Diploma in Music

This lesson aims to equip students with working knowledge on music theory. Students will be equipped to understand the fundamentals of western music theory like major and minor scales, interval theory and more. Students will also learn basic keyboard skills in this module to equip them with a foundation to play an instrument.

This module is designed to provide students with fundamental skills relevant to songwriting across various musical genres. The course will guide students in crafting engaging melodies, emphasising elements such as melodic contour, rhythm, and dynamics applicable to a broad range of musical expressions. Students also develop proficiency in lyric writing, exploring themes and storytelling techniques for emotionally resonant lyrics. Collaboration is essential in fostering a creative environment to enhance interpersonal skills and teamwork in the songwriting process. By the end of the module, students will possess versatile songwriting skills applicable to various musical contexts and will have honed effective collaboration abilities in a musical setting.

This module is designed to provide students with fundamental skills relevant to songwriting across various musical genres. The course will guide students in crafting engaging melodies, emphasising elements such as melodic contour, rhythm, and dynamics applicable to a broad range of musical expressions. Students also develop proficiency in lyric writing, exploring themes and storytelling techniques for emotionally resonant lyrics. Collaboration is essential in fostering a creative environment to enhance interpersonal skills and teamwork in the songwriting process. By the end of the module, students will possess versatile songwriting skills applicable to various musical contexts and will have honed effective collaboration abilities in a musical setting.

This module is designed to provide students with fundamental skills relevant to songwriting across various musical genres. The course will guide students in crafting engaging melodies, emphasising elements such as melodic contour, rhythm, and dynamics applicable to a broad range of musical expressions. Students also develop proficiency in lyric writing, exploring themes and storytelling techniques for emotionally resonant lyrics. Collaboration is essential in fostering a creative environment to enhance interpersonal skills and teamwork in the songwriting process. By the end of the module, students will possess versatile songwriting skills applicable to various musical contexts and will have honed effective collaboration abilities in a musical setting.

This module aims to develop the quintessential skills of listening to music and analyzing it from a technical perspective. This course comprises 2 segments: 

1. From a musician’s perspective, students will learn how to listen to rhythm, time-signature, pitch and the relationship between note intervals
2. From an engineer’s perspective, students will learn how to listen to frequencies and how it affects different instruments (vocals, guitar, bass drums). 

At the end of the module, students will be able analyse audio materials, identify unique musical ideas and integrate it into their repertoire.

This module equips students with the essential skills to effectively operate professional audio equipment. Students will learn how microphones, microphone preamplifiers and outboard gear operate; safe operating procedures; microphone characteristics, placement and essential studio signal flow to achieve the highest quality of audio production in a professional studio environment. Students will apply the knowledge learnt in this module to create professional-sounding audio recordings for song productions.

This module aims to prepare students to build a sustainable career within the music industry by providing them with a strong fundamental understanding and overview of the music business. 

This module will introduce and teach: 

1. Various key players in the music industry which includes publishing houses, labels, management companies, publicists, etc. 
2. Singapore copyright laws and employment rights for a freelancer. 
3. Practical skills like creating a feasible online portfolio, building a network, understanding target audiences, social media management and more.

This module is designed to provide students with fundamental skills relevant to songwriting across various musical genres. The course will guide students in crafting engaging melodies, emphasising elements such as melodic contour, rhythm, and dynamics applicable to a broad range of musical expressions. Students also develop proficiency in lyric writing, exploring themes and storytelling techniques for emotionally resonant lyrics. Collaboration is essential in fostering a creative environment to enhance interpersonal skills and teamwork in the songwriting process. By the end of the module, students will possess versatile songwriting skills applicable to various musical contexts and will have honed effective collaboration abilities in a musical setting.

This module is designed to provide students with fundamental skills relevant to songwriting across various musical genres. The course will guide students in crafting engaging melodies, emphasising elements such as melodic contour, rhythm, and dynamics applicable to a broad range of musical expressions. Students also develop proficiency in lyric writing, exploring themes and storytelling techniques for emotionally resonant lyrics. Collaboration is essential in fostering a creative environment to enhance interpersonal skills and teamwork in the songwriting process. By the end of the module, students will possess versatile songwriting skills applicable to various musical contexts and will have honed effective collaboration abilities in a musical setting.

This core module provides students with essential skills for recording instruments, including vocals, bass, guitars, keyboards, synths, and drums (MIDI), tailored for the modern musician. The module focuses on practical techniques for capturing clean, dynamic recordings and managing sessions efficiently. Students will learn to navigate the recording process, ensuring high-quality performances across a variety of instruments. By the end of the module, students will have the hands-on experience necessary to approach contemporary music recording with confidence, whether focusing on performance or production.

This core module provides all students, whether pursuing a singing career or focusing on music production, with a foundational understanding of vocal technique. Students will learn the basics of vocalization, including breath management, pitch accuracy, and vocal posture, along with warm-up exercises to prevent strain and promote vocal health. For non-singers, this knowledge is essential for better understanding the vocal process, improving collaboration with vocalists, and enhancing music production. By the end of the module, students will have developed key skills for singing with greater control and confidence, establishing a strong foundation for further vocal or music studies.

This core module provides performance and production students with the foundational skills needed for effective keyboard playing. Building on theoretical concepts learned in the Music Theory Foundation module, it focuses on hands-on keyboard techniques that are essential for both live performance and studio work. Students will develop proficiency in chord progressions, rhythm playing, chord shapes, and song application. The module also explores reharmonization, extended voicings, and dynamics, providing students with a well-rounded approach to keyboard technique. The module culminates in a final recital, where students will showcase their practical skills and musical expression in a performance setting.

As part of the curriculum, all students of the school are required to undertake a project supervised by the facilitators. The Final Year Project Committee of our school will be entrusted to oversee the coordination of all final year projects. The Committee has prepared this set of guidelines so that all students are aware of the various project requirements in terms of project schedule, project report, and presentation.

This module equips students with the necessary skills to conceptualise and execute a music video. Students will learn how to create a storyboard and make a case for their stories. Students will also learn about the technical aspects of video production ranging from on-site shooting to post production video editing.

This module equips students with the necessary skills to handle a live performance environment. Students will be taught how to react and handle stage dynamics with other performers and also if they are performing on their own. Students will also be exposed to various supporting tools which will aid them in creating a better showcase.

This module equips students with fundamental concepts related to music marketing, branding, media management, music distribution and agreements. Students will get an overview and gain insights to the general ecosystem within the music industry and how they might fit into the picture. Students will also be equipped with the skills and mindset necessary to navigate the ever-changing music industry.

Building on the skills developed in Vocal Essentials 2, this advanced module provides students with an in-depth exploration of vocal range, diction, and live singing strategies. Students will expand their vocal range, refine their diction, and master advanced techniques for vocal improvisation and adapting to various musical genres. Special guest lecturers from the industry will provide valuable insights into professional vocal techniques and performance. The course culminates in a live showcase, offering students the opportunity to demonstrate their refined vocal and performance skills in front of an audience. By the end of the module, students will have gained a deeper understanding of vocal science and advanced singing techniques, equipping them for professional-level vocal work in both studio and live settings.

Building on the foundational skills developed in Vocal Essentials 1, this elective module is designed for students who wish to deepen their understanding and mastery of vocal technique. Students will refine their breath control, pitch precision, and vocal resonance, while exploring more advanced vocal exercises that expand range and flexibility. Emphasis will be placed on developing a stronger, more expressive voice, focusing on dynamics, tone, and vocal agility. Students will also gain practical techniques for managing vocal strain and maintaining vocal health during extended use. This module is ideal for students interested in furthering their vocal skills for performance or production, providing a more nuanced understanding of vocal techniques to enhance their music-making and collaborations.

Building on the foundational skills developed in Instrumental Labs 1, Instrumental Labs 2 aims to refine and expand students’ keyboard proficiency, introducing more complex musical concepts and performance techniques. This module is designed to further enhance the skills required for both live performance and studio work, focusing on advanced harmony, improvisation, sight-reading, and collaborative playing. Students will work on articulating dynamic control, phrasing, and stylistic interpretation, which will empower them to approach a wide range of musical styles with confidence and creativity. The module encourages students to refine their individual sound and become more attuned to the emotional impact of their playing, fostering a deeper connection with the music they perform.

This module deals with knowledge and skills needed for music arrangement in the context of songwriting for popular music markets. Students will learn music arrangement ranging from organic to electronic music genres, as well as how music arrangement styles differ among different markets. Students will experiment with both audio and MIDI recordings, as well as the use of loops and samples in their music arrangement.

The module equips students with the essential skills to analyse music and dissect its elements. Students will be exposed to various genres of music spanning across eras and participate in in-class discussion as well as individual research and presentation on these genres.

This module aims to equip students with the necessary knowledge to produce lead and backing vocals for a song production. Through practical lessons, you will be exposed to creative directions of a song and be presented with case studies of various published songs and analyse the vocal production techniques used in those songs and design your own vocal parts.

This module aims to equip students with the necessary knowledge to produce lead and backing vocals for a song production. Through practical lessons, you will be exposed to creative directions of a song and be presented with case studies of various published songs and analyse the vocal production techniques used in those songs and design your own vocal parts.

This module aims to build upon the concepts taught in PD005. Students will explore various hands-on approaches to mixing songs in various genres; the approaches in dealing with a song genre they are not familiar with and how best to work out a plan to tackle issues in a song mix. Students will move on to work on much more complicated song mixes involving multiple layers of audio elements. Students will learn how to manage large sessions; version changes and how to deliver the final mixdown for a commercial song release. Students will also explore the use of hardware equipment as part of a hybrid studio environment. Finally, students will explore advanced mastering concepts to handle songs for commercial releases in the capacity of a mastering engineer.

This module aims to equip students with essential knowledge of managing professional live sound equipment used in live performances. Students will be taught principles of the live sound environment and various methods to setup, tune and run a live show.

This module aims to equip students with an understanding of audio post production. Students will learn the processes behind audio post production and the need for audio in the post production stage.

Students will learn the various techniques used in audio post to achieve professional results for commercial projects including TV commercials, TV programs, films, corporate videos, trailers etc. Students will also learn how to handle sound design in a given project and techniques for dialogue replacement.

This module aims to equip students with an understanding of studio acoustic design for their project studio. With more and more music professionals building their own project studio and working out of them, it is paramount that the space is treated acoustically to provide the best possible acoustic space for critical audio work. 

Students will first be equipped with fundamental audio principles like sound propagation, sound levels and decibels, sound reflection, refraction, diffraction and diffusion and an understanding of reverberation in small spaces. Students will also learn the principles of absorption and sound energy dissipation and how to calculate the modal response of a room. Students will then design their own acoustic treatment and learn how to effectively place them in the room to even out the room’s response. Students will also be exposed to listening positions and monitor setups for the most accurate listening experience in a room.

This module equips students to prepare a song for the post-production stage and deliver it for online publishing and distribution. Topics include mixing concepts; tools used for tone shaping, audio levelling and time-space localisation. Students will explore traditional mixing workflows and modern mixing workflows; being able to describe the differences in both processes and determine the best pathway for a song.

This module aims to build upon the concepts taught in SE004. Students will explore various hands-on approaches to mixing songs in various genres; the approaches in dealing with a song genre they are not familiar with and how best to work out a plan to tackle issues in a song mix. Students will move on to work on much more complicated song mixes involving multiple layers of audio elements. Students will learn how to manage large sessions; version changes and how to deliver the final mixdown for a commercial song release. Students will also explore the use of hardware equipment as part of a hybrid studio environment. Finally, students will explore advanced mastering concepts to handle songs for commercial releases in the capacity of a mastering engineer.

This module aims to equip students with essential knowledge in managing professional live sound equipment used in live performances. Students will be taught principles of the live sound environment and various methods to set up, tune and run a live show.

Students will be exposed to traditional recording and mixing workflows on an analog console. Through a hands-on approach, students will learn how to manage the signal flow through the analog console from the recording stage all the way to the mixing stage.

This module equips students with diverse entrepreneurial skill sets and the mindset required to be an active and relevant professional in the music industry. Students will learn to identify the opportunities as well as challenges of starting or running a business in the music industry. Students will also learn how to navigate the freelancer economy.

This course offers non-financial managers a comprehensive introduction to the world of business finance. It equips participants with a structured approach to comprehend and dissect common financial tools and workflows. Key topics include the interpretation and evaluation of fundamental financial documents such as the balance sheet, income statement, cash flow statement, and invoices.

This module provides students with a foundational understanding of talent development and A&R (Artist and Repertoire) principles and practical skills. Students will grasp the concepts related to talent identification, discovery, and cultivation, while acquiring the skills to devise strategies for enhancing competencies, knowledge, and marketability in the context of talent development. This module will empower students to be productive by deepening their comprehension of A&R activities and harnessing creativity to showcase talents.

This module is designed to provide students with a solid foundation in public relations (PR) and communication principles. Public relations is a critical aspect of any business, as it shapes an organisation’s reputation, manages crisis situations, and fosters positive stakeholder relationships. 

Through theoretical knowledge, case studies, and practical exercises, students will develop the skills and understanding needed to effectively communicate and manage public relations in the business context.

This module is designed to equip students with essential communication skills, presentation skills and the knowledge to develop a strong personal brand. Effective communication is crucial in the music and media industry, and personal branding can significantly impact career success. 

Through a blend of theory & practical exercises, as well as self-assessments, students will learn effective communication and public-speaking skills to build a compelling personal brand, and leverage these skills to excel in their future business endeavours.

This module is designed to provide students a comprehensive understanding of marketing principles tailored specifically to the music and media industry. Through a combination of theoretical concepts and practical applications, students will explore the unique challenges and opportunities in marketing music products and services. 

They will learn how to create effective marketing strategies, build brand identity, and engage with target audiences to promote brands, businesses and productions such as musical artists, albums, concerts, and other related products.

This module equips students with the necessary skills to conceptualise, shoot and edit creative videos meant for social media, digital media and other forms of digital media. 

Students will learn how to conceptualise creative concepts, create a “hook”, as well as shoot and edit industry-level videos on a smartphone. Students will also learn about the basic and technical aspects of video production, ranging from shooting and lighting to video post-production.