Music Technology


Exam Board

Additional Entry Requirements

Grade 6 in GCSE music OR grade 2 theory & keyboard skills (ability to play basic melodies and chords) OR Key stage 4 equivalent (BTEC, NVQ etc.)
 
Grade 5 in a GCSE science and Grade 6 in GCSE mathematics and Grade 6 in GCSE English language

Course Content

Why music technology?
 
Studying music technology at Woodhouse will provide you with a gateway into the fascinating and evolving world of music technology. You will learn about recording, technology-based composition, listening, analysing and producing. You will be encouraged to engage with a wide range of music technology techniques and develop an understanding of the historical and cultural contexts of the use of music technology in the creation and production of music.
 
In recent years, many Woodhouse students have gone on to study music technology, sound production, sound engineering and other courses requiring a similar skill set at university level.
 
The department is proud of its state-of-the-art recording studio and Mac-based teaching space with relevant software including Logic.
 
Course content
 
You’ll explore techniques for capturing, editing and manipulating sound to help you understand the impact of music technology on creative processes in the studio. You will then produce a completed mix. You’ll develop ideas and turn them into completed technology-based compositions, develop in-depth knowledge and understanding of musical elements and musical language, and apply them.
 
You’ll identify, analyse and evaluate creative music production techniques, as applied to the unfamiliar commercial recordings supplied in the exam. As well as identifying effects and their associated parameter settings, you will explain the principles behind the choice of the effects heard on each recording, and their sonic character, in a series of written responses.
 
Mark scheme
 
Coursework - Externally assessed - 20%
 
Recording - 60 marks
  • One recording chosen from a list of 10 songs. Total time 3–3½mins
 
Coursework - Externally assessed - 20%
 
Technology-based composition - 60 marks
  • One composition to a brief. Total time 3mins
 
Exam - 1 hour 30 mins - 25%
 
Listening and analysing - 75 marks
 
Written/practical exam - 2 hours 15 mins - 35%
 
Producing and analysing - 105 marks

Frequently Asked Questions

Please click on the headings below.

Do I need to be an advanced keyboard player to do music technology?

No. Better keyboard skills will allow you to work faster but if you can play basic melodies and chords then that will be fine.

My school did not offer GCSE Music, can I still apply?

Yes but you will need to be assessed by the music technology teacher to see if you have the required knowledge and skill to manage the course. An equivalent key stage 4 course such as a BTEC in music is also accepted.

Do I need to buy anything for the course?

No – most resources for the course are provided by college. You will need a USB drive to store your electronic work during the course. The software we use, Logic Pro, is installed on the computers at the college and the coursework is only carried out in college.

How many people will be in my class?

We are a small department with one group per year, with around 8-9 students in a group.

What can kind of job can I get with music technology?

As well as the many music production jobs (e.g. recording engineer, mixing engineer producer, live sound engineer), there are many jobs within film and tv such as: sound designer, dubbing mixer, supervising sound editor, production sound mixer, score composer, score mixer. There are also many jobs in radio that involve recording, sound editing and producing.
SAUL
East Barnet School
 
“I’m inspired by the big film composers like Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard and really intrigued by the technological process involved in creating soundtracks.
 
The tech classes here are amazing because they are literally a guide to what you would do in a recording studio if you ever wanted to to get into producing. It is technical… there’s more learning software than composing music.
 
Woodhouse is less constricting than school and I find the relationship between the teachers and students is simultaneously professional and nice. The vibe is just much better here.”
 
 
 


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