In the modern world of music technology, it has never been easier to access such a wide palette of sounds. Why is it then, that so much music sounds so alike and, therefore, lacks the uniqueness that often leads to something greater? Easy access to “presets” is one of the reasons that this occurs. In commercial music, success and longevity can often be attributed to innovation and individuality. Thinking about the use and creation of new sounds and textures will encourage students to embrace a world of possibilities that sets them apart from others.

In this module you will learn to:

• Write, arrange, and/or produce new music, sounds and textures that are unique, distinctive and demonstrate progress towards an original voice
• Create new sounds by programming instruments, adapting, manipulating, or processing digital audio as an integral part of the composition process.

Writing great music is not the only hurdle that students must face on the path to creating professional quality music. Delivering a polished final mix is an essential part in presenting music at its best. In many genres, particularly electronic music, mixing and production is inextricable from the composition and arrangement itself. This is an incredibly important skill for any professional wishing to compete in commercial music.

In this module you will learn the tools of the trade to professionally mix music.

Here students will have the option of tailoring the course to their own needs. You can pick one module from the following:

• EDM & Remix Masterclass
• Lyric Writing Masterclass
• Hip Hop & RnB Masterclass
• Rock & Metal Masterclass
• Country Music Masterclass
• Adventures in Experimental Music
• Advanced Music Promotion
• Making Money
• Digital Marketing

For more information on these modules, click the button to download the Course Handbooks. Please note, the availability of MA elective modules may be subject to a minimum enrolment. The choice of electives is provisional and may be subject to change.

Here students will have the option of tailoring the course to their own needs. You can pick one module from the following:

• EDM & Remix Masterclass
• Lyric Writing Masterclass
• Hip Hop & RnB Masterclass
• Rock & Metal Masterclass
• Country Music Masterclass
• Adventures in Experimental Music
• Advanced Music Promotion
• Making Money
• Digital Marketing

For more information on these modules, click the button to download the Course Handbooks. Please note, the availability of MA elective modules may be subject to a minimum enrolment. The choice of electives is provisional and may be subject to change.

This module introduces students to key research skills, methodologies and concepts. The programme is largely practice-based, but this module offers a chance to develop a broader and deeper understanding of the ideas that underpin the student’s work and current academic approaches to issues within the discipline. The module will run alongside the practical modules and will offer an opportunity to reflect critically on their own practical work. The lively discussion of ideas and concepts will help students to develop the analytical tools to understand their own creative process, to place it in a wider cultural, social and historical context, and to draw parallels with other disciplines.

In this module you will learn to critically analyse your own work and that of contemporary professionals.

The Final Major Project is a major piece of work that will take 12 weeks to complete. It represents the culmination of creative, technical, and research skills acquired during the rest of the course. Students will be expected to research their chosen genre, developing a critical awareness of creative and technical problems faced by musicians at the forefront of professional practice. The quality of the creative idea and the insight into the intention of the artist is far more critical with larger scale work. The large-scale projects below are a great deal more challenging than the sum total of several shorter assignments. This module will encourage students to think of the bigger picture, demonstrate everything they have learnt during the course and accurately represent themselves as an industry professional. Consequently, the original idea and the approach need to be thought out much more thoroughly.

You also have the option of completing a written dissertation if you prefer. The dissertation will represent a student's research into an area of commercial music. The dissertation is an extended piece of scholarly written work.

You will be asked to write an essay of 12,000 words (+/- 10%), including footnotes, but excluding bibliography. This is a substantially longer than any of your other work so far. You will undertake the work as an individual, under the guidance of a supervisor, with whom you will meet regularly in one-to-one sessions.