HND Music Production
2 years (full), 3 - 4 years (part-time)
Entry Requirements
One A Level at Grade D or above or a BTEC Level 3 or equivalent including GCSE Grade C in English.
Course Content
Our specialist resources include:
• Pro Tools HD 2 studio with D Command desk, live drum and vocal booth
• Pro Tools digital recording studio with a SSL MATRIX desk
• Pro Tools/Logic Midi studio with a range of synths and sound modules
• Three Apple Mac music technology suites providing Pro Tools, Logic, Cubase & Sibelius
• A performance room with full PA and backline
• Five sound-proofed booths with PAs, drum kits, amplifiers and microphones
• Five sets of Technics record decks, DJ mixers & CDJs
• A Roland keyboard lab
• Venue with PA and lighting rig (The Underground)
• Teaching staff with a wide range of professional music industry experience.
The HND Music Production programme is for those who want to make music in high-tech studios with state-of-the-art equipment. It’s for those who prefer mixing and DJ sets to instrumental performance, or the sounds of a film or radio broadcast to the sounds of a live band. It is for those who love electronic sound, and adore the digital age.
This hands-on course provides practical as well as theoretical training in key music production areas, focusing in particular on studio engineering and computer-assisted music-making. We specialise in allowing you access to industry-standard production software such as Logic Pro, Cubase, Pro Tools and Sibelius, to give you a solid grounding for entry into professional media and music production environments.
The course content revolves around the recording studio where you will learn the essential skills needed to master computer music systems and programming software. The course modules span a wide range of areas, giving you a broad insight into audio recording, synthesizing, sampling, experimental music, project realisation and audio-visual blending.
By the end of the course, you will have gained enough technical experience and breadth of knowledge to give you the confidence to pursue a career in the professional entertainment sphere.
Key Facts:
The College was one of the very first institutions in the UK to become an official educational partner of the music giant Roland, one of the world’s largest producers of electronic music equipment and software.
Since 2008, the College has been an official Roland Music Academy, giving students exclusive access to some incredible benefits. These include direct access to extensive range of specialist equipment, in addition to specialist training programmes, expert support, master classes from product specialists and industry presentations by famous recording artists.
The College is fully equipped with Roland and Edirol hardware products, Cakewalk’s SONAR production software and MakeMusic’s Finale notation package, giving students the chance to produce their music using exceptional world-class equipment.
Assessment:
Assessment will be a continuous part of the course. You will be assessed in the main by projects and assignments and not by formal written examinations, although there are some time-constrained tests, in the practical areas. Assignments may involve practical work, creative work, work with technology, research-based work, written projects, verbal presentations or a combination of any of these. Some assignments may take place outside college in local music industry venues, for example arts management events.
The philosophy of the teaching team is that music production is a subject you learn by doing. There is obviously a lot of underpinning knowledge involved in the course, which will involve research and written work, but the overall aim is to give you realistic practical tasks to do which will challenge you to develop useful practical skills.
Next Step
The course prepares you for direct entry into the music production industry, where you can work as DJs, sound technicians for broadcasting and film studios, and managers and support staff at major record labels. Alternatively, you may decide to use your skills to set up your own music production enterprise as a self-employed music producer. The course also develops broader skills that are required by the general arts and entertainments industry, such as creativity, technical ability and time management.
You could apply to continue your education by a top-up year at the University of Northampton or other place of learning to gain a full degree.
Course running at Northampton
(093W HND/MP)
