Approaches to Teaching A2 Music Technology

Approaches to Teaching A2 Music Technology

Teacher Training Course

Course Aims

The course will focus on extending and expanding on the skill set of the teacher and will build upon these to encompass all the requirements of the Music Technology syllabus.

This will result in delegates' increased awareness of the creative demands that link the individual disciplines of this specification whilst highlighting the standards for which the exam board expects at this level of study.

We will form an awareness of these ceative threads that exist throughout each subject module by using the examiner's mark schemes, exemplar material and example Schemes of Work and Lesson Plans. These will contribute to raising student perception of the expected level of musicality within the subject, thereby increasing students' confidence and ultimately overall attainment.

Programme:

9.30 - 10.45 The Demands of the Syllabus

• The progression from AS to A2
• Musicality of the subject
• Developing advanced analytical skills
• Using analysis to compose
• The musicality of your workstation
• Combining analysis and technology in a creative manner
• Specific software techniques that contribute to creative use of technology.

10.45 - 11.00 Coffee and cakes

11.00 - 12.30 Music for the Moving Image and Composition

• The two Set Works films - an overview
• Tonality, timbre, textures, tunes and tech.
• Composing through analysis
• The role of the Composer
• Student's perception of composition
• Tricks of the trade
• Planning The Opus
• Example "Teacher's Brief"
• Formulating scores
• Integration of technology to enhance the musicality of compositions.

(Example Scheme of Work and resources will be distibuted)

12.30 - 1.30 Hot Lunch

1.30 - 2.45 Sequencing/Recording/Production

• Choice of materials, numerous examples.
• Importance of planning.
• The musicality of technology, controllers/editors/creating Patch Name Scripts/bulk dumps etc......
• Recording techniques expected at this level.
• Specific pitfalls; m/t stand alone?/PC based?/editing, processing, effects, sequencing techniques.
• Integration/advanced techniques/sync.issues and timecodes (SMPTE,MTC,MMC,VITC) /outboard-inboard synths,samplers (soft/hard) etc.....
• Mastering techniques, mastering suites, enhancers, exciters, multiband compression, finalisers, tricks of the trade.

(Example Scheme of Work and resources will be distributed)

2.45 - 3.00 Tea and biscuits

Controlling Midi Data and Midi Data and Music Technology in Context

• The musicality of MIDI protocol
• The role of MIDI data
• The main controllers and their considered effect
• Accessing and editing these within the major software programmes
• Spotting these controllers in "real-time"
• Comparing "live" verses "sequence"
• Score reading/analysis
• Example questions
• Placing Music Technology in context
• Further insights into techniques of film composition
• Comparisons of the "Set Works" composers; their influences/styles/techniques/background etc.
• Compare to other composers of the genre/changes in the approach to the art/market and stylistic trends etc.

(Schemes of Work and resources will be distributed)

Conclusion

• How the musicality of technology links all of these headings, sub-headings and points.
• Using music technology to capture and exploit the creative process to effective and successful music making.

4.15 - 4.30 Question and Answers