Foundation Degree Arts - Music and Sound and BA Hons Music & Sound Top-up

Audition Advice and Guidance

The Foundation Degree and BA (Hons) top-up in Music & Sound have been designed to give flexibility to musicians wishing to study a number of areas in order to become multi-skilled music practitioners with a broad pallet of skills in order to prepare them for a career in the music industry.

There are core modules delivered each semester, alongside optional modules, enabling students to choose their own pathway as they progress through the course.

This means that when it comes to your audition we are looking at you, as a creator, and you should show us what best represents you and your work.

If you are a music producer, you should present a portfolio of 3 recordings, this could be online from Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, Soundcloud etc, or from a device you bring with you on the day. When you meet us, we will ask you to talk us through your involvement in the realisation of the tracks you have presented. This could include (but not be limited to) how the tracks were recorded, mixed, and mastered, what software was used and how, any screenshots or other images you may have of the recording process and how the technical aspects of your work influenced your final outcome. NB- we do not wish to see session files at your audition, just mixed and mastered tracks or videos.

If you are a perfomer who specialises in a particular instrument you will meet an instrument tutor and they will ask you to perform a piece of your choosing that you feel best demonstrates you as a player or singer. You will also be asked some technical questions, and this could include reference to relevant music theory and technical exercises associated with your instrument, such as (but not limited to) scales, chords, arpeggios, rudiments, modes of the major scale, reading of traditional notation and/or tablature or drum notations, particular stylistic techniques and improvisation over a blues progression, breathing exercises and chord progressions.

If you are a singer song writer you will be asked to present some of your original material, this could be via links to online media from YouTube. Spotify, Apple Music, SoundCloud etc. You will also be asked to perform one of your songs either to a backing track, self-accompanied or with an accompanist. You will be asked questions about the song writing process and where necessary this could lead to technical questions with regard to music theory, musical styles, instrumental or vocal technique, chord progressions and arranging techniques.

If you are a multi-media producer already working on mixed media and/or music for image, video games, radio broadcast or podcasts, then you will be asked to present video or audio evidence of work that you have been involved with that demonstrates this. This is most likely to include YouTube videos that best showcase your work, and this could be in the form of a short showreel. At your audition you will be asked questions about the creative and technical aspects of the work you have presented, and what your role was that led to the final outcome. This could include (but not be limited to) questions about what software you use, how you have setup your DAW (both hardware and software), how you edit video and audio, and what formats and platforms you use to present and share your finished work. We do not expect to see session files at your audition, but you may wish to present screenshots, other images, blogs, vlogs or other links that help to present your work.