This inquiry into the field of audio production has oriented around the identification, implementation and development of professional standards of practice. In aiming to bring into focus and operate in association with these recommendations & considerations in production undertakings. Industry accredited sources, statements from professional associates, and primarily developed standards have been reviewed and implemented into a variety of dynamic production circumstances.

Speaker transcript from presentation seminar, (Sharp, 2024) :

“This is my portfolio update presentation for the major project practical work that I have been doing this term. These have followed production paradigms across pre-industrial, industrial, and post-industrial approaches, and have been within either professional and commercial circumstances, or creative circumstances, or a mix of both. The purpose is that they supplement the research to develop and deepen my own understanding of the application of that research in practical circumstances.”

Herein are summary excerpts from each agile documentary account, denoted “Entry” [E], from the precursory Major Project Proposal (Sharp, 2024) & Professional Development Scheme (Sharp, 2024) components to this research project - from Jan 2024 to Aug 2024 - for the purpose of full contextualisation of production practice in reference.

The aim for this module is to encompass learning around project activities associated with the main research question : What are the professional standards required of engineers & producers in a practical audio production setting?

For this purpose, I will be doing preliminary inquiry into professional standards that are required of audio engineers working in tandem to an independent record label. My research project will be to undertake practical audio production & engineering work, within the vocational circumstances of working with a record label. Being pragmatic in approach, findings will be drawn from primary accounts of practical experience.

Following the conference event, it has been identified from a group consensus that a number of business aspects need to be developed, organised and established for professional operation going forward from launching as an independent music publishing label.

As a part of the label’s organisational activities, a conference meeting had been arranged including current department heads and personnel. Taking place on May 20th between 12pm-2pm, the meetings format consisted of a plan to address :

For my MA research project I am proposing an inquiry into the professional standards required of audio production personnel, in the context of a developing independent, artist service record label. As research will draw primarily from practical audio production undertakings in an arts and business context, I’m proposing for the awarding title of MA Professional Practice in Audio Production.

Within the field of audio production the rule of standardised professional practice is obscure, with limited academic discourse (Tough, 2013). As many productions deliver at differing standards and perceived quality even across major label releases according to Wilson A. & Fazenda B. (2016). Considering that the skills and abilities we bring to the table are what sets one sound practitioner apart from another (Deloria K. 2024). The goal of this research project will be to bring into focus and operate in relation to a set of established professional standards.

Within this research project I am proposing aims to bring into focus the professional practice standards of audio engineering personnel and artist service label organisations. Detailed here, I have established an appropriate theoretical framework to guide research alongside practical application and implementation into the work experience opportunities running parallel to this undertaking.

Within this appendix is additional information and notations regarding discussed topics within the major research project’s integral document. These notes have been organised as an accompanying journal to convey additional background research and insight, being critical to informing the project as a whole as a primary account of inquiry. Numeric notation in reference to these extracts are in continuation of wider topic focuses, and can be considered as supplementary to the inquiry to further extrapolate grounding for background research context and method.

For my major project I am proposing an inquiry into audio encoding technologies which render spatial and 360° directional stereo playback. I will be utilising directional encoding software on instrumental audio sources to define spatial information within a rendered playback environment relayed via a stereo field. The focus is anchored on the application of this across stereo playback music productions, and how effective the application may be with regard to the spatial capacity enhancement and practical application of these directional rendering technologies to a mix’s stereo field.

For our major project proposal and academic essay we must research and utilise a number of methodological approaches that are relevant to the research questions and inquiries which both aspects separately require.

For my project proposal, I had considered a number of methodologies for the practical and written components based on the interpretivist paradigm which the work would fall under.

This paper outlines research and an inquiry into socioeconomic barriers which are present in the application and accessibility of surround sound technologies. Opening with a look into what socioeconomic barriers permeate technologically developing areas of industry, with a wide overview then narrowing to industry specific contextualisation.

For my presentation I began with covering the production of the tracks, explaining overarching concepts and themes and then delving into the audio engineering and tracking relating to some areas of each track. Following this, I then went through the first marketing materials including a timeline schedule containing the release planning information and timings for the promo campaign plans.

During this module myself and our production team have utilised the Neve Genesys console and studio. This has been our primary base of operations and we have carried out a number of production sessions and projects working with the desk and external hardware here. During the start of the module we were instructed on it’s operation by lecturer Nick, and we have gain a fluent understanding and practical knowledge of its operation in recording, mixing and mastering workflows.