MSc Music and Sound for Film and Games

Why choose this course?

This course is conceived to meet the current industry’s demand for creative professionals who are equally versed in music composition as well as sound design, and can work effectively across a range of media – whether it’s video, narrative film or interactive games. All aspects of the soundtrack are systematically explored in both linear and non-linear environments, leading to a fuller understanding of the discipline, of the industry, and of the production processes. On this course, you will harness the whole gamut of sonic resources for your creative practice – from acoustic instruments to electroacoustic sound, utilising all the latest studio techniques and technologies. You’ll study in the University’s top-class studios, supported by tutors who are experienced industry professionals, with potential to collaborate with students from our MA Film course. With targeted sessions and expert guidance, you’ll develop a showreel demonstrating your creative talent in providing sound and music for a wide range of media (video, film, video games), opening up a 360º horizon of possibilities and opportunities for work. Explore our Master of Sound Student Success blog to find out how our alumni have progressed since completing the course.

Course contents

Assessment is conceived around real-life projects, allowing you to build a showreel of works demonstrating your creative talent in providing sound and music for a wide range of media. You will undertake the following portfolio projects: 1.    Sound Design Practice 1 2.    Sound Design Practice 2 3.    Soundtrack to Narrative Film 1 4.    Soundtrack to Narrative Film 2 5.    Soundtrack to linear game-play footage 6.    Interactive soundtrack to video games 7.    Student project – this can be any substantial work related to this course of study. It gives you the opportunity either to specialise by delving deeper into one of the areas explored in the previous projects, or to expand further by exploring other areas of music-media interaction. Interdisciplinary collaborations are strongly encouraged and supported as far as possible. Resources

• • 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.

What our students say

“The course is well structured, giving opportunities to explore the field of composition in a very broad way and also focus on particular areas of interest. I have genuinely found it exciting and inspiring to participate and I found the atmosphere just as I hoped: creative, relevant, stimulating, professional and fun.” Nicola Hutchison, teacher at Hertfordshire College of Music and active multidisciplinary artist “The MSc Composition course was a real eye-opener as to the many applications of composition, allowing me to produce work far beyond the realms of what I thought possible.” Chris Moorhead, freelance composer for media, and session player It has been a life changing experience for me, and that is no overstatement. Your particularly vigorous and passionate dedication to cracking open our own personal artistic consciousness underpinned a revelatory roller coaster ride from which I learned and will continue to learn a great deal. Alex Simler, instrumental teacher at Hertfordshire Music Services

What will I study?

Industry partners

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

Guest speakers

Industry guest speakers, composers, sound artists, sound designers, are invited to talk and advise on all aspects of the soundtrack and the professional engagement with the production process. Recent guests have included sound design guru and film editor Walter Murch, choreographer Jane Turner, film composer Matt Backer, audio designer Josh Smith, and many more. 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.

Staff team

The MSc Music and Sound for Film and Games is led by Dr Roberto Filoseta, a composer, sound artist and performer whose work spans the whole spectrum of acoustic and electroacoustic composition. Roberto is highly experienced in soundtracks, A/V installation, contemporary dance and music-theatre and his works have been performed and published internationally. He has been teaching at the University since 2000 and as a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, is committed to providing the highest quality of teaching and guidance.