LEARNING WITH
RJMEANEY
WELCOME TO OUR COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO AUDIO ENGINEERING & MUSIC PRODUCTION
AVAILABLE MODULES:
101, 201, 301, 401 & 501
MODULE 101
INTRODUCTORY AUDIO ENGINEERING & MUSIC PRODUCTION:
MODULE LEARNING OBJECTIVE:
STUDENTS WILL GAIN AN INTRODUCTORY LEVEL OF COMPREHENSION IN BASIC CONCEPTS SUCH AS A MUSICAL WORKFLOW, COMPOSITIONAL THEORY, & RECORDING TECHNIQUES.
THIS BASIS IS THEN REINFORCED WITH TECHNICAL SKILLS IN THE EQUALISATION, DYNAMIC PROCESSING, STEREO PLACEMENT & MODULATION OF DIGITAL AND ANALOG AUDIO SIGNALS.
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KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVE: INTRODUCING THE CONCEPT OF A MUSICAL WORKFLOW.
TOPICS COVERED: MUSICAL WORKFLOWS, DAW OPERATION, ORCHESTRATION.
DEMONSTRATION: DAW WORKFLOW.
KEY TECHNIQUE: CRITICAL LISTENING.
PRACTICAL TASK: INSTALL & CONFIGURE YOUR DAW FOR USE.
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KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVE: INTRODUCING THE KEY CONCEPTS OF MUSICAL COMPOSITION FOR ELECTRONIC MUSIC.
TOPICS COVERED: RHYTHM, MELODY, HARMONY, CHORDS, INTERVALS & VOICING.
DEMONSTRATION: KEYBOARD / DAW.
KEY TECHNIQUE: USE OF A MUSICAL SCALE TO PRODUCE A MELODY & CHORD.
PRACTICAL TASK: PRACTICE WITH CMAJ OR AMIN MUSICAL SCALES.
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KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVE: INTRODUCING THE KEY CONCEPTS OF DIGITAL AUDIO, MIDI & THE TECHNIQUES FOR TRACKING BOTH.
TOPICS COVERED: DIGITAL AUDIO THEORY, MIDI, TRACKING PERFORMANCES, ROUTING AUDIO SIGNALS.
DEMONSTRATION: TRACKING IN A DAW.
KEY TECHNIQUE: TRACKING MIDI, WARPING AUDIO.
PRACTICAL TASK: RECORD A MELODY WITH MIDI / WARP THE AUDIO SAMPLES THAT ARE PROVIDED.
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KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVE: INTRODUCING THE KEY CONCEPTS OF DRUM & PATTERN SEQUENCING.
TOPICS COVERED: RHYTHMIC & MELODIC SEQUENCING.
DEMONSTRATION: HARDWARE.
KEY TECHNIQUE: PATTERN SEQUENCING.
PRACTICAL TASK: CREATE YOUR FIRST SEQUENCE.
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KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVE: INTRODUCING THE KEY CONCEPTS OF SYNTHESIS.
TOPICS COVERED: HISTORY, ADDITIVE & SUBTRACTIVE SYNTHESIS. CASE STUDY - ROLAND JUNO, SUBTRACTIVE FILTERING USING AN HPF OR VCF.
DEMONSTRATION: HARDWARE.
KEY TECHNIQUE: USE OF AN ADSR ENVELOPE.
PRACTICAL TASK: CREATE A SYNTH PATCH, RECORD OR SEQUENCE A MELODY IN MIDI.
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KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVE: INTRODUCING THE KEY CONCEPTS & CORE TECHNIQUES OF VIRTUAL SAMPLING.
TOPICS COVERED: HISTORY, VIRTUAL & HARDWARE SAMPLING, LEGALITY.
DEMONSTRATION: DAW.
KEY TECHNIQUE: USE OF A VIRTUAL SAMPLER.
PRACTICAL TASK: CREATE A DRUM RACK.
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KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVE: INTRODUCING THE KEY CONCEPTS & CORE TECHNIQUES OF AUDIO EQUALISATION.
TOPICS COVERED: TYPES OF EQ, BASICS OF SUBTRACTIVE FILTERING.
DEMONSTRATION: DAW.
KEY TECHNIQUE: USE OF A PARAMETRIC EQ.
PRACTICAL TASK: EQUALISE YOUR COMPOSITION.
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KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVE: INTRODUCING THE KEY CONCEPTS & CORE TECHNIQUES OF AUDIO COMPRESSION.
TOPICS COVERED: TYPES OF COMPRESSOR, BASIC CONCEPTS OF DYNAMIC PROCESSING.
DEMONSTRATION: DAW.
KEY TECHNIQUE: USE OF THE 1176 & LA2A.
PRACTICAL TASK: COMPRESS YOUR COMPOSITION.
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KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVE: INTRODUCING THE KEY CONCEPTS & CORE TECHNIQUES OF SPATIAL DESIGN & PROCESSING.
TOPICS COVERED: AUXILIARY TRACKS, TIME-BASED FX, PANNING, EXPLORING THE STEREO FIELD.
DEMONSTRATION: DAW.
KEY TECHNIQUE: USE OF REVERB & PANNING TRACKS.
PRACTICAL TASK: EXPERIMENT WITH TIME-BASED FX.
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KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVE: INTRODUCING THE KEY CONCEPTS & CORE TECHNIQUES OF MUSICAL FX.
TOPICS COVERED: INSERT FX, TIME-BASED FX, PANNING, EXPLORING THE STEREO FIELD.
DEMONSTRATION: DAW.
KEY TECHNIQUE: USE OF MODULATION & GAIN BASED FX.
PRACTICAL TASK: EXPERIMENT WITH MODULATION & GAIN BASED FX.
MODULE 201
INTERMEDIATE AUDIO ENGINEERING & MUSIC PRODUCTION:
MODULE LEARNING OBJECTIVE:
STUDENTS ON THIS COURSE WILL BUILD ON THE KNOWLEDGE-BASE ESTABLISHED BY THE 101 MODULE, INTRODUCING KEY CONCEPTS SUCH AS ACOUSTICS, LISTENING ENVIRONMENTS & METERING.
THIS CONTEXTUAL KNOWLEDGE IS TAUGHT IN PARALLEL WITH MORE ADVANCED APPROACHES IN THE FIELDS OF THE EQUALISATION, COMPRESSION, STEREO PLACEMENT & MODULATION OF AUDIO SIGNALS.
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KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVE: INTRODUCING INTERMEDIATE TECHNIQUES WITHIN A DAW WORKFLOW.
TOPICS COVERED: MUSICAL WORKFLOWS, DAW OPERATION, GROUPING & SUB-MIXING.
DEMONSTRATION: DAW.
KEY TECHNIQUE: DAW ORGANISATION & MIXING TECHNIQUES.
PRACTICAL TASK: CONFIGURE & START WORKING ON YOUR MODULE 201 DAW PROJECT.
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KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVE: INTRODUCING THE KEY CONCEPTS OF ACOUSTICS & PSYCHOACOUSTICS.
TOPICS COVERED: CONFIGURING YOUR LISTENING ENVIRONMENT, BASIC ACOUSTICS, PERCEPTUAL LOUDNESS, BASIC PSYCHOACOUSTICS.
DEMONSTRATION: DAW.
KEY TECHNIQUE: DAW METERING (CONTINUED INTO CLASS 203).
PRACTICAL TASK: CONTINUE TO WORK ON YOUR MODULE 201 DAW PROJECT.
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KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVE: INTRODUCING THE KEY CONCEPTS OF METERING, DECIBELS & LOUDNESS.
TOPICS COVERED: THE DECIBEL, METERING IN THE DAW, NOMINAL LEVELS.
DEMONSTRATION: DAW.
KEY TECHNIQUE: DAW METERING.
PRACTICAL TASK: METERING YOUR 201 DAW PROJECT, LOOK FOR PHASE CORRELATION, dBTP, LUFS ETC.
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KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVE: INTRODUCING INTERMEDIATE CONCEPTS OF RECORDING ANALOG AUDIO.
TOPICS COVERED: CONTINUOUS VS DISCRETE AUDIO SIGNALS, GAIN & SIGNAL STRENGTH, DA/AD CONVERSION, QUANTISATION, SAMPLE RATE, BIT DEPTH & DITHERING.
DEMONSTRATION: DAW.
KEY TECHNIQUE: METERING A MIX.
PRACTICAL TASK: METERING YOUR 201 DAW PROJECT (CONTINUED FROM CLASS 203).
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KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVE: INTRODUCING THE KEY CONCEPTS OF SIGNAL FLOW WITHIN SYNTHESIS.
TOPICS COVERED: CASE STUDY - ROLAND JUNO, SIGNAL FLOW, GAIN STRUCTURE, VCO/DCO, LFOS.
DEMONSTRATION: DAW.
KEY TECHNIQUE: SYNTHESIS.
PRACTICAL TASK: RECORD OR SEQUENCE A LEAD SYNTH (ADDITIVE OR SUBTRACTIVE) FOR YOUR DAW PROJECT.
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KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVE: INTRODUCING THE KEY CONCEPTS & CORE TECHNIQUES OF HARDWARE SAMPLING.
TOPICS COVERED: CUTTING & PROCESSING SAMPLES.
DEMONSTRATION: DAW & HARDWARE.
KEY TECHNIQUE: USE OF A HARDWARE SAMPLER.
PRACTICAL TASK: DECONSTRUCTING A DRUM LOOP INTO A SAMPLER RACK.
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KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVE: INTRODUCING INTERMEDIATE LEVEL CONCEPTS & TECHNIQUES OF AUDIO EQUALISATION.
TOPICS COVERED: INTRODUCING VARIABLE Q & BANDWIDTH.
DEMONSTRATION: DAW.
KEY TECHNIQUE: INTERMEDIATE EQUALISATION.
PRACTICAL TASK: EXPERIMENT WITH VARIOUS EQ TYPES IN VARYING ORDERS IN YOUR SIGNAL FLOW.
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KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVE: INTRODUCING INTERMEDIATE LEVEL CONCEPTS & TECHNIQUES OF AUDIO COMPRESSION.
TOPICS COVERED: SIDE-CHAINING DYNAMIC PROCESSING.
DEMONSTRATION: DAW.
KEY TECHNIQUE: USE OF SIDE-CHAIN TO AFFECT DYNAMICS.
PRACTICAL TASK: COMPRESS YOUR BASS WITH SIDE-CHAIN INPUT FROM A GHOST KICK DRUM.
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KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVE: INTRODUCING INTERMEDIATE LEVEL CONCEPTS & TECHNIQUES OF SPATIAL PROCESSING.
TOPICS COVERED: CONVOLUTION REVERB, PROCESSING RETURNS.
DEMONSTRATION: DAW.
KEY TECHNIQUE: USE OF STEREO FIELD & DEPTH.
PRACTICAL TASK: EXPERIMENT WITH TIME-BASED FX.
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KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVE: CREATIVE & TECHNICAL FEEDBACK, READYING YOUR DAW TO A PRE-MASTER INDUSTRY STANDARD.
TOPICS COVERED: FINALISING & BOUNCING AN INTERLEAVED STEREO FILE PRE-MASTER PROJECT.
DEMONSTRATION: DAW.
KEY TECHNIQUE: EXPORTING AN INDUSTRY-STANDARD PRE-MASTER FILE.
PRACTICAL TASK: BOUNCE YOUR DAW PROJECT.
MODULE 301
CREATIVE AUDIO ENGINEERING & MUSIC PRODUCTION:
MODULE LEARNING OBJECTIVE:
STUDENTS ON THIS COURSE WILL BUILD ON THE TECHNICAL-BASE ESTABLISHED BY THE 201 MODULE, INTRODUCING KEY CREATIVE APPROACHES AND CONCEPTS AS WELL AS THE PHILOSOPHIES OF ANTI-AESTHETICISM & MINIMALISM.
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KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVE: INTRODUCING CREATIVE APPROACHES & TECHNIQUES WITHIN A DAW WORKFLOW.
TOPICS COVERED: CREATIVE PRODUCTION & MIXING TECHNIQUES.
DEMONSTRATION: DAW.
KEY TECHNIQUE: CREATIVE PRODUCTION & MIXING TECHNIQUES.
PRACTICAL TASK: CONFIGURE & START WORKING ON YOUR MODULE 301 DAW PROJECT.
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KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVE: INTRODUCING THE CREATIVE APPROACHES OF ANTI-AESTHETICISM & MINIMALISM.
TOPICS COVERED: PHILOSOPHICAL APPROACHES TO MUSIC PRODUCTION.
DEMONSTRATION: DAW.
KEY TECHNIQUE: CREATIVE MISUSE.
PRACTICAL TASK: CHOSE AN EXAMPLE OF CREATIVE MISUSE & REPLICATE IT IN YOUR MODULE 301 DAW PROJECT.
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KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVE: INTRODUCING CREATIVE APPROACHES TO FX PROCESSING.
TOPICS COVERED: SERIAL, PARALLEL & BUS PROCESSING.
DEMONSTRATION: DAW.
KEY TECHNIQUE: CREATION OF MULTI-FX PROCESSING CHAINS.
PRACTICAL TASK: CREATE A TRACK PRESET WITH GROUPED CREATIVE FX.
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KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVE: INTRODUCING THE KEY CONCEPTS OF CREATIVE GAIN STRUCTURE & OVERDRIVE.
TOPICS COVERED: INTRODUCING THE CHANNEL STRIP.
DEMONSTRATION: GENERATING HARMONICS.
KEY TECHNIQUE: CREATIVE USE OF GAIN STRUCTURE.
PRACTICAL TASK: EXPERIMENT WITH GAIN-BASED FX.
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KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVE: INTRODUCING THE ROMPLER.
TOPICS COVERED: CASE STUDY - ROLAND JV1080, E-MU ORBIT DANCE PLANET 9090. ROMPLER OPERATION.
DEMONSTRATION: HARDWARE.
KEY TECHNIQUE: OPERATING A RACK-MOUNTED ROMPLER.
PRACTICAL TASK: USING THE CREATIVE FX SHOWN SO FAR IN 301, CREATE A LOFI DRUM KIT EMULATING A 90'S ROMPLER.
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KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVE: INTRODUCING THE KEY CONCEPTS & CORE TECHNIQUES OF CREATIVE HARDWARE SAMPLING.
TOPICS COVERED: CUTTING & PROCESSING A BREAKBEAT.
DEMONSTRATION: DAW & HARDWARE.
KEY TECHNIQUE: USE OF A HARDWARE SAMPLER.
PRACTICAL TASK: CUT UP THE AUDIO PROVIDED TO CREATE A 4 BAR BREAKBEAT OR CREATE A DRUM RACK USING ITS RHYTHMIC ELEMENTS.
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KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVE: FURTHERING THE USE OF A CHANNEL STRIP FROM CLASS 304.
TOPICS COVERED: CREATIVE USE OF THE CHANNEL STRIP.
DEMONSTRATION: IK MULTIMEDIA BRITISH CHANNEL.
KEY TECHNIQUE: CREATIVE USE OF CHANNEL STRIP PLUG-IN.
PRACTICAL TASK: CREATE A DAW FX RACK EMULATING A CHANNEL STRIP (PRE-AMP, EQ, NOISE GATE, HARMONICS, COMPRESSOR).
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KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVE: INTRODUCING SERIAL, PARALLEL & BUS DYNAMIC PROCESSING.
TOPICS COVERED: SERIAL DYNAMICS PROCESSING, NYC COMPRESSION, DRUM BUS COMPRESSION.
DEMONSTRATION: DAW.
KEY TECHNIQUE: CREATIVE USE OF DYNAMIC PROCESSING.
PRACTICAL TASK: ADD BUS PROCESSING TO YOUR ROMPLER INSTRUMENT OR DRUM RACK FROM CLASS 305.
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KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVE: INTRODUCING CREATIVE APPROACHES TO USING AUX FX.
TOPICS COVERED: SERIAL SPATIAL PROCESSING, DUB FX.
DEMONSTRATION: DAW / HARDWARE.
KEY TECHNIQUE: CREATIVE USE OF DUB MIXING TECHNIQUES.
PRACTICAL TASK: BUILD A DUB FX AUX GROUP (USING DELAYS, LIMITERS, COMPRESSORS, EQS, SIDE-CHAIN TECHNIQUES).
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KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVE: CREATIVE & TECHNICAL FEEDBACK, MIX BUS PROCESSING.
TOPICS COVERED: FINALISING & BOUNCING AN INTERLEAVED STEREO FILE PRE-MASTER PROJECT WITH BASIC MIX BUS PROCESSING.
DEMONSTRATION: DAW.
KEY TECHNIQUE: CREATIVE PROCESSING OF YOUR MIX BUS.
PRACTICAL TASK: APPLY BUS PROCESSING TO YOUR MIX.
MODULE 401
ADVANCED AUDIO ENGINEERING & MUSIC PRODUCTION:
MODULE LEARNING OBJECTIVE:
STUDENTS ON THIS COURSE WILL BUILD ON THE TECHNICAL AND CREATIVE ASPECTS OF THE 201/301 MODULES, INTRODUCING ADVANCED TECHNIQUES AND APPROACHES.
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KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVE: INTRODUCING DYNAMIC EQUALISATION.
TOPICS COVERED: SIDE-CHAIN TECHNIQUES FOR EQUALISATION.
DEMONSTRATION: DAW.
KEY TECHNIQUE: CREATIVE USE OF DYNAMIC EQUALISER.
PRACTICAL TASK: SIDE-CHAIN EQ TO KICK DRUM.
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KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVE: INTRODUCING MULTI-BAND PROCESSING.
TOPICS COVERED: MULTI-BAND COMPRESSION, MIX BUS PROCESSING.
DEMONSTRATION: DAW.
KEY TECHNIQUE: ADVANCED USE OF MULTI-BAND DYNAMIC PROCESSING.
PRACTICAL TASK: USING A MULTI-BAND COMPRESSOR.
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KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVE: INTRODUCING APPROACHES TO USING ANALOG AUX FX.
TOPICS COVERED: ANALOG SUMMING & FX PROCESSING.
DEMONSTRATION: DAW / HARDWARE.
KEY TECHNIQUE: USE OF ANALOG FX.
PRACTICAL TASK: CREATE AN FX RACK USING THE TECHNIQUES SHOWN IN MODULE 401.
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KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVE: INTRODUCING ADVANCED CONCEPTS OF CREATIVE GAIN STRUCTURE & OVERDRIVE.
TOPICS COVERED: HARMONICS AND PSYCHOACOUTICS.
DEMONSTRATION: DAW.
KEY TECHNIQUE: GENERATING SUBHARMONICS & UPPER HARMONIC PRESENCE.
PRACTICAL TASK: EXPERIMENT WITH HARMONICS.
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KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVE: INTRODUCING VCV ONLINE DIGITAL MODULAR SYNTH.
SIGNAL FLOW, MODULAR SYNTHESIS.
DEMONSTRATION: LIVE VCV DEMONSTRATION.
KEY TECHNIQUE: OPERATING VCV.
PRACTICAL TASK: CREATE A PATCH USING VCV ONLINE.
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KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVE: INTRODUCING THE ADVANCED CONCEPTS & TECHNIQUES OF CREATIVE HARDWARE SAMPLING.
TOPICS COVERED: REMIXING.
DEMONSTRATION: DAW & HARDWARE.
KEY TECHNIQUE: REMIXING WITH A SAMPLER.
PRACTICAL TASK: CUT UP THE AUDIO PROVIDED & CREATE A 16 BAR REMIX LOOP.
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KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVE: SHOWCASING ALL TECHNIQUES FROM MODULES 101, 201, 301 AND 401 IN A LIVE MIXING DEMONSTRATION.
TOPICS COVERED: OVERVIEW OF CURRICULUM.
DEMONSTRATION: DAW & HARDWARE.
KEY TECHNIQUE: PRODUCING A TRACK FROM START TO FINISH.
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KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVE: SHOWCASING ALL TECHNIQUES FROM MODULES 101, 201, 301 AND 401 IN A LIVE MIXING DEMONSTRATION.
TOPICS COVERED: OVERVIEW OF CURRICULUM.
DEMONSTRATION: DAW & HARDWARE.
KEY TECHNIQUE: PRODUCING A TRACK FROM START TO FINISH.
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KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVE: SHOWCASING ALL TECHNIQUES FROM MODULES 101, 201, 301 AND 401 IN A LIVE MIXING DEMONSTRATION.
TOPICS COVERED: OVERVIEW OF CURRICULUM.
DEMONSTRATION: DAW & HARDWARE.
KEY TECHNIQUE: PRODUCING A TRACK FROM START TO FINISH.
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KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVE: CREATIVE & TECHNICAL FEEDBACK, MASTER PROCESSING.
TOPICS COVERED: MASTERING.
DEMONSTRATION: DAW.
KEY TECHNIQUE: MASTER PROCESSING OF YOUR MIX BUS.
PRACTICAL TASK: APPLY MASTER BUS PROCESSING TO YOUR MIX.
MODULE 501
MUSIC BUSINESS & MARKETING
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KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVE: INTRODUCING MUSIC BUSINESS
TOPICS COVERED: COPYRIGHT, COLLECTION SOCIETIES, PUBLISHING.
PRACTICAL TASK: UPLOADING & MONETISING A TRACK.
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KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVE: INTRODUCING BRANDING & MARKETING.
TOPICS COVERED: BRANDING, COPYWRITING, MARKETING, SOCIAL MEDIA.
PRACTICAL TASK: CANVA BRANDING.
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KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVE: INTRODUCING ONLINE PROMOTION TACTICS.
TOPICS COVERED: SOCIAL MEDIA, FANDOMS, ONLINE COMMUNITIES.
PRACTICAL TASK: FIND AN OPINION LEADER / GATEKEEPER.
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KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVE: INTRODUCING AUDIO/VISUAL BRANDING.
TOPICS COVERED: SONIC & VISUAL IDENTITY, BRAND CONGRUENCE.
PRACTICAL TASK: OUTLINE YOUR SONIC AND VISUAL IDENTITIES.
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KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVE: INTRODUCING ONLINE PROMOTION TACTICS.
TOPICS COVERED: EVENT MANAGEMENT & PROMOTION, SONIC BRANDING, MUSIC POLICY & SCHEDULING.
PRACTICAL TASK: FIND & RESEARCH A CASE STUDY RELEVANT TO YOUR AMBITIONS.