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MUSIC TECHNOLOGY

BTEC

We’ll show you the DAW to an exciting career.

This is a highly hands-on course designed to get you right at home with the latest technology powering recording studios across the world.

This course has been developed in consultation with influential members of the music industry to make sure students get all the experience required by their future employers.

It’s also a highly regarded qualification among universities and conservatoires.

Skills you’ll learn on this course will be indispensable as you enter your musical career.

We don’t expect you to know how to use all the professional software that’s commonplace on this course – but as you build your portfolio of projects you’ll get right at home with the technology that will likely become an indispensable part of your future career

You won’t just be working with computers. You’ll collaborate closely with Music students to produce recordings of their performances.

You’ll find many Music A-level students joining you on this course.

Music Technology is the perfect complement to the Music A-level, which focuses on the theory of music, works of celebrated artists and composers through the centuries, and students’ own compositions and performances.

On this Music Technology course you’ll learn how to produce your own music using the very latest technology. You’ll be assigned your own Apple Mac to use for the duration of this course, where you’ll be working on state-of-the-art applications used widely across industry.

Modules studied by Music Technology students include:

  • Music and Sound for Media
    Learn how to make music for games, films and apps
  • DAW Production
    Explore how the features of a DAW (digital audio workstation) can be used to create and develop your own music
  • Creative Synthesis and Sampling
    Learn how to use synthesisers and samplers along with the language used to describe sound
  • Remixing and Reworking
    Create a portfolio of contrasting remixes and reworks using a wide range of creative audio and musical instrument digital interface (MIDI) sequencing techniques.
  • Mixing and Mastering Techniques
    Record audio, and mix down and master multitrack digital audio workstation (DAW) projects. Realise a sonic vision for a DAW project to achieve a desired sound.

LESSON TIME!

We’re big fans of Hans Zimmer here at Xaverian.

Today and inspired by the great German musical maestro we’re going to put our musical skills to the test by composing music for a James Bond movie.

To deliver that energetic, dramatic, action-fuelled vibe we’re pulling in the sounds of a string orchestra.

Using a MIDI keyboard and Logic Pro X your teacher will show you how to develop music from scratch.

And we’ll pop into one of Xaverian’s recording studios to lay down some live samples to be mixed into the final production.

On this lesson we’ll be working with chord themes, percussion, bass lines and melody to build up a soundtrack worthy of 007.

You’ll also enjoy a fantastic step-by-step guide to the music technology we use constantly throughout this immersive and inspiring course.

Play Video

What’s next?

Accordion Content

Many of our Music Technology alumni work in digital media, and music and film production. Suitable roles include:

  • Broadcast engineer
  • Choreographer
  • Music producer
  • Music therapist
  • Musician
  • Sound designer
  • Sound engineer
  • Teacher
  • Theatre stage manager

As an undergraduate you might consider one of these courses:

  • Audio Recording
  • Creative Music Technology at the University of Salford
  • Electronic Music Production (British and Irish Modern Music Institute (BIMM) in Manchester)
  • Music and Sound Production (BIMM)
  • Music Industry Studies
  • Music Performance
Music and Sound for Media
 
DAW Production
 
Creative Synthesis and Sampling
 
Remixing and Reworking
 
Mixing and Mastering Techniques
 
Entry requirements:

Six passes at GCSE including two at grade 6 or above

Course specific entry requirements:

Grade 4 from GCSE Music. Ability to play and read music at Grade 4

Course duration:

2 years

Assessment methods:

Internal assessment and one externally assessed timed production project (15 hrs)

Course type:

BTEC Advanced

Exam board:

Pearson

The BTEC in Music Technology is an exciting, industry specific course that is highly regarded by universities, conservatoires and apprenticeship providers such as the BBC; focusing on the skills needed for progression into a professional career in music. The BTEC especially supports those studying A-level Music. This course is equivalent to one A-level.

The Music Technology course is so much more than you expect it to be. You learn what it’s like to think like the composers themselves. You learn what it is in the music and what specific features that make the Composer innovative and special. You learn about all of these rules about compositions that really help to develop you as a Musician.

Maisie Ellul, Music Technology BTEC

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