Music Technology

Dedication and self-motivation – students will spend a lot of their own time in the recording studio.

Sixth Form music technologists divide their time between recording pop music in the studio, writing compositions with digital audio workstations and studying commercial music of the 20th and 21st centuries. Recordings use multi-track techniques with the students learning digital post-production techniques and audio effects processing. Music Technology is a practical subject with 40% of the marks gained through coursework and a further 35% through a practical music production exam. Students will be able to both identify audio recording and production techniques and be able to replicate these in their own work.

The Music School is equipped with a digital recording studio, a technology room, custom-made recording spaces and live rooms. The technology room has fifteen hi-spec iMacs running Logic which is an essential part of the Music Technology course. The studio contains an Apple Mac Pro computer running Logic with a Tascam 24 track digital mixing desk. Sixth Form music technologists have full access to these facilities and are expected to use them fully both in and out of lesson time.

Music Technology A level opens up a number of avenues for degree courses and subsequent careers in arts or technology-related areas. Many universities offer Music Technology degrees and the subject is viewed by many as an interesting combination of arts and technology.

This course is suitable for all students who have a specific interest in both music and production/recording. It is preferable that students have taken GCSE music or can demonstrate previous experience of music composition.

Above all, music technologists have to be extremely dedicated and self-motivated students, willing to spend a lot of their own time in the recording studio. Those who do, find the course extremely fulfilling, valuable and interesting. Please speak to the Music department to explore what this course may have to offer you.

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