BSc (Hons) Audio Recording and Production with Placement Year

What's the course about?

In the first year you’ll learn the measurements of sound and basic acoustics to understand how they affect sound production, transmission, and capture. You’ll spot potential problems and overcome them, as you become familiar with recording, navigating innovative technology and environmental challenges. We’ll give you a strong understanding of all major Digital Audio Workstation packages. You’ll use these to mix, process effects and create your own virtual instruments. Your technical knowledge will quickly reach a professional standard. You’ll explore the scientific study of how humans perceive different sounds. This knowledge will inspire you further as you build your own synthesizer. You’ll record projects in our dedicated studios and out on location, developing a range of essential skills.

In the second year you’ll develop a critical ear. You’ll gain a deep understanding of microphones and sound signal routing using our Rednet enabled network. We’ll teach you about the music industry, including the legal and logistical requirements of digital distribution. You’ll spend hours in the studio as you mix and master your own tracks. Your creativity will be unleashed when you record a song in a day, producing a raw recording and then mixing it in a style of your choice. We’ll challenge you because we know you can do it. Your skills as an audio engineer will begin to secure you a reputation among your peers, as you prove yourself on event management projects. You’ll grow confident in liaising with artists and providing technical support as you live mix events. We’ll give your potential the platform to excel.

In the third year you’ll refine your studio mixing techniques, as well as your skills in manipulating and restoring audio. You’ll become confident in audio system and studio design. You’ll work with your developing client base and have the opportunity to work within our annual music festival. We’ll teach you about the evolution of music and audio technologies, from their historical origins to the present day. Your final major project empowers you to specialise and immerse yourself in your passion. You can focus on your theoretical knowledge and critical thinking by writing a dissertation, or you can develop software or hardware and even record an album. Using our accreditation links, you’ll also work on a live music production drawing on the expertise of our staff and industry partners. This is a chance to test your skills to an industry brief. Can you deliver to specification, deadline, and budget? When you graduate, you’ll know what area you want to work in. Plus, you’ll have the technical expertise, management skills and professional contacts to pave your path on the journey ahead.

Your time at Herts will be an enriching experience. Industry professionals visit us throughout the year to share their experiences with our students. Recent guest speakers include:

• Dan Lancaster (Music Producer)
• Olga Fitzroy (Recording Engineer)
• Isabel Gracefield Grundy (Sound writer, mixing engineer and producer)
• Marta Salogni (Producer, Mixer, Engineer)
• Steph Marziano (Writer, Producer, Mixer)
• George Shilling (Mixing & Mastering Engineer, Cellist and Studio Owner)
• Matt Ingram (Drummer, Producer and Engineer from London, and Co-Founder of Urchin Studios)
• Alan Branch (Grammy Award winning Engineer, Producer, Writer and Musician)
• Gareth Jones (Huge modular analogue synth enthusiast, who has worked with a wide selection of artists, including making 5 LPs with Depeche Mode, and another 5 with Erasure)
• Mike Warriner (Commercial Director at Focusrite)
• Dan Cox (Award winning sound engineer, mixer and producer, and an executive Director of the Music Producer’s Guild)
• Bernard O’Reilly (Sound designer, sound effects editor and FX recordist)
• Neil Coomber (mixer, producer, and engineer)
• Nick Watson (Mastering Engineer - Fluid Mastering)
• Richard Pryke (sound engineer / re-recording engineer - best known for his Academy Award for Best Sound for the film Slumdog Millionaire)
• Tony Platt (Audio Engineer)
• Phill Brown (Sound Engineer, Producer - worked with Bob Marley, Jimi Hendrix, Dido, to name but a few)
• Alistair Meachin (Acoustics, Audio & AV Consultant – Harmonia Consulting Ltd).

This course is part of the music department in the School of Creative Arts, and a wide range of undergraduate music degrees are on offer.

Check out our facilities

Music students at the University of Hertfordshire have access to a stunning array of well-maintained resources and facilities aligned to industry standards, including recording studios, performance spaces, critical listening spaces, high-spec computing labs and a loan store offering a range of free-to-use equipment.

Find out more about our music facilities here.

Your main campus is College Lane

This is where the creative arts, science and health-related subjects are based. This means you’ll share the campus with future nurses, scientists, artists and more. You can use the common rooms to relax with friends, work out in the 24-hour gym or have a drink in our on-campus pub or cafes. We also have restaurants for you to eat in or grab something on the go. Our Learning Resources Centres are open 24/7, which means you can study whenever suits you best. Want to pop over to the other campus? You can take the free shuttle bus or walk there in just 15 minutes.