Audio Degrees...

[soundgeek]

Hi There

 

I am applying to universities at the moment for next September. I want to studio audio engineering at a well respected course in the industry. I am not sure if I want to go onto recording or live audio.

 

My qualifications:

A Level wise, I should get: Maths: B, Physics: B, Music Technology: A. I did an AS in Music too, and got a B.

I have grade 5 music theory

I will have level 4 diplomas in Voice and Drum Kit and Grade 5 on Violin. I also have reasonably good keyboard skills.

 

I have had work experience in places like:

Royal Opera House, Ascot Racecourse (Supergrass playing. Comapny: ENTEC Audio), Mercury FM. I have also been running my own company for the past few years: www.hweuk.co.uk. I am very confident using Logic, Pro Tools and already know a fair bit about audio engineering; having made it my passion for the last 5 years.

 

Any suggestions for good Unis to apply to would be great. I have already added the Tonmeister Course at Surrey University. What about Belfast? Southampton? I live near Gatwick airport...

 

Many thanks in advance

 

Oli Jacobs

[TomHoward]

The courses I looked at were at a course at NEWI, Sound Technology at LIPA, and Sound, Light and Live Event at Derby.

[soundgeek]

The courses I looked at were at a course at NEWI, Sound Technology at LIPA, and Sound, Light and Live Event at Derby.

Cheers for that Tom - I will have a look. Which one (if any did you go for) and where did it take you?

[tolley1466]

I've heard LIPA is a very good place to study. My friend has just started there and I've only heard good things.

[Simon Lewis]

Oli,

 

You have found some good courses already. What I would suggest (if you've not done this) is using the UCAS search engine to find likely programmes, then look at the individual course webpages to get a feel of the degree content.

 

Your A level profile indicates that you are comfortable with a technical approach, should you wish to study the maths and electronics associated with the subject. Some of the courses will do this, others take a more vocational. "hands on" approach. It's worth being clear about the route you would like to take, or, whether you want to find a course that incorporates a high level of vocational training with significant underpinning theory and knowledge.

 

Simon

[mervaka]

I'd strongly advise you go for a broad subject, don't specify. if you do something like a BEng electronics, it gives you a far more usefull skillset than most of these specific courses. I'm speaking from experience. I gave up my original degree course in electronics, then found myself doing an HND in sound engineering. guess what? I'm back on a degree course in electronics.

[Shez]

I did an M.Eng electrical & electronic engineering. But... I was technical manager of the theatre society, chief engineer of the radio station and technical advisor for the television society. All of which took up rather more time than they should have. However, through those societies, I built up lots of experience and contacts, all of which led to far more work in the real world than the degree itself did.

[KevinS]

Shez's route is the way to go. You might want to move into a different area in ten years time but the theory you get now will still be valid whatever branch of electronics you work in - " ye canny change the laws of physics Capt'n".....as they say on Star Trek .

 

Meanwhile get as much hands-on experience + fun as you can.

 

K

[jamesperrett]

I'd echo Shez and Kevin's suggestion of studying a broad engineering subject rather than a specific music technology degree and using all your spare time to do as much sound related stuff as possible. Music technology will teach you about what is around now but may not give you a sufficiently technical background to understand stuff that comes along in the future. If you understand the basic engineering principles and how to apply them you should be able to handle new technology much better.

 

Cheers

 

James.

[Simon Lewis]

Oli,

 

I've looked again at my own message (and realised how badly it reads!)...

 

What I was trying to say is that you can consider the applied, vocational courses, or you can consider the more traditional, technical, theoretical based subjects (electronics, engineering etc.).

 

However, Derby's Sound, Light & Live Event Technology programme takes a hybrid approach. In addition to the vocational hands-on aspects, it delivers a broad range of subjects pertinent to the wider entertainment industry. These include options such as EMC, Embedded Systems and Programming Audio DSP. The programme is externally accredited by the IET.

 

Simon

[sticks]

Hello,

 

As a graduate of the Tonmeister degree, It sounds like this course could suit you well. It comes highly recommended, is well recognised by people in the industry and opens up a lot of doors beyond becoming a sound engineer. Feel free to PM me for more information. There is no practical live sound element to the degree, although there are other opportunties in the university to get some live sound experience and some placement years have a live focus.

 

Following on from what other people have said, at the time I applied I wasn't able to find another course that I felt was academic enough. I therefore looked for universities that had a good performing arts or interesting course and applied to do physics with music and physics courses. I think it is important to get a good solid degree, and practical experience, the Tonmeister course is a great way of achieving this, but by no means the only way.

 

It sounds like you know this, but be careful of the distinction between audio engineering and music technology. From my experience Music technology centres on composition and creating music with technology.

[benhyman]

my honest opinion - get into the industry via work experience - having interviewed so many people that come straight out of college / university with a "degree in sound engineering" and think they could mix FOH for some major band - it just doesn't happen...

 

GO to university though, but you need plenty of real world experience to separate you from all the other guys that are looking for work too.

 

people who do music tech always have loads of studio experience, but little / no live experience

 

people who do audio engineering know lots about how a speaker "should" work, but whether this can be applied to real-world situations is a difference matter.

 

sorry to be cynical, but we get so many job applications, there's a trend that starts to appear!

 

Best of luck, if you're looking for experience in the Manchester area, please PM me.

 

Ben

[Cooper]

I know its not a university or a degree but have you thought about the School of Sound Recording in Manchester?

 

http://www.s-s-r.com/

[Simon Lewis]

I know its not a university or a degree...

 

They have had a number of courses validated by Bolton / UCL university. It does mean that you need the correct academic profile to gain a place.

[mervaka]

there is a course down my way (only an FE course I believe, not HE) that is almost part based on this "real world" experience. the guy that runs it exploits his real world ties to get his students work on big stages. okay they aren't running a desk, but they get a much better grasp of how things work than if they were tied down to an inhouse studio.