I've enrolled in a diploma of sound engineering and audio production at a place called the "JMC Academy" in Brisbane, Qld, Australia. I'm hoping to bridge from that further into an assiociate degree, but for starters, my experience is in doing the live mixing for local bands at bars and working as a digital audio editor for local television - in other words - 4 years of work experience like this. I've recorded and mixed demos of friends and myself for the past 4 years too. In fact, it was the combination of all these factors since leaving high school that got me interested in this field, which I've stated so you can gather where I come from before I elaborate on my question...

I've been told that there's a lot of theory in this course, people keep telling me a lot of mathematics, I've personally learned in teaching myself from various manuals and guides to mastering and mixing - that there is a mathematics at work there. Now I've only graduated high school with my cerificate for "just" passing english and mathematics, as I had some learning difficulties at that time. Since then I've overcome it all and feel confident and ready, it's just that I'm a little cautious about stepping into something that might be over my head.... so I ask... what is this "theory" they speak of exactly? This could be something I'm VERY familiar with... it's just that I've not yet had the chance to speak to a teacher at the Academy so I'm wondering if anyone here knows anything?

Thanks for your help

perhaps i can help you. i am taking an advanced placement music theory class at my highschool in preparation for college. if you are not familiar it involves chord structure, intervals, sight singing, scales, scores, and other musical entities. there is some math involved, but i too struggled in mathematics and have had little trouble in this class, it is presented in a nonmathematical way. if you like music and are willing to learn what makes it up then you will do fine. caution: this is a challenging class and probably the hardest i have taken and i love music! so good luck and i hope this helped you a bit.