A2 Music Technology

AS/A2 MUSIC TECHNOLOGY

Edexcel (1-2 years)

Who is this A level for?

You will be a practising musician with an interest in technology based music. You will be able to read and perform from notation, though you will not be required to produce notated scores. The A level focuses purely on Popular music since 1910 and there is no Western Classical music element. Students may have had some experience in sequencing and recording prior to starting the course but this is not assumed and is not a requirement. What you will bring to the course is a sense of enthusiasm for technology based music in all its forms, a creative spirit and an ability to work efficiently under pressure and give the utmost attention to detail. You will be comfortable working with notation as well as have good aural skills.

Course Content

Unit 1 Music Technology Portfolio 1

You will be required to produce a CD with the following tasks:

• Sequenced Realised Performance- creating a MIDI sequence using VST instruments in Cubase of a given piece of Popular Music
• Multitrack recording- recording between 8 and 12 tracks of a 2-4 minute piece of Popular music
• Creative Sequenced Arrangement- using MIDI within Cubase to arrange a given piece of Popular music in a set style

Unit 2 Listening and Analysing

You will study the history and development of Popular music styles since 1910 and the Principles and Practice of Music Technology. This will be assessed in a final written paper.

Course Content A2

Unit 3 Music Technology Portfolio 2

This task requires you to produce a CD containing 3 tasks:

• Sequenced Integrated Performance- creating a MIDI sequence of a given piece of popular music and recording live vocals
• Multitrack Recording- recording between 16 and 24 tracks of a 3-5 minute piece of Popular music
• Composing Using Music Technology- composing a piece music to a given brief

Unit 4 Analysing and Producing

This unit is examined in the form of a written/ practical examination. Candidates will be required to use a computer workstation to carry out a production task that will involve the manipulation of audio and adding effects, EQ and compression to produce a final stereo master.

Resources

The department has two fully equipped studios with hard disk recorders, PCs/ Macs, mixing desks (an analogue desk and a digital desk) and various outboard effects and sound modules. Students will be allocated specific times to use the studios and will be required to carry out practice assessment tasks as well as using their time to contribute to their final portfolio tasks. There are a number of PC workstations running Cubase, whilst the recording studios run Logic Pro 8.

Financial Implications

Students will be required to purchase a number of CDs throughout the course as preparation for the sequencing, arranging and multitracking tasks, and for two focus styles that are studied in the AS Unit 2 module. Students will be expected to purchase a revision guide for the course which will cost about £25. A suggested book list is given at the start of term and students are encouraged to purchase or borrow some of these.

Career Possibilities

Students have gone on to study Music Technology and Media courses at University and have pursued careers in Audio Production, Music Video Production, Sound Design, Music Industry Management, Music Publishing and Audio Forensics in the Police force. It combines very well with other A levels in the Arts and Sciences, particularly Media Studies, Art and Physics. If students wish to pursue the Tonmeister degree at Surrey University, a particularly popular (and oversubscribed) course with our students, they should also choose to study Physics and Mathematics. Students are also encouraged to read periodicals such as Sound on Sound, Music Tech Magazine, Computer Music Magazine, and Future Music. This course helps to equip students with valuable life skills such as the ability to organise people, time and resources, the ability to give the utmost attention to detail, the ability to process complex data and think logically.