The Advanced Diploma in Music Production and Sound Engineering is delivered over 48 teaching weeks, organised into three terms. Each term strengthens what you learned in the previous one and introduces new subjects at the right level of depth.
Through our progressive continuous learning method, modules combine listening, theory and studio work so that concepts are always tied to what you are doing with real music. You will not only learn which tools, microphones and techniques to use, but also why a particular choice works in a given musical or technical context.
As you move through the curriculum you will notice your work sounding more deliberate and consistent, and you will be able to explain your choices to artists, collaborators and clients.
Across the diploma you will work the following core subject areas:
• Production and Music Theory
• Audio Engineering & Acoustic Principles
• Audio Engineering Tools
• Digital Audio Workstations
• Large Format Studio Operation
• Introduction to Live Sound
• Music Business and Management
Below, you can browse through a more detailed breakdown for each of the three term. By connecting these strands rather than treating them in isolation, the course helps you think like a modern producer or engineer who can move confidently between creative and technical decisions.
To understand where these skills can take you, and the career paths our graduates pursue, move to the Careers tab.
These are the learning outcomes for this subject area.
You will be able to:
• Understand the function of standard audio equipment in music production
• Understand the operating principles of computer-based signal processing devices
• Understand the importance of evaluating signal processing objectively
• List and contrast the different standard types of audio signals
• Analyse cabling strategies used in analogue and digital audio signal chains
• Categorise different types of mixing consoles and their components
• Itemise and differentiate signal processing devices
• Describe the role of patch bays and the ‘normalling’ of connections
• Select and use different types of equaliser plugins
• Select and use different types of dynamic range processing plugins
• Select and use different types of effects processing plugins
• Appraise equalisation from a musical, i.e. not solely technical, perspective, correlating bandwidth, slope and cut-off or centre frequency to pitch
• Assess the effect of dynamic range processing (time constants) on the envelope of audio material