Programs

SIFM currently offers a single, comprehensive, professional certificate program on Indian film music composition.

 

Overview

In addition to the practical aspects of music, this industry focussed program will allow you to explore the cultural and historical aspects of this global phenomenon, so you will develop your knowledge as well as your talent. Further to musicological studies, you will learn how to work with contemporary studio technology from a creative perspective, which will allow you to develop your musical interests and career prospects. You will study at our dedicated campus that provides a rich creative environment and plenty of chances to gain experience across complementary disciplines. For a broader understanding of industry and the workplace, you will collaborate with your fellow students in performance, composition, recording and research. This approach will bring together expertise from diverse production roles that contribute to Indian film music.

What You Will Study

As well as practical projects and tuition, you will learn about Indian film music composition from many perspectives. You will explore musical creativity, key themes of improvisation, song and underscore composition, music communication and arrangement, music theory and analysis, history and cultural studies, fundamental music and sound technology and how the music industry works. 

Study modules

1. Music theory and critical listening

Indian art music theory (Karnatak) - melodic and rhythmic, notions of aesthetics, classification of raaga, improvisation techniques, vernacular music notation, Taala and is classification, rhythmic patterns and accountability.

Popular Western music theory - Notes and intervals, nomenclature, modal structures, harmony and related concepts, time and meter and its significance.

Ear training - Identifying note intervals, scales, chords and chord progressions

2. Creative music technology

Introduction to MIDI and MIDI devices, digital audio workstations (DAW), signal flow, music sequencing, digital audio synthesis, digital sampling, working with VSTs - Maschine, Kontakt, Omnisphere, Trillian, Stylus and Symphobia. Specific emphasis on sequencing orchestral strings, brass and percussion. Using multi-instruments and fundamental audio routing within DAW.

3. Song composition

Structure and function of melody, melody and motivic development, music arrangement techniques relating to consonance, resonance, dissonance, unison and syncopation, sonic arts approach to music arrangement, song structure, generic perceptions, varying compositional approaches, compositional symbolism and socio cultural realities.

4. Audio capture

As well as practical projects and tuition, you will learn about audio recording practices in Indian cinema from many perspectives. You will explore physics of musical sound, spatial acoustics, musical (eg., musical instruments) and technical resources (eg., microphones), and recording practices that are are specific to musical instruments widely used for Indian film music.Audio post-production

 

5. Audio Post-production

Audio editing techniques, pitch, timbre and placement correction, understanding audio mixing, mix types and respective approaches, signal routing, dynamic, spatial, frequency and temporal signal processing, gain staging, audio mastering. Mixing “in the box”, summing “outside the box”, and hybrid mixing.

 

6. Film scoring

Significance of the underscore, repertoire studies, writing film cues, screening, punctuating, conceptualisation, timing and synchronisation, video and timecode, preparing projects, preparing midi tracks for the mix down, working with reels and scenes, exporting audio tracks for digital theatre surround, optimising resources.

 

7. Guided practical project

Finally, you will apply all the knowledge and skills acquired through the above mentioned modules, to compose and produce a practical project that will be assigned to you by your tutor.

 

During the second half of the program you will choose one of the following areas as you major field of study and develop that as your specialty.

1. Music Composition
2. Playback Singing
3. Music technology
4. Recording engineering
5. Audio post-production
   
   How You Will Study
   
   The Indian film music composition program is taught in a variety of ways, including practical workshops in the studio, tutorials, seminars and lectures. In the first three months, you will also get individual tuition to develop your practical music skills, building to one or more creative tangibles. In your final month, you can specialize with a creative or industry-focused major project and a dissertation on an area that is of interest to you.
   
   Possible Career Options
   
   By the time you graduate, you will have the skills for a wide range of careers in the music, media, academic and entertainment industries, including performance, creation, administration, production and studio work.