Music Technology AS & A2

Music technology plays a key role in music across the world.

This qualification includes a range of exciting and useful tasks, and encourages students to learn about the subject. Students, including those who do not play a traditional instrument, are encouraged to explore their musicality and create original materials using technology.

Students will have opportunities to:

• sequence MIDI
• sequence audio
• record live instruments
• produce CDs
• compose using music technology.

Understanding technical processes and principles

Students will have opportunities to build understanding of the technical processes and principles that underpin effective use of music technology, and comment on it in writing.

Progression to higher education (HE) and a career

There are many important opportunities in higher education, and many career possibilities for those proficient in handling music technology. GCE in Music Technology has been widely accepted by higher education provides and this Music Technology Advanced GCE will continue to provide valuable experience and preparation for students aiming for HE in the subject. Music technology careers could include work as a:

• sound engineer
• record producer
• teacher.

Course Structure:

Unit 1 - Music Technology Portfolio 1

(AS 70% - A2 35%)

Students will produce an audio CD containing three tracks of work as specified in the three tasks below. They will also present a logbook.

• Task 1A: Sequenced Realised Performance
• Task 1B: Multi-track Recording
• Task 1C: Creative Sequenced Arrangement.

Unit 2 - Listening and Analysing

(AS 30% - A2 15%)

This unit provides students with an opportunity to study the styles most common in popular music. Students will have the opportunity to demonstrate this knowledge using aural discrimination skills. Students are required to study the development of popular music styles from 1910 through to the present day. This is not intended to be a comprehensive and in-depth study of every popular, jazz or rock music style, but an overview of the main styles and trends during the development of popular music.

Two special focus styles will be selected each year for more in depth study. For the special focus styles, in addition to the main fingerprints of the style, students will be expected to have an extended knowledge and understanding of context.

Assessment for this unit is by 1 hour 45 minute listening examination, externally assessed, in the summer of the year of entry.

Unit 3 - Music Technology Portfolio 2

(A2 - 30%)

This unit builds on skills acquired in Unit 1, and extends these to include a composition task. It involves detailed study of "The Development of Technology based Music".

Students must complete three tasks which together make the Music Technology Portfolio 2:

• Task 3A: Sequenced Integrated Performance
• Task 3B: Multi-track Recording
• Task 3C: Composing using Music Technology.

Students will also submit a logbook which will provide information on the resources used in each task.

Unit 4 - Analysing and Producing

(A2 - 20%)

Students will be expected to demonstrate their knowledge of music and the principles of music technology through a series of written commentaries, manipulations and production tasks using material provided on an examination paper and recorded on an audio CD.

The examination will test students' musical understanding, their ability to manipulate and correct recorded music and their ability to write commentaries on technological processes. They will also be tested on their ability to produce a balanced stereo mix.

This assessment will take the form of a 2-hour examination, externally assessed, in the summer of the year of entry.