| I am currently a first year studying at LIPA on the Sound Technology course so I can give you any information that you may want regarding the course.
I, like you, bumped into LIPA after looking around at SAE and other UK University sound technology courses. SAE in London does look very impressive on their open days however I decided to do a lot of research into it before paying the massive fee's associated with going there and this is how I even stumbled across LIPA.
I found a lot of people complaining about SAE from all over the world however a lot of the complaints seemed to come from the London school. From what I have read and heard from graduates first hand it seems that while they do have a lot of good equipment however they focus on teaching you how to use it rather than why you are using it and what it can do. One graduate told me that while he can comfortably use a Neve console he doesn't really understand what it is doing during the Signal Flow. This worries me as I feel that you need to understand what is going on to get the best results.
As I said, I also looking into other Universities offering similar courses and found that the majority seemed to think that they could buy a Mac, Logic Pro and some outboard and get away with teaching a sound technology course. One university also told me when I asked about any live sound modules "oh live sound is easy, you don't need to be taught that."
Finally I found LIPA after hearing a recommendation from a writer for SoundOnSound who compared it with the Surrey Tonmeister course. Unfortunately my grades really wern't good enough to even think about applying to it and so I went with LIPA. The only information I had about it what I had read in the prospectus however at my interview my heart became set on the place. It has a amazing collection of equipment that is comparable with SAE, something that I couldn't find at any other UK University offering the same course, along with highly experienced tutors.
Starting the course in September we have been encouraged to get into the studio as much as possible and just to find our way around it. We have 24/7 access and a very fair computer based system. We have lectures every day covering core recording skills, sound tech theory, desktop audio and live sound reinforcement. These all have workshops that we have each week that compliments what we have learnt in the lectures. Overall I am very happy and have learnt so much even though I only started in September.
I have also made alot of contacts so far from being there and as LIPA has other departments specializing in music, acting, signing etc. there is never a shortage of bands or artists that want to be recorded.
I hope this helps and if you have any more questions regarding the course or anything else surrounding it in general just let me know and I will be more than happy to answer them. |