Five reasons to study Music and Sound Recording (Tonmeister) at Surrey

You'll get to use some amazing kit! Our outstanding facilities are housed in the Performing Arts and Technology Studios (PATS), purpose-built to acoustic specifications and fitted with professional studio equipment. 

Facilities include:

• PATS Studio One – large enough for a full orchestra and choir to perform and record. Also equipped with a permanent large-scale projector and screen
• Studio 2 control room acoustics have been designed by John Flynn of Acoustics Design Group (who’s other work includes Abbey Road and SARM West Studios). The hub of the studio is a 48-channel Neve 88RS console, (the likes of which you will find in Abbey Road Studio 2, and Sony Music Studios in Japan)
• Five edit suites with a range of analogue and digital recorders and digital audio workstations, including, Pro Tools HD, Apple Logic Pro, Pyramix, and SADiE
• Extensive range of more than 100 microphones, our ITU BS-1116 standard listening room, 16 Apple Mac Pro workstations, mobile recording vans and an assortment of measurement and test equipment
• Ten music practice rooms
• Two Steinway Concert D Grand Pianos and a Steinway baby grand piano
• Fibre optic cabling connecting PATS Studio ONE, and the TV studio, University Hall and the marquee.

You'll join regular lectures from visiting industry professionals and artists, including ensemble in residence Trifarious, conductor Russell Keable, Jim Abbiss, Engineer/Producer, and Michael Price, Composer/Producer and Music Editor.

We're focused on equipping you with the creative and technical skills you'll need for your career, including offering a Professional Training placement with links to:

• Abbey Road Studios
• Air Studios
• Arena TV
• BBC
• Disney
• Dolby Laboratories
• ITN
• Royal Academy of Music
• Sky
• The ACM.

We believe in an interdisciplinary approach, delivering a unique combination of technical and scientific study, professional operational knowledge and creative study. OR You'll gain a powerful mix of technical skills, practical business knowledge, and the freedom to think creatively.

Our staff have industry experience, having recorded with a multitude of record labels including EMI, and Virgin Classics, and co-ordinating large events from Glastonbury to the BBC Proms. Award-winning staff have worked with artists from Stereophonics to Shirley Bassey, and on soundtrack albums including ‘Star Wars’ and ‘Back to Titanic’.

On the media side, we benefit from staff experience in running the Games Department at the National Film and Television School, consultants for Sony and Universal Pictures, and technical support leads at some of the world’s largest film premieres, including 'Spiderman', 'Casino Royale', and the 'Harry Potter’ series.

We have a vibrant creative community full of an enormous range of inspiring musical opportunities and activities that you'll be able to join. Music and Media runs a symphony orchestra, choir and chamber choir, which are supported by many more student ensembles. We hold weekly recitals and regular performances from students and visiting artists, including termly concerts held in Guildford Cathedral and local churches.

We celebrate our students' creativity with prize-givings, awards and showcases, proving the creative talents of our students to our industry partners and beyond.

Joining Music and Media at Surrey puts you on the same path as our community of highly successful graduates, who have gone on to thrive in the music and media sectors.

Surrey’s Music and Media has produced BAFTA, Grammy, EMMY and OSCAR-winning alumni, including Jim Abbiss, Olga FitzRoy, Oli Jacobs, Katie May, Michael Price, and Dom Shaw. Find out more about our graduate successes.