Music

The Music program at TAFE SA is delivered through Noarlunga and Salisbury Campuses and provides training for both music performance and sound production to Advanced Diploma level.

Music courses cover arrangement, composition, music business principles and provide experience in performing at on-the-job venues.

To be a musician, you need musical skill and a flair for entertainment. You need to have stamina to perform at peak level, self-confidence, motivation, dedication and determination. You must also be able to concentrate for long periods and have a mastery of one or more styles of music.

Sound Production courses teach students to operate audio equipment to record, edit, mix and master sound for CD, DVD, web, TV, radio, film, video productions and live performance.

Sound engineers use an array of electronic equipment to amplify, edit, record, mix and modify sound for different types of performance. They use equipment such as recording consoles or computers, outboard equipment (signal and effects processing equipment), microphones, speakers and software to direct and manipulate the sound signal. Sound can be recorded on multi-track tape recorders (digital or analog) or on hard disc recorders and computers.

TAFE SA Salisbury campus is the only accredited provider in South Australia to offer the internationally recognised Digidesign Pro Tools qualifications, which enable students or other professionals to become proficient in the use of ProTools industry-standard software for digital audio production.

Courses

Award Courses

Facilities

Salisbury TAFE houses industry-standard sound proof booths for recording direct from live performance, an auditorium, and individual rooms for instrument instruction as well as a recently upgraded Mac lab for composition and editing of digital music.

Many staff members within the music program are working artists, involved in the local, national and international scene. Individual staff members have performed at the Edinburgh Fringe, while another recently performed with Windmill Theatre's production of The Wizard of Oz for the Sydney Theatre Company.

Employment

Musicians and sound engineers find work in a variety of environments including theatres, studios, local nightclubs, pubs, casinos, restaurants and hotels.

There are currently around 500 musicians and related professionals employed in South Australia, mostly in the Adelaide metropolitan area. This occupation has a younger age profile only around a quarter of musicians aged 45 years or older. Salaries range from $24,000 to $28,000+. Self employed musicians generally negotiate their salary on a performance basis. Generally, only the better known bands can command the higher rates.

Music at TAFE SA Video

Industry Partners

The Music program at Salisbury has partnership agreements with local Youth Enterprise groups such as Twelve25 at Salisbury and Northern Sound System at Elizabeth. TAFE SA Salisbury provides support through services and programs aimed at providing qualifications in the Music performance and Technical Production areas.

Training local youth in music performance and digital technologies provides transferable skills and personal confidence that enables them to reconnect with formal education.

The Music program at Salisbury also has a training partnership agreement with Digidesign (AVID), the manufacturer of the industry leading Pro Tools software & hardware.

TAFE SA Salisbury is the only accredited training provider in the state (Digidesign Certified Training Location - DCTL) of AVID’s internationally, industry recognised training program. Co-partners in this program include McDSP & Sonnox.

For information on establishing a partnership through AC Arts, contact:
Sue Rosenthal
Educational Manager
sue.rosenthal@tafesa.edu.au