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Higher Certificate In Music Technology
- Description
- Curriculum
- FAQ
- Grade
Course Overview
SCIM’s Higher Certificate in Music Technology is a comprehensive 12-month program designed to push aspiring music producers and composers to their creative and technical limits. Tailored for serious learners, this course offers a complete online learning experience, after-hours class flexibility, and unlimited practical hours every Friday. From foundational music theory to advanced sound design and modular synthesis, students will gain hands-on proficiency with an endless array of tools for modern music production and composition.
This flagship qualification covers every essential facet of contemporary audio creation — including songwriting, beat programming, vocal production, film scoring, and mastering — preparing graduates for a wide range of professional opportunities in the music and media industries.
Key Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the Higher Certificate in Music Technology, graduates will be able to:
- Demonstrate both beginner and advanced music theory skills, including scales, intervals, modulation, chromatic harmony, and reharmonisation.
- Compose and arrange original pieces using modern songwriting and arrangement principles.
- Program beats and drums using grid-based quantisation and groove techniques.
- Record, process, and edit audio using industry-standard routing techniques.
- Manipulate samples and audio creatively using warping, time-stretching, and modular systems.
- Apply synthesis concepts including oscillators, envelopes, and modulation within both software and hardware environments (VCV Rack and Eurorack).
- Master MIDI Polyphonic Expression (MPE) and integrate advanced sound design workflows.
- Deliver professional-quality mixes and masters with refined gain structure and audio processing knowledge.
- Create music for commercial use, including film scores, game audio, and multimedia applications.
Career Opportunities
- Music Producer
- Sound Designer
- Mixing & Mastering Engineer
- Film/Game Composer
- Vocal Producer
- Multimedia Music Creator
- Modular Synthesis Specialist
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2
Lesson 1. Basic Concepts, Navigation in AbletonA brief introduction to the course and an overview of what to expect in your Ableton production journey.
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3
Study Guide Pages 1 to 11A downloadable study guide covering the first steps of setting up and navigating Ableton.
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4
Assignment: Ableton Setup and Navigation
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5
Drum programming - Basic concepts and history
Explore the foundational concepts of drum programming and its historical significance in music production.
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6
Drum Programming
Learn how to program basic drum patterns in Ableton, including tips for creating engaging rhythms.
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7
Drum programming assignment and review
A follow-along assignment where you’ll apply your drum programming knowledge and receive a review of your work.
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8
Intermediate and Advanced Drum & Rhythmic Processing
Dive into more advanced drum programming techniques to refine your grooves and rhythms.
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9
Assignment - Intermediate and Advanced Drum Assignment
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10
Lesson 1 - Music Theory Fundamentals
An introduction to basic music theory concepts relevant to MIDI programming and the piano roll.
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11
The Piano Roll - Basic concepts & implimintation
Learn how to use Ableton’s piano roll for MIDI programming, including note placement and editing.
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12
Piano Roll part 2 - Phasing
Explore the concept of phasing and how it applies to the piano roll in creating evolving patterns.
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13
Layering Instruments(Voicing)
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14
Sound Shaping and Synthesis - Introduction
An introduction to sound design concepts, focusing on shaping sounds using synthesis techniques.
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15
Sound Shaping - Envelopes (ADSR) and sine wave patches
Learn how to use envelopes and sine wave patches to shape sound in Ableton.
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16
Sound shaping - Practical exploration
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17
Practical exploration - Complex Sound shaping practical with DRIFT
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18
Optional Revision - Sound Design and Synthesis Basics reviewed from scratch
A review of basic sound design and synthesis principles for those needing extra practice.
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19
Assignment: 80's synth assignment
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23
Watch and repeat/adapt assignment - basslines
Follow along as you learn to program basslines, then adapt them to fit your own projects.
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24
Optional Revision - Basslines and Bass programming
A review of bassline programming techniques to enhance your understanding and application
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25
Effects Processing and Automation
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26
Basic Theory - Insert and Send effect
Understand the difference between insert and send effects, and learn how to apply them in your mixes.
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27
Modern Effect Processing - Part 1
Learn modern effects processing techniques to enhance the quality and creativity of your productions.
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28
Follow Along and Interpret - Effects processing and Internal Routing.
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29
Effects Part 4 - Send effects and common configurations for basic processing
Explore common configurations for using send effects to improve your mixes.
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33
Follow Along or Build your own idea - Session view Arrangement techniques
Learn how to arrange your music in session view by following along or building your own project.
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34
Session based arrangement techniques
Explore advanced arrangement techniques in Ableton’s session view for dynamic live performances or studio productions.
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35
Follow Along and Build your first VCV Modular Circuit
Build your first modular circuit in VCV Rack by following along with this video tutorial.
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36
VCV - Advanced Techniques - Patch along and build your own idea
Apply advanced VCV Rack techniques and build your own modular patch to unlock new creative possibilities.
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37
Final Assignment for DMPA 1 - VCV Patching assignment - Creating 2 circuits:
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43
What is sound?
Introduction to the fundamental properties of sound, including sound waves and how they behave in audio production.
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44
Theory of Sound waves for Audio Recording and Production
Learn about sound wave behavior and how it affects the quality of recordings in music production.
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45
Sound recording Theory
Explore the theoretical aspects of sound recording, focusing on capturing accurate and high-quality audio.
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46
Sound Recording Theory for Audio Production
A text-based lesson explaining the importance of gain structure and its impact on sound recording and production quality.
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47
Gain structure assignment - FOLLOW ALONG ONLY
Practice setting proper gain levels with a guided follow-along assignment designed to reinforce the principles of gain structure.
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48
Ablelton Assignment Pack
An assignment pack with practical tasks designed to apply gain structure and compression concepts within Ableton Live.
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49
Final Arrangement and Automation Techniques (preparing for final mix)
Learn how to finalize your arrangement and use automation techniques to prepare your project for the final mixdown.
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50
Automation curves part 2
A deeper dive into automation curves and how they can be used to create dynamic transitions in your mix.
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52
VCV circuit 1.1 and 1.2
Making our study of the VCV fundamental circuits more official, in this lesson we build circuits 1.1 and 1.2.. This includes a basic subtractive voice , as well as a clock and gate system, and a SEQ->VCA->Quant system for pitch in version 1.2
Grab the VCV file here
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jupwxMuNx6lqTJJL6n6uWKJUVQeBz78N/view?usp=sharing
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53
Practice Quiz - Drag and drop circuit 1.2's key components.
Formative practice · VCV Rack
Trace the Circuit 1.2 signal flow
Quick drag-and-drop drill to check you can trace the Circuit 1.2 signal path from source through modulation to output. If the flow doesn't come naturally yet, this is exactly the exercise to run a few times until it does.
About 5 minutes. Unlimited attempts. Opens in a new tab so you don't lose your place here.
Open the signal-flow quick check →
HCERT-Q-02 · Formative · Unlimited attempts
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