MMus Electronic Music Composition

Program Overview

The MMus Electronic Music Composition at the London College of Music (LCM) is a postgraduate program specializing in electronic music composition for both traditional and contemporary artists. It features compulsory modules on advanced electronic composition techniques, game audio, research methods, and a project dissertation. Students also have the option to take specialized courses in areas such as hybrid production, interface design for music, and immersive audio, equipping them for diverse careers in the contemporary music industry.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

The MMus Electronic Music Composition at the London College of Music (LCM) is a postgraduate program specializing in electronic music composition, catering to both traditional electronic music composers and contemporary artists who combine composition with engineering, musician, producer, and DJ roles. The program leverages the LCM's status as a leader in music technology studies and its vast audio complex, including professionally equipped music studios, acoustically designed recording studios, and multi-performance production studios. The program draws upon the LCM's extensive research in electronic music, integrating current ideas on the academic study of record production into its curriculum. Students benefit from instruction by faculty renowned for their professional expertise and the opportunity to network with other motivated artists.

Outline:

The program is structured to equip students with the skills and knowledge required for a successful career in the electronic music industry. It encompasses a broad range of electronic music, from popular electronic dance music styles to art forms like electroacoustic music.

Compulsory Modules:

• Electronic Music Composition 1: Focuses on advanced electronic compositional techniques essential for professional composers.
Students work on a portfolio of compositional exercises under the guidance of a specialized tutor.
• Electronic Music Composition 2: Builds upon the skills from Electronic Music Composition 1, tailoring the content to students' individual experience, knowledge, and expertise.
• Game Audio: Covers music composition and sound design for video games.
Students gain practical experience in composing music and creating sound design for games using specialist software. They also analyze and respond to the challenges of composing non-linear and interactive music and sound effects.
• Research Methods: Provides training in research methods and critical methodology, preparing students for research that supports their project work.
Students articulate and critically reflect on their own research concerns, enhancing their understanding of their field of study. They present their work at the multi-disciplinary LCM postgraduate conference.
• Project Dissertation: This module allows students to delve deeper into a specialized area of electronic music through independent research and project development.

Optional Modules:

• Advanced Hybrid Production: Explores the evolving role of the audio producer as a multidisciplinary sonic artist.
Students engage with hybrid production workflows (recording, sampling, synthesis, programming, mixing, and mastering), applying advanced audio techniques to push expressive boundaries.
• Interface Design for Music: Provides a practical introduction to the software design and programming techniques involved in designing contemporary audio applications.
Students focus on the Max language and its applications, studying the theory, design, and architecture of synthesizers, samplers, effects, sequencers, and composition engines. They develop and demonstrate their own original applications.
• Combining Sounds: Examines the process of combining sounds from mono tape recordings to multi-tracked, multi-channelled environments.
Students deconstruct different music genres, focusing on working practices and methods applied in sound combination and mixing. Practical studio sessions allow experimentation and analysis of sound construction and multi-layering techniques.
• Immersive Audio: Explores the concepts, research, and techniques associated with immersive audio.
Students study 3-D audio, including binaural approaches for 360 video and speaker-array reproduction using Dolby Atmos for cinema sound.
• Interactive Music Technology: Focuses on contemporary electronic sound-art, music, and sound design for multi-media installations, interactive music software, and electronic/electroacoustic composition.
Students select a particular area for a research, production, and performance project, culminating in a public performance or installation using audio technology as part of LCM's 'Electric Music' series.

Teaching:

Teaching methods include lectures, practical workshops, seminars, and tutorial discussions. The teaching rooms are equipped with ProTools HD systems, Audient mixing consoles, and C24 control surfaces. Lectures incorporate frequent practical demonstrations and examples. The teaching hours are concentrated into two days per week for full-time students and one day for part-time students. Students utilize the facilities for completing assignments, developing their composing skills, creating music collaboratively, and engaging in self-directed study.

Careers:

Graduates are prepared for careers in the contemporary music industry as composers, sound designers, or remixers.

• UK National: £9,750 per year
• International: £17,250 per year