Program Overview

Overview of the Spatial Audio Micro-credential

The Spatial Audio Micro-credential is designed for individuals in the games industry, audio practitioners, and those interested in upskilling to adapt to new audio formats and standards used in media such as VR, AR, and 360 video. This micro-credential addresses the needs of the growing games industry in Ireland and the increasing importance of spatial audio in new immersive media.

Course Details

• Awards: 5 ECTS | Level 9
• Number of Places: 5 places
• Next Intake: January
• Course Coordinator: Daniel Wearen
• Course Director: Dr. Enda Bates
• Closing Date: 2nd January

Admission Requirements

• 2.1 grade in a level 8 degree in Engineering, Music/Media Technology, Music, or cognate disciplines
• Up-to-date CV required
• Experience with the fundamentals of audio production and recording using DAWs is a pre-requisite for this micro-credential
• Some basic experience with the DAW Reaper is also desirable, but not required

Course Fees

The course fees can be found by clicking on the relevant link for postgraduate fees.

What You Will Learn

This micro-credential addresses the fundamental psychoacoustics behind techniques such as stereophony, ambisonics, and binaural to reveal how they function, and importantly their relative strengths and limitations. In addition, the practical production of audio content using these techniques will be addressed using a variety of different tools and applications. Finally, the use of spatial audio techniques for acoustics analysis and engineering will also be examined using a variety of practical examples.

Course Delivery

• The micro-credential will be delivered in-person over weekly 2-hour lectures during daytime hours over a period of 12 weeks.
• Tutorials in Reaper and spatial audio plugins are held in the first half of the course.
• Practical demonstrations of recording techniques, microphone configurations, and array calibration are presented later in the course.
• Dedicated listening sessions/concerts of classic and contemporary works of spatial music are presented throughout the course.

Assessment

• The micro-credential will be assessed through two practical assignments and one in-class MCQ test in Week 8 of the course.
• The first assignment is in the first half of the course and concentrates on binaural audio.
• The second, larger assignment is due approximately 2 weeks after the final lecture, and students can select one of three projects:
  • Option A: 5.1 Location Music Recording - Produce a location music recording for 5.1 using various multichannel microphone techniques.
  • Option B: Spatial Music Composition - Compose an original work of spatial music for 7.1 using Higher Order Ambisonics, B-format recordings, Stereophony, and Parameter Modulation in Reaper.
  • Option C: Acoustics Survey and FOA IR capture - Perform an on-location acoustic survey using monophonic and first-order Ambisonic (FOA) microphones and prepare FOA spatial IRs and example binaural audio files.