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MA Creative Music Production

Why choose Herts?

  • Excellent reputation:  Ranked 1st as best creative media and entertainment school in the UK (Rookies, 2021)
  • Employment prospects: Graduates work as audio engineers and composers for companies such as Channel 4, Apple, and Air Studios.
  • Strong industry connections: We provide extensive networking activities with our industry partners that include BAFTA, Sony, and Splash Damage Videogame Company.
  • Entry requirements and key information

    A good (1st, 2.1 or 2.2) BMus/BSc/BA in Music / Music Technology (or equivalent qualification), or 5 years professional industry experience at the discretion of the admissions or programme tutor. Evidence of solid compositional work with technology prior to undertaking the course is required (determined by the submission of a small portfolio of original compositions with the student’s application).

    All international students are required to demonstrate suitable levels of English language competence. This can be through previous study in English, but we often require specific performance in English tests. All undergraduates must be able to prove a minimum of IELTS 6.5 with at least 5.5 in every component or equivalent.

    Institution code

    		 H36

    School of study

    		 School of Creative Arts

    Course length
  • Full Time, 1 Years
  • Part Time, 2 Years

    • Location
  • University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield
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  • Employability

    Careers

    Graduates from this award will be equipped with a wide range of specialist knowledge and skills in the field of music technology and music creation – from purely technical to creative and intellectual. As such, they will be ideally positioned to pursue a career in the music and media industries, creating their own musical content for production music library, film/TV synch, or commercial release. You may, in addition, consider positions in music publishing, music journalism and criticism, or teaching, or you may continue your higher education at doctoral level.

About the course

  • Explore the most advanced studio techniques, technologies and processes at the forefront of current music production.
  • Discover advanced compositional devices and strategy applicable to DAW-based realisation of original material.
  • Unleash your creative potential and cultivate your own individual style to produce original works that stand out from the crowd in their artistic and technical sophistication.

Why choose this course?

The MA Creative Music Production is aimed at applicants specifically interested in applying studio technologies and production skills to the creation of their own original music (as opposed to “producing” other artists’ music). In addition to equipping students with solid bases in studio technology, processes and practices, the course addresses the purely formal, artistic and aesthetic aspects of music-making, and the specific compositional devices and strategy applicable to DAW-based realisations of original material.

By surveying the defining traits and aesthetic concerns of a number of popular genres centred on electronic composition-production, students develop a sophisticated awareness of current artistic and aesthetic trends, and an enhanced knowledge of the musicology of production. On this course, you will develop a portfolio of original works showcasing your talent as a composer-producer, opening up a wide range of possibilities for your professional career.

The University of Hertfordshire was ranked 2nd in the East of England (after Cambridge) for Music (2023 Complete University Guide).




 

Course Content  

Taught sessions will typically cover the following topics:

  • Studio Technology, processes and practices
  • Audio production and design
  • Compositional strategies in DAW environments
  • Musical form, structure and discourse in Electronica
  • Rhythm and kinesis in EDM
  • Experimentation in IDM
  • Noise in Techno
  • Timbre and texture in Ambient music
  • Machine aesthetics in House music
  • Sampling and re-contextualisation in Hip-Hop
  • Lo-fi aesthetics and Glitch
  • Retro-revivalism - analogue sound in the digital age

Resources

Our state-of-the-art equipment includes:

  • • a large recording studio featuring a 32-fader Neve Genesys Black analogue mixing console (with Neve 1073 mic-preamps + 88R and 1084 EQ) / 64-channel Protools HD MADI system / PMC IB2S-A midflield monitors / Neumann surround monitoring / two racks of high-end analogue and digital outboard compression, EQ and effects (Neve, Focusrite, Drawmer, 1176, LA2A, Pultec) / UAD DSP processing with full suite of plug-ins.

    • medium-size studio featuring a Neve Genesys / Protools HD system with RedNET and Neumann 5.1 monitoring.

    • 4 x acoustically-treated, surround-equipped, iMAc mix/production spaces with Slate Raven Mti touchscreen control and REDNet, and Kawai acoustic pianos.

     • 2 x live recording booth/spaces.

     • 3 monitoring spaces for surround sound mixing.

     • dubbing suite for A/V work (foley, ADR, etc.)

     • 2 x 30 seat dual-monitor Apple iMac labs (each with a large range of s/w - including Logic, Ableton Live, Reason, ProTools, MaxMSP, Native Instruments Komplete, East West Composer Cloud)

      • a 150-seats state-of-the-art performance venue with Soundcraft vi1 console and full RedNET integration.

     • top class outboard including Digidesign Pro Tools, Lexicon TLAudio, TC Electronic, Focusrite, and so much more.

    • vast selection of top-quality dynamic, condenser and ribbon microphones, including Soundfield, Neumann, AKG, Coles, Shure, Audio-Technica, Beyerdynamic.

Industry Links 

Our industry partners include:

  • BAFTA
  • Splash Damage Videogame Company
  • Videofeet Media Company
  • Focusrite
  • SampleMagic
  • Dynamic Music
  • Extreme Music (Sony)
  • Grand Chapel Studios
  • iZotope
  • SSL

Key Staff 

The MA Creative Music Production is led by Bruce Aisher.  Bruce is a music producer, songwriter, composer, remixer, sound designer and technology journalist whose work is to be found on over 100 commercially released tracks (including a US Billboard Club Chart No.1) on TV programmes such as ‘CSI’ ‘Numb3rs’ and 'Top Gear' and products by Apple, Clavia and Native Instruments.

What will I study?

Lecture, seminars and tutorials are typically scheduled over two consecutive days a week, plus some extra sessions for particular workshops, performance, recording, as necessary. In addition to scheduled sessions, students are expected to engage in continuous self-directed study and studio practice.

  • Level 7
    Module Credits Compulsory/optional
    Research and enterprise in the music and sound industries 30 Credits Compulsory
    Major project in creative music production 60 Credits Compulsory
    Studio technologies, processes and practices 30 Credits Compulsory
    Creative music production 30 Credits Compulsory
    Audio production and design 30 Credits Compulsory

    • Key staff

    Rob Wright
    Head of Music, School of Creative Arts

    Dr Roberto Filoseta (PhD, FHEA)
    Programme Leader for MSc Music, Roberto is a composer, sound artist and performer whose expertise span the spectrum of acoustic and electro-acoustic composition.

    Further course information

    Course fact sheets
    MA Creative Music Production Download
    MA Creative Music Production Download
    Programme specifications
    MA Creative Music Production Download
    MA Creative Music Production Download
    Additional information

    Sandwich placement or study abroad year

    n/a

    Applications open to international and EU students

    		 Yes

    Student experience

    At the University of Hertfordshire, we want to make sure your time studying with us is as stress-free and rewarding as possible. We offer a range of support services including; student wellbeing, academic support, accommodation and childcare to ensure that you make the most of your time at Herts and can focus on studying and having fun.

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