Commercial Music Production

The BA (Hons) Commercial Music Production programme will equip you with all the skills necessary to make your mark in the music industry, whether as an artist, studio engineer, composer, producer, or any combination of the wide range of professional roles within the music production industry.

You will explore in detail the fundamentals of the studio production process, learning how to use studio peripherals effectively as well as how to manage and lead creative sessions with bands and artists. Music producers are invaluable within the music industry, whether that is through supporting artists and musicians to achieve their artistic potential or producing and releasing music independently.

Across three years, our expert tutors will guide you through the evolving world of music production in studio and digital music making settings. You will have regular access to our brand-new recording studios and edit suites where you will become familiar with industry-standard hardware in a modern studio set up, plus detailed exploration of software and digital audio workstations such as NI Komplete, Pro Tools, and Logic Pro.

You will develop your skills in a range of areas including studio recording,

mixing, mastering, composition, sound design and sound design, and have numerous opportunities to follow your own interests and develop your own professional identity.

Throughout the course you will develop skills to create, produce, launch, and promote commercially ready music, while developing the industryrelevant music business and entrepreneurial skills essential for the modern

music industry. You will be encouraged to challenge yourself as you regularly compose, produce, and explore new techniques, styles and genres.

Key Course Features

Learning takes place in small class sizes, ensuring you receive the necessary time and individual guidance to cater for your specific industry needs within workshops, lectures, tutorials, and seminars. Throughout each year you will have the opportunity and support to focus in on your own specialism, which will conclude with a substantial production project of our choosing in your final year.

Access to our state-of-the-art resources will be made available to you outside of your timetabled classes to encourage you to continually develop your skills.

The course provides a thorough focus on employability routes, ensuring that you have a professional showreel, and appropriate business acumen to succeed in whichever creative pathway you choose to specialise within.

Course Modules

Level 4:
The first year of study on the BA (Hons) Music Production course focusses on gaining a detailed working understanding of music production hardware and software both in the studio and in the use of DAWs. Building a strong foundation of core research, theory and music production skills and exploring different employment pathways within the sector will prepare you for more complex study at Level 5.

The Creative Industries
Music Theory in Practice
Studio Recording Techniques
Electronic Music Production Techniques
Songwriting Techniques
Mixing Techniques

Level 5:
Year two, is predominantly focused on further developing the skills attained in year one and applying these to more complex and demanding projects. At this stage you will have the opportunity to undertake specific production work relating to a project pathway of your choosing. Research and focused career planning are introduced at this stage, enabling you to specialise for a range of production pathways and career goals.

Personal Project
Advanced Music and Mastering
Sound Design
Specialist Subject Report

Level 6:

Year three is focused on challenging skills and preparing for employment. You will produce a professional body of work and are expected to be developing a network to support employment. All prior learning will be challenged as you undertake experimental approaches to production whilst pursuing and developing your own commercial identity.

Professional Project
Dissertation
Sonic Arts
Self-promotion and Marketing

A variety of assessment methods are used which include reports, evaluations, literature reviews, logbooks, exams, presentations, and journals.

Due to the nature of the course, there is a strong focus on developing technical skills, and as such most modules have a significant practical element. This ranges from studio productions, compositions and mix portfolios through to songwriting portfolios, sound design projects and sonic arts project. Throughout the course you will be given the opportunity to explore your own sound and develop this through specialist projects of your choosing