Murdoch University starts new Sound course
Murdoch University in Western Australia has opened a new course for media students based around sound in media. The Bachelor of Media in Sound offers students the chance to study sound specifically, rather than as a subject within the Film and TV or media department.The announcement:
Western Australia’s Murdoch University launched its Bachelor of Media in Sound – a new course for media students – in February 2011, which led to the requirement to ‘take it to the next level’ by giving students access to the best facilities to use and study sound. Rather than having sound studies included as an adjunct to the Film and Television or Media department, the University’s Bachelor of Media in Sound course now offers students the opportunity to study sound specifically, as well as exploring the use of sound for film, music, games and television.
Enter Avid and the System 5-MC.
“When we introduced the Bachelor of Media in Sound last year, we knew that we needed a new facility and the best equipment for teaching and learning all about sound,” commented Leo Murray, Academic Chair of Sound & Radio at Murdoch University. “We chose Avid for our new facility because of the quality and flexibility of the System 5-MC and because it works well with all the other DAW software. Whether we want to use Nuendo or ProTools or Audition, we can with this system. It’s incredibly versatile.”
The larger of the university’s two television studios was re-purposed into a brand new, multi-purpose studio facility specifically for use by sound students. An impressive 14m x 12m studio floor with 7m ceilings, the 1000m3 space boasts a control room large enough to take a class of people for teaching purposes and studio area which can be used for anything from small bands up to large ensemble performances and recordings, or even as a soundstage for film sets. “The Avid system is great because it enables you to get your hands on something and really feel as though you’re working on it, rather than just moving a mouse and not having that sense of getting right into what you’re doing. It also has the ‘wow’ factor because everyone is impressed when they first see the facilities.”
“The System 5-MC is also a great teaching aid as you can actually show the students more about what they can do with sound and give them real hands on experience,” Mr Murray added.
The Murdoch University media production department has a smaller recording studio where students can use Artist series control surfaces as they start learning about sound. Then, as their studies advance, they can learn more and gain increased exposure to using sound in the larger and more professionally fitted multi-purpose studio.
“Having an Avid System 5-MC means that we can expose our students to the professional side of the industry and it helps them to readily see how what they are learning here will be transferrable to the professional world. In that sense, they’re getting a real world, real industry style focus to their studies as well as having exposure to the research and academic aspects. It’s a richer overall experience,” Mr Murray concluded.
In its first year, the course intake was 35 students, with the first group of Bachelor of Media in Sound students due to graduate in 2013. The intake has already increased to 45 students for the 2014 graduation.To learn more about the System 5-MC, visit www.avid.com/system5 and to learn about the Artist Series, visit www.avid.com/artistseries. To find out more about the Bachelor of Media in Sound, visit http://www.murdoch.edu.au/Courses/Sound/
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