Music and Sound Recording

Music and sound recording sits at the intersection of musical creativity and the technology through which modern music is made, captured, and shared. Recorded sound is not simply a document of musical performance; it is a creative medium in its own right, shaped by the choices of producers, engineers, and artists about microphone placement, mixing, processing, and the sonic architecture of a recording. Understanding both music and the technology of recording gives you the capacity to work across the full range of contemporary music production contexts.

At the University of York, this three-year full-time degree treats creativity and technology as central to each other rather than as separate concerns. You will develop musical skills in analysis, composition, and critical listening alongside technical proficiency in recording, mixing, and sound design. The programme gives you the freedom to develop a tailored set of skills that reflects your own creative and intellectual interests, whether those lie in studio recording, acoustic music, electronic production, sound for screen, or the music industry more broadly.

A placement or work experience year is built into the programme, and a year abroad is also available, both of which extend your professional experience and personal perspective.

York's music department has strong research and professional connections, and you will engage with contemporary music-making at a serious level, developing the critical and creative thinking that supports a meaningful practice beyond graduation.

Graduates work as sound engineers, music producers, studio managers, composers, and in artist management, music supervision, broadcast audio, and the music technology industry. The combination of musical understanding and technical skill is valued across recorded music, film and television, games, live events, and broadcast media. Many graduates also pursue independent creative careers or go on to postgraduate study in music, sound design, or music technology.