Introduction to Music and Technology BA (Hons)

The Music and Technology BA (Hons) program at the University of Liverpool is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of music technology, including sound recording, production, and composition. The program combines theoretical and practical knowledge, allowing students to develop their skills in music technology and prepare for a career in the music industry.

Program Structure

The program is structured over three years, with students taking a combination of compulsory and optional modules. In the first year, students take four compulsory modules, including Introduction to Digital Audio Workstations, Introduction to Sound and Technology, Making Music in Culture, and Introduction to Sound Recording and Production. Students also choose four optional modules from a range of topics, including music theory, music history, and performance.

Compulsory Modules

• Introduction to Digital Audio Workstations (MUSI109): This module introduces students to MIDI sequencing in Logic Pro and Ableton Live.
• Introduction to Sound and Technology (MUSI171): This module introduces students to the basic principles of sound, acoustics, and music technology.
• Making Music in Culture (MUSI121): This module explores the cultural context of music-making and the ways in which music reflects and shapes society.
• Introduction to Sound Recording and Production (MUSI108): This module introduces students to sound recording and production techniques in the University Recording Studio.

Optional Modules

• Foundations of Music Theory (MUSI181): This module provides a constructive introduction to music theory for all musicians.
• Introduction to Classical Music History (MUSI130): This module ensures a solid foundation in the history of western art music since the Baroque era.
• Introduction to Popular Music History (MUSI140): This module provides an overview of key developments in Anglo-American popular music.
• Writing for Instruments (MUSI105): This module covers techniques and strategies for writing for instruments applicable to many different musical genres.
• Classical Composition 1 (MUSI106): This module provides historical and practical knowledge of contrapuntal techniques in music composition.
• Introduction to Sound and Music in Audiovisual Media (MUSI170): This module introduces students to the use and role of music in a range of audiovisual media.
• Music as an Industry (MUSI150): This module introduces students to the structure, history, and contemporary challenges of the music industries.
• Classical Performance 1 (MUSI102): This module provides students with a structured framework to enhance practical performance skills.
• Popular Performance 1 (MUSI104): This module provides students with a structured framework to enhance practical performance skills in popular music.
• Popular Composition 1 (MUSI107): This module develops a practical understanding of compositional techniques in songwriting since the beginning of the recording age.
• Theory in Practice: Exploring Music's Construction (MUSI180): This module examines repertoires from popular music and the classical era, focusing on how harmony, chord progressions, and pitch are organized.

Year Two and Three

In the second and third years, students take optional modules that allow them to specialize in areas of interest. These modules include:

• Classical Performance 2A (MUSI201)
• Early Musical Cultures from the Islamicate Court to the English Reformation (MUSI219)
• Exploring Harmony, Chord Progression and Pitch (MUSI280)
• Foley and Sound Design (MUSI208)
• Global Pop: Popular Musics of the World (MUSI261)
• Live Sound (MUSI214)
• MAX and Ableton Live (MUSI209)
• Music in Gaming (MUSI273)
• Opera and Politics (MUSI232)
• Popular Music Composition 2 (MUSI210)
• Popular Performance 2A (MUSI203)
• Sound Recording and Production 2 (MUSI243)
• Working in Music Industry (MUSI252)

Independent Project

In the final year, students undertake an independent project in creative music technology, which allows them to demonstrate their technical and compositional skills.

Career Opportunities

The Music and Technology BA (Hons) program prepares students for a career in the music industry, with potential roles including:

• Music producer
• Sound engineer
• Composer
• Music therapist
• Music teacher

Fees and Funding

The tuition fees for the program are:

• UK fees: Ł9,790 per year
• International fees: Ł27,000 per year
• Year in industry fee: Ł1,955
• Year abroad fee: Ł1,465 (applies to year in China)

Scholarships and Bursaries

The University of Liverpool offers a range of scholarships and bursaries to support students, including:

• The Liverpool Bursary
• Asylum Seekers Scholarship
• Care Leavers' Opportunity Bursary
• Cowrie Foundation Scholarship
• Estranged Students Bursary
• Genesys Life Sciences Scholarship
• Nolan Scholarships
• Rigby Enterprise Award
• ROLABOTIC Scholarship
• Sport Liverpool Performance Programme
• Technetix Broadhurst Engineering Scholarship
• Young Adult Carer's (YAC) Bursary

Entry Requirements

The entry requirements for the program are:

• A levels: ABB, including A level Music or A level Music Technology grade B, or ABRSM Grade 8 in Music Theory at Pass
• BTEC: DDM
• International Baccalaureate: 32 points overall, with no score less than 4, including 5 in Higher Level Music or pass the IB Diploma plus 6,5,5 in 3 Higher Level subjects including Music
• GCSE: 4/C in English and 4/C in Mathematics
• English language requirements: IELTS 6.5 overall, with no component below 5.5

Conclusion

The Music and Technology BA (Hons) program at the University of Liverpool provides students with a comprehensive understanding of music technology, including sound recording, production, and composition. With a range of optional modules and an independent project in creative music technology, students can specialize in areas of interest and prepare for a career in the music industry.

University of Liverpool