Level 3 Diploma in Music Production

The Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) is essential in the production of contemporary music. It has enabled a producer to create and record music through a piece of software and is used in numerous applications from recording in a studio, writing an electronic track or producing for the moving image. This lesson provides students with the skills to be able to use the key concepts within a DAW such as MIDI programming, editing audio and MIDI, virtual instruments and automation and apply them to their own practice.

This lesson will look at the fundamental concepts behind a range of digital and analogue synthesis types such as subtractive, additive, wavetable, FM and more. Students will explore sound design skills, study signal flow, understand and apply basic FM theory and explore oscillators, filters and modifiers. With this foundation, students can develop their skills in sound creation and manipulation and apply them to a range of applications.

This lesson provides students with a practical understanding of the fundamentals of sound recording and production centred on the Digital Audio Workstation (DAW). It is also an opportunity to share any work-in-progress projects you have within an informal and welcoming environment – to gain confidence and receive constructive feedback from your peers and lecturers that can help you on the road to completion.

This lesson allows students to plan, manage and deliver a contemporary music production portfolio. They’ll study aspects such as management skills, team roles, budgeting, digital audio editing and mastering techniques.

This class focuses on refining the sonic quality and definition of a piece of audio with common mixing tools and techniques. Students will study mixing theory, including the basic physics of sound, as well as how to implement audio effects, EQ and dynamic processing within their DAW to create mixes for a range of genres.

Students will learn how to apply critical listening and to plan and prepare a mix in order to apply these techniques to their own work.

The unit also looks at the finalisation of audio prior to publishing with essential mastering techniques, which have become increasingly important in the modern producer paradigm to deliver impactful demos and professional-sounding products.

This lesson explores the skills and techniques required to write, record and edit music and sound to a range of moving picture applications including adverts, TV documentaries and film.

Students will develop their aural and theory skills in this lesson by learning to explore and identify musical components such as rhythm, melody, harmony, tonality, instrumental timbre and structures. This will enable them to acquire the critical listening skills required in the production environment and will enable them to communicate quickly and effectively in a variety of musical situations, opening up many employment opportunities throughout their career.

Extended Studies is a dynamic and conversational space for general course management and personal development.

This class allows a great opportunity for course leaders and students to meet weekly to recap and review key areas of the curriculum – as well as receiving information relating to assessments, opportunities, student life, and masterclasses. This acts as an assessment support session as well as general holistic support for students and an open space for suggestions, ideas and sharing work/ good practice. Students will also have the opportunity establish creative projects with their peers on other diploma courses.

This lesson gives students practical music industry knowledge that will help them plan their careers. They’ll be taken through all aspects of the music industry, including record and publishing deals, management, music synchronisation, legal issues, copyright, music teaching, live music and business plans.

This lesson not only gives students the skills to critically listen to music but also understand the personal, social and cultural conditioning that can inform our musical tastes. The lesson will give you chance to analyse the factors behind changes in personal responses to music over time identifying the key events that are likely to have influenced these changes.