Ben Hayes (MSc Sound and Music Computing, 2020))
What I most enjoyed about the course is the fact that some of the academics who taught us were amongst the original pioneers in the fields we were studying. It really felt like we were learning straight from the source!
Why did you choose to study your programme?
The Centre for Digital Music is pretty renowned in its field, and I wanted to go on to do a PhD there, so it made a lot of sense to study there too!
Why did you choose to study at Queen Mary?
Everyone I asked for advice said that the C4DM was THE place to study this subject in the UK.
What did you most enjoy about your course?
The fact that some of the academics who taught us were amongst the original pioneers in the fields we were studying. It really felt like we were learning straight from the source!
Can you share an example of a project, assignment, or activity that stood out to you?
Our Music Informatics module involved re-implementing some important and influential algorithms, including developing our own audio fingerprinting system — effectively, building our own Shazam!
Which modules did you enjoy the most and were there any academics that had a strong influence on shaping your time and studies here?
Honestly, they were all great, but particular standouts were: Music Informatics, taught by Simon Dixon and Emmanouil Benetos; Music & Audio Programming, taught by Andrew McPherson; and Deep Learning for Audio and Music, taught by Dan Stowell.
What is your current position?
I’m coming to the end of my PhD in AI & Music, also at QMUL/C4DM. This has drawn heavily on what I learned during the Sound and Music Computing masters. And I’m about to start my first industry research job in the field, as research scientist, which I expect will also draw the skills and knowledge I gained in the programme.
What's one piece of advice you'd offer to someone considering studying your programme at Queen Mary?
I’d definitely recommend brushing up on engineering mathematics before starting. The course is fast and intense, so there’s not a lot of time to catch up on these fundamentals once you’ve started.
And whenever you have project-based coursework, take the opportunity to work on something risky that excites you. Chances to dive this deep into building something like that don’t come around often.
Is there anything else you’d like to share about your experience?
Strap in! It’s an intense year. Almost like you’re getting two years of learning in one.