Task 3C – Composing Using Music Technology

You need to be constantly aware of the mark scheme for this task and should work closely with it to aim for the best marks. Music Technology should be central to this composition and should be used at every stage to create sounds, textures and generally shape the music. Multi-track recording a composition for the sake of it will not attract many marks other than those for the quality of the recording itself. Technology needs to be used creatively and form part of the composing process when looking at the top marks.


Key Points

  • Creative use of Music Technology.
  • 3-4 minutes long.
  • Choice of brief set by Edexcel.
  • At least 6 tracks or instruments.
  • Extensive looping will not provide opportunities for high marks.
  • 20 hours work time.

Approach

  • Creative uses of technology should be investigated.
  • Choice from one of three key areas for composition briefs:
  • music for film or television.
  • electro-acoustic music (such as an electronic soundscape).
  • popular song (could be instrumental).
  • Use a range of sound sources including samples which have been processed in various ways.

Mark Scheme

Compulsory criteria:

  1. Responding to Set Brief.
  2. Style/Coherence.
  3. Manipulation of Sounds.
  4. Quality of Recorded Submission.

Optional criteria (three are selected from the following):

  1. Melody 
  2. Harmony 
  3. Rhythm 
  4. Texture 
  5. Form/Structure

The examiner will choose the optional assessment criteria that work to the student’s best advantage.

Click here to download the full Mark Scheme.​



Task 1

Using the sample bank create a dance track that only uses samples and loops. Make sure you include trimming, fade and crossfade, normalize, matching sample rates, event to part and audio processing techniques to produce a noise free (no digital clicks) high quality dance track.

To listen to a track select it, the audio will then start playing. If you decide that you wish to use this in your work save it from the media player by pressing 'ALt' then navigating to File>Save. If you want to download all of the tracks click on the 'Download All' file in each of the folders.