Media Composition Professional Course with Dstinciton.
Modern Original Pop and EDM
Audio Engineering at HOFA Online College
– Based in Karlsdorf, Nr. Mannheim, Baden Württemberg, Southern Germany–
HOFA College is a private web college for the study of Audio Engineering to degree level in combination with their partner university Triagon Academy with their headquarters in Malta. Audio Engineering is all things do do with music production both popular music wise and classical and also voiceover production. My studies will at first culminate in a German HND in Audio Engineering and then there is an option for a final year to make it into an official ECTS Point Bachelors Degree and this is my aim with it:
BSc Creative Media (Audio Engineering)
The highest level I’ve achieved so far is the professional certificate in Audio Engineering and I’m shortly going to have the diploma. It’s all paid for now anyway. These are all my web badges I’ve accumulated.
The way it works is this; You do your first two years at HOFA College where you complete the HND and practical component of your Bachelors Degree this incorporates the German HNC in Audio Engineering or Pro and Basic Certifications as you can take them as separate courses on their own and they are also stackable. Your second official year is your diploma year. I got a 2:1 or B for the HNC or first year that consisted of 21 theory tests and 3 mixing exams.
The Diploma year I’ve now completed is made up of anther 19 theory tests and a further 3 mixing exams. This proved to be a 2:2 so the overall grade for the Diploma is a C or pass with success, but it’s still all to play for as an overall grade of 67% for the six graded exams is creditable and opens the door for a potential 2:1 grade for the final year still.
However, the final year is not done by HOFA College but their partner University Trigon Academy who are based in Valetta in Malta and are registered as a private university who recognise HOFA College Diplomas and incorporate them as the first 2 years of their BSc degree. Trigon requires a separate application process for the final year on recommendation by HOFA. This actually keeps costs down as HOFA is a registered college of further education in Germany so you get the first two years for about $5000 dollars including lifelong access to the house plugin suite of 90 HOFA plugins which is a good deal because HOFA IQ Reverb II is probably the best convolution reverb on the planet worth 295 euros in its own right. So I will be getting a ECTS point degree with official EU Uni Credits which are the same as half the amount of CATS points effectively so one year in Europe is 60 ECTS Credits or 120 UK CATS Points. Each Professional course is work 5 ECTS Credits with the final year in addition to the main course.
There are a total of 75 exams available 46 of which pertain to the core Diploma course 6 practical exams and 40 theory tests. I now hold all the 46 exams for the diploma and quite a few short courses as well. I’ve been studying at HOFA since 2021 but on this third version of their course since December 2022. I got it at a discounted rate for swopping over, because the V3 is easier with the international recognition criteria for the the degree and the ECTS credit award.
It’s called a Top Up Degree in Germany. Euro Academy used to do them in Cologne for languages with a final year at Cardiff.
Although the first 2 years are 5000 dollars the final year alone is 8000 euros and must be completed within one year. It gives you a little more time to establish yourself professionally when young to pay for you final as the HND is a separate qualification in it’s own right within the german speaking area.
Link to page and screenshot of BSc Degree Structure. So I’m ending up with a Maltese Music Degree.Web Certificates
My Assessed Rock Song Composition
I live with my 80 year old mum she’s always trying to remind me of how tolerant she is. This is motherly love for the Producing Pop, Rock, and Heavy Rock Short Course Certificate.
My Assessed Electro/EDM Composition
Hélène is my first bit of EDM for my EU commissioner friend as a dedication for the Producing Hip Hop and EDM Short Course Certificate.
Pass in the Studio Recording Exam 2025
In one of HOFAs most high profile certifications I achieved a pass grade just a couple of days ago. The course is very expensive as a stand alone module so must be quite sought after it costs $1400 on its own so I’m feeling proud!
This is the final exam for it. My recording of an acoustic violin for the second practical project playing Twinkle Twinkle Littles star with twin stereo Shure SM58 Dynamic Supercardioid Mikes in AB configuration.
https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?visual=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F2055878228&show_artwork=true&maxheight=750&maxwidth=500
Course Mixes
HOFA BASIC and Pro V2 Syllabus
No Need for Solace by Stuck
Security by Masterbrecords
Mornings
Unter der Haut by Jochen Sachse
Tanzt by Vamerledt
Demons by Sameday Records mixed by Jochen Weyer
Floor! By Jens Helmis
Hungarian Dance from Symphonic Dances by Johannes Brahms (Orchestral)
HOFA V3 Syllabus
Do You Care by Nuemo
And I will be okay by About Last Time
When it Rains by Lenny Lamal
Demons by Sameday Records mixed by Jochen Weyer
You are the One by Hugh Waldock
Welcome! Stems
Strangers Car by Lenny Lamal (Numeo Remix)
Three Spoken Voiceovers in English and in German by Hugh Waldock
Barbie by Brenda Blitz
ASTRÅMERA – Deathless Beauty
Invitation – I’ll be there
Das blühende Leben – Normal
Brave New Girlfriend – Hugh Waldock
Starless Skies – Florian Grey
Mastering : Home – Sight Set Forward
Theoretical and Practical Exams
The HOFA Complete Course Combination Deal Consists of:
40 Multi Choice Tests on a Pass/Fail Basis minimum 50%
6 Graded Practical Exams
20 Additional Topic Or Short Course Certificate Awards and Grades
Audio Engineering Diploma
| Theory total average 40/40 exams | 62% |
| Mixing 3 When it Rains Leny Lemal | 75% Good Success (B) |
| Mixing 6 Strangers Car Leny Lemal | 65% Success (C) |
| Mixing 10 Barbie Brenda Blitz | 70% Good Success (B) |
| Mixing 13 Normal Life in Bloom | 63% Success (C) |
| Mixing 16 Starless Skies Florian Grey | 61% Success (C) |
| Mastering 4 Sight Set Forward Home | 70% Good Success (B) |
| Practical Total | 67% Grade Success (C) |
| Certificate Diploma Audio Engineer | Awarded with C (Success) |
Acoustics
| Acoustics 1 | 80% |
| Acoustics 3 | 54% |
| Acoustics 5 | 74% |
| Topic Total (Theory) | 69.33% |
| Practical Grade | |
| Topic Certificate |
Academic Work
| Academic Work 2 | 71% |
| Topic Total (Theory) | 71% |
| Practical Grade | D (Pass) |
| Topic Certificate | Awarded |
Audio Engineering for Film
| Audio Engineering for Film 1 | 65% |
| Audio Engineering for Film 3 | 53% |
| Topic Total (Theory) | 59% |
| Practical Grade | |
| Topic Certificate |
Drum Programming
| Drum Programming 1 | 50% |
| Drum Programming 2 | 64% |
| Topic Total (Theory) | 57% |
| Practical Grade | D |
| Topic Certificate | Awarded |
Editing
| Editing 1 | 84% |
| Editing 3 | 50% |
| Topic Total (Theory) | 67% |
| Practical Grade | Not Approved |
| Topic Certificate | Not Awarded |
Entering Guide to Digital Audio Production
| Entering Guide to Digital Audio Production 2 | 60% |
| Topic Total (Theory) | 60% |
| Practical Grade | Pass |
| Topic Certificate | Awarded |
Game Audio
| Game Audio 3 | 62% |
| Topic Total (Theory) | 62% |
| Practical Grade | |
| Topic Certificate |
Harmony, Music Theory, and Songwriting
| Harmony, Music Theory and Songwriting 2 | 78% |
| Harmony, Music Theory and Songwriting 4 | 93% |
| Topic Total (Theory) | 85.5% |
| Practical Grade | A (Distinction) |
| Topic Certificate | Awarded |
Live Sound Engineering
| Live Sound Engineering 2 | 56% |
| Live Sound Engineering 3 | 53% |
| Topic Total (Theory) | 54.5% |
| Practical Grade | |
| Topic Certificate |
Mastering
| Mastering 1 | 57% |
| Topic Total (Theory) | 57% |
| Practical Grade 1 | |
| Practical Grade 2 | 70% (B) |
| Topic Certificate |
Mixing
| Mixing 3 When it Rains | 75% B |
| Mixing 6 Welcome! Stems | 65% C |
| Mixing 8 Deathless Beauty | D |
| Mixing 10 Stangers Car | 70% B |
| Mixing 12 | |
| Mixing 13 Normal | 63% C |
| Mixing 14 | |
| Mixing 16 Starless Skies | 61% C |
| Practical Grade | |
| Topic Certificate |
Music Business
| Music Business 2 | 50% |
| Music Business 3 | 81% |
| Topic Total (Theory) | 65.5% |
| Practical Grade | D (Pass) |
| Topic Certificate | Awarded |
Music Video Production
| Music Video Production 3 | 63% |
| Topic Total (Theory) | 63% |
| Practical Grade | |
| Topic Certificate |
Organology, Studies on Instruments and Voices
| Instrument Studies 1 | 64% |
| Instrument Studies 3 | 68% |
| Instrument Studies 4 | 50% |
| Instrument Studies 5 | 100% |
| Topic Total (Theory) | 70.5% |
| Topic Certificate | Awarded |
Producing, Electronic Music and Hip Hop
| Producing Electronic Music and Hip Hop 1 | 76% |
| Producing, Electronic Music and Hip Hop | 77% |
| Producing, Electronic Music and Hip Hop | 62% |
| Topic Total (Theory) | 71.66% |
| Practical Grade | C (Pass) |
| Topic Certificate | Awarded |
Producing, Pop, Rock and Heavy Rock
| Producing, Pop, Rock and Heavy Rock 1 | 79% |
| Producing, Pop, Rock and Heavy Rock 3 | 68% |
| Topic Total (Theory) | 73.5% |
| Practical Grade | D (Pass) |
| Topic Certificate | Awarded |
Producing Orchestral Music
| Producing Orchestral Music | 67% |
| Topic Total (Theory) | 67% |
| Practical Grade | C |
| Topic Certificate | Awarded |
Recording
| Recording 2 | 71% |
| Recording 7 | 56% |
| Recording 12 | 59% |
| Topic Total (Theory) | 62% |
| Practical Exercise 1 | D (Pass) |
| Practical Exercise 2 | D (Pass) |
| Topic Certificate | Awarded |
Sound Design
| Sound Design 1 | 52% |
| Sound Design 3 | 65% |
| Sound Design 4 | 67% |
| Topic Total (Theory) | 61.33% |
| Practical Grade | |
| Topic Certificate |
Technology in Sound Engineering
| Technology in Sound Engineering 1 | 74% |
| Technology in Sound Engineering 4 | 62% |
| Technology in Sound Engineering 6 | 59% |
| Technology in Sound Engineering 7 | 50% |
| Topic Total (Theory) | 61.25% |
| Topic Certificate | Awarded |
Certification
V2 Short Course Certificates (on the old syllabus)
HOFA Harmony and Theory for Audio Engineers V2 April 2022
Topic Certificates on new V3 Syllabus 3/20 possible so far.
HOFA Introduction Guide to Digital Audio Production March 2023
HOFA Studies in Instruments and Voices Topic Certificate March 2024 (70.5% average)
HOFA Technology in Sound Engineering Topic Certificate (61.3% average)
HOFA Harmony, Music Theory and Songwriting (85.5%) (A)
HOFA Academic Work (71%) (D)
HOFA Music Business (65.5%) (D)
HOFA Producing Pop, Rock and Heavy Rock (71.66%)(C)
HOFA Recording (62%) (D)
HOFA Producing Pop Rock and Heavy Rock (73.5%) (D)
HOFA Drum Programming (57%) (D)
HOFA Diploma Audio Engineering (C)
My 6 Graded Exams for the HOFA Audio Engineering Diploma
Mixing 3 – When it Rains by Leny Lamal
Hello Hugh!
Congratulations on your final mix in the BASIC course Mixing 3! You already know the song from the mix documentation in the course – so you know how we proceeded in our mix. It was your task to use your own DAW and your own tools to do this mix.
Conclusion:
All in all, you have submitted a great mix in this learning unit – keep it up! You have implemented the processings well and achieved a balanced overall sound. Some details could still be optimized, but you are on a good way.
Mixing 6 – Stranger’s Car by Leny Lamal (Numeo remix)
Practical exam: Passed
Exam result: 65 %
Congratulations on passing your Mixing 6 module exam!
You have managed points of the task well, although there is still some room for improvement in a few aspects. Let’s take a detailed look at how you handled the different parts of the task. But over the course of your mixing process, you have improved this mix
Conclusion:
Overall, you have demonstrated good session management and a clear plan for the mix which results in a solid mix. Your processing ideas are good starting points, but could be improved in some places. You could look at the balance of the drums and bass, while the instruments could be more open and bright, for example the chord-piano. Have fun in your upcoming courses!
Mixing 10 – Barbie – by Brenda Blitz (a 72 track mix)
Practical exam: Passed
Exam result: 70%
Congratulations on passing your Mixing 10 module exam!
Looking at your mix, we can immediately see that a lot of work and effort has gone into it. You have listened very carefully in many parts and in some places you have been able to translate the sounds of the original very well. Mixing this song is not so easy and has many pitfalls. So, generally speaking, your mix is going in the right direction, but there are still a few aspects we need to address.
Conclusion:
All in all, you have done a good job in this unit! You have listened carefully to the original mix and have been able to implement a few aspects in your mix – well done! However, there are some points we would like to discuss. In particular, the dull and resonant sound of the vocals and the guitar. There is still some room for improvement here. All in all, you can build on this mix because it goes in the right direction
Exerts from the 3 Exam critiques for HOFA DIPLOMA
Mixing 13 – Normal – Das Blühende Leben
Practical exam:
Exam result: 63%
Rating: Passed with success (C)
Congratulations Hugh – one step closer to your DIPLOMA! Overall, you have achieved a decent mix that shows suitable approaches, but there is room for improvement in one or the other area. You have managed to form a unit out of the many tracks in this mix and you followed an independent approach. However, there are a few aspects that you could take a closer look at.
Overall, your mix is a bit muddy which results in a lack of definition for some sounds, like the drums, guitars and vocals. We suspect that you wanted to create a warm, punchy sound. However, you need to ensure that this doesn’t compromise transparency. While the upper frequencies are weak, a lot of energy is transferred to the mid frequencies. This creates strong competition between the instruments, resulting in an undefined sound. While we understand your idea, the implementation is a bit strong and affects all instruments. Try it out and hear how the sound changes, if you open up the high frequencies a bit. Let’s take a closer look at your mix below
Conclusion:
We think it’s great that you’ve taken on the challenge! You can learn a lot from this experience and broaden your musical horizons. One thing you could try is making the sound a little more open. This would benefit not only the vocals, but also the drums, bass and guitars, which would gain definition and assertiveness. You went in the right direction with your mix, but it is also a bit work to do, to balance the sound. Keep it up Hugh!
Mixing 16 – Starless Skies – Florian Grey
Practical exam:
Exam result: 61%
Rating: Passed with success (C)
First of all: congratulations on passing your Mixing 16 exam – and thus the last practical assignment in the Mixing topic!
Overall, you can tell that you put a lot of effort into this mix, but you also had some difficulties mixing it. This song lives from the drums and guitars, which provide the necessary drive and momentum. So they should play an important role and come across as powerful and present. In your mix, you really put an emphasis on the guitars but you need to be careful that they don’t overlap other important elements like the drums or the vocals.
Conclusion:
There is a development in your mixes, and we can see that you put a lot of effort into it. You put the guitars in the foreground and already created a lot of energy, which is a good starting point. But besides, you could have a look at the other at elements like the vocals and the drums which shouldn’t get drowned by the guitars. Keep your motivation up and stay on it, to further improve your skills and it will become better step by step
Mastering 4 – Home – Sight Set Forward
Practical exam:
Exam result: 70%
Rating: Passed with good success (B)
Overall, you’ve done a decent job with the mastering, which already meets many of the musical requirements and listening habits typical of the genre, but still offers a few opportunities for optimization. Let’s take a closer look.
We’d like to start with the technical aspects of your master. We have no complaints here The file has the correct file format and was exported with the correct sample rate and bit depth. You’ve also set the headroom appropriately.
At 11,3 LUFS integrated, the loudness is too low. In this genre, masters are usually supposed to be quite loud and dense, with values between -8 and -6 LUFS being common. The value you achieved is closer to the guidelines of streaming services such as Spotify’s -14 LUFS. It should be noted that streaming services automatically reduce loud masters on their own. Therefore, you can master as loud and dense as the genre requires. You can also find an interesting article on this topic in our blog.
However, we would recommend working with a little more compression in addition to limiting. This would lead to higher loudness while taking some of the strain off the limiter. It would also ensure that the energy level remains relatively high even in the “down parts” to keep the atmosphere on the dance floor lively.
From the perspective of sound aesthetics and artistic mastering, it is still recommended to at least compress the material to provide a little more density, which better conveys the energy of the song. The use of a clipper can also be useful here to tame strong level peaks before limiting. If the limiter does most of the work and has to catch strong peaks, the reduction can be quite high and lead to sonic artifacts such as pumping. Here, you can experiment with different control times during the final limiting/clipping or sum compression to achieve a sonically dense result without artifacts. You can find our settings below the analysis.
In terms of EQing you did subtle processings which is the right way for this master. Overall, the sound is only slightly thin in the bass and mid frequency area. This results in a slightly weaker kick impulses and the guitars have a little less body. Besides, the upper high frequencies are a bit dull but not that much. As we are working on a master, we need to work quite subtly to achieve balanced result.
Conclusion:
Overall, you have created a decent mastering that shows promise. It is clear that you have put a lot of thought into it and have really engaged with the material. The master could be a bit louder and you could also tweak the EQing slightly, but overall it is going in the right direction. Congratulations!
Distinctions
I’m proud to announce my distinction in the Harmony, Music Theory and Songwriting Course!
Distinction : Composing for Media
Why I came to Point Blank
Whilst doing my HOFA College Diploma as part of my BSc Degree in Creative Media (Audio Engineering) at Trigon Academy Malta I felt I needed some extra support and help with my course outside of what was provided. The HOFA course is primarily a self training online course with extensive online manuals to make notes from and numerous exercises and tasks to complete for which you receive written feedback and also some webinars but not zoom classes and a VLE that promotes online communication at the international academy level. I felt after 4 years study I needed to talk to others involved in Audio this side of the EU boarder and to make friends with potential clients in London, now I was getting to the business end of the course.
I didn’t know how I was going to realistically make contacts in the UK without paying to network and paying my way in so I’ve shelled out 950 quid for a composition for media course in 4 instalments with Ben Medcalf (DJ Rouge Beatz) who has a reputation for Composition for Media. I was lucky enough to pass that Level 5 module in all but name with distinction and to employ an A+R lady to help me get work in the field. Back in 2022 I did a Guildhall School of Music and Drama introductory course with Barbara Di Biasi who got some music into the Cannes Film Festival. That was called Film Music Composition for Beginners and was ungraded. Point Blank’s composition for media course covered the same topic in more depth. I was given a distinction grade too.
I did that course in 2022 because Audio Engineering seemed such a broad church at the start of my course and as a rookie I had no idea what field of study to focus on as a career interest. There is live Deejaying that most people make it in at first, but I’d have to be DJ Teetotal because of my diabetes and that’s more of a young person’s game. I did 2 gigs of work experience in Live Deejaying at Colchester Arts Centre where I shadowed DJ Graham Hales producing Some Kinda Wonder and another jazz singer. DJ Graham is going into acoustics and soundproofing of concert halls to prevent sound pollution into the environment late at night. Room acoustics and building, and studio design is another related field. That, and deejaying shows and my own gigs might make me something as a late starter, but one of the best fields to make it in still is composing for media and I’m good at it. Indeed I started off composing 235 scores in Sibelius. These are old fashion notational scores which you can play from or render a .MIDI file of and import into logic to produce from. I already have an extensive library of compositions to draw on then. Some of which I made use of syncing with the videos for my final projects at PB.
1. Composition for Media with Ben Medcalf
The composition for media tasks were split into two. The mid term tasks were to design three themes for the film ET The Extra Terrestrial by Steven Spielberg with a brief to represent three contrasting sections in the movie with an arrangement of the whole or part of the ET theme. 3 situations with 15 to 30 seconds of music for each brief.
- ET Making Friends
- ET being chased by the FBI
- ET Going Home
The Final project was to score three 30 second Old Carling Beer and Cider Advertisements
1. Trick Shot
This was a bar scene in which the protagonist attempts a trick shot on the pool table that’s really quite amazing but it doesn’t quite come off and his friend doesn’t allow him a beer.
For the music for this I chose to pull from my library as I did for all three. This is a movement for string quartet from my first complete 4 movement quartet for strings called Schweizerpslam after the Swiss National Anthem. It’s written to Nigel Farage as a compliment for beating me as a Praetorian Guard Remainer in the 2016 referendum campaign which I took part in as an activist and vote checker. He said we were all going to be Swiss so I listened to the Swiss National anthem and got inspired to write this. It works quite well with pool balls too!
2. The Catch
The catch is a game of cricket being held on a village green. The protagonist runs to stop the ball hitting the ladies but accidentally throws the cricket ball through the window of a parked van thus no longer earning his Carling.
For this I used some of the first movement of my 21st 3 movement piano sonata with the title ‘Berlin’!
3. Apple Bobbling
A man is set up to dunk for apples from a balloon in the sky. He bungees down and grabs an apple in his mouth from about half a mile in the air but missed the carling cider bottle underneath it so he is returned empty handed to the sky via the bungee rope.
For this I used some of the 3rd movement of my Sonata Nr.4 entitled 5 Variations and 2 part fugue. It was inspired by my favourite night in with a girl in 2014.
I scored over 90% the final three ads counting for 100% of the marks and was awarded a distinction grade from Point Blank college for that performance. He said he’d only given that mark a handful of times before (3x before).