At a Glance

  • Classroom course (South Kensington)
  • Tuesdays 18:15 - 20:15
  • 10 weeks | October - December
  • Starts 15 October 2024
  • Fees from £144
Booking link

This music and sound technology course is aimed at beginners and aims to introduce you to effective technologies for music-making and sound production and manipulation.

During your studies you will be supported in producing sound files of you own, which you might want to use creatively in music production, or as audio backgrounds to websites and social media posts or simply to begin to explore the possibilities of sound engineering.

You do not need to be able to read music or play a musical instrument in order to take this course, as even without those skills we can still help you to make music and other sound files using software such as Reaper. That said, if you do have experience of reading and making more traditional music you can certainly bring those skills with you to help develop your personal project.

Sessions will generally start with a whole class taught component followed by an assisted practical activity with additional time for your own composition work using Reaper software which you will be able to download (please see the further notes below under 'Equipment').

Indicative topics of study will include:

  • music programming using a range of freely available software;
  • basic audio recording and editing;
  • sampling and sound synthesis;
  • songwriting tips;
  • mixing down

The course is aimed at beginners, so you do not need a musical background to take part, although we also welcome students who do have a background in music and want to extend their skills using new technologies.

Class Recordings

These classes are not recorded

 

Attendance Certificate

 

Successful completion of this course leads to the award of an Imperial College attendance certificate

 

Terms and conditions apply to all enrolments to this course. Please read them before enrolment

Course Information

This is a practical course where you will be supported on an individual basis throughout the course based on your needs and ambitions. This will include help with:

  • Music programming using a range of freely available software;
  • Basic audio recording and editing;
  • Sampling and sound synthesis;
  • Songwriting tips;
  • Mixing down and more.

We will be using Reaper software, which we have chosen as it is widely used and it is an inexpensive option that will allow you to continue your creative sound work at low cost after the course.

Headphones

In order to take this class you will need to purchase for yourself reasonably good quality headphones for the start of the course. We do not recommend in-ear headphones.

The following are options from www.amazon.co.uk (but feel free to use any seller you wish). Prices may vary from those shown here.

  • Sony MDR7509 £89
  • Sennheiser HD280 £77
  • Audio Technica M30x £64
  • AKG K52 £32
  • Sennheiser HD206 £20

We do emphasise that these headphones are just suggestions and might not match your preferences or requirements. 

If in doubt, please ask before making your purchase, but do bear in mind you will need them for the first session.

Weeks Standard Rate Internal Rate Associate Rate
10 Early Bird: £241
Full price: £268
Early Bird: £144
Full price: £160
Early Bird: £190
Full price: £211
All fee rates quoted are for the whole course. Early Bird rates are available until the end of 30 September only. Part-payments are not possible.

 

Rate Categories and Discounts


Standard Rate

  • Available to all except those who fall under the Internal Rate or Associate Rate category.

Internal Rate

  • Current Imperial College students and staff (incl. Imperial NHS Trust, Imperial Innovations, ancillary & service staff employed on long-term contracts at Imperial College by third-party contractors)
  • People enrolling under our Friends & Family scheme
  • Alumni of Imperial College and predecessor colleges and institutes, including City & Guilds College Association members
  • Students, staff and alumni of the Royal College of Art, Royal College of Music and City, UAL and the City and Guilds of London Art School
  • Students, staff and Governors of Woodhouse College and the IC Mathematics School

Associate Rate

  • Austrian Cultural Forum staff
  • Co-operative College members
  • Francis Crick Institute staff, researchers and students
  • Friends and Patrons of the English Chamber Orchestra
  • Friends of Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens
  • Friends of Leighton House/ Sambourne House
  • Friends of the Royal College of Music
  • Harrods staff
  • Historic Royal Palaces staff
  • Lycee Charles de Gaulle staff
  • Members of the Friends of Imperial College
  • Members of the Kennel Club
  • Members of the London Zoological Society
  • Members of the South London Botanical Institute (SLBI)
  • Members of the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP)
  • National Health Service (NHS) employees
  • Natural History Museum staff
  • Residents of postcodes SW3, SW5, SW7, SW10 and W8
  • Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Council staff
  • Royal Geographical Society staff
  • Science Museum staff
  • Staff of Exhibition Road Cultural Group (Discover South Kensington) organisations
  • Students (non-Imperial College)
  • Teachers and other staff of UK schools
  • The American Institute for Foreign Study
  • Tutors and other staff of institution members of the Association of Colleges
  • Tutors and other staff of other universities and higher education institutions
  • Victoria and Albert Museum staff

Late enrolment

It is possible to enrol on many of our adult education courses after the course has already started. For non-language courses this is subject entirely to agreement by the tutor. For language courses it is subject to agreement by the language coordinator conducting level assessment. If you want to join a course late do bear in mind there might be work you will need to catch up on, particularly in language courses.

Friends and Family Scheme

This course is eligible for allowing Imperial College students and staff to share their discount with their friends and family.

Weeks Autumn term Spring term Summer term
 10 Week starting 7 October to week ending 14 December 2024* n/a n/a
*This is a 1-term course

Enrolment via the blue booking link is open. Early-bird discounts are available until the end of 30 September 2024

Enrolment and payment run through the Imperial College eStore. When enrolling:

  • Do check on the drop down menu above called "Course Fees and Rate Categories" to see if you are eligible for a discounted rate and also do make sure you select that rate when enrolling on the eStore
  • If you are a first-time eStore user you will need to create an account before enrolling. You can do this by entering an email address and password. This account can then be used for any future enrolments via the eStore.

When you have enrolled you will be sent the following email notifications:

What is sent When is it sent What does it contain
1. Payment confirmation Is sent straight away following submission of your online application
  • This is a receipt for your payment and includes payment date, order number and course title
  • Confirmation of your place on your chosen course will follow later as long as the course recruits enough students to run. If not you will receive a refund of your payment.
2. Enrolment confirmation Is usually sent within 10 working days. Please treat your payment confirmation as confirmation that your applicant details and payment have been received
  • Confirms your course choice
  • Shows your course's term dates
  • Confirms the day and time of your course
3. Programme information Is usually sent on Friday late afternoon the week before term starts
  • Contains joining instructions for your course, either online or in the classroom, depending on the course
 
  • If you need further help with the above information please ring 020 7594 8756 / +44 20 7594 8756.
  • All enrolments are provisional until the course is confirmed to run. This will be dependent on the course reaching the minimum number of enrolments.
  • All enrolments are subject to our Terms and Conditions. It is not possible to join one of our courses without agreeing to be bound by our Terms and Conditions.

Questions regarding the content and teaching of this course should be sent to the Programme Manager, Dr Michael Paraskos, m.paraskos@imperial.ac.uk 

Questions about your enrolment and payment should be sent to the Programme Administrator, Christian Jacobi, eveningclass@imperial.ac.uk