Course overview

This course provides a new learning opportunity for those wishing to develop highly-focused skills in computer music-based research at Master's level. It is a project-based programme that allows you to define the work and themes that you want to focus on, whilst we provide the expertise and support to help you realise your own potential. This challenging, stimulating and self-rewarding study environment will focus on your career potential by placing you at the cutting edge of technology, whilst developing your professional practice.

The programme centres on 'creative computing' and the design and application of digital music systems and software to create digital music content or musical- based artifacts and content. Our staff have specific research focuses and their expertise encompasses a wide range of topics including:

• sound synthesis and processing, in particular microsound and modelling synthesis
• spatialisation of sound
• digital sound cultures, communities and contexts
• current practices in sonic art and electro-acoustic music
• generative and Artificial Intelligence systems in sound and music design
• real-time interactive systems
• web-based applications including music tagging and content management
• audio application design using Graphical Data Flow programming environments such as Max/Msp/Jitter, Pure Data and Quartz Composer
• the design and realisation of music/ sound interfaces using frameworks such as TUIO (ReacTable)

School of Creative Technologies

The School of Creative Technologies was formed in 2002 as a focus for developing courses for industries where media and communication technology have an increasing impact. The aim of the School is to help students become aware of the possibilities of these technologies and how they can be integrated to produce innovative digital products to a professional standard. Our staff have a diverse range of backgrounds from both academia and industry, enabling us to provide a challenging, stimulating and self-rewarding study environment.

Find out more

If you are interested in studying computational sound at Portsmouth, you can meet us at one of our Postgraduate Information Days. We will be happy to answer any queries that you have and tell you even more about ourselves. Please contact us for an invitation.

Is this the right course for me?

The course is designed for graduates who have some computing background and who wish to develop specific skills that would enable them to enter a wide range of professional fields as audio specialists.

Course content

The course can be studied full time over one year or over two years part time. Project programmes are individually negotiated with our highly knowledgeable and enthusiastic staff, who are drawn from both academia and industry. This grounds your Master?s degree in the real world and emphasis is placed on implementation, evaluation and reflecting on subject-related issues, whilst building music and sound technological expertise. The course consists of five unit themes, spread over three phases:

• research methods
• planning and managing development projects
• specifying the project?s scope and plan
• critical review of existing work
• development and evaluation of project artefact using Max/Msp/Jitter or similar

Taught core units underpin the principles of research and development. Development is exclusively focused on building expertise in developing applications through graphical data flow programming environments. This is followed by a project research and Max prototyping phase in which you establish the viability of your approach before the final project resolution. In the latter phase, you complete your significant artefact developed using the Max/Msp programming environment, or similar, and write a research or technical report to a publishable standard.

Students project choice

The course provides you with the opportunity to research a unique aspect of the use of computation in the composition, generation or design of software for music. You will develop your research project through the submission of a research proposal early on in the course. Past projects have included:

• audiophile grade sound measurement software
• software for the physical modelling of violins
• console and mobile games using granular synthesis
• sound games for education
• multi-touch interfaces for interactive applications using TUIO
• sound interfaces using the iPhone
• sound activated visual systems for entertainment
• web-based artist brand development
• interactive sound installations for disability environments
• bin-aural spatialisation environments

Teaching and assessment

The course is research-based, focusing on your own chosen project, and you will also be given the opportunity to engage in real-world, client-based research. Taught units are limited to the first semester, although there is ample opportunity for contact with the staff through regular tutorials and workshops.

Career prospects

Successful graduates may find employment in:

• the entertainment industry: games and leisure industry, and mobile technologies
• education: community installations, exhibition sound, postgraduate research and teaching
• media: film, radio, video, internet, promotions and marketing
• health: software for special needs, monitoring and audio development systems
• business: development of audio systems, software and interfaces, and contextual acoustic research

Facilities and features

You will have access to high specification computing facilities running OsX, Windows and Linux. We also have up-to-date software including Max/Msp/Jitter, Pure Data, Reaktor, Apple Development SDKs for OsX and iPhone, TUIO frameworks and web-based development environments from Adobe, computer vision frameworks and Logic Studio Pro. We have extensive Pro Tools HD recording studios with live rooms and an audio mastering suite.

You will also have access to development facilities that include a metal and carpentry workshop for the building of custom hardware and three dimensional designs, such as housings, installations and support design.

Entry requirements

The entry requirements for MSc Computational Sound are shown above, for more detailed information please contact:

Department: School of Creative Technologies (CT)
Tel: +44 (0)23 9284 2421
Email: create.admissions@port.ac.uk