Digital Music

About the major

Digital music practice is becoming increasingly widespread as a fundamental form of music practice, particularly in the creative and interdisciplinary fields. It is found everywhere in creative music areas, including contemporary music practices (recording, sound engineering, film and TV composition, mixed media performance, online music delivery, sound installations) and cross-disciplinary practices such as sonification and music and health.

The curriculum for the major in Digital Music allows students to study a range of music theory, cultural studies and music technology units including advanced sound recording, digital and computer music techniques.

If you are keen to develop skills in composing, manipulating and recording sound to create original soundscapes, this major study is ideal.

Requirements for completion

A major in Digital Music requires 48 credit points from the Digital Music Units of Study table including:
(i) 6 credit points of 1000-level core units
(ii) 6 credit points of 1000-level selective units
(iii) 12 credit points of 2000-level selective units of study
(iv) 18 credit points of 3000-level selective units of study
(v) 6 credit points of 3000-level Interdisciplinary Project unit: PERF3640 Industry and Community Projects

A minor in Music requires 36 credit points from the Digital Music Units of Study table including:
(i) 6 credit points of 1000-level core units
(ii) 6 credit points of 1000-level selective units
(ii) 12 credit points of 2000-level selective units
(iv) 12 credit points of 3000-level selective units

First year

The first year Digital Music core units introduce a range of music technologies, and students gain a basic proficiency in sound recording, editing and mixing, as well as notation and sequencing software. Students can also choose to develop music literacy skills through an appropriate level music skills unit or explore communications technology in the 20th century through an analysis and cultural studies unit.

Second year

In second year Digital Music students can begin to take more specialised subjects, many of which have a strong orientation towards technology based composition processes. Students will learn more advanced interactive sound manipulation in the electroacoustic and computer programming environments.

The music theory and analysis skills gained in first year support both compositional and aesthetic potential for the creation of new musical works.

Third year

The goal of your third year of study is to provide more in depth practice within creative and multimedia contexts, and to engage in interdisciplinary and project-based study. This will allow you to focus your studies on specific, semester-long projects in which you use the full range of skills and abilities you have gained and apply them to complex, large-scale, research-based projects.

Honours

Admission to Honours requires the completion of 48 credit points of Digital Music units with an average of 75 percent or above. You will need to ensure you have completed all other requirements of course, including Open Learning Environment (OLE) units and a second major, prior to commencing Honours.

Example pathways

Contact/further information

Program Leader: Dr Damien Ricketson
Honours Coordinator: Associate Professor Helen Mitchell