About the course

This course offers a pathway for those who want to create sound and music using digital technology, as opposed to the traditional, instrument-focused approach. As well as digital music production, you will explore wider music technology skills in studio recording and live events projects, and gain valuable experience and skills in these lucrative sectors of the music industry.
The course will consist of projects that develop your skills and understanding, before you are assessed in industry-focused assessments. These will be primarily focussed on developing practical skills and understanding, with a focus also on developing your reflective practice and wider professional skills.
The first year focuses on developing fundamental music technology skills in DAW production, sound creation and design, mixing, and setting up audio equipment in both studio and live environments. Learners will also learn about the music industry, how to find employment opportunities, and how to behave professionally when working with others.
The second year provides more autonomy and a chance to focus on specialist skills development for specific industry sectors and job roles. You will develop a professional portfolio of work by the end of self-directed projects that will help you start your first steps as a professional, or support you in your interviews for University courses.
There will also be collaborative projects that focus on your ability to apply music technology skills as part of a team, whether that’s in the studio, at a live event, or putting sound and music to a media product. These will develop key professional and personal skills that are vital in a music industry that thrives on collaboration and working with others.
By the end of this course, you will have a full understanding of the range of employment opportunities in the music technology/ production industry, and the knowledge, skills, and professional attitude to start taking advantage of them.

Start Date/s

02/09/2024

Entry Requirements

Five GCSEs at grade 5 or above including English Language or Mathematics OR a relevant Level 2 Diploma with a Merit grade and a GCSE at grade 5 in English Language or Mathematics. Music GCSE is desirable. In order to achieve at the highest level on the course, you should have some experience in using music technology or DAW software to have created music. It would also be desirable to have some entry-level keyboard skills to support you in the more musical projects.

Modules

The first year will cover the full range of music technology roles in the industry, while the second allows learners to focus on their own interests and the skills required for their future career. 1st Year: B4 - Studio Recording B5 - Creating Musical Material through Production B6 - Music Technology and Live events C7 Planning a career in the music industry 2nd Year: D8 Using development plans to refine skills D9 Producing a personal project D10 Using material for self-promotion and networking E11 Undertaking a defined technical project role E12 Using creative collaboration to develop a project E13 Producing a collaborative project

Assessment

There are no exams on this qualification. All work is internally assessed. The content of your assessment will be outlined on an assignment brief; the design of these will be explained during induction. For every assessment there will be a clear deadline by which the work must be submitted to your assessor (course tutor). There is a one submission policy in place for BTEC assignments. However, it is also understood that under certain conditions it might be appropriate to allow a learner an additional opportunity to achieve more through a resubmission. Your assessed work will be a mixture of both practical work aligned with an academic underpinning.

Careers & Progression

During this two-year course, you’ll develop both the academic and creative qualities found in all well-rounded music producers and sound engineers. The nature of this qualification enables students to specialise in their chosen area of music technology and progress to higher education or seek employment in this area. This could include developing their own creative work as an artist, or working in a studio producing other artists. It could also lead to a career in the media industry, working as a sound designer, audio mixer, or composer. You could also find employment in the exciting world of live events as a sound engineer, rigger, or stage manager. Typically the majority of students progress to university level courses from this qualification, the most common courses are ‘Music Production’, ‘Creative Music Technology’, ‘Event Management’, ‘Sound Engineering’, ‘Music for Film Television and Games’ in addition to a whole host more.

Additional Details