of arrange of practical projects, productions, or performances in LIPA. You will be working with a range of students from other disciplines and will work in pairs or small teams to apply your technical knowledge and skills to the needs of these events. You will be allocated a supervisor from the teaching team who will work with you to help plan and manage your roles, and to provide and bespoke technical instruction required.

This module is intended to bridge the gap between theoretical concepts and their application especially those relating to current developments in digital audio system related areas such as signal processing, networking, data storage and transmission, and immersive audio.

The content is delivered through lectures where the various ideas are introduced and discusses, and a variety of workshops in the recording and digital audio lab where a variety of tools can be designed, and systems can be compared for the purposes for understanding the technical components within a familiar practical setting.

In this module we are going to be focusing our attention on preparing you for employment in the sound related industries.

Sustaining a career in these challenging and competitive sectors requires a long-term perspective. Experience tells us that it takes tenacity, drive and a commitment to continuing professional development that extends far beyond the end of your degree studies. We hope to foster these principles in your own approach to professional life so that you can gain, and sustain, rewarding work in evolving industries.

Encouraging you to become more proactive in your exploration of industry is a key aim. We want you to become better able to identify opportunities in industry; we also want you to become better equipped to take advantage of these by planning 3rd year projects that will enable you to acquire the key skills and experience that industry demands.

We will present a number of sessions that more thoroughly explore key employment sectors in our field, including some sessions delivered by guest practitioners from industry. We will also endeavour to engage with graduates of the course to enable insight into the process of breaking into industry and establishing yourself, as well as building networking opportunities.

Students will learn increasingly complex and sophisticated studio tools and incorporate these into their studio-based practice. These will include a range of analogue, digital, hybrid and virtual consoles, samplers & synthesizers, and advanced MIDI & synchronisation protocols. We will also revisit core studio tools introduced at Level 4 and apply them with increasing sophistication in the processes of recording, mixing, and mastering a high-quality recorded work.

This module encourages students to view music production from the perspectives of audience and industry, adopting primarily aesthetic and commercial views of music recording, and to take a critical approach to the identification and practical application of stylistic conventions and qualities in a contemporary music genre.

Students will propose the specific projects they wish to work on at the start of the teaching year, or where feasible, at the end of Level 5. This proposal will outline the projects, their deliverables, and suggest the weighting that each project will contribute to the final product mark. They will also identify an area of research that will be applied to one or more elements of the practical portfolio. This proposal is then confirmed by the module leader, and a suitable supervising tutor allocated based on the practical specialisms of the core staff team. Students will be required to meet with their tutor in regular meetings where milestones will be agreed and monitored, culminating in the submission of project work and research essay followed by in individual student presentation.

The content in this module will help each participant identify an appropriate direction and pathway for their first career steps, develop a personalised strategy for self-promotion, become increasingly confident in interactions with other (sometimes senior) professionals, and gain a clearer understanding of how to manage their personal and business finances.

This module will help students extend and consolidate their professional practise in the area of music recording by introducing them to new tools such as Ableton Live, and new mixing processes such as Atmos Music.

In this module students will gain an insight into the broader workflows and tools commonly used in the development of games and adaptive media. They will develop their skill and experience by devising, creating, and implementing audio assets using established industry tools and techniques, including specialist sound design and mixing tools.