Music technology, master

Why study here?

Our department is one of the internationally leading communities for education and research in music creation with technology. We approach education and research in our field from various angles – imagination, inclusion and diversity, and eco-social awareness.

Content and objective of the programme

Music technology studies are divided into three profile paths that guide the students towards becoming experts in the field, prepared to embark in artistic research.

Recording arts

The recording arts profile provides students the knowledge and skillset to work as advanced music producer and sound engineer at the cutting-edge of the field. Once graduated one is able to work independently in diverse professional tasks in recording arts and music production. Students have the possibility to study both popular and classical music production.

The curriculum consists of popular and classical music recording, editing, and mixing techniques, production skills, and live sound reinforcement, in awareness of eco-social transition that our society is undergoing. Students will acquire expert knowledge of audio technologies in both software and hardware forms: audio processors, recording tools, synthesisers, and computers. They also study music history, theory, analytical listening, and instrumental skills.

Film and game music producer

The film and game music producer study profile prepares a student to work in music production for film, game, and other visual media. The role of the film and game music producer is a versatile combination of various skills, both technical and artistic: music design, sound design, mixing, composing and arranging, especially for virtual instruments, in addition to understanding of both interactive and non-interactive forms of storytelling.

Students entering this study profile are expected to have a background in computer-based music production as they go on to broaden their skills. These include among others advanced virtual instrument use, understanding of game music and game audio technologies, cinematic narration, and the cooperation between film composer and director.

Creative electronic music practices

The creative electronic music practices profile is aimed at musicians whose curiosity and talent lead them to push aesthetic boundaries when composing, performing, and creating music and sound works, in which technological means (in the broadest possible sense) are at the core. These musicians explore the studio, the stage, and all kinds of electroacoustic devices as a tool for creation, research, and expression.

The students will develop their skills in the fields of electroacoustic music, live electronics, experimental electronics, sonic arts, sound installations, generative music. They will learn to work as composers, performers, improvisers, and creators.

Versatile career opportunities

To secure versatile career opportunities, you are encouraged to take an active role in building your personal study path. Gaining experience through international studies and traineeships is an important part of your education. You can also choose courses organised by the two other Uniarts Helsinki academies and complete joint studies that are available to all students. 

The Sound Art & Sonic Arts study module (SAMA), held in English, examines the possibilities of sound and sonic arts from the perspectives of various artistic disciplines. Read more about the study module in  Sound Art and Sonic Arts (SAMA).

Artistic activities

The annual MuTeFest festival, organised by the Department of Music Technology, is your chance to experiment and be creative together with fellow students. 

During your studies, you will take part in the recording of Sibelius Academy concerts and the creation of contemporary music concerts, multimedia music performances and electroacoustic concerts. The artistic activities are always linked to education and research. 

The MuTeFest event is an excellent way to learn more about the artistic activities of the degree programme.

In addition to the permanent teaching staff, the programme welcomes top international professionals as guests on a regular basis. In the past these have included, for example, Natasha Barret, Jean-Baptiste Barrière and Robert Normandeau among a plethora of other key international figures in the field.

Doctoral studies

You can complete a doctoral degree at Uniarts Helsinki as a third-cycle degree. After graduating with a master’s degree, you can apply for research-oriented doctoral studies, arts-oriented doctoral studies or applied doctoral studies in music technology. 

Current and recent research projects:

• Aquatrio
• Sound & Motion Research Group
• Research Group in Interdisciplinary Improvisation
• Äänirunko /Structure Bone Sounds
• Intersubjectivity in Music, The Perspective of Technological Mediation

Doctoral research:

• Kronos : reimagining musical signal processing
• Electroacoustic music performance and improvisation: a pedagogical toolkit
• Acoustic Localisation Techniques for Interactive and Locative Audio Applications
• Narrative in Acousmatic Music
• Case-Specific Electroacustic Systems
• Urban Sonic Acupuncture: Aural Strategies for the City Space
• Human voice and instrumental voice: an investigation of voicelikeness
• Modulating musical space time
• Sacred technologies: an autoethnographic exploration of a musician’s relationship with electronic technology
• Embodied Algorithms: Formalising Embodied Habits to Explore and Develop Improvisation Languages
• Increasing immersion with binaural spatial music in 3-dimensional virtual spaces for VR applications
• Developing and utilizing real-time notation in music with improvisation

Facilities

Music technology students have access to six well-equipped studios at the Helsinki Music Centre. They are available to Sibelius Academy students, and the music technology programme is the most frequent user of the facilities. The studios are also rented out when possible. The Department of Music Technology also organises classes and concerts in the halls of the Helsinki Music Centre.

• Studio Erkki
• Studio Thomas
• Studio Emile
• Studio Max
• Small Recording Room
• Large Recording Room

Student views

Jonatan Snapir, master’s student (2024):

“During my studies I’ve been able to partake in many amazing projects at the academy that have inspired me and helped my growth as an artist. Students at MuTe are encouraged to pursue their artistic identities and are offered great possibilities to present and develop their work. The diversity of available courses, tools and facilities have helped me in finding my own voice and style.”

Chieusse Emil, alumni and current teacher in the programme (2024):

“The infrastructure, world-class facilities and equipment freely available to the students is really what struck me the most when I started my studies in the Department of Music Technology. I think this is quite a perfect study environment to focus on work and developing new skills and techniques. Alongside the courses, I feel like these studies in the department really rewards proactivity and daring to take part in some of the projects that are offered to us may take you on a path that shapes your whole career.

There are so many courses that made me discover entirely new art forms and genres. Aspects of music making that I had no idea about before became central sources of inspiration and shaped my own artistic process.

I also had the wonderful opportunity to go for an exchange to the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, an experience that has quite literally changed my life both personally and professionally.”

Keshvarpajuh Hamidreza, Arts Management student (2024):

“Since I’ve been a musician for the past 10 years, last year I started to study my secondary subject in music technology after completing my main studies in arts management. First, I started with a couple of music production and recording courses and then I took more creative ones such as live electronics atelier, electroacoustic improvisation, and sound diffusion. I was so surprised with the diverse and quality contents of the studies in the Department of Music Technology.

Apart from that I had the chance of meeting amazing teachers and talented students to exchange thoughts with and receive constructive feedback from them. The whole experience has remarkably contributed to my artistic practices and broadened my perspective in using technology as an artistic expression tool. I’m so glad that I had this opportunity to be part of this creative, skilled, and international community in the Department of Music Technology and get the chance to experiment with new ideas.”