PROFESSIONAL sound education has become increasingly crucial for aspiring audio professionals in today’s evolving audio industry.
Modern training facilities that offer comprehensive programmes, combining state-of-the-art digital and analogue systems, providing hands-on experience with industry-standard equipment and software are often sought after.
From DJ skills to complex audio engineering, students can access specialised courses taught by experienced professionals, covering everything from basic mixing techniques to advanced sound system design and programming.
The following two academies in Petaling Jaya offer educational pathways that not only focus on technical proficiency but also emphasise practical experience, professional development and industry connectivity, helping graduates establish successful careers in various sectors of the audio industry, from entertainment venues to sophisticated audio installation projects.
SoundKontrols DJ Academy
Established to train and produce professional DJs, SoundKontrols DJ Academy specialises in using digital and analogue systems to train DJs with an emphasis in the studio work. There is also on–the–job training.
All of the academy’s students use the Native Instruments Traktor Pro software combined with hardware. They are also trained to use other softwares from Pioneer, Virtual DJ and Serato.
Students are also trained on how to handle the crowd using the microphone. All courses by the academy are taught one-on-one in a studio by certified instructors who are also professional DJs. Courses are tailored according to each student’s level of skill or music preference.
As part of the curriculum, students are required to complete a theoretical multiple-choice exam and practical non-stop mix before receiving an achievement certificate. Additionally, the academy will assist graduates with job placements in event agencies or entertainment outlets.
Over the last 15 years, the academy has trained over 300 students from North America, Middle East and Asia Pacific.
For the beginner, intermediate and advance levels, these are the courses that the academy provides:
> DJ 101 – DJ for Beginners
> DJ 102 – Advanced Mixing
> DJ 103 – Live Mixing
> DJ 104 – Turntablism with Scratching
> DJ 200 – Live Remix Production
Certified instructors with the academy have a lengthy experience as DJs who have played at some of the biggest events in Malaysia and across the globe. This academy is led by founder Dave Ramana, who also go by DJ MCDave.
AES Academy
The skills and technical expertise of audio engineers allow them to create carefully crafted soundscapes. Far beyond just creative or media industry applications, audio engineering impacts all of us in fascinating, unknown ways.
Audio engineering is crucial for just about every industry and the most significant challenge in uplifting Malaysia’s audio engineers is the lack of formalised education opportunities. Aspiring engineers often struggle to access hands-on experience, advanced studio technology and industry-standard tools.
This is where institutions such as AES Academy come into play as it has been involved in designing audio systems for stadiums, theatres and sophisticated project installations that involves different engineering disciplines.
For aspiring audio engineers, it is important to be able to build their proficiencies with industry-standard Digital Audio Workstations and learn how to set up, operate and troubleshoot complex audio systems.
There are other supporting skills, such as learning programming languages (Python or C++, gaining knowledge of Max/MSP or Pure Data) or even specialised training in Dolby Atmos, THX or other immersive sound formats that can help audio engineers find their niche.
As such, AES has various courses that accomodate the necessary and suplementary DJ skills, from short courses to part-time and hybrid courses. The academy’s courses are designed to equip students with foundational knowledge and practical skills in audio production, system design and engineering.
