Discover five key ways that studying a music production course can kickstart your dream career in the music industry.
At dBs Institute, we’ve delivered state-of-the-art diploma and degree-level music production courses for over 25 years. From our campuses in Bristol, Plymouth and Manchester, and globally through our online degrees, we have helped countless students find the path to their dream career.
With many aspiring producers and artists turning to YouTube and the internet for tutorials and other learning materials, you might be wondering, ‘Are music production courses really worth it?’
Here, we look at five ways studying a music production course at a validated higher education institute or music production university like dBs Institute can set you on the right path towards your dream career, and provide you with the skills and knowledge you can’t find online.
Before we get started, we’ll also look at how to choose the right course for you and the types of courses we provide at dBs. Read on to learn more.
Music production courses at dBs Institute
Contents:
- Learning in an environment that reflects the industry
- Study with lecturers who have been there and done it
- Work in a collaborative, community environment
- Give yourself the space to focus on your passion
- Get industry connections
Choosing the right music production course for you
Before we get into how a music production course can help you kickstart your career, it’s vital to understand which course suits you best. Knowing which music production course is right for you depends on several factors, including:
- Your current level of education
- Your career goals and interests
- Where you live and your proximity to an appropriate educational institution
- How much time can you commit to a course
Depending on your specific requirements, some music production courses may be more suitable for you than others. For example:
- If you’re considering a music production Bachelor’s degree, you must first complete a Level 3, 4 or 5 course, like an A Level or Diploma.
- If you are interested in electronic music production and DJing, as opposed to studio-based music production and sound engineering, consider courses with modules that match those interests.
- If you live far away from a suitable educational institution and cannot or do not want to relocate or commute to one, then you might want to consider an online course.
- If you need to fit your learning around work or family life, courses with flexibility built into the curriculum may be best-suited for you.
A vast range of music production courses are available for students of all levels. At dBs Institute, we deliver courses at the Diploma, Undergraduate and Postgraduate levels on campus, from our Bristol, Plymouth and Manchester centres and via our online degrees.
Explore our music production courses in the next chapter.
Music production courses at dBs Institute: A leading university for music production
Music production courses at dBs Institute include programmes at the Diploma, Undergraduate and Postgraduate levels. Find out more about them below.
Diploma
DJ & Electronic Music Production
If you’re just beginning your journey in the world of music production, our one-year DJ & Electronic Music Production Diploma is a great place to start. Designed for those who want to pursue a career as a DJ or touring producer, this course has no formal entry requirements. All you will need to enrol is a passion for music production and the willingness to get stuck in.
Music Production
If you want to learn the fundamentals of computer-based recording and production, our Music Production Diploma is designed for you. During this one-year course, you will explore all the skills and knowledge required to learn music production at a degree level.
Undergraduate
BA (Hons) Electronic Music Production
Studying our BA (Hons) Electronic Music Production degree will prepare you for a career as a floor-filling DJ or dance music producer. During this three-year course, you will learn practical skills in music production and get a firm understanding of how to make money from your craft.
BA (Hons) Music Production & Sound Engineering
Studying BA (Hons) Music Production & Sound Engineering prepares you for a production and/or sound engineering career within a professional studio setting. If you prefer to be behind the desk and enjoy the technical aspects of production, this course is for you.
Postgraduate
MA Music Production
Available online and on campus in Manchester, Plymouth and Bristol, this MA Music Production degree combines advanced techniques and creative expansion with deep insight into professional practice. If you want to elevate your work and explore your ideal career route, this course can set you on the best path.
MA Innovation in Sound
The Innovation in Sound Master’s degree is a unique course that traverses the worlds of music, sound, art and technology, and helps our students explore the very limits of their creativity. Through modules that place you alongside academics and other industry professionals, the MA Innovation in Sound course encourages you to create products and projects that have a real-world impact on the creative industries.
5 ways a course in music production can kickstart your career
So, now you know how to find the right course for you and have a better understanding of our courses, we will examine how you can kickstart your career by studying a music production course.
1 - Learning in an environment that reflects the industry
Although it’s true you can learn some music production techniques, skills and knowledge on the internet without setting foot inside an educational institution like dBs, there are several benefits to studying at a validated institute that are not available online. One key benefit you cannot get online is access to professional-grade studio facilities.
Learning skills and gaining knowledge in an environment that reflects what you will find in the industry is vital for your professional development. Yes, you might be able to learn how a compressor works or how to make a kick cut through in a mix on YouTube, but that knowledge will only apply to the setup you have at home.
At dBs Institute and other higher-education institutions, you will cut your teeth on facilities that reflect the professional environment. So, when you land your first job, the learning curve will be significantly reduced and the chance of making mistakes will diminish dramatically.
Everyone makes mistakes, but it’s much better to make mistakes on our equipment in a learning environment than the professional world. Studying at a place like dBs Institute gives you that luxury.
“If you’re a producer, I don’t think you’re gonna get any better equipment than what’s available at dBs,” says BA (Hons) Music Production & Sound Engineering graduate Montel Brown, “If you’re trying to get comparable studio time anywhere else it’s going to cost you a lot of money. For me, there’s honestly no other option if you’re going to go to university for something like music.”
2 - Study with lecturers who have been there and done it
As well as learning on industry-standard equipment and in state-of-the-art studios, at a university like dBs, you’ll be taught by world-class producers who have been there and done it. You might be able to learn from your favourite producer if they do tutorials online, but don’t have the personal connection or ability to ask questions that you do at a formal educational facility.
Again, having the opportunity to ask your tutors, who have real-world experience, as many questions as you need to is much better than asking your boss in your first week on the job and them wondering whether you have enough training.
Studying with lecturers who have been there and done it before is a great way to develop your skills under professional guidance. They will also have industry knowledge and connections, and can help you find your first paid gig!
By learning with professional tutors in a safe environment where you can make mistakes, you can explore your creativity and the extent of opportunities available before committing to one path.
“The working environment is great and the staff are all amazing,” says dBs Institute DJ & Electronic Music Production Diploma graduate Aiden Morgan, aka DNMO, “They’ll end up feeling more like family than your teachers. It’s very one-on-one, and if you go in with an open mind and ready to learn, you’ll have the time of your life.”
3 - Work in a collaborative, community environment
One under-sold part of studying at a college or higher education institution like dBs Institute is the friends you make. Each new connection you make with other artists, producers and creatives at a specialist education institute could transform into a future employment opportunity.
By throwing yourself into a sea of other creative people, the potential for collaboration and connection is endless. During your studies, these connections could turn into creative projects, but as you graduate, they can often transform into professional opportunities that can set you on your career path.
As well as providing creative and professional opportunities for you as a producer, working in a collaborative environment can continually inspire you to develop your creative practice; the more people there are engaged in creative work, the more it inspires others to get involved.
“I started at dBs not knowing how to do anything, but they support you,” says dBs Institute DJ & Electronic Music Production Diploma graduate Ché leader, “They recognise that 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.”
4 - Give yourself the space to focus on your passion
When you join an educational institution like dBs Institute, you commit to what you love - creativity, music and production. By committing to studying a diploma or degree, you are also providing yourself with the space and time to dedicate your attention to making it in the music industry.
Yes, it is possible to become a self-taught music producer who learns their craft over the years on the side of a ‘normal’ job, or works their way into the industry from the ground up. If that route is more attractive to you, there are many, many stories of success via that route.
However, diving into the educational route where you can make mistakes freely, immerse yourself in mastering your craft and have three years in front of you, as well as all of the facilities and expert tuition, can accelerate your development process.
“Without dBs, I wouldn't be where I am today,” says BSc (Hons) Live Sound graduate, and current dBs Institute module leader Skye Walkters, “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.”
5 - Get industry connections
One of the most important benefits you get from studying a music production course, helping you kickstart your career, is via the industry connections you develop. Whether through your fellow students, the staff working at dBs Institute or your contact with guest lecturers, there are ample methods to grow your little black book in a way that will be invaluable for your prospects.
Although the saying “It’s not what you know but who you know” isn’t necessarily true or helpful, having contacts can make a huge difference to your career. At dBs, we integrate industry opportunities into our curriculum to give students the best chance of making it when they graduate. Through dBs Pro, our guest lectures and more, we ensure students have opportunities throughout their studies to engage with the music industry proactively.
“We have collaborations with other universities and their film departments,” says BA (Hons) Music & Sound for Film & TV graduate Isaac Butler, “We build relationships with each other so when we leave it’s not like, ‘What now?’, it’s like ‘I know this person has a project on at the moment so I’ll ask them if I can get involved.’ We’re also encouraged to reach out to studios and we’re taught how to format emails properly.”
Want to learn more about how you can kickstart your music industry career? Explore music production courses at dBs Institute and find out how to apply!
