Media Update
An interview related to my book Rock Guitar Virtuosos has just been published with Guitar World magazine. You can check it out here.
Read more about this and other updatesShort Introduction
Welcome to the website of Prof. Dr. Dr. habil. Jan Herbst
I am a Professor of Music at the University of Huddersfield, with a distinguished career as a researcher, educator, and practitioner in music production and popular music studies. My work bridges academia and industry, exploring themes such as the interplay of creativity and technology, the cultural significance of music production, and the evolution of popular music genres, particularly rock and metal.
With a portfolio that includes over 50 peer-reviewed publications, 10 books, and several funded research projects, I am dedicated to advancing the field through both theoretical and empirical insights and practical applications. My teaching philosophy centres on research-informed practice and fostering intellectual curiosity, equipping students with the analytical and technical skills and perspectives necessary for success in today's creative industries.
This website offers an overview of my academic journey, publications, and ongoing projects. I invite you to explore my work and connect to collaborate on innovative ideas in research on music and sound.
News
Jan's current major, book-length projects:
Heaviness in Metal Music Production (HiMMP)
A 4-year project funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), 2020-2024 (with Dr Mark Mynett)
This project investigates the conceptual and sonic parameters of 'heaviness' in metal music production through empirical research with industry practitioners. Through methodical collaboration with eight renowned metal producers, HiMMP examines the sonic construction of heaviness, its conceptual definition among leading producers, and the technical methodologies employed in controlling its various dimensions during the mixing process. The research establishes an empirically grounded theoretical framework for understanding heaviness as both an aesthetic and technical phenomenon, contributing substantive insights to musicological discourse and professional production practice. (project website)
Extreme Metal Vocals (EMV): Musical Expression, Technique, and Cultural Meaning
A 3-year project funded by the European Research Council, 2022-2025 (with Dr Eric Smialek)
This research interrogates vocal techniques in extreme metal genres through a multidisciplinary methodological approach. The project integrates linguistic analysis, acoustic phonetics, historical contextualisation, and musicological frameworks to examine how transgressive aesthetics are musically articulated and culturally mediated. Through reception studies of descriptive terminology, spectrographic analysis of vocal performance, and computational music information retrieval, this investigation aims to elucidate the aesthetic principles, performative techniques, and sociocultural significance of extreme vocal practices. (project website)
Songwriting Camps in the 21st Century (SC21)
A 3-year project funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council and the German Research Foundation, 2023-2026 (with Prof Michael Ahlers & Dr Simon Barber)
This research project examines collaborative creative processes within contemporary songwriting camps across the United Kingdom and Germany. The project interrogates the functional dynamics between convenors and participants, the integration of diverse technical and creative competencies, and the organisational architectures songwriting environments. Through qualitative methodologies including semi-structured interviews and ethnographic observation, SC21 aims to formulate a comprehensive theoretical model of contemporary songwriting camps, contextualising their creative practices within broader social, economic, and technological frameworks. (project website)
The Impact of Online Spaces on Women's Electric Guitar Practice
A 2-year project funded by the European Research Council, 2022-2024 (with Dr Gabrielle Kielich)
This research investigates the influence of digital environments on women's electric guitar performance practices, examining how virtual platforms facilitate new modes of exchange, community formation, and creative expression among women instrumentalists. Employing mixed methodologies including content analysis of digital guitar media, virtual ethnographic observation, and in-depth qualitative interviews with practitioners, the project examines gendered power dynamics, discursive formations, and emergent communities of practice within contemporary guitar culture. (project website)