From touring the globe to working at world-renowned studios, dBs Plymouth’s Access to HE and undergraduate music production courses have helped countless students realise their dreams. We can help you reach yours, too.
Our dBs Plymouth campus has trained graduates who have gone on to achieve some incredible things in the music industry and the vast majority of them say how important studying a music production course at dBs Institute, whether that was one of our diplomas, undergraduate degrees or both, was for their journey.
Don’t just trust us, though! Check out what some of our alumni have to say about their time at dBs Institute in Plymouth and how it helped them find their dream careers.
JOSH BALL
A2HE DJ & Electronic Music Production, BA (Hons) Electronic Music Production, MA Innovation in Sound | Music Software Developer
“This is one of the main reasons that I would always encourage someone to choose education if you are serious about getting into any industry. Yes, you can learn how to make music online, but had I not done my degree, I would never have gone through the process of becoming a music software programmer.”
“My Master's degree at dBs Institute really helped me to think about how my work could have a greater impact on the music industry as a whole. What would be my big contribution? I had a mindset shift from asking, 'What problems would I like to solve?' to 'How can I help other musicians?' This got me thinking about the things that are important to musicians, which led me back to workflow.”
CHRIS RICH
BA (Hons) Electronic Music Production | Producer releasing on Bom Shanka
“dBs Institute gave me an insight into the music industry, learning from real professionals, with a true knowledge of how things operate. They've all worked in different roles, so the bank of information available to you is truly varied. When I was there I was quite young, so I was a little unsure of my direction. I went in as a young kid wanting to record punk bands and came out producing electronic music as my main career focus. However, I was given the tools to do either as well as a lot more.”
Skye Walters
A2HE: Music Production, BSc (Hons) Live Sound | Module leader and technician for BSc (Hons) Live Sound at dBs Bristol
"Studying at dBs gave me a sense of self that I'd never experienced before. When I started studying in Plymouth I was 16, and it was the first time I'd had to stand on my own two feet as a young adult. I learnt so much about independence, and the tutors and staff there were there to assist me through the good and bad bits of that. I was allowed to explore and experiment with which elements of sound really spoke to me, which led me to move to dBs Bristol with the live sound degree, and here we are now!"
"Without dBs, I wouldn't be where I am today. Studying brought me to a new city, into a new industry and taught me how to thrive there. I still have so many contacts that I made during my time as a student at dBs, and I feel like those have really helped me to integrate myself into the industry."
KRIS RYELAND
BA (Hons) Electronic Music Production | Producer / DJ: Kidd Kaos / Ryland
“dBs helped me build my knowledge of music production, mixing and mastering as well as develop an understanding of the music industry. Many of the tutors had years of experience in the industry and it was great having access to their pool of knowledge.”
“What I gained from dBs Institute really helped me with my career and grow into the artist I am today. Not only did I gain a vast amount of knowledge from the course, I was able to get important feedback from the tutors on my own work which helped me improve on many levels. Getting the right feedback from the right people is crucial if you want to grow as a musician.”
RYAN GREEN
FdA Sound & Music Technology | Re-recording mixer at Shepperton Studios
“The studio facilities at dBs Institute are exceptional and offer the opportunity to work with lots of great equipment. When I continued my education to complete my degree I had lots of practical experience which enabled me to work and freelance during the rest of my studies. The course heavily involved training in Pro Tools and the opportunity to gain Avid Certificates with dBs tutor Stuart Welsh who is a Pro Tools wizard! This training has been crucial to my career and especially my current role as a dialogue editor. Most post-production houses use Pro Tools HD so you need to be proficient.”
SAMMY WIGHTMAN
A2HE: DJ & Electronic Music Production, BA (Hons) Electronic Music Production, MA Innovation in Sound | Co-founder of Strobe Nightclub
“Throughout everything I've done in music, dBs has, essentially, been the backbone of my progression. When I started the access course, I had only been in Plymouth for a week and when I was accepted, I started crying. It was a turning point in my life, where I was like, ‘Wow, this is something in my life that I've always wanted to do,’ and I would never have done it without dBs. It's been very important. It's been the backbone of my journey.”
CHÉ LEADER
A2HE: DJ & Electronic Music Production, BA Sound for Games & Apps | Producer, MC, Head of Music at Art Against Knives & Recording Engineer
“Those years [at dBs Plymouth] were some of the most crucial years of my career. They meant the most. I moved to a city that I'd never been to before because I fell in love with this small building called dBs… It kickstarted my performing career - I was DJing every weekend and I was doing music jobs while I was there. I would advise people if they are in the West Country, to start off in Plymouth. If you're in Devon, start in Plymouth.”
“I went in there not knowing how to do anything. I remember being gassed when I put four high hats in a bar and I was like, 'Oh my god, I'm Diplo!' But they support you. They're not like, ‘What are you doing?’ They recognise everybody starts somewhere. I've never felt my creativity encouraged and nurtured in such a safe and inspiring space. You can go in there with nothing other than passion and a willingness to learn and come out equipped with the skills to build and lay your foundation for the future.”
Learn more about our Access to HE Diplomas, Undergraduate degrees or another one of our Music Production Courses or visit us at a dBs Plymouth Open Day!
