Foundations of Sound Engineering

This course is designed to provide practical skills and foundation knowledge in preparation for further studies in music technology (or related disciplines).

Having the opportunity to handle microphones, cables, being directly involved in recording musicians and getting familiar with the use of industry-standard software (such as Pro Tools 8) balances well with the academic approach that will follow through institutional education.

The course will also be useful to songwriters and musicians that simply need to gain more independence in their approach to recording demos and will provide a greater degree of confidence and control when working in studio.

Why Sound Engineering?

Here you will learn more than just to use the tools of the trade: you will learn the unchangeable realities of gain-structure, signal-to-noise ratio, working with microphones, mixers, effects, and how all this makes the fundamental difference between poor and professional quality.

Whether you are going to work on stage or in a studio, producing sound effects for multimedia or working in post-production for television, or mixing sound for videogames, an essential understanding of sound means worrying less about mistakes and more time for creativity.

Summer only! This course is four weeks long, and it runs only in July and August.

Equipment used Individual workstations equipped with Pro Tools 8 and Mbox interfaces, plus individual and group sessions in our fully-equipped recording studio. Students wishing to work on their own laptops, and students who can play an instrument are welcome to bring them to the class.

Course outcome At the end of the course you will have learned basic recording, editing, and mixing with Pro Tools 8, and you will have a good working knowledge of mixing desks, effects, and microphones. The experience gained in the recording studio will prove extremely valuable when it comes to making future career and investment choices.
An understanding of the recording process as it happens in a professional studio combined with essential notions of acoustics and sound engineering will provide the basis for further study in this field (whether you choose to enroll on a University degree course or instead look for an internship in a recording studio)

Schedule: Monday to Friday - 4 hours per day
Three hours per day with a tutor plus one hour of additional practice.
Depending on which class you choose the lectures start at 10.30 in the morning or 3.30 in the afternoon.