Overview

The Music Technology course is a Music course that teaches the skills involved in sequencing, recording, producing, arranging and composing in a variety of genres of music from the early 20th century to the present day.

The course is largely coursework-based with an emphasis on practical work. The course is based around three key areas of study, the Principles and Practice of Music Technology, Popular Music Styles since 1910 and the Development of Technology-based Music. It is divided into four units, two of which are taken at AS Level and two at A2 Level. At both levels, the first unit is coursework-based requiring three tasks to be submitted on an audio CD, and the second unit is an examination.

A-Level Music Technology at both AS and A2 is open to all students who have passed GCSE Music and / or Grade 5 Theory.

Examination board

The Sixth Form Music Technology course at Queen Elizabeth’s follows the EDEXCEL specification. Full details of the specification and additional support materials can be accessed here.

Unit 1- Music Technology Portfolio 1

Coursework which is assessed in Year 12

1. Sequenced Realised Performance (23.3%) - Students will be required to sequence a piece of music based on a recording and skeleton score specified by Edexcel. This will involve students developing skills in using Logic 8 and various software instruments. Students will be assessed in the areas of realisation of pitch and rhythm, choice of timbre and mix, musicality and general Music Technology skills.
2. Multitrack Recording (23.3%) - Students will develop the skills required to make recordings of jazz, pop and rock. This will be a studio-based multitrack recording using close mic and DI techniques. The track will be selected by the student within a genre specified by Edexcel. Students will be assessed in the areas of capture, processing and mixing.
3. Creative Sequenced Arrangement (23.3%) Students will use the skills acquired in task 1 to produce a sequenced arrangement based on one of two stimuli specified by Edexcel. The chosen stimulus will be developed in one of two styles also prescribed by Edexcel. The work will be 2-3 minutes long and will show creative development of the stimulus. Students will be assessed in the areas of instrumentation, timbre and texture, melody and rhythm, structure, harmony and tonality, and general Music Technology skills.

Unit 2 - Listening & Analysing 1

Examination to be taken in June of Year 12

The examination will be 1 hour 45 minutes long and based on Popular Music Styles since 1910. The paper will be divided into two sections and will require students to listen to CD extracts of music and comment on musical, stylistic and technical features. Section A will be based on extracts from a wide variety of genres. Section B will be based on two genres studied in detail throughout the course, and will also include questions that require a wider understanding of the music in a cultural and social context.

Unit 3- Music Technology Portfolio 2

Coursework which is assessed in Year 13

1. Sequenced Integrated Performance (20%) - Students will be required to use sequencing and live recording techniques to produce a piece of music based on a recording and skeleton score specified by Edexcel. Students will be assessed in the areas of realisation of pitch and rhythm, choice of timbre and mix of timbres and vocals, musicality and general Music Technology skills.
2. Multitrack Recording (20%) - Students will further develop the skills required to make recordings of jazz, pop and rock. This will be a studio-based multitrack recording using close mic and DI techniques. The track will be selected by the student from a topic specified by Edexcel. Students will be assessed in the areas of capture, processing and mixing.
3. Composing Using Music Technology (20%) - Students will be required to write an original composition that uses technology as an integral musical resource. The composition will be 3-4 minutes in length and be based on one of three briefs prescribed by Edexcel. Students will be assessed in the areas of quality of ideas and outcome, coherence, timbres and textures, general Music Technology skills, and one of harmony, melody or rhythm.

Unit 4- Analysing & Producing 2

Examination to be taken in June of Year 13

The examination will be 2 hours long and require students to work with audio files imported into Logic 8. The examination will be divided into two sections. Section A will test the student’s musical understanding, their ability to manipulate and correct recorded music and their ability to write commentaries on technological processes. Section B will be a practical test involving the production of a balanced stereo mix.

Course support & enrichment at QE

The highly specified facilities at QE give students the opportunity to develop skills using industry standard recording, sequencing and production tools.
The course is also taught by a visiting Music Technology specialist who is a professional musician and mix engineer.

Progression from A-level Music Technology

University degree courses in Music Technology. These fall into three broad categories: Sound Engineering, Music using Technology and Electronics Engineering for Music application.

Career pathways are primarily freelance and tend towards media, commercial and contemporary music. They include: Composer, Performer, Music Programmer, Sound Designer, Producer, Studio Sound Engineer, Live Sound Engineer, Mix Engineer, Music Software Designer, Music Electronics Engineer, Musicologist and Teacher.

Recommended wider reading

This is particularly relevant for those considering further study beyond A-level

• Paul White and Michael Prochak — Basic Complete Set (SMT Books)
• Eargle J — The Microphone Book: From Mono to Stereo to Surround, A Guide to Microphone Design and Application (Focal Press, 2005) ISBN 10: 02405196,12 ISBN 13: 978-0240519616
• Owsinski B — The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (Mix Pro Audio Series) (Music sales, 1999) ISBN 10: 0872887235, ISBN 13: 978-0872887237
• Runstein H — Modern Recording Techniques (Focal Press, 2005) ISBN 10: 0240806255, ISBN 13: 978-0240806259
• Burgess R — The Art of Record Production (Omnibus, 1997) ISBN 10: 0711955522, ISBN 13: 978-0711955523
• Sound on Sound Magazine, http://www.soundonsound.com Alfred Blatter – Instrumentation & Orchestration (MacMillan Publishing Company) ISBN 10: 0028645707, ISBN 13: 978-0028645704
• Wyatt K — Harmony and Theory: A Comprehensive Source for All Musicians (Hal Leonard Corporation, 1998) ISBN 10: 0793579910, ISBN 13: 978-0793579914
• Runswick D — Rock, Pop and Jazz Arranging (Faber, 1993) ISBN 10: 0571511082, ISBN 13: 978-0571511082
• Davis R — Complete Guide to Film Scoring (International Music Publications, 2000) ISBN 10: 0634006363, ISBN 13: 978-0634006364
• Turkel E — Arranging Techniques for Synthesists (Music Sales Ltd, 2003) ISBN 10: 082561130X, ISBN 13: 978-0825611308
• Schuker R — Key Concepts in Popular Music (Routledge, 1998) ISBN10: 0415161045, ISBN 13: 978-0415161046
• Winterson J — Pop Music: the Textbook (Peters Ed, 2003) ISBN 10: 1843670070, ISBN 13: 978-1843670070
• Holmes T — Electronic and Experimental Music (Routledge, 2003) ISBN 10: 0415936446, ISBN 13: 978-0415936446
• Nyman M — Experimental Music: Cage and Beyond (Music in the Twentieth Century) (Cambridge University Press, 1999) ISBN 10: 0521652979, ISBN 13: 978-0521652971
• Bowman D — Aural Matters (Schott, 1995) ISBN 10: 0946535221, ISBN 13: 978-0946535224