VCE Vet Music Sound Production study plan
VCE Vet Music Sound Production · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Work health and safety in the music industry & Set up, operate and maintain sound production equipment
Map every hazard class in a live venue and a studio control room to the hierarchy of controls, writing one control per hazard
Demonstrate correct manual-handling technique when lifting a 20 kg speaker cabinet and a 15 kg amplifier rack, narrating each step aloud
Assemble a cable-and-stand safety checklist that covers trip hazards, cable ramps, stand loading limits and safe working at height
Explain the duty-of-care chain (venue, promoter, crew, performer) and identify who signs off on a safe-work method statement
Your checkpoint
A one-page venue risk register with at least 12 hazards, each scored for likelihood and consequence, with a named control
Work health and safety in the music industry & Set up, operate and maintain sound production equipment
Wire a basic PA signal chain from source to speaker, tracing the path through DI, mixer, processor and amplifier
Patch and test a multicore and stage box, confirming every channel with a signal generator or test tone
Interpret gain-staging practice by setting input trim, fader and output level so the chain runs at unity with headroom
Identify and correctly terminate the common connector types (XLR, TRS, TS, speakON, RCA) and state one failure mode for each
Your checkpoint
A hand-drawn and labelled signal-flow diagram of a 16-channel live system with connector types annotated at every junction
Audio fundamentals and signal flow & Set up, operate and maintain sound production equipment
Explain decibel relationships (dB SPL, dBu, dBFS) and convert between them in at least five worked problems
Describe how frequency, wavelength and room dimensions interact, and predict where standing waves will occur in a given room
Set up a two-microphone array and demonstrate the three-to-one rule to control comb filtering
Diagnose ground-loop hum in a rig and apply a safe, standards-compliant fix without lifting mains earth
Your checkpoint
A worked problem set of 10 acoustics and level calculations with full solutions and a one-paragraph justification for each answer
Recording, mixing and post-production processes & Set up, operate and maintain sound production equipment
Configure a DAW session template with track naming, gain structure, buffer size and file-organisation conventions
Record a multi-track take of a small ensemble, capturing clean isolated tracks with correct mic placement notes
Apply editing operations including comping, crossfades, trimming and time alignment to a supplied multi-track session
Maintain equipment by cleaning, testing and logging a set of microphones and cables, recording faults found
Your checkpoint
A recorded and edited three-minute multi-track session exported as stems, plus a maintenance log for the gear used
Recording, mixing and post-production processes
Build a mix using subtractive EQ, compression and gating, documenting the reason for each processing decision
Apply send-based reverb and delay to create depth without masking the lead vocal
Gain-stage a full mix to leave headroom for mastering and confirm true-peak levels stay below the target ceiling
Compare a mix on studio monitors, headphones and a phone speaker, then revise at least three decisions based on the differences
Your checkpoint
A finished mix bounced at the required sample rate and bit depth, with a written processing log listing every plugin and its purpose
Live sound reinforcement and stage setup & Work health and safety in the music industry
Draft a stage plot and input list for a five-piece band and distribute it as a production document
Set up and ring out a monitor system, identifying and notching feedback frequencies safely
Deploy a full live system including FOH, monitors, power distribution and cable management within a set time limit
Perform a soundcheck using a structured line-check and communicate cues clearly over comms
Your checkpoint
A complete production pack (stage plot, input list, soundcheck schedule) plus a timed setup log recording minutes per stage
Music industry knowledge, copyright and professional practice & Working effectively in the music industry (communication, teamwork, planning)
Explain copyright ownership, licensing and royalty flows for a recording, and identify who is paid at each stage
Interpret a sample performance or crew agreement and list the obligations it places on each party
Write a client-facing email that confirms scope, schedule, deliverables and revision limits for a recording job
Run a short project plan with tasks, owners and deadlines, then debrief how the team communicated under pressure
Your checkpoint
A one-page project brief containing scope, schedule, roles, deliverables and a copyright and licensing summary
Recording, mixing and post-production processes & Live sound reinforcement and stage setup & Working effectively in the music industry (communication, teamwork, planning)
Complete a full timed practice exam under exam conditions and mark it against the criteria
Review every incorrect answer and write a corrected explanation for each
Consolidate a one-page summary sheet of formulas, connector types and safety controls for final revision
Rehearse verbal explanations of three core processes so they can be delivered without notes
Your checkpoint
A marked practice exam with a written error log and a completed one-page revision summary sheet
Milestones
Week 2: Can build and fault-find a basic PA chain unaided in under 20 minutes, explaining each signal stage
Week 4: Can record, edit and export a clean multi-track session with correct gain structure and no clipping
Week 6: Can set up a live system and run a soundcheck within the target time, with a complete production pack
Week 8: Scores at least 75 percent on a timed practice exam and has a written correction for every error