Shaping the future of sound education in a post-pandemic world

COVID-19 has not changed the art of music production. Instead, it has accelerated a process that has already been in place for years.

Since well before the pandemic, the way of the large format recording studio was disappearing - the reality is that most recording projects are happening at home or in smaller project studios all around the world.

In this sense, Covid-19 is not necessarily a tragic disruption of the music school curriculum. Instead, it is an essential and overdue opportunity to reshape the way we teach and learn music recording and production for a modern world that requires flexibility over all else.

The basic principles must continue to be taught including signal flow, gain staging, and the basic physics of sound that are required to engineer and produce in a large format, analogue-based studio. However, it is increasingly important to translate those fundamental concepts into digital applications. Those same concepts apply to using a plugin in Pro Tools, yet you need to be taught how to properly implement them.

It is one thing to know how to get the perfect sound with the perfect recording setup, but understanding how to make the best of a less ideal recording situation (especially with Covid19 considerations) - like avoiding unwanted room reflections, using good mic technique, and learning how to maximise the returns of more affordable gear - is vital to modern recording.

As an example, think of how many great records have been made recently in environments that are less than ideal, like somebody’s bedroom. It doesn’t take a huge analogue studio - it just takes good knowledge of your DAW (digital audio workstation) and the gear you have.

Any programmes or audio companies stuck in the past are now being forced to deal with the future.

Covid-19 will be a watershed moment for music programmes that are currently working out how to leave the “old ways” in the past, and dive headfirst into the “new normal”.

For many sound engineers, the pandemic has been a unique opportunity to learn new skills and broaden their horizons. And for audio colleges, it has been an opportunity to reshape the future of their course offerings. The resources, teaching and infrastructure that are being generated now as online content are long overdue, with many believing that a mixed model should have been exploited sooner.

“Cape Audio College has been at the cutting edge of audio education for more than 27 years, and we are uniquely placed to offer you the best education experience possible, explains the Cape Audio College team.

“Our dedicated staff has spent the last year-and-a-half translating our educational programme offerings into seamless online modules that allow for both remote and contact learning experiences.

“So even in these uncertain and frustrating times, you can rest assured that you will receive the most cutting-edge audio education in South Africa - thereby setting yourself up for a long and successful career in the ever-changing audio industry.”