Diploma in Electronic Music Production
& Sound Design
The Diploma Programme
The Electronic Music Production and Sound Design Diploma programme will empower students with the full spectrum of skills to become professional electronic music producers and performers. You will cover foundational music theory knowledge before progressing to the intricacies of crafting tracks and beats in a wide range of electronic music genres. The programme will take you through the building blocks of loops and samples and challenge you to create sonic scapes that push the boundaries of the genre. You will be challenged to think critically and creatively as you dive into the technical aspects of sound design using both soft synths and hardware synthesisers. Extremely good. Must not be missed!
The Learning Experience
Through collaborative and experiential learning, you will be encouraged to push the envelope and explore the diverse range of electronic music genres from Techno to Trance, from House to Dubstep. Students must be prepared to experiment and get out of their comfort zone to uncover the artist inside. The average teacher to student ratio for the course is 1:10.
The Final Outcome
By the end of the course, you will be ready to kickstart your career as an electronic music producer or performer.
Course Details
| July 2022 Intake | Fees | Application Close Date |
|---|---|---|
| Full-Time 12 Months Coursework Part-Time 24 Months Coursework | Local Course Fees : S$17,950 Course Administration Fee : S$545 Total Course Fee Payable : S$18,495 International Course Fees : S$22,700 Course Administration Fee : S$905 Total Course Fee Payable : S$23,605 | Local : 20 Jun 2022 International : 16 May 2022 |
| All fees are inclusive of prevailing GST |
Modules
Digital Audio Workstation
Synopsis:
Digital Audio Workstations are critical parts of today’s music production process. You will learn to use the major DAWs in the industry now, namely Logic Pro and Pro Tools. Explore how to set up projects, record and edit music and utilise plug-ins to create unique music.
Objectives:
This module aims to introduce students to the functions and operations of DAWs. Students will be able to perform basic recording and editing of music tracks in preparation for more advanced production work further on in their course.
Duration:
11 Weeks
33 Hours
Principles of Audio
Synopsis:
Gain a foundational understanding of the inner workings of a modern recording studio. You will get the opportunity to work with a wide range of industry-standard digital and audio equipment including the iconic Neve 5088 mixer.
Objectives:
This module aims to equip students with critical skills in operating studio recording gear and equipment through a heavy focus on experiential learning. Students will also be required to propose their own studio equipment list and justify their decisions.
Duration:
11 Weeks
33 Hours
Harmony I
Synopsis:
A solid foundation in music theory is essential for anyone working in the industry. In this module, you will cover a wide range of music theory aspects which will enable you to effectively communicate and collaborate with other musicians and performers.
Objectives:
This module aims to develop students to have music theory knowledge equivalent to the ABRSM Grade 5. Students will learn to read and write musical notations, differentiate between different key and time signatures, and write effective melodies.
Duration:
11 Weeks
33 Hours
Digital Live Sound Production
Synopsis:
This module highlights how audio engineers create mixes to bring a performance to life. You will work with audio equipment like mixers, compressors, speakers and microphones. Ultimately, they will plan the set up and schematics for a small to medium sized live sound event.
Objectives:
This module introduces students to various equipment and digital gears that audio engineers use for a live event. Students will develop the skills needed to set up and operate a live sound event to achieve desired sonic results.
Duration:
11 Weeks
33 Hours
MIDI
Synopsis:
Explore the major role MIDI plays in modern music composition, both in music composed solely through MIDI or tracks supplemented by MIDI elements. You will learn how to do sequencing and sampling using MIDI, and how you can apply sound editing techniques to create organic and realistic sounds.
Objectives:
This module equips students to operate a MIDI instrument and sequence MIDI in different styles.
Duration:
11 Weeks
33 Hours
Songwriting
Synopsis:
Explore how elements of form, hook, melody, rhythm and rhyme are put together in the art of songwriting. You will also examine the various iconic hits through music history and break down what makes them so successful.
Objectives:
This module aims to equip students with the ability to write effective hooks and melodies, and engaging lyrics for their original music.
Duration:
11 Weeks
33 Hours
Sound Design
Synopsis:
This module introduces students to audio post production with an emphasis on sound design for Live Events and Video Games. Students will be trained in creating Soundtracks, SFX and Foley, Loops, Layers, Transitions and Stingers.
Objectives:
This module aims to equip students with the ability to create an effective soundscape, effective intro music soundtrack for a live event, and develop effective sound effects.
Duration:
11 Weeks
33 Hours
Musical Arrangements
Synopsis:
Learn about the craft of taking a piece of musical idea and scoring it for a specific group of performers. Explore how this is done in the modern context through the use of DAWs.
Objectives:
This module aims to equip students to write effective parts for a 5-piece band using different arrangement techniques.
Duration:
11 Weeks
33 Hours
Sampling
Synopsis:
Develop the ears to source for promising samples that comprise elements such as rhythm, melody, speech, sounds. Learn to make and arrange effective Breakbeats and its subgenres, by incorporating drum breaks sampled from early recordings of funk, jazz, and R&B.
Objectives:
This module aims to equip students to manipulate and mix samples of pre-recorded sounds or clips of existing songs, and incorporate them into an original music track.
Duration:
11 Weeks
33 Hours
Looping
Synopsis:
Create digitally-sampled loops in the style of the top producers of today’s popular circuits. Learn to use any and all loops made from field recordings to organic performances, creating tracks that contain both hypnotic repetitions as well as juxtapositions and clever twists.
Objectives:
This module aims to equip students to create complex musical compositions for different purposes in both studio and live settings.
Duration:
11 Weeks
33 Hours
Beat-Making
Synopsis:
Learn the hybrid techniques to rearrange the curated musical parts. Arrange original patterns inline with the mainstays for quintessential beats and create unique banks, racks and kits to include historical elements and structures of hip hop lore that continue to be used to date.
Objectives:
This module aims to equip students to use digital production techniques to make beats and compose a full piece of music.
Duration:
11 Weeks
33 Hours
Digital Synthesis
Synopsis:
Master the fundamental parameters of synthesis. Enter a world where you hold the key to every single tone and its mode of oscillation. Get to create unique tapestries of interlinking waves with the nuances and complexities that outshine even the preset patches.
Objectives:
This module aims to equip students to manipulate software synthesisers to create unique sounds to be used in music compositions and tracks.
Duration:
11 Weeks
33 Hours
Principles of Acoustics
Synopsis:
What is sound? Address this fundamental question as you explore how sound is produced, propagated, received and ultimately perceived by human ears.
Objectives:
This module aims to equip students to effectively identify and capture sounds in a recording studio environment. Students will also be able to apply psychoacoustic techniques to make effective use of low-frequency content.
Duration:
11 Weeks
33 Hours
Hardware Synthesis
Synopsis:
N/A
Objectives:
This module aims to equip students to effectively identify and capture sounds made with physical synthesizers. Students will also be able to apply synthesis techniques in a modular environment to make effective and sonically lush content.
Duration:
11 Weeks
33 Hours
Electronic Music Performance
Synopsis:
N/A
Objectives:
This module aims to equip students with a complete understanding of the tools, apps and technologies that will form the basis for a live MIDI rig, with emphasis on installing and configuring the devices for minimum downtime risk. Students will also learn to create tweakable (performable) parameters.
Duration:
11 Weeks
33 Hours
Music Business 101
Synopsis:
This module looks at how the music industry has evolved in the face of sweeping changes as you explore the commercial and business aspects of the music industry. You will navigate key aspects such as copyright, publishing, artist development and creative concepts for music releases. Hone your skills through developing a comprehensive business development plan for yourself or a budding music talent you know.
Objectives:
The module will equip students to develop music business plans and creative concepts for artist development and music releases.
Duration:
11 Weeks
33 Hours
Entry Requirements
| For Singaporeans: | For International Students: |
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Career Opportunities
| Club/Radio DJ | Performer/Artist | Electronic Music Producer | Recording Engineer | Audio Developer |
| Sound Designer | Film/TV/Video Composer/Scorer | Sound Designer (Games and Tech) | SFX Editor | |
Testimonials
An Thien Dinh,
Graduated from School of Music
Hasyir Ibrahim (Shay),
Graduated from School of Music
Teaching Faculty
Meet our passionate educators who are all industry practitioners. They are seasoned designers and trend-setters in the creative field.
Rufus Varghese
Programme Manager,
Music Faculty
BA (Hons) in Audio Production,
School of Audio Engineering
As an esteemed Audio Director, Rufus has been credited innumerably for having recorded and produced music for film, Mediacorp television & Radio, Computer games, theatre, in teractive media and various independent artistes. He has been featured in Channel News Asia and Sconisccoop, for his majir involvement with Lion Studios. Mentored by the late British Engineer John Herbert in the art and science of Studio Production, Rufus is regarded for his teaching and supervisory abilities. He graduated with 1st Class Honors in Audio Production from School of Audio Engineering and his research interests are in the areas of sound synthesis/analysis/control/simulation, spectral analysis, small/large environment control room acoustics, audio quality/degradation, multichannel recording/mixing and mastering.
Vinod Dass
Full-Time Lecturer,
Music Faculty
Bachelor Degree in Audio Engineering & Music Production,
JMC Academy
Vinod has been avid music performer since young, later branching out and specializing in audio engineering. He developed a keen interest in the recording arts and obtained his degree in Audio Engineering and Music Production from JMC Academy in Melbourne, Australia. His skills led him to work on the Sound Design and mixing of short film called “Fixed” which became the official selections of Film Festivals in Melbourne, Iran and Mexico. It was also accepted by the 18th Bicycle Film Festival in New York. Not only restricting himself to the recording aspect of music, his passion for performance and music brought him most recently to Brisbane, Australia to play at the Dead of Winter Festival 2019 as well as being able to open for Multi Major award winner Hariharan when he came to Singapore mid-2019. Other international acts he as opened for include: Immolation (NYC), Venom Inc (UK), The Exploited (UK).
Alexandre Talhinhas
Adjunct Lecturer,
Music Faculty
Diploma in Music Production & Audio Engineering,
Orita Sinclair School of Design and Music / Bachelor Degree in English/French Translation Instituto Superior De LÍnguas e Administração (ISLA)
Alex (DJ Alx) is Music Producer, Musician and Sound Engineer who hails from Portugal and is currently based in Singapore. He graduated from Instituto Superior de Linguas e Administracao with a Bachelor’s Degree in English/French Translation and he has spent the last 20 years honing his music craft. He is, we are proud to say, also a recent graduate of Orita Sinclair’s Diploma in Music Production and Audio Engineering. Alex recently had his collaboration with Masia One featured on Netflix Altered Carbon Season 2 OST and also composed the Ti Tou Tao (Mediacorp Channel 5 Series) theme song alongside Masia One. He is the music Curator for Suka-Suka Sundays, and resident DJ in Sub City Lion City Bass, Kampong Boogie and Ginga! where he invites DJs from Singapore and abroad to share the booth with him at White Label Record. As a musician, Alex was part of Macaco do Chines (guitarist/singer/producer), a band that were pioneered in crossing Hip-Hop, Dubstep and Grime with Portuguese traditional music. He released two critically acclaimed albums and a mixtape. Macacos do Chines toured both nationally and internationally, playing in headline festivals like Rock In Rio and starred in MTV’s Brand New TV concerts. As a DnB producer, he has been working closely and producing for Skalator Music, one of the most refreshing labels coming out of Portugal. His debut single at the end of last year, Babylon Man, got 4/5 in DJ MAG UK.
Chong Yu Lun
Adjunct Lecturer,
Music Faculty
Diploma in Film, Sound & Video,
Nge Ann Polytechnic
Chong Yu Lun and Rachel Toh co-founded Butterworks, a production house, and have accuired more than 10 filmmaking awards through their filmmaking journey. Their short film “Dao Sha Pia” was shared by Prime Minister Le Hsien Loong. Most notably, they built a renowned Youtube channel, Butterworks which has gathered over 270,000 subscribers and over 35 million views, The duo, director and executive producer, are often known for producing heartfelt, tear-jerking video content that connects, relates and touches hearts. their knowledge for creating compelling content has even brought viral success to the branding videos they produced for notable corporate clients such as SMRT, hauling over 900,000 views.
Rachel Toh
Adjunct Lecturer,
Music Faculty
BA in Mass Communication,
Curtin University of Technology
Chong Yu Lun and Rachel Toh co-founded Butterworks, a production house, and have accuired more than 10 filmmaking awards through their filmmaking journey. Their short film “Dao Sha Pia” was shared by Prime Minister Le Hsien Loong. Most notably, they built a renowned Youtube channel, Butterworks which has gathered over 270,000 subscribers and over 35 million views, The duo, director and executive producer, are often known for producing heartfelt, tear-jerking video content that connects, relates and touches hearts. their knowledge for creating compelling content has even brought viral success to the branding videos they produced for notable corporate clients such as SMRT, hauling over 900,000 views.
Cravis Chang
Adjunct Lecturer,
Music Faculty
BA (Hons) in Music,
Lasalle College of the Arts
Singaporean producer Cravism has always been immersed in Hip-hop culture. Besides being a professional b-boy, Cravism began playing the piano and trumpet in the early 2000s, which progressed into recording and producing his own music. His music has been featured in Berlin, Hong Kong, London, Mexico City, Milan, moscow, paris, and Seoul for the Adidas Originals Flagship Store has been used by many documentary videos such as The Cuppa Depresso, Elevate the Streets, Dead was the Body and many more. Cravism has also performed around Singapore and the United Kingdom, opening shows for big names such as Slum Village, Cosmo Midnight and others.
Rufus Varghese
Programme Manager,
Music Faculty
BA (Hons) in Audio Production,
School of Audio Engineering
Vinod Dass
Full-Time Lecturer,
Music Faculty
Bachelor Degree in Audio Engineering & Music Production,
JMC Academy
Alexandre Talhinhas
Adjunct Lecturer,
Music Faculty
Diploma in Music Production & Audio Engineering,
Orita Sinclair School of Design and Music / Bachelor Degree in English/French Translation Instituto Superior De LÍnguas e Administração (ISLA)
Vinod Dass
Full-Time Lecturer,
Music Faculty
Bachelor Degree in Audio Engineering & Music Production,
JMC Academy
Alexandre Talhinhas
Adjunct Lecturer,
Music Faculty
Diploma in Music Production & Audio Engineering,
Orita Sinclair School of Design and Music / Bachelor Degree in English/French Translation Instituto Superior De LÍnguas e Administração (ISLA)
Cravis Chang
Adjunct Lecturer,
Music Faculty
BA (Hons) in Music,
Lasalle College of the Arts
Cravis Chang
Adjunct Lecturer,
Music Faculty
BA (Hons) in Music,
Lasalle College of the Arts
Chong Yu Lun
Adjunct Lecturer,
Music Faculty
Diploma in Film, Sound & Video,
Nge Ann Polytechnic
Rachel Toh
Adjunct Lecturer,
Music Faculty
BA in Mass Communication,
Curtin University of Technology
How to Apply
All prospective students are encouraged to contact our Recruitment Executive or authorised recruitment agents for a pre-course counseling session if they would like to enrol for a course with Orita Sinclair School of Design & Music. The purpose of this session is for us to address the needs of students as an individual, professional and as a student of our institute.
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