Aaron Wilson presents Guitar Summer School of Rock at AMS Edinburgh
AMS Edinburgh HND student Aaron Wilson will be running a rock guitar summer school series this year at the Edinburgh campus in Leith taking place over various dates.
The summer school will be 3 days a week, bi-weekly over 4 weeks in total, and the days will consist of 3 different groups: 2 hours Beginner group, then 2 hours Intermediate, then 2 hours Advanced. Group sizes will be limited to 5 people and all sessions will adhere to strict social distancing guidelines. There will be beginner, intermediate and advanced sessions to suit every level of experience, and anyone is welcome to come along!
Each lesson is designed to boost all areas of attendees’ guitar playing and knowledge covering everything from scales, modes, fretboard and general music theory, and chord knowledge, to covering genre and guitarist appreciation and learning how to jam with your favourite songs and in a band setting; Aaron will cover it all!
Dates:
Week 1: 6th, 7th, 8th of July
Week 2: 20th, 21st, 22nd of July
Week 3: 3rd, 4th, 5th of August
Week 4: 10th, 11th, 12th of August.
Prices:
£65 a week per person OR £240 for 4 weeks
To book your place, contact Aaron Wilson on any of the following:
07932071121 | [email protected] | www.aarronwilsonguitarlessons.com
About Aaron Wilson
Aaron is a lead guitarist, guitar tutor and session musician based in Edinburgh, about to complete his HND qualification at AMS Edinburgh. Aaron has been a lover of music for as long as he can remember, starting his musical journey at just 7 years old with his very first guitar. He has been passionately dedicated to playing and progressing with guitar in all ways ever since! Aaron has studied guitar at multiple different music institutions, such as the Academy of Music and Sound Edinburgh, and Morningside School of Music, and also currently teaches guitar for the Leith School of Music.
With a range of experience in several forms of music, including Blues, Rock, Metal, Jazz, Fusion, and Finger-Style Acoustic, Aaron has become a proficient, young teaching professional, confident tutoring many styles. He also has experience in the live music scene too, having performed within various bands and as a session musician.
Instagram page – @aaron_wilzo
Facebook Page – Aaron Wilson Music
Website – www.aaronwguitarlessons.com
Free Songwriting & Guitar Workshop Open Day with AMS Edinburgh
We’re doing something a little different for our next open day…
Join our Edinburgh team on 5th June for an open day with something a little extra – a free guitar and songwriting workshop, for those budding strummers and songwriters out there! Enjoy two workshops with AMS tutors Michael Mackay and Marina Rolink, followed by a presentation about studying at AMS Edinburgh, and a Q&A session for you to ask anything and everything about our courses.
Schedule:
- 12:00: Introduction and presentation
- 12:30 – 13:30 – “Making Friends with Inspiration” Songwriting Workshop with Marina Rolink
- 13:30 – 14:30 – “Tools for the Modern Guitarist” Guitar Workshop with Michael Mackay
- 14:30 – Q&A Session: Courses and Studying at AMS Edinburgh
The presentation will cover:
- How to apply
- Fees and funding
- The audition process
- Life at AMS Edinburgh!
We will be hosting the event via Microsoft Teams. Digital invites to join the event will be sent via email once you have signed up. Sign up via the button below to secure your free slot. The workshop is open to anyone who wants to learn a bit more about us, but would be particularly relevant for those looking into potential further study at HNC/HND level.
For more information feel free to get in touch by calling 0131-656-0600 or email [email protected] if you have any questions about the event or signing up.
We look forward to meeting you all!
Announcing our new Hip-Hop Free Mini Workshop with Steg G!
Love hip-hop or rap? Want to expand your skills? Considering further study? Come along to our free mini-hip-hop workshop with popular Scottish rapper and AMS tutor Steg G.
Gain an introduction into hip-hop and rap, and studying at AMS Edinburgh or Glasgow at this upcoming one-off mini-workshop. The 2 hour session acts as an introduction to our Hip-Hop and Rap course pathway, part of our accredited HNC/HNC qualification. Attendees will learn some basic hip-hop, rap and beat-making skills, plus get a run down on what our HNC/HND course entails, including the hip-hop specific pathway.
You will also have the chance to ask general questions about studying at AMS (Scotland – Edinburgh or Glasgow) and learn about the courses we offer, in particular the HNC/HND where students get the chance to focus particularly on hip-hop and rap. Sign up to get the Zoom link sent straight to your inbox.
Event Programme
- What is Rap? A brief history and how to start rapping
- Rap techniques for beginners: different kinds of rap and poetry
- Lean about techniques such as end rhymes and internal rhymes
- How to structure and arrange a rap song
- Finding your rap voice
- Freestyle lessons: how to freestyle and expand your rhyme
- Vocabulary: Advanced rap techniques such as assonance, alliteration and multi syllabic rhymes
- Beat making: Introduction to beat making software and hardware
- Introduction to sampling
- Introduction to midi beat-making
- Performance techniques and tips
- Introduction and Q&A to the AMS HNC/HND Course
Steg G
Steg is a Hip Hop Artist from Glasgow. In 2019 he released the album THE AIR IN BETWEEN and in October 2019 won Best Hip Hop artist at the SAMA awards. For the last few years he has been producing for lots of artists such as Loki, Freestyle Master, Empress, CCTV, Stanley Odd, Mad hat, and many more, helping them shine and showcasing their talents. In 2020 he fully produced the – Empress – Love wins album which was released in June 2020 year to critical acclaim. This year (2021) Steg G released his latest album – Live Today . The album is a concept / story that was wrote and produced around the themes of toxic masculinity and addictions.
Hip-Hop at AMS Scotland
Our new Hip-Hop and Rap HNC/HND pathway launched in 2020 – the first music college to run this option – and it has become incredibly popular. It offers weekly classes covering songwriting techniques, style analysis and live performance to improve technical aptitude and theoretical understanding.
Our team have been working diligently with industry professionals to finally provide this course in an area typically overlooked in music education. Alongside this we also run regular free hip-hop short courses each term. Find out more.
AMS Edinburgh is hiring-Admissions and Recruitment Administrator
We’re hiring!
Our Edinburgh centre is looking for a new member of the team! Applications are open for a new and highly-motivated Admissions and Recruitment Administrator with an immediate start date.
The successful candidate will have a good understanding of marketing with the aim to attract potential students to our full-time and short music courses. Strong interpersonal skills, an innovative approach to development and excellent organisational and administrative skills are key aspects of this role.
The role will entail fulfilling a marketing strategy, organisation of marketing materials and budget, personal interaction with potential students through face to face/virtual contact, phone and email and facilitating events such as open evenings and public performances. There will also initial contact front of desk duties taking enquiries through ‘phone calls and emails and some office administration.
A large aspect of the role is also to make and maintain good relations with schools throughout Scotland and to attend their careers events and progression fairs.
The ideal candidate will be a graduate from a marketing, music events management or music related background, or from a customer services background.
6 month fix term, subject to review in September 2021
15 hour a week
£18,200 Pro rata
Deadline for applying is March 5th 2021
To apply, please send your CV to [email protected].
| Essential | Desirable |
|---|---|
|
A high level of literacy
Driver’s licence Proficiency in using Microsoft Office Word and Excel Proficiency in performing administrative tasks Ability for flexible working to accommodate occasional evenings and Saturdays Ability to be confident at public events and to represent the company in a positive way. Working knowledge of marketing practices and social media platforms |
Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Events Management, Music or a related field.
Understanding of music and the music industry Knowledge of Further and Higher Education structures |
Missed out on our HNC open event? Don't fret, another one is coming!
Missed out on our last open day? Not to worry – There’s another chance to join our Edinburgh team for an insight into the HNC in Music on Wednesday 3rd March!
Last week saw over 30 attend our most recent HNC online open event. There was great performances from current AMS Edinburgh students, a digital presentation about the HNC course, what you can expect from a course at AMS, and all the details on how to apply and when. But if you missed out, don’t worry. There’s another chance to attend an open day in a few weeks.
Wednesday 3rd March 20201: Via Zoom, our friendly team will guide attendees through all aspects of the HNC course (starting in September 2021) covering all you need to know about the course content and requirements. We will host this event on Zoom with invites to join this event via email once you have signed up.
Find out about:
- How to apply
- Fees and funding
- The audition process
- Life at AMS Edinburgh!
You will have the opportunity to ask questions and find out what it’s like to be part of our team. You will also be treated to wonderful performances from some of our talented students and staff!
Schedule:
- 17:00 – 17:30 – Introduction and Q&A Session
- 17:30 – 18:00 – Performances
- 18:00 – Fin
If you require further information please feel free to get in touch by calling 0131-656-0600 or alternatively email [email protected]
We look forward to meeting you all!
Need experience fast? Our fast-track HNC gets you a qualification in just 7 months!
Want to stand out from the crowd? It’s not too late – find your edge and get a cut above the rest with our fast-track degree scheme in Edinburgh, and get a HNC in music in just 7 months!
So many of us have lost out on gigs and opportunities this year, and while things are difficult, a music qualification might just be the edge you need to stand out when we come out the other side!
Musicians after something a little different from a music qualification look no further than our fast-track HNC scheme. The partially SAAS funded HNC in Music (with AMS Edinburgh) is specifically designed to help musicians get ahead and give them an edge in a competitive industry, and could be the perfect opportunity for those musicians feeling a little lost this year.
Through our fast-track scheme you can get a qualification in just 7 months, fast-tracking your way to the start of a HND starting in Autumn 2021 – your ticket to getting a full degree in just one third of the time.
With the sector facing some of its biggest ever challenges, this might just be the ideal time to expand your skill set, and develop your expertise. Because if not now… When?
Our entry-reqs are different too!
We understand everyone has different life experiences. At the Academy of Music and Sound, we look to recognizse potential and welcome everyone from different backgrounds. As such, if you do not have a Higher English or Music we will still accept your application and process.
If your application is accepted you will be asked to perform and speak to one of our members of staff during an interview and audition. Providing you are well-rehearsed and are passionately invested in your own learning and improvement you could very well be part of our musical community.
Our approach is different to many other educators – we will continue to have an open approach and increased inclusivity to our courses. If you’re talented and passionate about what you do, then you deserve to be recognised.
About the HNC in Music
The fast-track HNC is a 7 month course starting on 4 January 2021 right through to 6 August 2021.
The HNC in music is designed by musicians, for musicians, and features modules such as Music Business, Recording Techniques, Music Theory, History and Stagecraft.
Duration:
Start date: 4 January 2021
End Date: 6 August 2021
Units of study:
Music First Study: Instrument
Music Theory
Music Business
Music History
Music: Live Performance
Music: Stagecraft for Musicians
Music: Organising a Community-based Musical Activity
Music: Songwriting
Music: Recording Techniques
Graded Unit 1
About the Academy of Music & Sound Edinburgh
As an independent and dynamic academy, we cover everything from contemporary rock and pop instruments, to composition, songwriting and back again. Oh… And did we mention we started the first Scottish hip-hop and rap pathway?
Over the years AMS has welcomed over 5000 students onto courses in popular music, production and music business courses over the years. In July 2019 we celebrated 25 years in music education – always changing and adapting to keep in-step with changes in the modern music industry, we’ve proudly established ourselves as leaders in independent music education.
AMS alumni not only go on to become highly successful musicians but also educators, promoters, and even music therapists. We can help you explore the careers that best interests you.
Safety first…
It’s not been an easy year, thankfully we’ve adapted swiftly. This term, we’re minimising class sizes & contact time and we’ve gained more space for teaching at our centres. Adapting courses thoroughly for online delivery, and because we’re an intimate & independent college, able to offer dedicated online one-on-one and live group sessions to all students.
Get yourself to an online open day….
Saturday November 7th & Saturday December 5th.
Our Free Short Courses in Scotland are back!
Academy of Music and Sound’s free online short-courses have returned for 2020-21 offering ‘Sound Production’ and ‘Hip-Hop and Rap Beat-making feat. Steg Gilfoyle (A.K.A rap legend Steg G). The courses will be available to everyone living in Scotland.
We’re really excited to be able to bring back our short course programme in the new academic year, now fully adapted and optimised for online execution. This time around we’re brining back some of our favourites. The term kicks off with Sound Production, a week long free short course designed to explore the fundamentals of recording theory and best practice through streamed group classes and individual 1-1 lessons with the guidance of experienced industry professionals. Plus our songwriting course will be back as well as our Women In Music masterclass, previously led by Karyln King and Melisa Kelly.
There’s also the new addition of a hip-hop and rap short course led by Glasgow’s own hip-hop legend Steg G. It comes ahead of our newly announced hip-hop HND Pathway, which will be available for anyone studying the HND with us at either of our Scotland centres.
Each short course includes one to one and group sessions with our faculty and upon completion be posted a certification. All dates and more details for the rest of this year can be found via our dedicated short course page or scroll down for dates already announced.
Applications are open for all dates and you can apply here. If you’d like to speak to our Scotland teams about learning more, you can also get in touch with us at [email protected] for our Edinburgh centre or [email protected] for our Glasgow team.
We look forward to hearing from you all!
Sound Production
Glasgow Dates (2020)
- Starting Monday 21st September and concluding Friday 2nd October.
- Starting Monday 12th October and concluding Friday 16th October.
- Starting Monday 9th November and concluding Friday 20th November.
- Starting Monday 7th December and concluding Friday 18th December.
Edinburgh dates (2020)
- 6 weekend course starting Saturday 5th September and concluding Sunday 11th October.
- 6 weekend course starting Saturday 17th October and concluding Sunday 22nd November.
Hip Hop and Rap
Glasgow Dates (2020)
- Starting Monday 28th September and concluding Friday 2nd October.
- Starting Monday 12th October and concluding Friday 16th October.
Women In Music: Empowerment and Employability
Edinburgh dates (2020)
- This is online course will take place over two Weekends, starting on October 3rd and ending on October 11th.
Apply now
Why Study in Edinburgh?
September is on the horizon, and we’re still very much open for applications for the new academic year. Edinburgh is one of our 2 AMS centres in Scotland, and could prove to be an excellent choice if you’re looking for an exciting, buzzing city to take your musical study to the next level. From free short courses which we change and mix up each semester, to our hugely popular HNC/HND in Music and our BA Hons in Music and Sound, AMS Edinburgh have a great range of courses for you to sink your musical teeth into.
So, whats the city’s appeal?
The Scottish capital has a long-established reputation in the international festival circuit, offering a fantastic fusion of culture, art and performance. Most notably, Edinburgh annually hosts the incredible Edinburgh Fringe Festival and their famous 3-day New Year party. With festivals and cultural events scheduled all year around, Edinburgh has countless entertainment and opportunities for musicians, as well as infinite eating out options, theatres and comedy nights. The Edinburgh Centre is certainly the the best place to be to gain your start in the Music Industry!
The city is home to some fantastic venues like, Sneaky Pete’s, The Queens Hall, Leith Folk Club, Bannermans, The Caves, and Stramash. And of course cultural structures and iconic places to visit like the famous Edinburgh Castle, Catton Hill and Authur’s Seat.
And it’s not far from some stunning beauty spots either – you can truly get the best of both worlds here.
What courses are available at AMS Edinburgh?
Free Short Courses | Each semester we update an exciting programme of free short courses. Most recently we’ve had some really fascinating courses on Women in Music, Sound Production, Hip-hop and Rap, and Working in the Music Industry. Most recently we adapted all our short courses – which are usually held in our studio and performance facilities in-centre – for online purposes due to the pandemic, and had some great responses from attendees! Keep your eyes peeled for next semester’s programme.
HNC/HND in Music | This specialist course for modern musicians is available at both our city centre facilities in Edinburgh and Glasgow. Our unique selling point has always been supporting students with their chosen pathway – this year we are thrilled to announce that we are now offering Hip-Hop & Rap as a pathway on our HND Music course. Accredited by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA), our HND is written in partnership with education professionals and industry experts, reflecting the current music industry and allows for further progression onto higher levels of study, expanding career opportunities and personal development. If you’re serious about your music, and want to take your creativity to the next level whilst studying an accredited undergraduate pathway then the HNC in Music could be for you.
BA Hons in Music and Sound – Equivalent to the 3rd year of a degree, this flexible top-up year is designed to follow on from our Foundation Degree in Music & Sound, but would also suit any applicants studying a music related HND, Foundation Degree or indeed those with recognised industry experience backed up with qualifications. Validated by the University of West London, the course has been developed to mirror the modern music industry, allowing students to learn the skills to become independent, multi-skilled music practitioners, fluent with various forms of multi-media. We provide the time, space and the opportunity to develop your own sound and work on your material alongside gaining valuable vocational skills.
Facilities
Our Edinburgh centre boasts teaching rooms, rehearsal rooms, mac suites, recording studios and a team of professional music tutors.
Learn from the pros
All our tutors and staff are working in music, and our courses are both delivered by and written by musicians. With that comes a great community, common goals and an immediate industry focus that you won’t get at your run of the mill college.
Alumni
Many of our past students are now working in music, check out our alumni page to find out more.
Who will I be learning from?
Our dedicated and passionate teaching team are all professional musicians with several years experience both in teaching and the music industry. You’ll be learning and working with a range of musical professionals, mostly have well established links with the Edinburgh and Glasgow music scenes and all have a wealth of knowledge.
On our singer-songwriter team, we’ve got Zac Scott a performer and artists with experience facilitating creative songwriting sessions across Scotland. He trained at Lincoln Center Education, New York and graduated with BA (Hons) in Contemporary Performance Practice at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. There’s also Georgia Smith our songwriting tutor – Georgia has a whole host of accolades from the likes of Scottish Jazz Awards, BBC Scotland and Society Magazine. In our vocals department is the wonderful Susanna Klayman, specialising in soul music she has over 12 years experience. Michael Mackay is one of our guitar tutors, an artist part of several local bands with a loyal following, and Ewan Gibson is our bass tutor, also part of many local projects.
If sound production is your thing, you’ll be learning first hand from Archie Biard. While Karyln King is our BA Course Coordinator, Music Business and Women in Music Tutor. Born in Glasgow, Karlyn is a prolific Popular Music academic, lecturer and researcher who regularly presents at industry conferences all over the UK, specialising in Rock n Roll history, Artist Development and Research. She is completing a PhD at University of Birmingham on vinyl record culture, and freelances in Artist Management.
What’s the deal with Coronavirus?
Of course, coronavirus has sadly impacted many of our local venues and arts centres, but with several of them having recently received Creative Scotland funding, and Edinburgh will surely be quick to get back on its feet.
Online learning: Since March we’ve swapped the studio for home and come September we’re confident we’ll be in a great position to offer flexible, online learning to students should we need to. We’re also spreading out, finding new spaces for learning so classrooms can be bigger and class sizes smaller. We were quick to adapt to the changes back in the Spring, and received some hugely positive feedback from our students.
Come September we’re readily adapting, in a great position to provide optional online learning and small class sizes should we need to. There’s still space on many of our courses for 2020/21 and we really look forward to hearing from you!
“Group tutor sessions and live online performances have kept me feeling involved and uplifted during these crazy times”
– Ella Crossland, Exeter student, April 2020.
How do I apply?
It’s simple. Just fill out a short online form, and we will get back to you in the following few days.
Take me to the application form.
And if you have any more questions or queries, feel free to to in touch with our friendly team! We’ll get back to you as soon as possible, and we really look forward to hearing from you, about your musical experience and your musical interests.
Contact us
Introducing a new Hip Hop and Rap pathway for our HND in Music
We’re adding a hip-hop and rap specific pathway to our popular HND course in Scotland, with acclaimed rapper Steg G joining the team to lead on the module.
We’re so excited to announce a brand-new instrument specific specialism to our widely-popular HND Music course. Hip-hop and Rap will launch for the upcoming academic year for 2020/21, and will be led by industry professionals.
The course will involve the same care and attention we apply to our contemporary instrument specific classes in songwriting, drums, guitar and more. Uniquely, it will also offer students weekly classes covering songwriting techniques, style analysis and live performance workshops to improve technical aptitude and theoretical understanding.
Our Scotland team have been working diligently with leading industry professionals over the past year to finally provide this course in an area typically overlooked in music education and we hope that we can continue to not only help prospective students reach their own goals but also provide expert industry experience and advice to prepare them for work as a full-time musician and artist.
Joining the AMS team in the near year to help deliver the module is Steven Gilfoyle (otherwise known as Steg G). Steg needs little introduction; he has performed with such acts such as 50 Cent and Kayne West over the years and is widely known in Scotland, having won the SAMA award for best hip-hop artist in 2019.
Steven also works alongside Sunny Govan, a community based radio station based in Glasgow, and has a strong background in community development and education. AMS are so excited for him to be part of the team and look forward to developing and expanding the course alongside him in the years to come.
The Hip-hop and Rap pathway promises:
- Develop and refine your lyric and writing skills
- Improve your live performance and production skills
- Gain experience as a hip-hop artist
Find out more about the HND in Music on the AMS course page.
Why hip hop and rap?
Hip-hop is an under taught and under-acknowledged topic in music education, and indeed other kinds of education. No other mainstream music college or further education centre has a course or pathway dedicated to it specifically, and it’s a gap we really want to fill.
Hip-hop originated in the Bronx in New York City in the 70’s and 80’s in marginalised communities of African Americans and Latinto’s predominantly. The culture has since grown into a global phenomenon and arguably the most commercially successful music genre currently. It has influences in street culture, various other music genres, clothes and fashion, dance, and even hairstyles – this all stems from its cultural origins. Critically, while hip hop must be understood first and foremost as an Afircan American/black genre and culture, the music has taken various forms across the world.
It began as a way for the marginalised to express their condition and experience, it later became more of a commodified global entity. However the power of the forms of hip hop, and rap specifically, as a means of expression is huge – rap involves powerful lyrical play, fascinating linguistic technique; parody, self-reflection,
Emerging recently have been academic fields focusing on hip hop itself, and specifically the role of a “hip hop pedagogy” (teaching). Hip hop pedagogy argues for the use of hip-hop and rap texts (songs, music video, lyrics) in the teaching of other traditional subjects such as literature or history. While this isn’t quite how we will teach it – focusing on more practical aspects of making your own hip-hop music – we hope this critical understanding of the subject will underpin the work we do.
We think it’s an under-valued topic all-round, and we hope we can shine some much needed attention on the benefits and cultural impact of this music form, and help students with other aspects of their music practice.
As we lead up to the start of the HND in September, we plan to bring you much more content surrounding the huge impact of hip hop and rap in the world. Stay tuned!
About the HND in Music
Our unique selling point has always been supporting students with their chosen pathway – the HND, available at AMS centres in Glasgow or Edinburgh, is a perfect example of this.
Accredited by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA), the HND is written in partnership with education professionals and industry experts, reflecting the current music industry and allows for further progression onto higher levels of study, expanding career opportunities and personal development.
All our tutors and staff are working in music, and our courses are both delivered by and written by musicians. With that comes a great community, common goals and an immediate industry focus that you won’t get at your run of the mill college.
- Pathway-specific tuition with professional musicians, now including Hip-Hop & Rap
- Gain a working, comprehensive knowledge of the music industry
- Perform and organise your own gig in collaboration with other musicians
- Compose, arrange and record your own music using industry standard software
- Exclusive access to our Higher Education enrichment programme
- HNC and HND Units
Find out more on the course page.