Music Production Diploma (Online)

Music Production (Ableton)

This module aims to develop your fundamental understanding of contemporary music production. You will learn technical production skills within a DAW that are central to the realisation of musical ideas: recording and editing MIDI and audio, pre-production considerations, drum programming, mixing, audio effects processing, automation and arrangement techniques.

You will have the opportunity to conceive and execute a production project, applying creative, technical, project management and reflective skills to aid your development as a producer and for professional life beyond.

• The Production Process
• Ableton Live Overview
• Rhythm, Melody, and Harmony
• Production
• Drum Programming
• Pre-Production and File Management
• Techniques
• MIDI and Audio Processing Techniques
• Warping
• Introduction to Synthesis and Sampling
• Track Arrangement & Automation
• Mixing & Exporting
• MIDI Controllers and MIDI Mapping

Music Production (Logic)

This module aims to develop your fundamental understanding of contemporary music production. You will learn technical production skills within a DAW that are central to the realisation of musical ideas: recording and editing MIDI and audio, pre-production considerations, drum programming, mixing, audio effects processing, automation and arrangement techniques.

You will have the opportunity to conceive and execute a production project, applying creative, technical, project management and reflective skills to aid your development as a producer and for professional life beyond.

• The Production Process
• Logic X Overview
• Rhythm, Melody, and Harmony
• Production
• Drum Programming
• Pre-Production and File Management
• Techniques
• MIDI and Audio Processing Techniques
• Flex Time & Flex Pitch
• Introduction to Synthesis and Sampling
• Track Arrangement & Automation
• Mixing & Exporting
• MIDI Controllers and MIDI Mapping

Compositional proficiency is a core skill for contemporary producers and artists, equipping them with the ability to realise their creative ambitions and make more informed production decisions, whilst helping them become professionally competitive.

This module will explore the core elements of musical composition: rhythm, harmony, melody, structure, and arrangement. You will develop compositional techniques through practical application of music theory using music software.

This module focuses explicitly on commercial western popular musical styles, genres and their aesthetics. You will have the opportunity to investigate technical and stylistic aspects of these styles and genres, developing their confidence and abilities in composition. You will gain experience in composing original musical elements and arranging these elements into a full composition.

• Commercial composition techniques
• Use of rhythm in drum beats and melodies
• Key, modes, and scales
• Use of melodies
• Writing basslines
• Composing musical ‘hooks’
• Listening and analysis
• Use of harmony: chord sequences and modulation
• Form, structure and arrangement

Creative Audio (Ableton)

This module aims to develop your sonic palette to enable you to become a more expressive and creative producer.

By now, you will have developed core production and composition skills. This module will build upon these skills and enable you to explore how the tools within the DAW can be used creatively in order to maximise the potential of any sound you are working with. You will begin to think of the DAW not just as a tool for recording and arranging musical parts but as a powerful sound design tool to give your productions a contemporary edge.

The module will provide a historical background and a modern context to audio editing and audio processing. You will explore the innovators, contemporary figures and technological developments that have contributed towards creativity with audio. This will provide you with a source of inspiration and reference points that will feed into your own productions.

You will also develop critical and analytical listening skills in this area. You will be able to hear a sound, explain how it has been processed and trace the influences of how the sound has been processed.

• Digital audio fundamentals
• Found sounds, field recording and audio preparation
• Sampling fundamentals
• Sampling in a musical context
• Multisampling/instrument creation
• Synthesising samples
• Recording and editing vocals
• Creative use of audio effects
• Resampling

Creative Audio (Logic)

This module aims to develop your sonic palette to enable you to become a more expressive and creative producer.

By now, you will have developed core production and composition skills. This module will build upon these skills and enable you to explore how the tools within the DAW can be used creatively in order to maximise the potential of any sound you are working with. You will begin to think of the DAW not just as a tool for recording and arranging musical parts but as a powerful sound design tool to give your productions a contemporary edge.

The module will provide a historical background and a modern context to audio editing and audio processing. You will explore the innovators, contemporary figures and technological developments that have contributed towards creativity with audio. This will provide you with a source of inspiration and reference points that will feed into your own productions.

You will also develop critical and analytical listening skills in this area. You will be able to hear a sound, explain how it has been processed and trace the influences of how the sound has been processed.

• Digital audio fundamentals
• Found sounds, field recording and audio preparation
• Sampling fundamentals
• Multisampling/instrument creation
• Synthesising samples
• Recording and editing vocals
• Resampling
• Creative use of audio effects
• Sampling in a musical context

The Sound Design module is designed to facilitate your understanding of synthesis and sampling techniques through a practical exploration of modular software instruments.

The module will provide a solid grounding in the principles of sound creation integral to all aspects of electronic music production and will also build the knowledge and skills that are necessary for those aiming to work within a range of digital audio and media environments.

You will learn how to build your own modular software instrument, before using these to create a range of sounds that will be demonstrated within a compositional context.

• Physics of sound
• Signal flow and connectivity
• Terminology
• Use of effects
• Creation of sounds that are representative
• of a specific type
• Synthesis types (subtractive, FM,
• Wavetable, Additive, granular)
• Sampling and resampling

Mixing is a crucial stage in the production process and this module aims to develop your skills as a competent mix engineer.

What are the processes, equipment, considerations, and techniques involved in creating professional-sounding commercial mixes?

Critical listening will be developed alongside technical and creative skills which are essential to successful mixing and production. Mixing is a key skill for producers and offers a variety of potential career paths.

• Mixing Procedures and Techniques
• Critical Listening
• Signal Paths and Routing
• Aux Sends vs. Insert Processing
• Stereo Width
• Dynamic Processing
• Corrective and Creative Equalisation &
• Filters
• Timbre and Harmonics
• Creating Depth through Reverberation and
• Delay Effects
• Modulation Effects & Distortion
• Creative Mixing techniques

Creative Production and Remix aims to encourage you to start developing a signature sound whilst working with a top-line vocal.

This module will give you the opportunity to explore different approaches to production. How can different creative approaches be combined with technical skills to develop a unique style?

The concept of remixing is explored, both as a music industry practice and in the wider cultural context as a means of creative recycling. How does ‘remixing’ manifest in both music and other creative mediums and how can we utilise this as a source of inspiration?

As a professional producer, it is common to be asked to provide production or remix services for other artists whilst meeting a creative brief and deadline. This module is designed to prepare you for this scenario.

• Active listening and analysis
• Remix culture
• Production aesthetics and creative intention
• Production strategies
• Writing with vocals
• Advanced drum programming
• Creative effects, automation, sampling and resampling
• Form and structure
• Finalising a production

This module aims to develop your composition and music production skills in support of visual media.

You will develop a vocabulary and understanding of the technical and creative workflow requirements when working within this environment. Composition and sound design techniques will be explored in the context of various media such as films, TV, branded content and video games.

Visual media is always in need of music and audio services, with these growing industries being a constant source of employment for composers and sound designers. This module will prepare you for working within these professional requirements: following a brief, meeting deadlines, responding to feedback etc.

• Media music history
• Sound design for media
• Film music composition
• Harmony and rhythm in film
• Orchestration
• Theme writing and leitmotifs
• Composing with bespoke sounds
• Music for TV
• Production Music
• Sync
• Music for advertising
• Music for games and installations
• Working as a composer

Mastering is the final stage before commercial release and this module will give you a perspective on these processes through the lens of a mastering engineer – how this process has developed in the digital age and the considerations across different audio platforms.

You will develop knowledge of digital audio processes to maintain the highest sound quality throughout the various stages of the production process, gaining an insight into the requirements for producing suitable mixes ready for mastering.

Critical listening skills which are crucial to every stage of the production and mixing process will be further developed.

• The role of the mastering engineer
• The physics of sound
• Monitoring
• Basic acoustics
• Critical listening
• Digital audio key issues in relation to mastering
• Metering
• Types of EQ and techniques for mastering
• Loudness versus quality
• Advanced dynamic processing
• Mid/side techniques
• Mastering for Streaming Platforms
• Audio Restoration Techniques