This module will introduce you to the fundamental ideas of maths and electronics and their application to audio systems and supports the development of core mathematical skills needed for successful study. The module also introduces key mathematical techniques used in audio, such as exponentials, logarithms and trigonometry. It also introduces some C programming. You will look at digital electronics and examines the fundamentals of Boolean logic. Practical applications are examined, including the design of fundamental circuits such as decoders, encoders and arithmetic circuits. The theory is supplemented by practical experiments using hardware and circuit simulation software. This allows you to compare measured results with theory, and shows the effects of component tolerances. The practical work also gives you the experience of the presentation and interpretation of manufacturers' data for real components, and lets you explore the limitations of laboratory techniques and instruments. This module also introduces analogue electronic circuits used in audio. It reviews the fundamentals of analogue components including resistors, capacitors and inductors, and shows how simple circuits are designed using these components. It introduces diodes, transistors and operational amplifiers and explains their equivalent circuit models. It also introduces the measurement and analysis tools used in the electronics industry. Audio applications are discussed, including filters, crossovers and amplifiers. Circuit prototyping techniques are introduced and compared.
View the full module definitionThis module will introduce you to sound recording, mixing, editing and production. No prior knowledge is assumed. The module starts with the system design and signal chain of a typical recording studio. Essential software and hardware is introduced and time will be devoted to critical listening skills. We will discuss the operation of recording/playback formats, dynamic and condenser microphones, analogue and digital mixing desks, dynamics processors, reverberation and other effects, and equalisation. We will also discuss studio monitors and room acoustics, especially mix spaces. You will be introduced to the workflow and technologies used in film audio, game audio and podcasting. The commercial music software packages used in this module are Apple Logic Pro and Pro Tools. Both are used in the music industry for songwriting and composition. In tutorial sessions you will look at MIDI sequencing, real and virtual instruments, audio recording and importation, and audio and MIDI processing and editing, while lectures will feature critical listening and demonstrations of music creation, recording, mixing and production. Tutorial sessions will allow you to discuss your coursework and get formative feedback. The module also introduces the theory of the devices found in recording studios, and the overall studio design. You will get hands-on experience using the software and hardware in the Audio and Music Technology studios to make a variety of recordings and learn the principles of mixer use and technology. You will be guided through a mixer’s components, including the use of equalization, and techniques for maximising sonic fidelity will be explained. You will discover the relevant electrical principles, including guidance on impedance and balanced and unbalanced connections, and consider the role of outboard equipment and monitoring systems. We will also review the most common types of effects, including dynamic processing and echo-based effects, and you will receive guidance on their applicability in different musical contexts, with theories backed up by practical experiments in recording.
View the full module definitionThis module will introduce you to the basic properties of waves with special emphasis on sound waves in air, and the mechanisms of sound production and transmission. Sound wave phenomena will be demonstrated in lectures by means of a selection of experiments, and the basic equations describing the behaviour of sound waves will be introduced and used. We will explore the acoustic characteristics of a range of musical instruments and demonstrate the mechanical properties of stretched strings and vibrating air columns in pipes. You will examine binaural localisation of single sources, and discover the implications for stereophonic recording and reproduction. You will explore the field of room acoustics using theoretical models, measurement hardware, and simulation using MATLAB, and examine the design and construction of loudspeakers, including moving-coil, capacitor and ribbon drivers. We will also explore psychoacoustics, which outlines aural physiology and the perception of psychophysical attributes of sound, as well as the relationships between these and the measurable physical parameters; current theories of pitch perception, such as place theory, periodicity theory and volley theory; loudness perception, by considering the derivation and implications of the equal-loudness curves; and musical timbre, by looking at how evaluation of perceptual timbral similarity leads to the concept of a multi-dimensional timbre space. Finally, we will look at several types of auditory illusions, such as Shepard/Risset tones and the McGurk effect.
View the full module definitionThere will always be a demand for live sound engineering for both acoustic and electronic music. This module will introduce you to the principles and practice of sound engineering in live situations. In many cases this differs substantially from that in recording studios. You will begin by looking at the key principles behind electrical safety and hearing protection, which are of great importance to the engineers, audience, artists and venue staff, before considering the audio hardware involved, including mixers, amplifiers and crossovers; various electrical connections and connector types; and the importance of stage monitoring. You will also learn the principles of lighting controllers and visuals, and the technologies used, and be introduced to the principles of Audio over Ethernet. We will consider the overall PA system both in terms of an ideal design and the practicalities of running a non-ideal system successfully, comparing the system configurations in several different venues. The management of a system in a live environment will be demonstrated through practical sessions at live events. This will include consideration of how to deal effectively with artists, promoters and venue staff. You will need to be available in the evenings.
View the full module definitionEntering higher education is exciting; but it can also be a daunting experience. At ARU, we want all our students to make the most of the opportunities higher education provides, reach your potential, become lifelong learners and find fulfilling careers. However, we appreciate that the shift from secondary education, or a return to formal education is, in itself, quite a journey. This module is designed to ease that transition. You'll be enrolled on it as soon as you receive an offer from ARU so you can begin to learn about university life before your course starts. Through Into ARU, you'll explore a virtual land modelled around ARU values: Courage, Innovation, Community, Integrity, Responsibility, and Ambition. This innovative module is designed as a game, where you collect knowledge and complete mini tasks. You'll proceed at your own pace, though we you to have completed your Into ARU exploration by week 6. If for any reason you're unable to complete by that date, we'll signpost to existing services so that we can be confident that you are supported.
In this module you will look in more detail at the theory and practice of a variety of audio scenarios. You will learn more about digital audio theory, including oversampling, dither, common digital signal processing (DSP) techniques and file/media formats. You will also examine the Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) standard, sound synthesis techniques, and Audio over Ethernet systems. On the studio side, you will move beyond the native mixers/processors/plugins in commercial DAWs, towards higher-quality external processors such as DSP-based plugins and analogue outboard. You will experiment on noise floor, harmonic distortion and intermodulation distortion, and investigate advanced use of delays and reverberation to create space and depth. You will learn critical listening to show the value of advanced recording/mixing tools, and design experiments analysing specific devices and processors. You will develop recording skills for a wide range of live performances, and look into the psychoacoustics of spatial perception. Microphone configurations are examined using practical recording/playback experiments. You will make a recording of your choice and give a presentation on the acoustic challenges and the techniques used to address these. Creative industries demand bespoke complex integrations of many technologies, and you will examine the design of such systems. This involves knowledge of room acoustic design, sound isolation, absorption/diffusion/abfusion, playback and capture system specifications, signal flow, and noise attenuation/avoidance. You will gain working knowledge applicable to multiple areas of industry, specifying hardware, software and infrastructure that meet a design brief.
View the full module definitionRuskin Modules are designed to prepare our students for a complex, challenging and changing future. These interdisciplinary modules provide the opportunity to further broaden your perspectives, develop your intellectual flexibility and creativity. You will work with others from different disciplines to enable you to reflect critically on the limitations of a single discipline to solve wider societal concerns. You will be supported to create meaningful connections across disciplines to apply new knowledge to tackle complex problems and key challenges. Ruskin Modules are designed to grow your confidence, seek and maximise opportunities to realise your potential to give you a distinctive edge and enhance your success in the workplace.
This module will develop your awareness of the skills needed to produce audio for film, and will give you the opportunity to work in groups, or collaborate with students on other courses within Cambridge School of Creative Industries. You will develop competence in production sound recording, sound effect creation, automated dialogue replacement, Foley art and music composition; cover the planning involved and the critical observational skills of seeing and listening; and discover and experiment with tools for film production and post-production. You will then develop a film soundtrack. You will gain a good working knowledge of the processes and skills sought by filmmakers, extending your future employability.
View the full module definitionThis module requires appropriate sound engineering skills. The industry requires the ability to create unique sounds for unrealistic and otherworldly environments and scenarios. This includes writing music, creating unique sound effects and ambient effects, and recording dialogue, which requires producing non-linear, interactive experiences, not just one-off sound effects or loops. This means you will implement the audio in the game using middleware. You will then develop audio for a game. Where appropriate, you will work in groups, or collaborate with students on other courses within Cambridge School of Creative Industries, particularly Computer Games Development.
View the full module definitionThis module will enhance your skills in audio programming. Software-based audio processing units and plug-ins are an integral part of current Digital Audio Workstations. This module will give you a working knowledge and understanding of how to design and implement bespoke audio plug-ins using programming languages such as C/C++. Such plug-ins are based on signal processing techniques that are ubiquitous in both software- and hardware-based music technologies (e.g. amplitude levelling, panning control, distortion, filtering/equalisation, basic delay units, audio synthesis). We will discuss the underlying theories behind these processes to give you practice and grounding in the conception and development of audio manipulation procedures. Topics will include digital audio processing, computer programming, algorithm development (including testing and verification) and music synthesis. You will gain a sound understanding of the nature, characteristics and sources of audio signals, and have the opportunity to learn how they are processed using analogue and digital techniques. You will also gain an insight into how audio signals are characterised and filtered, as well as looking at frequency analysis and its application to audio signals, and algorithm development (including testing and verification). You will then develop an operational audio plug-in using a language such as C/C++.
View the full module definitionThis module will help you evaluate, select, design and test audio electronic equipment. You’ll explore small-signal and power amplifiers, and the problems of noise, interference and distortion, as well as designing filters and crossovers for high-quality audio. You’ll also gain and understanding of analogue and digital radio broadcasting. You’ll be introduced to the analysis and design of electronic circuits, reviewing the fundamentals of analogue and digital circuit design, and analogue circuits for various amplifier classifications, along with their theoretical models. You’ll also be introduced to active filters, Bode plots, and phase-locked loops, and examine advanced combinational logic design together with synchronous counter design comprising various forms of memory elements. You’ll also explore and discuss sequential logic design, and discover the creative possibilities of circuit bending. You’ll then develop a software or hardware artefact based on what you have learned.
View the full module definitionOn this module you will look at the technologies and business practices required for live event management. We will explore the working practices in the roles involved, looking at promoting events, booking artists and venues, and financial considerations. We will also cover practical aspects such as live sound engineering, stage management, lighting and visuals in detail, as well as reviewing online promotion. You will look at these areas in the context of a wide variety of events, including theatre, conferences, festivals and artist tours. You will then organise, promote and run one or more live events. There will be opportunities to work in groups, to collaborate with other students in Cambridge School of Creative Industries, and to work on events both on-campus and off-campus.
View the full module definitionThe Music Business module will allow you to develop and broaden your entrepreneurial skills within the music industry. You’ll be taught by professionals with extensive industry experience, and benefit from visiting speakers who will contribute specialist knowledge. Today’s music industry operates both locally and globally and is evolving rapidly in response to emerging digital technologies and consumer trends. In order to understand the present-day situation and anticipate future developments, you’ll be introduced to the history of the industry, with one business model gradually replacing another. You’ll learn about intellectual property in the digital age, music copyright, and the fundamentals of music law. You’ll learn about marketing and promotional campaigns, investigating how businesses launch and establish a brand, and how they rely on digital marketing data and analytics. You’ll also consider music journalism and promotional writing, learning how to tailor your writing to the markets and audiences you intend to reach. The management of live music events is at the heart of the music industry and brings with it a unique set of challenges, together with the management and development of new musical artists.
View the full module definitionYou will put into practice a collaborative music project working in a team or group. The module is devised to enable you to demonstrate your abilities to work collaboratively in performing a variety of practical and creative roles, and critically reflect upon the processes involved in undertaking professional, ethical and sustainable composition, performance, production, promotion and/or other responsibilities in a negotiated project. Through doing this, you will demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of concepts of professionalism and entrepreneurialism. You will be expected to contribute effectively to group work, demonstrate adaptability in determining and achieving individual goals, including supporting or being proactive in leadership, and critically evaluate the roles you have carried out. The collaboration can involve students from across the courses at ARU. In putting your project into practice, a required outcome is that you take your work to an extra-university audience, and as such the collaboration may involve external individuals, agencies, or organisations. The nature of the creative musical collaborations will inevitably be diverse.
View the full module definitionThe individual Final Project module allows you to engage in a substantial piece of individual research that may inform creative practice or technological application. The project will be submitted either as a theory-based dissertation or as a practical project comprising a negotiated artefact or activity accompanied by a critical research-based component. The research subject must be drawn from creative/technological ideas, materials, subject matter, or approaches encountered in your individual course. The topic can reflect your specific interests but may also align with interests by ARU research groups or academics or previous/current collaborators of yours such as employers or organisations. The project topic will be negotiated with academic staff to ensure sufficient academic challenge and suitable supervision. The chosen topic will require you to identify problems and issues and formulate research questions to be studied, conduct literature reviews, evaluate and critically appraise information and data, adopt suitable methods of investigation, determine solutions, and present your findings in an appropriate scholarly and/or creative/technological format.
View the full module definitionThis is a practice-based module that enables you to produce a portfolio of audio/music-related work based on your specialism. Furthermore, you'll learn about and devise strategies to promote and disseminate your work. Taken together, this module provides you with the opportunity to complete your final year with a substantive body of work that demonstrates your skills to future employers, clients, or funding bodies, presented through accessible, engaging technical means. You have Trimesters 1 and 2 to produce and complete the portfolio’s “content”, that is, the body of music/audio-related work. You are expected to make progress independently under the guidance of the module tutor. Whereas classes in Trimester 2 will occur as individual/group tutorials, Trimester 1 additionally focuses on producing the portfolio’s “frame”, that is, devising suitable technological means for promotion and dissemination of your portfolio and setting up the technical infrastructure. Trimester 1 will therefore offer dedicated sessions on creating websites with embedded audio/video media, sourcing of visual artwork, using social media effectively, and presenting your biography and curriculum vitae (CV).
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