A Level Music Technology:

The A level Music Technology course is highly practical. Are you keen to create and record music? Interested about the way popular musical style has evolved? Someone who enjoys listening to music? Fascinated to learn about the development of music technology? If yes, then the A level Music Technology course is for you!

Entry Requirements: GCSE grade 5 across subjects including English and Maths. Students who have not taken a level 2 music course will be considered if they can demonstrate fluent keyboard skills and a keen interest in music sequencing and recording.

Specification: https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-a-levels/music-technology-2017.html

Edexcel AS & A level Music Technology (2017) | Pearson qualifications

qualifications.pearson.com

Here, you'll find everything you need to prepare for AS and A level Music Technology from 2017 (first assessment 2018 AS and 2019 A level), including our accredited Edexcel AS and A level Music Technology specifications and sample assessment material…

Below are a series of transition tasks to complete in order to prepare you for starting the A level Music Technology course at Cowes Sixth Form:

Develop your Notation reading skills.

Visit http://www.musictheory.net/lessons and work through the lessons about ‘The Basics’.

This will show you the basics, and you can then click on the ‘Exercises’ tab to test your knowledge!

Develop your Keyboard/Aural skills.

Choose any piece you have an MP3 of. Use your ear to try and work out the notes/chords/patterns/riffs used in the piece and learn to play them accurately on the keyboard.

Get listening!

Listen to as many arrangements and ‘cover’ versions of existing pieces as you can. Radio 1’s live lounge covers are a good starting point, but many artists regularly reproduce existing songs in a new style – producer Mark Ronson is a good example.

Get Comparing!

Choose one arrangement or cover version that is totally different to the original in terms of musical style. Research the musical style the original is in, and then the new style it has been arranged into and compare and contrast the two. Can you identify specifically what the arranger has done? Create a short presentation (either on powerpoint or in a word document format), showing your findings.

Much of your work will be done at School using the Logic software . If possible, spend time researching Logic X, watching YouTube tutorials.

Get hold of a copy of Music Technology From Scratch by Mortimer Rhind-Tutt as pictured below and mentioned on the Reading List. You can get them new for about £10 or even cheaper second hand. Read chapters 1, 2 and 3 and create a presentation (Prezi or PowerPoint) on microphones: a. Condenser/capacitor b. Dynamic c. Ribbon d. Polar patterns (cardioid, figure of 8, etc.)

Reading List Essential: Rhind-Tutt M – Music Technology From Scratch (Rhinegold, 2009) ISBN 9781906178864

Old Specification Revision Gudies: Martin J and Duffill C – Edexcel AS Music Technology Revision Guide (Rhinegold, 2011) ISBN 9781907447136

Ventura D – Edexcel A2 Music Technology Revision Guide (Rhinegold, 2013) ISBN 9781780380698

http://www.musictech.net/

http://musictechstudent.co.uk/

http://www.musictechguru.com/

A Level Music:

This exciting course offers you opportunities to study contemporary music as well as traditional musical components. In this course you will develop students’ skills in performing, composing and developing musical understanding. You will encounter a great variety of music both from the western classical traditions and from numerous contemporary genres. In your own performing, you will have the freedom to work in whichever style and genre interests you.

Entry Requirements: GCSE grade 5 across subjects including English and Maths. Ideally GCSE grade 6 in Music. Students who have not taken GCSE music will be considered if they have ability to play an instrument at grade 5 or higher and are fluent readers of bass and treble clef.

​​​​​​​Specification: https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/music/as-and-a-level/music-7272

Below are additional resources and a transition task to help prepare you A level Music at Cowes Sixth Form:

Performance

For a lesson within the first week of term, prepare a solo performance piece on your chosen instrument. This can be a free choice in any style / genre, but should reflect your current level of ability and competence (i.e. don’t choose something too easy, or too challenging).

Listening and Appraising .

The areas of study provide an appropriate focus for students to appraise, develop and demonstrate an in-depth knowledge and understanding of musical elements, musical contexts and musical language. The areas of study can also provide a rich source of material for your students to work with when developing performance and composition skills.

At Cowes we focus on 5 areas of study:

1. Western classical tradition 1650–1910 (compulsory)

2. Pop music

3. Music for media

4. Music for theatre

5. Jazz

Musical language

Students must be able to use musical language appropriate to this Area of study in the following ways:

Reading staff notation

Students must be able to identify musical elements (as above) when reading staff notation.

For unfamiliar music, students must be able to read short passages of a minimum of four bars and a maximum of eight bars.

For familiar music, students must be able to read approximately two pages of music score.

Writing staff notation

Students must be able to:

• write melodic notation in all keys within short passages of music of a minimum of four bars and a maximum of eight bars

• write rhythmic notation, including compound time within short passages of a minimum of four bars and a maximum of eight bars.

Chords

Students must learn standard and extended chords, including chord inversions and secondary dominant 7^ths, and be able to identify them in aural and written form. Examples of relevant types of chords can be found in the Musical elements.

Musical vocabulary and terminology

Students must be able to identify and apply appropriate musical vocabulary and terminology to both music heard and notated. The appropriate vocabulary and terminology required can be found in the tables appropriate to the student's selected area of study.

Composition, Notation and Theory.

Download and use the following free apps at www.musictheory.net

Print out and complete the ‘Staff Identification’ exercises at www.musictheory.net/exercises

Fully revise all the following aspects of notation for a Year 12 Music Induction Assessment which will take place during the first week of the academic year.

●Rhythm (time signatures, note values (including rests)

●Pitch (notes of the treble, bass & alto clefs, intervals)

● Harmony (key signatures, recognising basic primary triads I, IV & V)

●Tempo & Dynamics (Italian terms for both tempo and dynamics)

●Articulation (typical markings such as slurs, ties, staccato, tenuto, pauses, ornamentation etc.)

●Basic information on instruments, their orchestral families and playing techniques (e.g. arco, pizzicato, strumming)