Oxygen College is all set for a huge 2017 with all of their courses, again, quickly filling to capacity. Oxygen College offers full time courses in Music Performance, Visual Arts, Photography and in Sound Production with the next intake kicking off in February.
Sound Production is Oxygen Colleges most popular offering, with a career in live sound or studio production an increasingly appealing pathway into the creative industries. We caught up with head of the Oxygen College Sound Department, Peter Flynn, to discuss the course in more detail.
So what exactly does a sound producer or audio engineer do? Think studio engineer, live sound engineer at a pub or festival, radio sound editor, hire company employee, post production engineer, or small business owner, and you would be close to on the money.
“There are lots of real work outcomes for our students, whether it’s providing live sound in a pub or for an entertainment company, or running a home studio, there is plenty of work in our field. The real positive for our students is they get to immerse themselves in something they love – music – and gain a career in the process,” Peter explains.
The thing that separates Oxygen College from the rest is their incredible facility located on Gordon Ave in Geelong . Oxygen boasts five recording studios, eight rehearsal rooms, 60 Mac work stations, a fully equipped live auditorium – along with state of the art audio equipment throughout.
Peter goes on to explain the facility in more detail: “We find that once people tour the facility, they almost always want to join the sound production course. As we take them around for a tour, they tend to have a grin from ear to ear. For audio gear heads and those who want studio access, we are a bit of a dream world – everything is state of the art and we recently expanded the facility to include another recording studio, ‘Don’t Poke the Bear’, which is right down the road. This offers even more access and another step up in our facilities offerings.”
Not only is the facility spacious and overly equipped, the class sizes are small, making Oxygen College a genuine ‘boutique education provider’. When you join a full time course you will be entering a class no larger than 16 students, with a total cohort no larger than 30. If you consider the facility available above, this is a remarkable, ‘student to facility ratio’.
“Having the small cohorts each year, we are able to pour lots of energy into each individual student. Our boutique class size and large facility means you are never going to be waiting for studio access. We find this can really enhance the learning outcomes for all students. We also have a team of expert trainers, all who have different skill sets to deliver the learning to a high standard.”
In terms of what you learn during the two year program, it centers around two streams – live and studio sound production. Where live sound is concerned, you will be utilizing the auditorium to gain expert knowledge in how to oversee and provide live sound to a professional level. Where the studio side of things is involved, by the end of the two years, you will be equipped to produce an album quality recording, from start to finish.
Peter breaks down the course content in a bit more detail: “There is some really interesting theory components and class room activities which you will undertake. A big focus for us is we like to get you undertaking hands on exercises that will have you operating at a professional standard. It won’t be long after starting that you will be in the live space or in the studio, and taking full control of a session.”
Oxygen College strives to always provide ‘real time’ experiences for students which is why their courses are so dynamic and popular Pete says. “In addition to the on campus learning, there are lots of ‘real time’ learning experiences on offer. That means partaking in the set up for mini festivals and overseeing or helping in the production of actual, commercial EP’s.”
If you are a muso or are passionate about Sound Production, now is the time to look further to determine suitability for Oxygen’s February intake. Oxygen College offers students the opportunity to undertake a unique learning experience, and to connect with a vibrant creative network of like-minded people. The course is dynamic and extensive and will offer you unmetered access to world class facilities, and it is available right here in Geelong!
Oxygen College also offers full time courses in Music Performance, Photography and Visual Arts.
Oxygen College is a registered training organization offering nationally recognized qualifications.
Government funding and VET student loans are available to eligible students.
Please call 1300 195 303 or email [email protected] for more information. Or visit the website.