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Music Performance & Production Level 3 Rock/Pop

male student playing on a drum kit
Getting Ahead

Music Performance & Production Rock/Pop UAL Level 3 Diploma/Extended Diploma at Alton Campus

Are you studying Music Performance & Production Rock & Pop UAL Level 3 Diploma or Extended Diploma at Alton Campus in September? If so, you’re in the right place!

This work will help give you a head start and get to grips with some of the key concepts involved in this course and the music industry and stand you in good stead when you begin your course in September.

We look forward to you starting College with us soon.

close up of someone playing guitar

Select a band of your choosing. Watch a live performance of theirs. This course requires you to become very good at analysing and evaluating live performance, so start now…

Whilst you are watching, in a notebook start jotting down using the following headings:

Instruments and musical knowledge/competency

  • Pitching during the performance
  • Instrumental tuning
  • Tightness
  • Tempo
  • Handling of section changes
  • Beginnings and endings
  • Technical proficiency
  • Critical listening by the players to sensitivity, balance and dynamics

Communication

  • With audience
  • With band members
  • Verbally?
  • Physically?
  • Musically?

Stage management and presentation

  • Is the presentation well managed?
  • Stage presence and awareness evident?
  • Stage make up
  • Stage costume
  • Use of space: use of equipment
  • Is there movement?
  • Is the sound managed?
  • Is the light managed?

Next, write a brief account (approx. 200 words) about how you got into music, what or who has inspired you, and where you would like to see yourself in the future.

Compile a 10-song playlist that best describes you.

Rate the following skill sets/areas of understanding you have from 1 – 10, 1 being “I have very little experience/skill” and 10 being “This is a really strong skill/area for me”. Don’t worry about giving yourself a low score, it won’t affect your place on the course.

  • How do you rate your Performance/Technical/Production skills?
  • If any, how do you rate your understanding of music theory?
  • How would you rate your composition skills?
  • Problem solving – if you get stuck with something, how well do you cope with solving the problem?
  • How do you rate your skill sets with technology such as music equipment and software? Do you create music at home on a DAW? If yes, please explain what software you use and the genres of music you create.

Additional/optional work

Have you visited a festival? If so, select a band that stood out to you and assess your reasons why. Use the previous headings to help you.

the words rock and pop in decorative style

Resources

Your Learning Space

Learning Space 1 Learning Space 2 *This is a representation of your learning space and may not be the exact room you will be using

My experience at the college has been really good, it’s been really rewarding, all the lecturers were so lovely and supportive there’s no way I could have done it without them - the teaching has been outstanding.

Lucie Brooks, A Level student

I overcame a couple of barriers by working really hard to get the top grades. My experience was really good, with the course and the lecturers, the residentials and activities, together it was all really good. I had really great teaching support, I could always go to the lecturers and speak to them if I needed to.

David Stenning, Public Services student

I’m really happy and pleased with my grades. I really loved my time at the college, I have also made lots of friends, it’s a really nice place to be, I don’t want to leave.

Lauren Piper, A Level student