This page is dedicated to providing course-specific information relating to your start with us in September. New information will be added to this page over the coming weeks and we will inform you when this becomes available.

Will lessons begin on Monday 12th September?

No, your first week at dBs Institute will be Induction & Freshers' Week and will focus on getting everyone prepped for their first week of study and engaging in a range of workshops, guest lectures and other activities. While some things will only be available in-person, we are aiming to make as much of the offering available online. You can find more detailed information on the dedicated Induction & Freshers' Week page.

What do I need for the start of term?

As you're studying remotely, it's important to ensure that your home working environment is suitable for learning and developing your practical skills. We recommend that you have a desk, supportive chair, computer - PC or laptop - monitors and/or headphones, an audio interface and most importantly, a strong internet connection. While this is entirely dependent on space, we recommend setting up your work space in a dedicated area in your home, so that you can set a distinction between study and relaxation spaces.

Is there anything I should be doing between now and when I start?

If you're returning to education or perhaps feel you have some gaps in your knowledge, use the time between now and when you start to get back into the headspace of producing music, rediscover some fundamental techniques and begin exploring some new ones.

Below we've provided a list of books and online resources that will be useful in preparing for your start at dBs.

Books

• Ariel (2017) Augmenting Alice: The Future of identity, experience and reality

• Baden and Wimpenny (2014) A Practical Guide to Arts-related Research. Sage

• Bell and Waters (2018) Doing your research project: a guide for first-time researchers. 7th Ed.

• Bennett, Bates, (2017) Critical Approaches to the Production of Music and Sound, Bloomsbury Academic Dyer, Gregersen and Christensen (2011) Innovator’s DNA: Mastering the Five Skills of Disruptive Innovators. Harvard Business Review Press

• Csikszentmihalyi (2013) Creativity: The Psychology of Discovery and Invention. Harper Perennial

• Cage (1939-2009) Silence: Lectures and Writings, London: Marion Boyars

• Given (2008) The SAGE Encyclopedia of Qualitative Research Methods. Sage

• Magnusson (2019) Sonic Writing: Technologies of Material, Symbolic, and Signal Inscriptions. Bloomsbury

• Academic, Bloomsbury Publishing Inc.

• LaBelle (2018) Sonic Agency Sound and Emergent Forms of Resistance. Goldsmiths Press

• Pressfield (2012) The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles Schafer (2006) The Soundscape: Our Sonic Environment and the Tuning of the World. Destiny Books

Journals

• Buisine, Guegan and Vernier (2017) Technological Innovation in Group Creativity. Springer

• Journal of Interdisciplinary Music Studies Print ISSN: 1307-0401. Online ISSN: 1306-905

• IASPM@Journal (International Association for the Study of Popular Music) ISSN: 2079-387

• The Journal on the Art of Record Production (JARP) http://arpjournal.com/ ISSN: 1754-9892

• Leonardo Music Journal ISSN: 0961-1215 (print); 1531-4812 (web)

*It’s important to note that there isn’t any expectation that you’ll buy these books before starting your course. However, if you would like to do some reading in preparation, these are a good place to start!

In addition to this, here are a few websites which I believe it would be useful for you to explore. In particular, look out for the videos on specific tools and techniques, as well as interviews with notable producers, sound engineers and artists. Many of the themes from these will be touched upon as you progress through the course and I’d be surprised if you cannot find anything of interest:

Software

• Pro Tools Trial: https://my.avid.com/get/pro-tools-trial

• Logic Pro X Trial (Mac only): https://www.apple.com/uk/logic-pro/trial/

Online Journals

• International Computer Music Association: https://quod.lib.umich.edu/i/icmc

• eContact: Online Journal for Electroacoustic Practices: https://econtact.ca/

• Music Composition as Research discussion: Full article here

• Dancecult: Journal of Electronic Dance Music Culture: Full site here

• Orpheus Institute/Norwegian Academy of Music (Oslo): https://www.researchcatalogue.net/view/155614/155615

Websites

• Tape Op: https://tapeop.com/

• Sound On Sound: https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques

• Pensado’s Place: http://www.pensadosplace.tv/category/into-the-lair/

• dBs Institute YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/dBsSoundMusicInstitute

• dBs Insider

If you are currently holding a conditional offer and do not achieve the results you needed please contact us as soon as possible to discuss your options.

Call us on 0117 325 9290 or email admissions@dbsmusic.co.uk