BA (Hons)Digital Music

Core modules

Digital Music (Introduction)

This module will introduce and familiarise you to industry-standard digital sound production software. You will learn the software, composition and production techniques; including audio manipulation and synthesis exploring sound with accompanying visual elements.

Popular Music Production (Introduction)

This module provides you with an understanding of studio techniques, song formats, instrumentation, and the popular music production industry contextually.

Musicianship

This module dives into song formats, structures, and instrumentation while sharpening your critical listening skills. You’ll analyse contemporary music and apply what you learn by creating your own compositions and remix projects, boosting your creativity and production skills.

Music Industries

This module helps you develop an entrepreneurial mindset by building your visual brand and online presence as an artist. You’ll also explore a wide range of music industry careers, gaining valuable insight to help you shape your future path in the music business.

Music in Context

In this module, you will learn about the significance of various developments within the music industry. It primarily focuses upon key facts, figures, events, artists and relevant technological developments, which have led/contributed to the current climate within electronic music.

Major Project

Explore a music-related project of your choice, whether it’s a performance, original EP, studio mix, or multimedia piece like music for film. You’ll collaborate closely with tutors for support and approval, shaping a project that showcases your creativity and skills.

Core modules

Principles of Studio Sound

This module aims to equip you with the core skills in understanding and applying audio theories in practical situations. The principles demonstrated in this module serve as a grounding in concepts required throughout the music courses. Beginning with the difference between acoustic, electrical and digital definitions of sound and audio, the module allows students to listen and identify audio phenomena, and apply them in a practical setting.

Digital Music Production and Composition 1

This module will teach you everything you need to know to compose and produce tracks from start to finish. These techniques are obviously invaluable for careers within composition and production. Equally importantly, this module will teach you to understand music on a deeper level.

Electronic Music in Context (Historical)

In this module, you will learn about the history and significance of various developments within the context of 20th Century electronic music. It primarily focuses upon key facts, figures, events, artists and relevant technological developments, which have led/contributed to the current climate within electronic music.

Digital Music Live 1 – Creation

In this module, you will start to develop a unique approach to creating music by learning how to control digital audio workstations with physical devices.

Digital Music Production and Composition 2

Building upon techniques learned within Digital Music Production and Composition 1, you will learn a multitude of more advanced composition, arrangement, sound design (synthesis), production and mixing/mastering techniques.

Artist Development 1 - The Music Industries

This module specifically considers the breadth of the music/creative industries, various music legalities, the different income streams available to the contemporary digital artist/business, visual identity, as well as learning important transferable skills (i.e. camera work and video editing) appropriate to commercial and industry-related employment.

Core modules

Music and Sound for Film

In this module, you will study the basics of creating original music, sound design and recording Foley for film. Topics covered will include traditional music practices, and how these can be combined with contemporary music production techniques to produce appropriate music that will support specific visual media platforms.

Mixing

You will learn processes required to turn a set of ‘raw’ audio stems into a balanced stereo mix, along with a variety of corrective procedures designed to solve common problems in the recording process.

Electronic Music in Context (Contemporary)

In this module, you will learn about the significance of various developments within contemporary electronic music. It primarily focuses upon key facts, figures, events, artists and relevant technological developments, which have led/contributed to the current climate within electronic music.

Digital Music Live 2: Performance

This module will address various methodologies that will equip you with the knowledge and tools to perform your own original music live, within a suitable public environment.

Artist Development 2: Branding and Self-Release

This module continues from the last, developing ideas related to brand identity, beyond that of simple visual conveyance. You will now go on to learn about branding and the established methods/stages desired in formulating a coherent brand from the ground up. Indeed, successful branding can encourage an emotional association between, for example, an artist and their audience.

Optional modules

Please note: Not all optional modules are guaranteed to run each year.

Digital DJing

In this module, you will study the essentials of digital DJing and will look at how ‘DJ culture’ relates to the music industry in general. The emphasis of the module is on the digital manipulation and mixing of music and sound.

Music and Sound for Games

In the module, you will consider composition within an interactive sonic background and create and/or edit sound effects for video games using industry standard software. This module asks students to consider previous ideas, theories and concepts relating to interactive video game composition and environmental sound design, whilst considering production and composition techniques

Songwriting Techniques

This module will help you develop and enhance your skills in songwriting and will allow you to develop your musical identities through a wide range of songwriting tasks.

Core modules

Final Major Project

In this module, you are given the opportunity to underline the professional nature and direction of your creative work through the development of an individually negotiated programme of study.

Artist Development 3: Industry Portfolio

Within this module, you will develop your brand and launch your own music, product or service worldwide via online mediums, bridging the gap between the aspiring music producer and professional artist so that you are already professionally ‘launched’ within the music industry prior to finishing your studies.

Collaborative Project

Within the Collaborative Project, you are given the opportunity to underline the professional nature and direction of your creative work through the development of an individually-negotiated programme of study.

Artist Development 4: Networking and Promotion

This module specifically investigates the phenomenon of networking, as applied to the area of music business, e.g. effective utilisation of online social media. Good practice, case studies and other resources will be investigated to allow students to gain context for digital/remote networking within the sector.

Optional modules

Please note: Not all optional modules are guaranteed to run each year.

Advanced Mixing and Mastering

This module aims to provide you with the knowledge and skill-set to be able to mix and master compositions/tracks to a professional standard, across a range of music genres. You will be encouraged to take a professional approach for the practical musical output, your work befitting the standards of the music industry.

Surround and Spatial Mixing

You will experience recent and emerging technological developments including 5.1 surround sound and Dolby Atmos. The issues in mixing music and film sound will be examined and you will learn how to achieve effective mixes in these formats.

Songwriting Portfolio

This module will help you develop your own musical identity through the execution of a negotiated individual songwriting project. You will also investigate contemporary and traditional practices used to successfully write songs across different genres. This will put you firmly in control of your career as both artist and songwriter.