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MUS-30053 - Module Specification
School of Humanities
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

For academic year: 2024/25 Last Updated: 29 June 2024

MUS-30053 - Advanced Mixing and Mastering
Coordinator: Miroslav Spasov Room: CKF05 Tel: +44 1782 7 33298
Lecture Time: See Timetable...
Level: Level 6
Credits: 15
Study Hours: 150
School Office: 01782 733147

Programme/Approved Electives for 2024/25

None

Available as a Free Standing Elective

No

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

no

Barred Combinations

no

Description for 2024/25

This module will provide you with one of the essential skills of audio mixing necessary for a career as a professional sound engineer, mixer, or music producer in music industry. You will learn how to bring music albums, audio for games, TV/Radio broadcasts and audio for streaming platforms to their final stage in the process of production. You will engage in more advanced multitrack mixing that will involve the use of DAW software and both analogue and digital hardware mixing boards. Moreover, you will acquire mastering skills consisting of balancing and adjusting sound sources, equalization, audio effects, reinforcement of sound, applying EQ, compression, exciters, stereo wideners, and produce final mixes that will meet the radio, TV, and online streaming services¿ broadcasting standards. You will also engage in theoretical reflection relevant to mixing and mastering. During classes you will become familiar with concepts, practices and mastering aesthetics as well as with the planning, conducting and finalising music tracks in various genres and styles. You will be required to complete two coursework projects. In one, you will demonstrate your mixing skills by submitting an original mix in any genre and style (rock, pop, rap, indie, dubstep, house, audio track for games, TV/Radio audio products, commercials, etc) in consultation with your tutor. In the other, you will conduct and finalise an audio mastering project and bring the tracks to a quality standard suitable for release.

Aims
To provide students with an opportunity to fully develop their knowledge and practical skills of the final stages of music production
To enable students to engage with post-production and multitrack mixing techniques
To provide students with both practical skills and technical knowledge for mastering audio products.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Demonstrate knowledge of practical methods to carry out advanced multitrack mixing using both multi-channel mixing board and multitrack mixing software ¿ Digital Audio Workstation (DAW).: 1,2
Develop listening skills for assessing the technical and creative qualities of a pre-master mix and mastering: 1,2
Cover the full range of processing in relation to mastering.: 1,2
Develop an awareness and appreciation of current trends in mixing/production in relation to mastering.: 1,2
Demonstrate ability to plan and realise an industry standard music mastering project;: 1,2
Demonstrate advanced technical proficiency in handling both analogue and digital mixing equipment as well as multitrack mixing and mastering software.: 1,2
Demonstrate awareness of managing both the time and resources in mixing and mastering projects resembling the ones in the current music industry: 1,2

Study hours

30 hours of contact time, to include:
14 hours lectures and workshops
6 hours seminars, demonstrations
10 hours small group tutorials
Individual study:
30 hours of preparation for workshops, group work and tutorials
90 hours of preparation for the assessments

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment

1: Assignment weighted 30%
Individual multitrack mixing assignment
Each student will be given the same pre-recorded (unedited) multitrack material of c.2 minutes in duration and will be required to produce an original mix using both the studio mixing desk and DAW software (such as Logic Pro) in the recording studio. The mix will be accompanied by a very short report of about 300 words covering both the technical skills and the aesthetics applied.

2: Project weighted 70%
Final mastering project
A project demonstrating students¿ ability to apply their mastering skills, as well as the aesthetics and creativity to an industry-standard mastering product. It will involve planning and developing two music tracks of their own choosing with a total duration of about 6 minutes. The class will be divided into small groups of 3-4 students and each of the groups will work on different songs/tracks agreed between the tutor and the group. The studio sound recording of the instruments/vocals will be carried out in groups but the mixing and the mastering will be carried out individually by each member of the group, so each of the students will submit her/his original version of the final product and will be marked individually. Further, each student will be required to write a brief report on the planning and realisation of the project (~ 1000 words including photos, captions and visual explanations).

The University undertakes a continuous review of its teaching and research provision to ensure programmes are of a high quality and changes may be made to modules where it is necessary and reasonable to do so. Please be aware that minor changes to modules, such as a change to an individual assessment, can occur up until enrolment, although we endeavour to give you as much notice as possible of any changes. Details about the circumstance in which changes are made to programmes can be found in the Student Agreement, available at: https://www.keele.ac.uk/legalgovernancecompliance/governance/actcharterstatutesordinancesandregulations/studenttermsconditions/

Last Updated: 29 June 2024