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Book your placeThis course will teach you the skills you need to be a successful audio engineer in music, film, television, and games. You will learn how to use industry-standard technology to record, edit, mix, and master audio for songs, films, television shows, video games, and other media. You will also learn about the creative and technical aspects of audio engineering, and you will have the opportunity to work on real-world projects.
Whether you want to pursue a career in post-production, mastering, studio recording, or collaborating with other producers and musicians, we can help you achieve your goals through industry-leading instruction. You will develop the skills and confidence to work in a variety of disciplines. We will creatively develop your approach to creating sound for a variety of media, including film, visual performance, games, TV, and streaming services.
This course is designed to help you turn your passion for audio into a thriving career. It will teach you the skills and knowledge you need to succeed in the audio production industry, including entrepreneurial skills. Each module is focused on your professional development, so you can be prepared for the future of audio production.
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Our Entrepreneurial Audio Production course offers a unique combination of skills across a range of disciplines. You’ll develop sound for games, TV, film, and produce tracks in the studio. This course in particular emphasises the need to be multi-skilled and adaptable to a range of opportunities throughout the entirety of your career.
The diversity of our course gives you access to a broad range of facilities. With 10 recording studios, a live venue, and other production suites, we are packed with industry-standard equipment that you will encounter across every stage of your career.
During your three years with us, you will be introduced to a variety of pathways into industry through career-focused modules and placements. The course will give you a cross-section of technical and soft skills needed for careers in the studio, games, or sound for film, TV, and visual media. As we are based in the heart of Manchester, you will have easy access to the city’s industry-leading studios, media organisations and games development companies.
You will engage with audio production through practical, hands-on sessions. Whether you are mixing tracks in one of our state-of-the-art studios or working with immersive virtual environments, you will have the opportunity to learn by doing. This approach will give you the skills and experience you need to succeed in the audio production industry.
All of our courses are constantly evolving to ensure teaching and learning remain relevant and up to date. Here is the latest example of the curriculum for Entrepreneurial Audio Production:
This module will introduce you to a professional studio environment and help you develop the key skills essential to recording good quality audio. You will learn about signal flow and gain structure, microphone placement, and using mixing consoles. You will also explore methods of recording different sound sources and the psychology of working effectively with artists in a studio environment. By the end of this module, you will be able to record high-quality audio in a professional setting and collaborate effectively with artists and clients.
Assessment: Signal path test and recording project. 20 credits.
This module will teach you everything you need to know to set up a professional-grade project studio. You will learn about computer specifications, hardware and interfaces, software choices, monitor options and placement, acoustic treatment, compatibility issues, costing, and the essential principles of sound propagation. By the end of this module, you will be able to set up a project studio that meets your needs and budget, and you will have a solid understanding of the principles of audio production.
Assessment: Studio planning portfolio. 20 credits.
This module introduces you to music sequencing software and creative composition techniques. It encourages you to experiment with a range of music technologies to produce a personal portfolio of compositions. The module includes training on virtual instruments, synthesis, and sampling, as well as basic music theory knowledge. This will help you realise your creative potential and develop intellectual property in your own distinctive style.
Assessment: Portfolio and essay. 40 credits.
Through this continuing professional development module, you will develop key entrepreneurial skills, and a professional portfolio or show reel. You will also learn essential academic writing and presentation skills that you will use throughout your studies and in your future career as a creative professional.
Assessment: Group presentation and CPD portfolio. 20 credits.
This module introduces students to the concepts and workflows of audio post-production for visual media. Students will learn about Foley, sound design, synchronisation, encoding formats, and a range of production techniques. They will also learn how to work to a specific brief and within the time constraints and deadlines typical of the industry.
Assessment: Sound design project. 20 credits.
This module will teach you how to enhance compositions and audio productions using a wide range of industry-standard mixing and audio manipulation techniques. You will learn how to use dynamic controllers, EQ, time-based effects, timing and pitch correction tools, as well as arrangement, compilation, and remixing techniques. You will work with a combination of your own compositions and material provided by your tutor to learn how to apply these techniques to achieve a distinctive and genre-appropriate style.
Assessment: Portfolio. 40 credits.
Building on the skills and knowledge you have already acquired, this module will help you develop essential skills for the production of a complete soundscape for a moving image. You will learn about tracklaying, automated dialogue replacement, surround mixing, advanced Foley practices, the use of sound effects, and audio repair techniques.
Assessment: Soundscape project and presentation. 20 credits.
This module will teach you the skills and workflows involved in designing sound for games. You will learn how to create interactive audio that is both engaging and immersive, using cues and loopable audio assets to build mood and suspense in gameplay. You will also learn how to implement your audio in industry-standard game engine platforms, and explore how audio design differs between game genres.
Assessment: Game audio portfolio. 20 credits.
As part of your own career development, you will undertake a period of work placement or professional engagement in the industry, with support from your tutor. Before embarking on your placement, you will learn about professional standards and key skills required for industry success as an audio professional.
Assessment: Work placement and CPD portfolio. 40 credits.
In this module, you will take your recording and mixing skills to the next level. You will learn how to use advanced mixing consoles and audio equipment to enhance compositions in a large-format studio environment, record complex sound sources like ensembles and choirs, practice field recording, and develop professional mixing techniques and workflows. You will also improve your analytical skills with critical listening and produce a project that showcases your individual style and innovation.
Assessment: Recording and mixing project. 20 credits.
Through this module you will develop your skills in a wide range of mastering techniques, and help you create professional-sounding masters that are suitable for a variety of listening platforms. You will learn how to use EQ, compression, and limiting to achieve the desired tonal balance, loudness, and impact, without compromising the dynamics of the mix. You will also learn how to compile a complete production master to professional standards.
Assessment: Mastering portfolio. 20 credits.
In this module you will embrace industry standards and conventions for preparing professional audio for visual media. With a focus on new and emerging formats, immersive audio, cinema loudness standards, and broadcast conventions, you will learn how to work on a range of formats and post-production techniques, mixing your project to commercial standards.
Assessment: Project. 20 credits.
In this module you will explore interactive spatial audio in games and the production techniques used to embed and trigger interactive audio content. You will develop further skills in implementing audio for games, including an understanding of middleware, and gain valuable professional experience in managing your workflows, presentations, and creative justifications.
Assessment: Portfolio. 20 credits.
In this module you will expose you to the range of career opportunities in the creative industries, which will help you develop the skills and knowledge you need to succeed in your chosen field. You will learn about the different types of businesses that operate in the music and audio industries, and how they function. You will also gain key skills in entrepreneurship, self-employment, professionalism, and employability. By undertaking a personal project, you will have the opportunity to put your skills into practice and prepare for a career in the music and audio industries.
Assessment: CPD project and viva voce. 40 credits.
Teaching takes place in a variety of formats including lectures, workshops, demonstrations, peer reviews and one-to-one tutorial support. Our aim throughout is to encourage your creative exploration and hone your technical skills, all so you’ll leave us as a confident, independent professional.
A minimum of 64 UCAS points at A2 or equivalent. You should also have achieved Grade 4 or above in GCSE Maths and English, or an equivalent (UK equivalents include key skills level 3 or functional skills level 2). If you are an international applicant you must have UK settled status in order to study on our degree courses. Non-native English speakers require IELTS: 6.0 with no component lower than 5.5.
Tuition fees for all our undergraduate courses are eligible for government funding through Student Finance England, subject to a successful application.
UK-based university applications are made through UCAS. You’ll need to register via ucas.com to create an application. You can then add this course as a choice to your application using the following information:
If you have any questions about this course, your application or if you'd like to arrange a tour of Spirit Studios, please get in touch on: