2011/12 A2 Music Tech

The tempo track should be continuous (use 'ramp' rather than 'jump') and you need to do it all the way through as the piece was recorded live, not sequenced and fluctuates quite a bit. Should take about an hour and a half.

Reply 82

Rayman1

how can you do this in logic? i pretty much have everything else sorted for cars, just need to sort out this tempo stuff...

Reply 83

Annoying sniffing American kid, but this seems to be the dope...

Not quite as easy as Cubase, but get those changes smooth.

Reply 84

Rosiegsm

For the Rainforest poem, do I have to use all the text, or can I just use parts of it?

Reply 85

Original post by Rosiegsm

For the Rainforest poem, do I have to use all the text, or can I just use parts of it?

I don't think so, not strictly - I think it's if you use it broadly and appropriately. One of the categories for the mark scheme is "Fulfillment of the brief" where you get full marks for "Fulfilling all aspects of the brief, including the mood created" or something like that.

I found that the text doesn't fit all of my melodies correctly, so I modified bits and pieces slightly so that they are less verbose:

The forest drips and glows with green
to ... The forest drips and glows in green

And other small changes such as dropping little end sections out and choosing to record the word separately and use sampling techniques.

Of course, you don't have to use the poem (in spoken text) at all if you wish. However, if you don't then you're likely to lose marks in the fulfillment of the brief section, as well as the section which assesses your use of music technology to realise the piece.

Reply 86

"Your composition may take the form of a song (which must include recorded vocals), or a piece of contemporary music using audio samples created from recorded extracts of the text."

from the brief.

You're right to change the words to imnprove the meter, admjay - good poems often make bad lyrics and vice versa.

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 87

Stryder402

10

hi there,, im totally swamped with the music a2 exam at the end of may i know half of it is using logic and the other half is theory based, now my teacher isnt helping out one bit with that so any tips? revision notes on what i need to know? thanks

Reply 88

How are the marks broken down for A2 Music Tech? The exam is worth 35% right?

I haven't done the multi-track recording, what % maximum could i get now :frown:

?

Reply 89

Original post by Stryder402

hi there,, im totally swamped with the music a2 exam at the end of may i know half of it is using logic and the other half is theory based, now my teacher isnt helping out one bit with that so any tips? revision notes on what i need to know? thanks

Some of it is the 'producing' bit where you're asked to manipulate tracks etc, another part for example is a 16-mark essay style question which could be on a music tech topic such as synths, sampling, guitars etc...

Original post by Moontoon

How are the marks broken down for A2 Music Tech? The exam is worth 35% right?

I haven't done the multi-track recording, what % maximum could i get now :frown:

?

AS:
x40 = Sequencing (20% of AS)
x40 = Recording (20% of AS)
x40 = Composition (20% of AS)
x20 = Logbook (10% of AS)
x60 = Exam (30% of AS)

A2:
x40 = Sequencing (20% of A2)
x40 = Recording (20% of A2)
x40 = Composition (20% of A2)
x80 = Exam (40% of A2)

Reply 90

Hmmm so means without doing the recording like i haven't - i can still get up to 80%, not bad!

Reply 91

Stryder402

10

Original post by adamjay

Some of it is the 'producing' bit where you're asked to manipulate tracks etc, another part for example is a 16-mark essay style question which could be on a music tech topic such as synths, sampling, guitars etc...

AS:
x40 = Sequencing (20% of AS)
x40 = Recording (20% of AS)
x40 = Composition (20% of AS)
x20 = Logbook (10% of AS)
x60 = Exam (30% of AS)

A2:
x40 = Sequencing (20% of A2)
x40 = Recording (20% of A2)
x40 = Composition (20% of A2)
x80 = Exam (40% of A2)

yeah what do i need to know for the essay style questions / that part of the exam

Reply 92

Has anyone in your class ever not done a module? Eg the recording or composition?

Reply 93

When does all the coursework get sent off?
Doubt i could record a whole song with the little time left. I dread to think what mark i will get! :'(

Reply 94

Original post by Moontoon

When does all the coursework get sent off?
Doubt i could record a whole song with the little time left. I dread to think what mark i will get! :'(

Ours has to be handed in for the 4th of May so that it can be sent off... however the actual deadline for Edexcel to receive the coursework is the 11th/12th of May or something like that.

The A2 recording needs 12+ tracks. If you have less than this, then the examiner is meant to subtract a 12th of the total mark (out of 40), so about 3 marks for each missing track.

So you could record something with six tracks - up to 20 marks available :smile:

Also, remember that there's up to 4 marks available just for having a stereo recording with no unwanted noise!

Reply 95

You also need 4 of the twelve tracks to be acoustic instruments (brass or strings or something) or percussion (drum kit counts as one so you also need e.g. tambourine, shaker, djembe etc. On the paper the written questions are about the whole history of Music tech from wax recording right up to digital. Coursework has to be with Edexcel by 15th May but centers need a couple of days to check everything, fill in the paperwork and post it. I've given my guys a final deadline of 10th.

Reply 96

Original post by Fingersmith

You also need 4 of the twelve tracks to be acoustic instruments (brass or strings or something) or percussion (drum kit counts as one so you also need e.g. tambourine, shaker, djembe etc. On the paper the written questions are about the whole history of Music tech from wax recording right up to digital. Coursework has to be with Edexcel by 15th May but centers need a couple of days to check everything, fill in the paperwork and post it. I've given my guys a final deadline of 10th.

Hi
I achieved a C last year (AS), and was wondering how much that contributes to A2?

Due to heavy workloads from other subjects, mistakes when trying to record and mostly my disorganization - i haven't managed to do a recording.
Would i still be able to achieve at least a D by not doing a recording?

Thanks

Reply 97

Original post by Fingersmith

You also need 4 of the twelve tracks to be acoustic instruments (brass or strings or something) or percussion (drum kit counts as one so you also need e.g. tambourine, shaker, djembe etc. On the paper the written questions are about the whole history of Music tech from wax recording right up to digital. Coursework has to be with Edexcel by 15th May but centers need a couple of days to check everything, fill in the paperwork and post it. I've given my guys a final deadline of 10th.

My track list will be:

1. Vox Lead
2. Vox 3rd Double
3. Electric Bass
4. Piano Left
5. Piano Right
6. Cymbal Left
7. Cymbal Right
8. Tom 1
9. Tom 2
10. Tom 3
11. Tom Overhead Left
12. Tom Overhead Right
13. (Possibly) Cowbell

My question is - will I lose any marks just for not having the correct variety of instruments?

Reply 98

'Fraid so. The big difference at A2 is "Your recording must include four acoustic and/or orchestral instruments (Topic A) or four
percussion instruments (Topic B)." (Edexcel - 6MT03 Portfolio 2). I don't know how they will penalize it for that spec infringement but your total will probably be reduced by a certain proportion. Easiest solution is to add three more percussion instruments but you should read up on mic'ing them well. Use condensers and set your levels as carefully as any other instrument.

Reply 99