Sound City Returns in 2021!
In 2021 Liverpool Sound City returns to their spiritual home!
Sound City is back – and with an incredible line-up announcement! Coming your way for 3 days across Liverpool, Sound City have revealed that global indie superstar Beabadoobee will headline the Friday of the festival, together with UK rap sensation Not3s, GRACEY, Baby Queen and The Snuts.
Special guest Jamie Webster joins Red Rum Club for an all-out hometown party on the Saturday, whilst Sound City favourites Lottery Winners, King No-One and Monks all make their return alongside The Murder Capital and The Mysterines.
The spellbinding Lapsley takes to Sunday with scintillating songstress Miraa May, joining previously announced headliner Rejjie Snow and The Lathums.
The organisers commented on the past year for the events industry: “Thank you to everyone who has stuck with us throughout the last year – it’s been a long time coming but we cannot wait to see you all for an unforgettable 3 days in the heart of the greatest city of music.”
Day and Weekend Tickets now available ~ https://soundcity.lnk.to/2021
Read about our partnership with Sound City here.
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!
ARE YOU 14-19, LIVING IN SCOTLAND, WANT TO PERSUE A MUSIC CAREER?
Yes? Good. Music Plus returns for another year to offer young people free career mentoring and tuition!
Music Plus is back! The project offers 14-19 year olds living in Scotland FREE mentoring, tuition and advice across any genre of music and any career associated with the music industry. Music Plus has provided an invaluable lifeline to the young people participating during COVID giving them a creative outlet to express themselves throughout this difficult time.
WHAT IS MUSICPLUS+?
It’s a FREE mentoring scheme run by the Scottish Music Centre and supported by Creative Scotland’s Youth Music Initiative, The Robertson Trust, The PRSF Talent Development Fund and the Scottish Children’s Lottery. The aim of the project is to offer you one to one experience with music industry professionals who will offer guidance, encouragement, skills and knowledge across a range of industry roles from performance to business. We help with choices about further education and career development supplemented by helpful group sessions, workshops and seminars.
WHEN & WHERE?
Early evenings, weekends and during the holidays, in music-related venues. You will also have the chance to attend music industry events and seminars. *Currently sessions are only being held online.
HOW DO I APPLY?
Online registration is FREE and now open for those who are:
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age 14-19
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living in Scotland
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involved in making any kind of music
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interested in working in the music industry
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haven't previously taken part in the project
Apply online at: musicplus.org.uk
More from Music Plus: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Exeter Alumni Becky Grinham releases 'Lavender'
First collaborating back in early 2020 just as the Covid-19 pandemic hit, AMS Exeter Alumni Becky Grinham has teamed up with South West based producer Justin Novak to create a one-stop series of Dance Pop tracks paying homage to 80’s production, with technology and songwriting of today. The result? 'Lavender'; a gorgeous and punchy, synth-heavy and groove-inciting, Dance-Electronica Pop track, that delivers a rollercoaster of questions and emotions based on the experience of going through mental health therapy.
Out for release today (Friday 16th April), the track might just be the perfect intro to the summer, and these new freedoms we find ourselves faced with. At the same time, the track feels nostalgic – the sweeping synths and summer guitar riffs a pointed reference to the sensitive storyline portrayed by vocalist and lyricist Becky, reflective of her own personal experiences.
But ultimately 'Lavender' is a soundtrack for everyday life with its ups and downs. As the last 12 months have shown us, there really is “light at the end of the tunnel” – and this sentiment really pinpoints the hazy, summery feel of the track.
Of the track, Becky says, "Justin created the most magical, hard-hitting instrumental influenced by his love for 80’s production, but there was this emotional undertone that I could feel pulling me in that I really wanted to bring out through the vocals and lyrics. I was going through CBT at the time and was trailing different forms of meditation, but completely unknown to me until last year, apparently songwriting is a great form of therapy! Lavender is about finding your inner calm, what makes you feel at peace with yourself, practice of meditation – whatever you interpret that is good for your mental health. For me that is blissful dreams, the 5,4,3,2,1 anxiety grounding technique and now songwriting. As for the vocals, I really tuned into an emotional delivery but still wanted to keep its' elements of Dance and Pop music."
'Lavender' will be part of a series of songs to be continued. So be sure to watch this space...
'Lavender' is released on the 16th of April 2021 and is available to stream in all the usual places.
#LavenderDreaming
Read what the press have said...
Hear Justin’s insight…
I wanted to explore the sounds of the 80’s and give my personal interpretation on that era with a modern sound. The drums for Lavender are based heavily on the Roland TR-808 with additional drums coming from the Linn drum and other popular drum machines from that decade. The synths I used in the record were the Korg Polysix, MonoPoly and the SH-101. I did a lot of research on how sounds were processed and manipulated at that time.. Of course I don’t have all the gear that was used to make records back then! However I made heavy use of emulations that similarly effect the sounds like tape and analog distortion and not shy of a decent amount of plate and gated reverb!
Justin Links: @JustinNovakOfficial
Becky Links: @BeckyGrinhamVocals / https://linktr.ee/BeckyGrinhamMusic
Read our interview with Becky Grinham on the AMS Blog here.
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 Gateshead announce 3 new online open events!
The team at AMS Gateshead have just announced 3 course open evenings in February and March.
The upcoming open events will be specific for each of the courses at our Gateshead centre – RSL Level 3 for 16-18 year olds, and our undergraduate qualifications, the Foundation Degree in Music & Sound, and the BA (Hons) top-up year in Music & Sound.
Our BA top-up year is the final year of a BA, designed to follow on from our Foundation Degree. Those with relevant industry experience may be eligible to fast-track onto this final year without necessary having any prior formal qualifications. We value real-life industry experience, and believe you should be rewarded for working hard in the sector.
Sign up via the links below if you’re interested in attending one of the events with the AMS Gateshead team! You’ll get the Zoom video link (which will go live on the day) sent straight to your inbox! Each event will include an informative presentation, Q&A session and performances from staff/students.
RSL Level 3 Diploma
24th February 2021
SIGN UP
Foundation Degree in Music & Sound
3rd March 2021
SIGN UP
BA Hons Top-up Degree in Music & Sound
10th March 2021
SIGN UP
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!
Guest playlist, Scottish hip-hop and the best female rappers of all time
We invited Sunny G Radio host Delaina Sepko to write a very special guest blog for us on women and hip-hop – part of a series of features we’re running focused on hip-hop, to mark the start of our new HND hip-hop and rap module. Alongside that, she’s even curated a hip-hop guest playlist for us! It’s an eclectic mix packed with Scottish hip-hop, and classic bangers from some of the best female rappers and MC’s of the past and present – all in the same place. Nice.
Delaina is a music researcher, with her own show on the Scottish radio station Sunny G called ‘Breaks and Beats’. She writes for us about how her passion for hip-hop often conflicts with the sexism engrained in some of it’s content, and how this motivated her to start a gender-balanced hip-hop radio show. Her playlist for us reflects that, a bangin’ mix of Scottish hip-hop’s best talents, and a fantastic array of some of the best female rappers, hip-hopppers and MC’s of all time – the likes of Queen Latifah, Da Brat, Missy Elliot, Lil’ Kim, Roxanne Shante, Salt N Pepa, Little Simz, Eve and Lady Leshurr all feature.
Read her guest blog here, and listen to the playlist in the player below.
About the AuthorDelaina Sepko is a music researcher, radio presenter and life-long hip hop head living in Glasgow, Scotland. She trained as a sound engineer at Sarm West under Trevor Horn, Tim Weidner and Robert Orton and was a finalist for the 2005 Music Week Woman of The Year award for being Sarm’s first female assistant engineer. After working with the Pet Shop Boys, Seal, Tinchy Stryder, Transglobal Underground and Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly., she earned an MSc and PhD in Information Studies and audio preservation from University of Glasgow. Now she is a contributor to the long form blog Hip Hop Scotland, presents Beats & Breaks on Sunny G Radio every Wednesday from 8-10 PM and uses the show to promote gender equality and showcase Scottish hip-hop.
Website: www.dmfresearch.com
Twitter: @delainasepko
Listen to Beats & Breaks archived shows on Mixcloud.
Look back on the best of 'Off The Record' Virtual Conference 2020!
We are the proud supporters of the Off The Record podcast, as well as the recent conference – which was held online last year. Check out the 2020 conference including a talk with our own Melisa Kelly and alumni Zoe Graham.
Off the Record was founded in 2013 and is a series of events for young musicians and those who want to work in the industry. It is open to anyone aged 16-25, and is designed to equip young people with music business knowledge, information and skills to help them forge a career in music. In 2020 their music conference was held virtually, and featured events focused on music photography, how to get played on BBC Music Introducing, getting funding, how to build your brand and how to go freelance.
Look back on some of the best talks and discussions – including this one (below) featuring our very own Melisa Kelly all about How To Make Money from your Music Online! Melisa joins fellow panelists to discuss their practical tips for building a streaming presence, what worked for them and how you can build your streaming audiences across all streaming platforms. And check out AMS alumni Zoe Graham on a fascinating panel discussion about how to get the most out of streaming your live performance here.
About Off The Record
Off The Record was founded by Community Interest Company Wide Events in 2013 and is a series of events for young musicians and those who want to work in the industry. It is open to anyone aged 16-25, and is designed to equip young people with music business knowledge, information and skills to help them forge a career in music.
Since 2013, Off The Record has organised and delivered 16 events for young people across Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Kirkcaldy, Kilmarnock, Glenrothes, Dundee, Aberdeen, Galashiels and Dumfries, providing insights and advice on how to pursue a career in music. This has enabled participants to build relationships with organisations including the BBC, DF Concerts, The Skinny magazine, numerous managers, promoters, labels and more.
In 2015 Off The Record was the first music business event in the UK to commit to a gender balanced speaker programme. The event always takes place in wheelchair accessible venues and is committed to providing opportunities for young people in the top 15% areas on the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation.
Current Projects
In November 2018, we hosted two Off The Record events in Dundee and Edinburgh to celebrate the Year of Young People. The events targeted the 16-25 age group and included daytime seminars, discussions, interactive workshops and networking activities featuring a host of music industry professionals from across Scotland and beyond. Topics covered included monetising music, releasing music, organising and getting gigs, music publishing, streaming, working in music and more. In addition, an evening showcase took place in each city featuring performances from some of the country’s most exciting and diverse young musicians.
These events were supported by the Scottish Government’s Youth Music Initiative (YMI) programme, which is administered by Creative Scotland. The events featured key figures from the music business taking part in seminars, workshops and advice sessions – all geared to demystifying the industry and providing the basic knowledge to get started.
Save Sunny G Community Radio Station
Help save the people’s station.
Since the closure of their studios in March 2020 as a consequence of Covid 19, Glasgow community station Sunny G has lost significant income streams, resulting in a deficit of approx £30,000. They need your help!
Sunny G is a registered small Scottish Charity with a fantastic team of volunteers. They use Radio / Broadcasting Media / Technology for Community Development. They have launched a GoFundMe page and are asking for donations to help support them.
The following areas have been most effected:
Unable to deliver SQA training.
Advertising and sponsorship income down by approx 70%
Unable to have our regular fundraising gigs and events.
The station’s monthly outgoings include staff costs, licence fees, rent, and utilities are just a few of the monthly obligations that are completely necessary to allow Sunny G Radio to function.
Studio Manager Steven Gilfoyle has been leading the team at Sunny G since April 2020, and has been a founding member since 2001. He believes the station to be the best community radio station in the country. He says: “I would challenge anyone to match us in the breadth of our community radio content and community development that we have provided over the years, considering the lack of resource we have had we always provide a high quality service.”
“We find ourselves trying to survive in an area that contains many of the sectors that have been hardest hit which has destroyed the income streams we used to rely on. We are optimistic that we can see ourselves through this terrible time with the generous help from supporters of the station and the community we serve and work alongside,” he says.
“We have lots of exciting ongoing programming and community development ambitions that take Sunny G into 2021 and beyond.”
They would be extremely grateful for anything you might be able to donate. You can find out more and listen online (if you can’t listen on your FM radio) at www.sunnyg.com.
New Year, New Lockdown...
You know the drill! Courses to move back online from 4th January 2021.
After Monday (04/01/2021) night's announcement, all teaching across all our regional centres will move back fully to online delivery, with group tutorials and one-to-one sessions.
Prior to Monday's news, our centres had been operating under relevant local government guidance, with smaller class sizes, online course options for all courses, less contact time and social distancing though-out the schools. We will now be moving all classes back online, just like we started to do for the very first time in March. We will update students when guidelines are reviewed.
Students can find help & support on our Student Guidance page or via their MyAcademy account. We're doing everything we can to make sure students have a positive and worthwhile experience – we're always here if you need us.
Let us also take this chance to wish you all a Happy New Year! Despite everything, 2020 did bring us some positivity, and we're hoping 2021 brings much better things for musicians and those working in the industry, and there is thankfully good reason to hope. We're sure the music scene will be back and thriving again soon...
And we're going to be ready when it does!
AMS partner with Sound City on a series of exclusive online talks
The Academy of Music and Sound and AMSonline will be partnering with Liverpool Sound City on a series of exclusive online masterclasses.
We’re thrilled to announce that we’ll be partnering with Liverpool based conference and music festival Sound City on a collaboration which includes a programme of exclusively curated masterclasses focused on employability, industry skills, and careers in the music sector, exclusively for AMS staff and students.
Sound City said of the partnership, “Sound City’s core aim is to help the very best in upcoming talent and with many university courses now competing for attention and so many graduates looking for work, its vital that students set themselves above the competition and make their mark in the industry! Sound City has started a partnership with the Academy of Music and Sound with the primary aim of improving their students music industry skills and employability.”
The first of a series of Masterclass will take place Tuesday 1 December at 7pm via Guesthouse, and will be an interview Band Manager Alfie Skelly on ‘How To Build A Bands Music Profile’
Alfie Skelly has worked in the industry for over 15 years working with the likes of The Coral and Arctic Monkeys. He currently manages The Mysterines (Pretty Face Recordings) and The Lathums ( Island Records) who both had sold-out UK tours, among others including Abbie Ozard, through Modern Sky Record label. The talk will span all things managerial, including how Alfie has built up the profiles of both The Lathums and The Mysterines. Alife will discuss how he gets them gigs, how he lands artists record deals, publishing deals and tours, plus he will talk about how he markets and promotes the bands.
We’re absolutely thrilled to be able to offer this to our students and staff! And with a whole host of exciting masterclasses and talks coming up, we’re sure it’s going to be a thrilling time for online learning.
About Sound City
Globally-recognised Sound City, the leading champion of emerging UK talent, is set to return bigger and better than ever in 2021 – With three full days of music discovery right across the city of Liverpool, Headline acts this year include Rejjie Snow, Red Rum Club and The Murder Capital.”
Like what you hear? Find out more about AMS music courses and read the latest news.