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Music and Media Technologies..who has done it?

  • 12-04-2011 11:06pm
    #1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 411 ✭✭


    Im applying for the MMT course and wanna know what its like?
    Has anyone done it? And if so, what are you doing now with the course?


Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 743 ✭✭✭TroutMask


    I was an MMT M.Phil. student. It's a 'sushi selection' type course which covers a wide range of audio, video and music topics over 2 years in taught modules. There is also a written thesis. Not for the person who has already identified their specific research area, more for the 'undecided' or career change postgraduate lifeform. I became a lecturer after taking the course.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 411 ✭✭JajaD


    TroutMask wrote: »
    I was an MMT M.Phil. student. It's a 'sushi selection' type course which covers a wide range of audio, video and music topics over 2 years in taught modules. There is also a written thesis. Not for the person who has already identified their specific research area, more for the 'undecided' or career change postgraduate lifeform. I became a lecturer after taking the course.

    Can you tell me a bit more about the course? I would really appreciate it. I have been trying to allocate people who have done it. I was hoping to do it so it would allow me to be able to record my own music. Would this course suit me?

    I got through to the interview round which is next week and i have just been offered a PR course in DIT which i have already paid the 300 acceptance fee in case i dont get the trinity course.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 743 ✭✭✭TroutMask


    There are a couple of audio production modules and a studio(tiny, and a tad soulless), so you could learn how to track and mix while you were there. Having said that, it's quite an academic course, so that part of it would not be the main focus of the course. I would not state the wish to record your own album as the sole reason for applying for the course at the interview. Having said that, many of my MMT colleagues spent all of their spare time in the studio, though they managed their course work as well. I've spent oceans of time in studios, and didn't like theirs so much - so I avoided it when I was there.
    As far as information goes, why not visit the department and have a look around? There should also be a syllabus online. Nothing beats a firsthand viewing - you might bump into some course students and obtain an insider's view. You could visit before or after the interview.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23 viadd


    I just finished first year of the course in May and will be back in September. If you just want to learn how to record your own music then this course isn't for you. We only had 2 hrs a week contact time with the recording lecturer, but like TroutMask touched on you can spend every waking hour in the studio if that's your jazz. But like TroutMask mentioned it's not the "May West".

    The "sushi selection" metaphor pretty accurately sums up the course. This year we did about 19 subjects (you can see all the subjects on the website). It was a great way to get a whirlwind tour of the individual subject and I was surprised which ones I ended up keeping for the second semester.

    Teaching and lecturing seems to be popular occupations for people who have completed the course. All the lecturers bar 4 had taken the course and 2 of those set it up. From looking at the graduate breakdown on the website a lot of people have also gone on to teach elsewhere. Further study also seems to be a big draw and a lot of the alumni become composers as well.

    You can check out some of the output from this years class in these two groups on Vimeo and Soundcloud:

    http://vimeo.com/groups/theemptylabs
    http://soundcloud.com/groups/theemptylabs

    P.S. So you know there's a music test component to the interview. I went in last year not knowing about it so thought I'd give you a heads up.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1 Mark_Muso


    I have my interview tomorrow. Any chance you could let me know what the music test part of the interview entails? I'm stressing out a bit!!!

    Cheers!!


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 411 ✭✭JajaD


    viadd wrote: »
    I just finished first year of the course in May and will be back in September. If you just want to learn how to record your own music then this course isn't for you. We only had 2 hrs a week contact time with the recording lecturer, but like TroutMask touched on you can spend every waking hour in the studio if that's your jazz. But like TroutMask mentioned it's not the "May West".

    The "sushi selection" metaphor pretty accurately sums up the course. This year we did about 19 subjects (you can see all the subjects on the website). It was a great way to get a whirlwind tour of the individual subject and I was surprised which ones I ended up keeping for the second semester.

    Teaching and lecturing seems to be popular occupations for people who have completed the course. All the lecturers bar 4 had taken the course and 2 of those set it up. From looking at the graduate breakdown on the website a lot of people have also gone on to teach elsewhere. Further study also seems to be a big draw and a lot of the alumni become composers as well.

    You can check out some of the output from this years class in these two groups on Vimeo and Soundcloud:

    http://vimeo.com/groups/theemptylabs
    http://soundcloud.com/groups/theemptylabs

    P.S. So you know there's a music test component to the interview. I went in last year not knowing about it so thought I'd give you a heads up.

    Would you say its a hard course?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23 viadd


    @Mark_Muso I wouldn't worry too much about it. They get you to do a bit of singing and interval identification. I didn't have much experience of that kinda stuff and I managed to get through it alright. I don't think it's that big an influence in the interview, it's more to see that you know something about music.

    @JaJaD I've only done the first year so can't comment on the second year but it's not easy. It's not the sort of course that you could coast through even if you know a lot of the stuff already. That said if you're interested in the content then it's no hassle to spend time working on the assignments. The biggest factor in the difficulty is that there are so many subjects/assignments and such a short time, but if you manage your time well its not too bad.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4 numen


    Hi there,

    Finally I got accepted and will start the first year in September.Can anyone tell me please how does the class timetable worked for them? Is it straight 9am to 5pm. how many hours per day? Im going to be working during my studies and would be helpful to know how it runs during the first and second semester.
    thanks!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23 viadd


    Hey numen. The lecturers usually runs from about 10-5 each day and there's approximately 20 hours of lecturers each week. It's roughly the same for both semesters with maybe a few less hours in the second semester.

    The amount of contact hours a week probably isn't a good indication of the course though. You'll probably spend the same amount of time again working on assignments. There's an average of 2 assignments a week after the first few weeks and these tend to eat up a load of time. I was the only one this year who didn't do an all-nighter and that was only because I commute and was really strict with my time. That said a few people managed to hold down part-time jobs during the year.

    If you are going to be working and plan on making the most of the course you'll need to be manage your time well. Time management and prioritizing are important for everyone but will make a big difference if juggling work and college. There's a penalty system for submitting assignments late, and missing classes, so do your best to get them in on time. Start assignments when they're issued and try to keep on top of the work load. Best of luck!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4 numen


    Thanks viadd for replying so quick!

    I hope I can manage to work and study without falling asleep on my bicycle, hehe. Are you more into music or media? My background is musical although I'm not too good at theory. Is Csound and max/msp difficult to learn for a person that has no clue about that type of language?

    I would like to get in contact with anybody who's doing the first year in September if anybody is interested send me a message.

    Thanks!


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23 viadd


    I'm into music but I have a technical background so I hadn't too much theory either. There were a few music grads on the course this year but most people had only a basic knowledge of theory. You'll find that everyone has different strengths because they take people from loads of different disciplines. So while you might be weaker in that you'll probably be stronger in other subjects.

    Csound is the Marmite of the audio programming world, you'll either love it or you'll hate it, and the majority seem to hate it (including me). It's pretty dense but it's not impossible. Max is much easier to get to grips with and everyone seems to like working with Max. All of the courses assume you know nothing at the beginning so I wouldn't worry about not having done them before. Just throw yourself into it and you'll be surprised how much you can achieve.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4 numen


    Thanks for the advice viadd!
    I'm looking forward to the course and wish you all the best on the second year!
    cheers!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23 viadd


    No prob, I'll probably see you around once the semester starts!


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