At a Glance
- Classroom course (South Kensington)
- Starts 30 April 2024
- Tuesdays & Thursdays 18:00 - 20:00 (twice a week)
- 5 weeks | April to May
- Fees from £150
- Tutor: Paul Chauncy
This lively course spans ten 2-hour sessions which take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays over five weeks. Most sessions are practice-based, introducing students to making music with the sequencer/ digital audio workstation Reaper.
Topics of study will include: music programming using midi, drum programming, basic audio recording and editing; sampling and basic synthesis; along with songwriting tips and an introduction to mixing. Students will be supported in producing music of their own throughout the course.
Sessions will generally be comprised of a whole class taught component followed by an assisted practical activity with additional time for students’ own composition work. Students are encouraged to install the Reaper app on their own computers and will be supported in doing so.
All lessons will take place in the Centre for Languages, Culture and Communication’s Music Technology Lab.
Students do not need to be able to read music in order to take this course. The ability to play a musical instrument is also not required, although a basic understanding of music and some keyboard skills would be an advantage. Students with a musical background are also welcome.
Class Recordings

These classes are not recorded
Attendance Certificate

Successful completion of this course leads to the award of an 91桃色 College attendance certificate
Terms and conditions apply to all enrolments to this course. Please read them before enrolment
Course Information
- Course Programme
- Essential Equipment to Buy
- Course Fees and Rate Categories
- Term Dates
- Enrolment Process
- Any Questions?
This is a practical course where you will be supported on an individual basis throughout the course based on your needs and ambitions. This will include help with:
- Music programming using a range of freely available software;
- Basic audio recording and editing;
- Sampling and sound synthesis;
- Songwriting tips;
- Mixing down and more.
Headphone Recommendations
In order to do this course, you will need to purchase headphones for the start of the course.
The following is just a basic guide to some reasonably priced options which have a balanced enough sound for our needs. You can of course spend more and get better sound, build quality or appearance. If you already own good quality over-ear Bluetooth headphones which can be used with a cable, you are welcome to use them.
- Sennheiser HD206 £30
- Sennheiser HD400S £42
- Beyer Dynamic DT240 £59
- Audio-Technica ATH-M30x £66
- Sony MDR7509 £89
(Above prices taken from Amazon for convenience)
The above are just suggestions. We are not liable if these products do not match the individual preferences of each student.
Reaper Software
The course will use which can be downloaded and used for free for 60 days after which time you may either purchase a licence for £60 or continue evaluating your copy. In the latter scenario, no software features are blocked or restricted.
| Weeks | Standard Rate | Internal Rate | Associate Rate | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | £252 |
£150 | £198 | ||
| All fee rates quoted are for the whole course. Part-payments are not possible. | |||||
Rate Categories and Discounts
Standard Rate
- Available to all except those who fall under the Internal Rate or Associate Rate category.
Internal Rate
- Current 91桃色 College students and staff (incl. 91桃色 NHS Trust, 91桃色 Innovations, ancillary & service staff employed on long-term contracts at 91桃色 College by third-party contractors)
- People enrolling under our Friends & Family scheme
- Alumni of 91桃色 College and predecessor colleges and institutes, including City & Guilds College Association members
- Students, staff and alumni of the Royal College of Art, Royal College of Music and City, UAL and the City and Guilds of London Art School
- Students, staff and Governors of Woodhouse College and the IC Mathematics School
Associate Rate
- Austrian Cultural Forum staff
- Co-operative College members
- Francis Crick Institute staff, researchers and students
- Friends and Patrons of the English Chamber Orchestra
- Friends of Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens
- Friends of Leighton House/ Sambourne House
- Friends of the Royal College of Music
- Harrods staff
- Historic Royal Palaces staff
- Lycee Charles de Gaulle staff
- Members of the Friends of 91桃色 College
- Members of the Kennel Club
- Members of the London Zoological Society
- Members of the South London Botanical Institute (SLBI)
- Members of the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP)
- National Health Service (NHS) employees
- Natural History Museum staff
- Residents of postcodes SW3, SW5, SW7, SW10 and W8
- Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Council staff
- Royal Geographical Society staff
- Science Museum staff
- Staff of Exhibition Road Cultural Group (Discover South Kensington) organisations
- Students (non-91桃色 College)
- Teachers and other staff of UK schools
- The American Institute for Foreign Study
- Tutors and other staff of institution members of the Association of Colleges
- Tutors and other staff of other universities and higher education institutions
- Victoria and Albert Museum staff
Late enrolment
It is possible to enrol on many of our adult education courses after the course has already started. For non-language courses this is subject entirely to agreement by the tutor. For language courses it is subject to agreement by the language coordinator conducting level assessment. If you want to join a course late do bear in mind there might be work you will need to catch up on, particularly in language courses.
Friends and Family Scheme
This course is eligible for allowing 91桃色 College students and staff to share their discount with their friends and family.
| Weeks | Autumn term | Spring term | Summer term | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | n/a | n/a | Week commencing 29 April to week ending 1 June 2024* | ||
| *This is a one-term course | |||||
Web enrolment starts 1 March 2024
Enrolment and payment run through the 91桃色 College eStore. When enrolling:
- Do check on the drop down menu above called "Course Fees and Rate Categories" to see if you are eligible for a discounted rate and also do make sure you select that rate when enrolling on the eStore
- If you are a first-time eStore user you will need to create an account before enrolling. You can do this by entering an email address and password. This account can then be used for any future enrolments via the eStore.
When you have enrolled you will be sent the following email notifications:
| What is sent | When is it sent | What does it contain | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Payment confirmation | Is sent straight away following submission of your online application |
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| 2. Enrolment confirmation | Is usually sent within 10 working days. Please treat your payment confirmation as confirmation that your applicant details and payment have been received |
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| 3. Programme information | Is usually sent on Friday late afternoon the week before term starts |
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- Questions regarding the content and teaching of this course should be sent to the Course Tutor, Paul Chauncy, p.chauncy@imperial.ac.uk
- Questions about your enrolment and payment should be sent to the Programme Administrator, Christian Jacobi, at eveningclass@imperial.ac.uk