Study Creative Music Technology and Electronics in the cultural city of Basel in the border triangle of Switzerland, Germany and France! The Elektronisches Studio Basel and sonic space basel offer an inspiring, collaborative environment with a wide range of networking opportunities and space for artistic development.
Factsheet
- Degree
- Bachelor of Arts FHNW in Musik, Studienrichtung Audiodesign
- Study mode
- Full-time
- Learning environment
- Onsite
- ECTS points
- 180
- Duration
- 6 semester
- Language
- B1 level in German required
- Staying abroad
- Possible
- Application fee
- 200 CHF
- Semester fee
- 750 CHF (CH) | 1000 CHF (EU/EFTA) | 1250 CHF (Not-EU/Not-EFTA)
At a glance
- Study Creative Music Technology across the entire spectrum of composition-performance sound installation, recording studio technology, audiovisuals
- Practical work with the high-quality equipment of Elektronisches Studio Basel
- Closely coordinated subjects and many elective/specialisation options
Why study this?
There is a wide range of career options open to qualified audio designers. Depending on their chosen field of specialisation, audio design graduates go on to work in the independent art and culture scene, create sound installations, compose incidental music for the stage and/or screen, or work as professional electronic or instrumental musician. Others opt to set up their own recording and productions studio, work as freelance sound engineers in theatres or for bands and festivals, or pursue a career as a sound designer in the audio software industry, radio or TV.
Likewise, an audio design graduate may choose to continue along the research or teaching route.
The FHNW Bachelor of Arts in Music is a degree programme aimed at students who have a particular interest in electronic music and wish to pursue a career in creative/sound design.
What is Audio Design like? What is the sound of new compositions? What is possible?
The videos show performances of graduates and provide insight into the Audio Design Departement.
Cyrill Jauslin, Anton Bea: SOIL (2024)
performance at Gare du Nord of Cyrill Jauslin and Anton Bea
Structure and programme contents
The audio designer has profound technical knowledge and a high level of musical competence. Audio designers realise and interpret compositions (their own as well as the works of others) on electronic instruments, compose soundtracks for films, stage music, develop their own instrumental setups and playing interfaces and design interactive sound installations.
Hands-on training
This study programme is geared as closely as possible to practice and dovetails with the production and research activities of the Electronic Studio. From a very early stage, students are involved in the activities of the Electronic Studio and are also required to initiate and carry out their own projects.
Modules and regulations
The BA and MA degree programmes at the Basel Academy of Music are based on modules.
The legally binding structure provides an initial guide to the content and weighting of the subjects on the degree programme.
The detailed content and modalities of the individual subjects can be found in the module descriptions.
The study regulations come into force together with the study and examination regulations of the Basel Academy of Music FHNW and form the legal framework.
Structure
Structure BA Audiodesign in German
Module descriptions
Below please find the link with all the information on the module descriptions of several FHNW universities.
- Switch the language settings to English.
- Filter by semester, Hochschule für Musik Basel FHNW, the desired degree programme or other criteria to display the relevant module information.
- Use the PDF button to call up a document from each overview and save it for yourself.
- Course registrations are made via the intranet.
Study Regulations
Study Regulations BA Music (in German)
Lecturers
Svetlana Maraš
Volker Böhm
Audiodesign
Institut Klassik
Requirements, admission, entrance exam
We expect students to have very good German language skills at the beginning of the studies.
Students who are not German native speakers must present a B1 German language certificate or a higher level certificate according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) at the beginning of the studies. This certificate must be complete, i.e. all modules (reading, listening, writing, speaking) have been tested separately and passed at a minimum level of B1 overall. Only certificates with the ALTE-Q-Mark seal of approval (e.g. the B1 certificate of the Goethe-Institut or the telc certificate) are accepted.
Entrance exam
The entrance exam is individual for each study programme direction.
Dates
Registration
You may apply between the 15th December and the 1st March.
Along with the registration, it is mandatory to submit the following documents:
- A curriculum Vitae, a passport photo, a motivational letter and the school leaving qualification or proof of an equivalent general education qualification.
- An audiogram (issued by an otologist or other hearing care professional) which was performed no more than six months prior to the application.
- Questionnaire to determine the electronic music experience and expertise that the applicants have acquired to date.
- A portfolio with examples of their own work in text form and/or as sound and video files via webspace (Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, etc.) has to be submitted.
- Two videos (add a link to YouTube, Vimeo etc. to the registration tool or send it by mail to registration.hsm@fhnw.ch until 1st March at the latest):
- The applicant prepares the performance of a live electronic work (own composition, work from the literature of live electronics or an improvisation; duration 5 to 8 minutes) and records it on video.
- To prepare for the ear training test, the applicant practises the performance of a piano piece and records it on video.
Having reviewed the submitted audiogram, questionnaire and work, the lecturer of the main subject may advise the candidates to not take part in the entrance exam.
On-Site
The live auditions will take place at the end of April. The exact dates may be seen here.
Announcement of the results
The results will be communicated by mail in May.
Procedure
The entrance exam includes a major subject examination and a theoretical part.
Procedure
Major subject
First Round Practical exam by mail (arrange a given assignment)
The day before the entrance exam, the candidates receive an assignment by mail which they complete at their studio/at work and return the results after four hours (e.g. by Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, etc.).
Second Round Live meeting and Theoretical part on-site
Live meeting
Discussion with the candidate and the jury/presentation of the completed assignment, the recorded musical performance and the submitted portfolio.
Theoretical part (Ear training test and piano audition)
The ear training test checks the ability to perform non-instrumental musical processes (relative pitch test) as well as basic knowledge of music theory. The piano playing is tested at the beginning of the ear training test: Performance of a prepared piece, sight reading, Major and Minor cadences with up to two key signatures.
Further information: ear training test and piano playing
Organisational matters
Hands-on Electronic Studio Basel (ESB)
This study programme is geared as closely as possible to practice and dovetails with the production and research activities of the Electronic Studio. From a very early stage, students are involved in the activities of the Electronic Studio and are also required to initiate and carry out their own projects.
About the Electronic Studio
The Electronic Studio of the School of Music (ESB), situated at the heart of Campus Basel Musik-Akademie, is both an educational institute and a research and production site. It offers a very well equipped recording, production and experimental studio. Furthermore, the ESB organises public concerts, festivals, symposia and workshops.
Besides several high-end recording spaces, the Electronic Studio also has a main control room, two multi-channel studios, a stereo editing station and an electronics workshop at its disposal.
A multitude of electronic instruments and controllers allow for interactive musical and transmedia work and experiments. A flexible, modern sound system enables the Studio to organize all kinds of concerts of electronic music as well as cognitive studies on acoustics and experiments in audio psychology. The Studio also owns several rare, historic electronic music instruments.
In collaboration with the Gare du Nord, the Bahnhof für Neue Musik, the Electronic Studio curates and hosts the NACHTSTROM concert series and also collaborates with other institutions in Switzerland and abroad in the planning and implementation of the most varied artistic productions.
The Studio thus attracts attention far beyond Basel itself. It creates valuable contacts between students and experienced guest composers who realize and discuss their work in the framework of seminars and workshops.
The central location of the Studio, in the heart of the Musik-Akademie, is a determining factor in its conceptual objectives. Its proximity to the instrumental tradition of the house means that it offers an open, stimulating and inclusive musical environment in which creativity can thrive. Electronic music is thus not a field for outsiders in an institute of its own, but an integral part of the culture and teaching activities.
sonic space basel
Elektronisches Studio Basel
sonic space basel
sonic space basel is a platform of Basel Academy of Music for Audio Design (BA and MA), Composition (BA and MA and MA SP), MA SP Creative Interpretation in New Music, Music Theory (BA and MA MP), MA SP New Music Theory, MA SP Open Creation, Continuing Education and Research.
We consider ourselves a laboratory, a communication tool and an information hub for contemporary music.
Projects / Ensembles
At Hochschule für Musik Basel, students have the opportunity to participate in various project and ensemble programmes.
To the overview of the recurring offers.
Quicklinks
Advising and information events
Contact
Student Administration Academy of Music, Klassik
- Phone
- +41 61 264 57 32 (Direct)
- klassik.hsm@fhnw.ch
Prof. Roman Digion
- Phone
- +41 61 264 57 57
- roman.digion@fhnw.ch
Prof. Uli Fussenegger
- Phone
- +41 61 264 56 19
- uli.fussenegger@fhnw.ch
Information events
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Registration
The next registration window is open from 15th December to 1st March.