AS MUSIC
TECHNOLOGY
Unit 2
The Listening Exam
www.jamesreevell.com
PLEASE NOTE:
This guide is not intended as an exhaustive
guide to all of Music Technology.
Rather, I realised that there was a limited
range of help for Unit 2 out there and so
put together some prompts.
You should combine this with general
listening, class notes and any workbooks
to help you achieve success in your exam.
REVISION TIPS EXAM TIPS KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT
If you know instantly the track is a
Remember these top Reggae track then listen out for a 2+4
PERFORMING TECHNIQUES tips for top marks!
Recall some of the techniques previously beat emphasis. If the track is Soul, then
discussed & be able to relate this to your try to hear catchy hooks, use of horn
listening.
CLOCKWATCHING sections etc…
You can estimate BPM using the
RECORDING TECHNIQUES
Know how to record all of the
seconds hand on an analogue
watch/clock. The clock ticks at
I LIKE THAT TRACK…
instruments discussed previously. Don’t get hung up just listening to
60BPM! Double this to get
one track all the way through again
120BPM etc…
LISTENING LOG and again. You are likely to need to
Listen critically to several recordings per listen to a small segment of a song
week to hear Music Technology in action TIME IS...MARKS? so don’t waste time playing it on
Remember to keep moving loop. Also you might like it, but
VOCABULARY through the paper – don’t get MOVE ON!
Know the words! Use your glossary to stuck on any single question.
recap on words you might not remember. This should be old hat by now.
NO BLANKS
Attempt every question – blanks
NOTATION won’t get you a mark but a
Practice identifying intervals and
writing out simple rhythms from songs BULLET POINTS MUSICAL GUESS might.
you know. All Music Examiners love
bullet points – they’re to the 1 MARK = 1 POINT
PRACTICE QUESTIONS point and get your message Whenever you see the mark
This is the MOST IMPORTANT part – across without lots of waffle. allocation for a question, take it to
make sure you are familiar with the Use them wherever you can. mean the number of points you have
question styles and know exactly the
to make. Then add one for safety.
kind of questions you should expect.
JR 2011
ALL THINGS SYNTHESISED
• An electric sound generating device TYPES OF SYNTHESISER
• Capable of creating synthetic sounds
• Can manipulate (i.e. change) synthetic sounds MONOPHONIC ADDITIVE
• Analogue and digital versions
POLYPHONIC SUBTRACTIVE
FILTERING OSCILLATOR FILTER AMPLIFIER
LPF All frequencies below cut
off can pass through ADSR LFO VCF
OLTAGE
TTACK
ONTROLLED
ELEASE
ECAY
USTAIN
REQUENCY
SCILLATOR
ILTER
OW
HPF
All frequencies above cut
off can pass through
BAND PASS Combination of LPF and HPF (ENVELOPE)
– all frequencies not affected
FILTERS by either pass through
SYNTHESISER BASIC WAVEFORMS
NOTCH Used to cut specific freqs –
Sine Triangle Sawtooth Square Noise
FILTER extreme band pass
SHELVING e.g. tone controls on hifis
FILTER and guitar amps
JR 2011
MUSICAL INSTRUMENT DIGITAL INTERFACE
MIDI is an electronic language that sends information telling digital instruments (e.g.
synthesisers) what to play and how to play it.
CC Name GENERAL MIDI ‘PATCHES’
1 Modulation Brush Analogue
DRUMS
Sends MIDI signal to
next instrument in
chain
Receives MIDI signal
from previous
instrument
Passes signal directly
to another
instrument
Many devices now
use USB
7 Volume
Power Orchestral
10 Pan
Piano Chr. Perc.
11 Expression
Organ Guitar
64 Sustain
Bass Strings Synth Lead Synth Pad
91 Reverb
93 Chorus Ensemble Brass Synth FX Percussive
Reed Pipe Ethnic Orch. Hit
KEY WORDS:
Multi-timbral MIDI Choke Polyphony
Program Change Velocity Standard MIDI File JR
2011
CAPTURE – MICROPHONES AND DIs
CHALLENGES MICROPHONE CHOICES
• Tuning
• Buzzes/Hums DYNAMIC CONDENSOR PZM
• Capturing Frequency Range
MICROPHONE POSITIONING
• Appropriate Microphone
• Strong Levels
CLOSE/DISTANT SINGLE/PAIR
• Avoiding Distortion
• Balance and Blend POLAR PATTERN / PICKUP PATTERN
• Ambience
• Capturing Dynamic Range CARDIOID OMNI FIGURE OF EIGHT
DI BOXES
QUESTIONS TO THINK ABOUT:
• What type of microphone?
ACTIVE: Need Phantom Power • Where are you going to place it (distance?)
PASSIVE: Don’t Need Phantom Power • What type of pickup pattern?
JR 2011
PIA-PIA-PIANO SHE’S ELECTRIC (GUITAR)
Grand Piano Acoustic Shredding Tremolo Arm
Scales
Broken Chords Block Chords Slide/Pitch Bends
Skanking Strumming/Plucking
PIANO PLAYING
Stride Piano Electric Piano
PLAYING TECHNIQUES
Rhodes/Wurlitzer Palm-muting Legato
Harmonics Volume Control –
SINGERS ‘violining’
Wide Vocal Range CAN YOU IDENTIFY THESE ON A SONG?
Reserved Overdrive Fuzz Amps Spring Reverb
Distortion Reverb
Male or Female? Restrained
GUITAR FX Wah-Wah
VOCAL DELIVERY
Chorus Delay Flanger
Aggressive Emotional Slapback Echo
Unrestrained
DO YOU KNOW THE SOUND OF EACH?
Narrow Vocal Range
JR 2011
IDENTIFYING ELEMENTS – WHAT & HOW?
Describe the way parts
COMPOUND SIMPLE are combined in songs
Describe the ‘sound’
of an instrument Identify in notation
TEXTURE
TIMBRE TIME SIGNATURE Melody &
What instruments Recognise in listening Accompaniment
are playing?
Chords I, IV and V Higher or lower in pitch?
Higher or Lower Key? Root position chords
Selecting the correct
Simple or Extended?
TONALITY multiple choice melody
Major or Minor? HARMONY MELODY/PITCH
Chord changes or Fill in missing notes Angular
BPM
Accelerando progressions? on a stave Stepwise
TEMPO Rallentando Swung Rhythm Range Syncopation
Sudden tempo changes Fill in correct rhythms on a stave
These words will help you to discuss a
musical ARRANGEMENT – i.e. how that
RHYTHM Specific rhythm
parts common
piece of music is put together from its Selecting the correct to a style (e.g.
building blocks. multiple choice rhythm 2+4 emphasis)
JR 2011
THE ARRANGEMENT:
Where is the melody?
INSTRUMENTATION How is it accompanied?
What is playing?
How are they playing? TEXTURE
ORCHESTRATION What types of patterns?
e.g. chords, broken chords, power
What musical parts chords, drum kit patterns
have they been given?
THE PRODUCTION:
DYNAMICS PROCESSING High Mid Low
Compressor Noise Gate
Limiter EQUALISATION (‘EQ’)
(FREQUENCY CONTENT)
Wide Narrow
MIX & STEREO FIELD
Prominent Hidden
FX? CAPTURE & FEELClose Mic Ambient
Instruments? Instruments? JR 2011
Studio Live
THE EFFECTS OF EFFECTS
CHORUS Sound detuned & delayed by
around 40ms. Makes the
PHASER C o m bi n e s t wo
c opie s of t h e
sound appear thicker & richer. same sound with
the second
slightly delayed,
DELAY Sound stored & played back FLANGER giving a ‘swirling’
after a length of time (‘echo’)
effect.
The resu lt of so u nd
TREMOLO Guitar Based FX REVERB reflecting against walls.
T h e re a re a l ot m o re
reflections in a large room
compared to a small room.
WAH WAH “Reverberation”
Carpets & fabrics absorb
reflections.
SPRING PLATE DIGITAL
DISTORTION GATED CONVOLUTION
JR 2011
SOLVING PROBLEMS ENHANCING MUSIC
DISTORTION/WIDE DYNAMIC RANGE USE OF STEREO FIELD
Use a compressor to control dynamics Panning of instruments
Adjust levels when sound-checking Moving of instrument across field
NO STEREO FIELD/MONO RECORDING USE OF EFFECTS
Mix to stereo master e.g. delay, reverb, chorus, flanger, phaser
Place tracks in stereo field using pan
LOOPING OR SAMPLING
POOR BALANCE BETWEEN PARTS Taking a pre-recorded piece of audio and
Multitrack the recording integrating it into a project
Use faders to adjust individual track volumes
SEQUENCING
MUDDY PARTS/DULL SOUNDING Add parts not performed by live players
Use EQ to remedy and further edit after process finishes
Position microphones correctly
Use appropriate microphones ENHANCING MUSICAL DETAIL
e.g. ‘breathy’ quality to vocal parts
LITTLE DEPTH OF FIELD
Use reverb to add depth ADDITION OF SUB-BASS
Use EQ to change ‘position’ in mix Often used in club circuits
PLOSIVE SOUNDS
Use pop shield
SOME OTHER EFFECTS
Move away from microphone VOCODER
Synth follows voice - sounds ‘robot-like’
PROXIMITY EFFECT
JR 2011
Accents bass frequencies AUTOTUNE
Move away from microphone Tunes voice – over use gives ‘R&B effect’
AMBIENT RECORDING
Three main possible configurations for recording a musical
ensemble in stereo using two microphones.
MUSICAL MUSICAL MUSICAL
ENSEMBLE ENSEMBLE ENSEMBLE
SPACED NEAR COINCIDENT COINCIDENT
PAIR PAIR PAIR (XY)
• Time differences give • Level & time differences • Level differences give
stereo effect between mics give stereo stereo effect
• Off centre images diffuse effect • Sharp images
• Exaggerated stereo • Sharp images • Stereo spread ranges
spread • Accurate stereo spread from narrow to accurate
• Warm sense of ambience • Sounds more ‘spacious’ • Mono compatible
• Not mono compatible • Not mono compatible
JR 2011
RECORDING SESSIONS 1
You will be asked to suggest a
recording set up including AC. GUITAR UPRIGHT PIANO
microphone choice, distances • Condenser Microphone • Condenser Microphone
and pickup patterns. These • Cardioid Pickup • Stereo / Coincident Pair
are common instruments. • 20cm away • Three octaves apart
• Point where neck joins body • 15-60cm from strings
GRAND PIANO OR – fretboard & soundhole - 2 • Not pointing directly at
• Condenser Microphone OR – stereo XY pair hammers
• Stereo / Coincident Pair
• One for bass, one for treble EL. GUITAR VOCALS
• 15-60cm from strings • Dynamic Microphone • Condenser Microphone
• With lid open • Close to speaker grille • Cardioid Polar Pattern
• Avoid proximity effect • 14-45cm from mouth
DRUM KIT • Take amp off the ground • A little above/below mouth
• Close mic each drum with OR – DI / use amp modelling • Use pop shield & sprung
clip dynamic microphones cradle
and 2 condenser overheads
• Cardioid pickups BRASS/SAX. BASS
• Close to each skin (15cm) • Use a DI
• Condenser Microphone
OR – stereo recording using 2 • Cardioid Pickup • Phantom Power required
condenser microphones • 30cm-1.5m OR - could mic up cabinet in
OR – same as above but with • Front of instrument to pick same way as E. Guitar
dynamic microphone on snare up ‘heard’ sound
JR 2011
RECORDING SESSIONS 2
Alternatively, it is possible that you may be asked how you would record a larger
ensemble (i.e. a group of instruments). This could be anything from a horn section to an
orchestra, so have a look at this.
LARGE ENSEMBLE SMALL ENSEMBLE
• See A
‘ MBIENT RECORDING’ • Stereo pair to pick up ensemble
• Musicians placed naturally
• Condensers for detail & sensitivity
MUSICAL MUSICAL MUSICAL • Ambience – louder instruments
ENSEMBLE ENSEMBLE ENSEMBLE
further back
• Far enough away to capture general
sound and not to damage mics
SPACED NEAR COINCIDENT COINCIDENT e.g. STRING QUARTET, HORN SECTION
PAIR PAIR PAIR (XY)
ORCHESTRAL INSTRUMENT PERCUSSION INSTRUMENT
• Condenser Microphone • Condenser Microphone
• Cardioid Pickup • Cardioid Pickup
• 30cm-1.5m • Small diaphragm
• Front of instrument to pick up • Up to 12 inches from skin/sound
‘heard’ sound • Careful for overload
JR 2011
SIMPLIFYING ONSTAGE SOUND
There are a number of problems associated with live
sound that have cropped up on the exam in previous
years. You would basically have to suggest solutions
to possible problems with live sound.
PROBLEMS WITH LINE OF SIGHT:
(i.e. conductor cannot see or hear part of band)
Use video screen
Speakers/Monitors/Earpieces
PROBLEMS WITH CAPTURE:
‘Spill’ from louder parts of group to quieter – use clip on or close
mic techniques
Natural reverb – choose venue with dry acoustics or use
acoustic panels
PROBLEMS WITH BALANCE:
Unequal levels – use a sub mix group on your mixer (like a bus
send)
Use compression to control wide changes in dynamic range
PROBLEMS WITH EQUIPMENT:
Use robust microphones e.g. dynamic ones such as SM58,
SM57 where possible
JR 2011
THE PROCESS OF PROCESSING
A noise gate reduces the level of a signal that falls below a
threshold i.e. increases the dynamic range.
THRESHOLD - where the gate ‘kicks in’. An EQ is made up of
NOISE GATE REDUCTION - the amount the noise gate reduces
va r io u s ba n d pa s s
filters with equally
the gain when it does not meet threshold.
spaced centre
f re q ue n c ie s . T h ey
allow you to alter the
frequency range that
ATTACK/HOLD/RELEASE- controls makes up a particular
the opening, hold time and close of
the noise gate.
COMPRESSOR track to emphasise
‘bass’, ‘mid’ or ‘high’
qualities.
LOOKAHEAD - The noise gate
preempts the signal and opens just
before it gets there – use with attack
A compressor reduces the dynamic range of a piece of music.
THRESHOLD - where the compressor ‘kicks in’.
RATIO - how much the signal is compressed (i.e. the gain reduced)
EQ
ATTACK/RELEASE - speed at which the compressor kicks in and lets go of
the audio signal
JR 2011
SEQUENTIAL SEQUENCING
SEQUENCING CONSIDERATIONS I N P U T KEY WORDS
Velocity Editing
Playing In
Score
Piano Roll
Qua Au to m at
ntise io n
Rubato / ‘feel’ of part Re s o
Score Edit lu tio
n
Legato or Staccato? o
t a m e nt
Velocity Po r
Use of Sustain Pedal EDITING MIDI
l le r
C o nt ro M i xe r W
Dynamics
Velocity
Quantise
Pitch Bends / Articulation i n do w
DO NOT REFER TO EFFECTS OR di ti ng
T i m b re E
MIXING TECHNIQUES HERE Transport Bar
CHOICE OF TIMBRE COMMON EXAM QUESTIONS
Sampler
Synthesiser 1. Complete the sequencing 2. Fill in the piano roll
arrange window as a track plan diagram for a given part
JR 2011
