This course is a practical, hands-on module delivered in a computer laboratory environment equipped with Pro Tools, or an equivalent digital audio workstation (DAW), for each student. The course focuses on developing core skills in audio mixing through guided demonstrations and structured practical exercises. The facilitator will demonstrate fundamental principles and techniques related to session management, signal routing, sound processing, and mixing workflows. Students will then replicate these processes in real time, reinforcing learning through immediate application. Each lecture includes a practical assessment aligned with the demonstrated techniques. All practical work builds directly on theoretical concepts introduced in the accompanying Sound Theory lectures, ensuring a clear connection between theory and practice. By the end of the course, students will be able to independently manage DAW sessions, resolve common technical issues, and produce coherent, technically sound mixes using industry-standard workflows.

This course introduces the learner to the theory of digital audio. A bridge between analogue and digital concepts is built and appropriate use of digital audio vocabulary is established. Key concepts are established, such as: data conversion and coding, data transfer and storage, data translation and interface. It is also an introduction to basic DAW principles of operation. This highly practical hands-on section provides the learner with the basic skills necessary to complete a basic recording project, from initial set up to final mix-down. Whether a project involves recording of live instruments, MIDI sequencing of software synthesisers, or audio looping, this course provides the basic skills to succeed.

This NQF Level 5 course provides foundational knowledge of electricity, focusing on essential terms, concepts, and practices. Students will explore potential difference (voltage), current, resistance, and power, gaining an understanding of grounding, AC/DC power, 3-phase power, and the function of protection devices such as fuses, circuit breakers, and earth-leakage breakers. Practical tasks include soldering, constructing cables using orthodox wiring techniques, and developing safety plans for electrical setups. By identifying risks and understanding the applications of upstream and downstream protection, students learn to safeguard people, equipment, and infrastructure effectively. The course equips learners with the technical knowledge and practical skills required for safe and efficient operations in the media and entertainment industries.

This NQF Level 5 course provides foundational knowledge of electricity, focusing on essential terms, concepts, and practices. Students will explore potential difference (voltage), current, resistance, and power, gaining an understanding of grounding, AC/DC power, 3-phase power, and the function of protection devices such as fuses, circuit breakers, and earth-leakage breakers. Practical tasks include soldering, constructing cables using orthodox wiring techniques, and developing safety plans for electrical setups. By identifying risks and understanding the applications of upstream and downstream protection, students learn to safeguard people, equipment, and infrastructure effectively. The course equips learners with the technical knowledge and practical skills required for safe and efficient operations in the media and entertainment industries.

Live Sound Lighting introduces lighting equipment and discusses lighting design considerations for live events. Aesthetic, pragmatic and safety factors are considered in the selection, set up, configuration and control of lights. Vision projection for Live shows deals with a functional area that is often (inaccurately) referred to as AV. It discusses the integration, control, synchronisation, projection and display, of video elements in live shows.

Staging and Live Sound Fundamentals is an introduction to the equipment, set-ups, and techniques of sound reinforcement for live events and the basic procedures of rigging and staging. Topics will include equipment selection, setup procedures, equipment operation, basic troubleshooting techniques, and best practices for ensuring seamless execution of live performances.

This course is equivalent to UNISA Grade 3 or ABRSM Grade 4 music theory and UNISA Grade 1 (or ABRSM Grade 2) keyboard skills. It introduces music theory and keyboard playing for absolute beginners. The course builds foundational skills in music notation, scales, chords, rhythm, and practical keyboard techniques, preparing students for further study.ABRSM stands for the “Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music”. It is a globally recognised organisation that provides music examinations, assessments, and qualifications for students and teachers. ABRSM is associated with four prestigious UK music conservatoires:The theory component covers essential topics such as reading and writing music notation, understanding key signatures, and constructing major and minor scales up to five sharps and three flats. It includes identifying intervals, constructing triads and their inversions, applying the circle of fifths, and working with diatonic triads and rhythmic patterns.Students will complete structured exercises to reinforce their theoretical knowledge. These include transposing melodies, creating harmonic progressions, composing simple pieces, and analysing melodic structures. Lessons emphasise the practical application of key modulations and harmonic relationships to deepen understanding.The keyboard skills component develops foundational playing techniques. Students will practice proper posture and hand positioning, along with performing diatonic scales, triads, and pentatonic patterns fluently. Exercises focus on rhythmic coordination, two-handed playing, dynamic expression, and performing diatonic triads and their inversions, to prepare students for playing simple repertoire pieces.Throughout the course, students will integrate theory with practical application. They will compose and perform pieces, transpose melodies, and complete exercises using a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW). By the end of the course, students will confidently read and write basic music, functionally play the keyboard, and apply their knowledge to creative and basic analytical musical tasks.

This course is equivalent to UNISA Grade 3 or ABRSM Grade 4 music theory and UNISA Grade 1 (or ABRSM Grade 2) keyboard skills. It introduces music theory and keyboard playing for absolute beginners. The course builds foundational skills in music notation, scales, chords, rhythm, and practical keyboard techniques, preparing students for further study.ABRSM stands for the “Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music”. It is a globally recognised organisation that provides music examinations, assessments, and qualifications for students and teachers. ABRSM is associated with four prestigious UK music conservatoires:The theory component covers essential topics such as reading and writing music notation, understanding key signatures, and constructing major and minor scales up to five sharps and three flats. It includes identifying intervals, constructing triads and their inversions, applying the circle of fifths, and working with diatonic triads and rhythmic patterns.Students will complete structured exercises to reinforce their theoretical knowledge. These include transposing melodies, creating harmonic progressions, composing simple pieces, and analysing melodic structures. Lessons emphasise the practical application of key modulations and harmonic relationships to deepen understanding.The keyboard skills component develops foundational playing techniques. Students will practice proper posture and hand positioning, along with performing diatonic scales, triads, and pentatonic patterns fluently. Exercises focus on rhythmic coordination, two-handed playing, dynamic expression, and performing diatonic triads and their inversions, to prepare students for playing simple repertoire pieces.Throughout the course, students will integrate theory with practical application. They will compose and perform pieces, transpose melodies, and complete exercises using a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW). By the end of the course, students will confidently read and write basic music, functionally play the keyboard, and apply their knowledge to creative and basic analytical musical tasks.

This course provides practical, hands-on demonstrations of sound, lighting and video set-ups and involves participation in recordings, live shows, radio broadcasts, or broadcast simulations to gain workplace experience. Students will complete a variety of practical assignments designed to address the diverse skill sets required for successful employment in the entertainment arts industry.Production Aspect: Students are required to respond to project briefs to present draft edits and rough mixes of the productions recorded at the Academy of Sound Engineering hosted live events. In such cases, the outcomes of these projects are strictly defined according to the requirements of the client. Other projects provide the student with much more liberal briefs, where specific production qualities must be demonstrated, but where the content is open-ended. These projects provide opportunities to explore creative expression as long as certain technical outcomes are achieved.Live Event Venue: The Academy of Sound Engineering live events usually take place in our V1 studio complex. V1 is a ‘Variety’ studio that includes a small theatre with a 90 square meter stage area, a seating area for an audience of up to 175 people, connected to a foyer area, technical storage, a machine room, a recording studio, with an isolation booth, and an ‘OB’ unit with both sound and vision mixing facilities. This facility is equipped with professional video cameras, broadcast vision mixing, two of the most advanced audio mixing consoles in the country, very advanced PA equipment that has been used for stadium concerts and by international touring music artists, and stage and video lighting. Dedicated fibre lines interconnect V1 to SABC Main Control for live broadcasts, the internet for live streaming, our radio broadcasting studio, and our other studios in the building, with high bandwidth audio and video connections.The Shows: These Academy of Sound Engineering-hosted live events are usually live-streamed music concerts featuring local professional artists and musicians. Occasionally the artists record albums, DVDs, or material for radio or television shows. Academy of Sound Engineering usually provides a free or very affordable recording service to these clients to provide its students with professional production experience. Occasionally, when a group or artist cancels we substitute the group with one of our student bands, or with staff musicians, several of whom have performed or continue to perform professionally.From this venue we have hosted live streams for top local acts like Thabsie, Sio, and dozens of others, Live radio broadcasts on 5FM for Kwesta, AKA, and others, recorded album material for Amadodana Ase Wesile, Joyous Celebration, and others, including international artists Mumford and Sons, and Jann Klose. We have hosted conferences for the Copyright Coalition of South Africa, Music Exchange (MEX), workshops for CAPASO, and a product launches for DPA Microphones and Avid.Student Participation: Second and third-year students are invited to productions on a rotational basis in groups of up to 16. Students participate in every aspect of a production, from planning equipment lists, back-line, audio and video lines, schedules, programme run-down, stage layouts, camera angles, and lighting cues, through the execution of the live event, and to delivering post-production edits and mixes. Each student will attend at least six such production events and thus have the opportunity to rotate through a variety of roles such as stage manager, stage lighting operator, gaffer, front-of-house, monitor, vision, or broadcast mixer, camera operator, and video director. One or two staff members will be in attendance to supervise and direct, but it is the students' hands on the equipment.

This course begins with an exploration of the fundamental concepts of sound and hearing. Students are introduced to the primary elements of sound waves, such as frequency, amplitude, and waveforms, and how these elements can be manipulated to produce common sound effects.The principles of timbre, harmonic content, and wave shape are discussed, providing students with a solid understanding of how sound characteristics can be shaped and modified. Equalisers and filters are introduced as key tools for sound manipulation, with practical examples showing how these tools are applied in audio production.Sound capture techniques, starting with the theory behind common transducers, such as dynamic and condenser microphones, are covered. The difference between these microphone types is discussed, along with phantom power, which is essential for condenser microphones.Spoken voice and vocal recording techniques are introduced.Several common microphone polar patterns are explored, including cardioid, hyper-cardioid, super-cardioid (shotgun), and omnidirectional, with practical examples of when to use each type in different recording scenarios. The course introduces the use of field recorders and teaches basic techniques like boom swinging and cable bashing, which are essential for on-location recording.The operation of analogue audio mixers is also a key focus. Students will begin by learning about the basic functions of a simple mixer channel strip. The practical application of this knowledge includes connecting mixers to audio interfaces for recording two channels of audio, giving students hands-on experience with basic recording setups.Basic routing principles of this simple generic analogue audio mixer are introduced.Practical sessions form a critical part of this course, allowing students to apply theoretical knowledge in real-world scenarios. These sessions include supervised demonstrations of sound equipment setups for various productions, starting with simple stereo playback setups using a playback device or keyboard and just two microphones.Students will also participate in a group Foley recording project, where they will capture and manipulate sound effects for use in radio dramas, video, or film scenes.Throughout the course, students will engage in hands-on setups in both supervised and unsupervised environments. They will experiment with microphone placement, mixer connections, and basic sound recording techniques. These exercises are designed to build confidence and competence in sound equipment operation, preparing students for further study and real-world audio production work.

This course builds on foundational audio concepts, introducing students to a range of sound processing tools. Learners will explore equalisers and filters to enhance frequency response, shape sound creatively, and manage unwanted noise. Compression and limiting techniques will be applied to control dynamic range and optimise audio levels, while expanders and gates will be used for managing noise and enhancing clarity. A strong emphasis is placed on understanding the signal path within a simple mixer, from routing options and auxiliary mix components to gain structure optimisation. Students will learn to identify, troubleshoot, and correct routing issues, enhancing their confidence and competence with live sound reinforcement and recording systems. Microphone selection and placement will also be explored, covering several recording and live sound scenarios. Learners will gain practical experience setting up microphones for a range of productions. The course also includes hands-on workshops focused on configuring and troubleshooting complex audio setups, incorporating mixers, compressors, equalisers, amplifiers, speakers, and monitoring systems. Through both theoretical study and practical application, students will develop skills to set up, connect, and optimise audio systems, effectively managing sound quality and addressing technical challenges in various contexts. This comprehensive approach ensures that learners are well-prepared to meet the demands of professional audio production environments.

This course introduces learners to the principles and practices of sound in visual media. Students will gain an understanding of the production and post-production sound workflow — from location recording to final mix — and develop foundational skills in capturing, editing, and synchronizing audio to moving images.Emphasis is placed on practical exercises, creative problem-solving, and technical accuracy in support of visual storytelling.