Music education is going digital. Young musicians today are digital natives. They have lived their whole lives in the age of the internet and they know how computers, and even smartphones, can benefit their musical creativity. That's why Rockschool Ltd. (RSL) has established a graded exam syllabus for music production.
Just like instrumental exams, the RSL music production qualifications run from Grades 1 to 8 and involve theory and practice elements. The assessment process has a strong emphasis on coursework, allowing candidates to develop their technical skills in parallel with their own creative projects.
RSL was founded in 1991 as the world's first graded assessment body for popular music. Exams were initially offered in guitar, bass and drums. The music production syllabus was introduced in 2016 and follows a similar structure. RSL also has a graded exam system for Popular Music Theory, which has proved attractive to Music Production candidates seeking to bolster their theoretical knowledge. Theory – both musical and technological – is also assessed in the music production exams but the focus is on practical skills, which make up 60% of each grade.
The new syllabus fills a niche in the grade system by acknowledging the increasing reliance on electronic resources in popular music. Chris Moody, communications manager at RSL, explains: ‘Our syllabus supports teachers who wish to become more digitally focussed to fit with advancements in music production, while bringing a wider selection of music within their purview, especially genres that are electronic in nature.’
Although the syllabus was developed for rock music, the skills it covers are relevant across the popular music spectrum. RSL connects with a wide range of genres in its assessment system, including grime, hip-hop, and many subgenres of electronic dance music. Although studio recording is the primary focus, the curriculum also covers a number of related activities within music technology. For the higher level exams, Grade 6 to 8, candidates can choose to specialise: studio techniques and engineering are covered by the Music Production option, or they can opt for Electronic Music Production or Sound for Media (writing and producing music for film, TV and games).
The Music Production Grade system is designed to prepare students for a smooth transition into higher education or into a professional environment. Moody explains: ‘Our coursework tasks are based on professional scenarios written by established producers, so students should feel well prepared to enter the industry once they have graduated. Teachers, students and universities all report that students with Grade 8 Music Production are able to excel in higher education.
As with other grades from RSL, those successful at Grades 6 to 8 are awarded UCAS points, with a distinction at Grade 8 worth just over half an A Level.’
For each qualification level, candidates are required to complete coursework. This has two elements: a technical skills exercise, and a task where the candidate is presented with a studio situation and is required to choose and implement the appropriate technique. Candidates bring their coursework to the examination and upload it to a digital audio workstation (DAW). As well as the coursework assessment, the examination also includes a written component and a listening test. The duration of examinations range from 45 minutes for Grade 1 to 75 minutes for Grade 8.
Despite the technical focus of the RSL Music Production syllabus, access to cutting-edge studio equipment is not essential. ‘The only requirement for the entire syllabus is access to a DAW,’ says Moody. ‘We permit the use of any DAW whatsoever. All learners have to do is download the material from our website, to complete the practical tasks at their own pace. We've been working with a number of companies to give access to DAWs to students – for example, BandLab is a completely free DAW that you can use for at least the first three Grades. Cubase have also agreed to give a free version of Cubase LE to everyone who purchases Grade 1, 2 or 3 from the syllabus.’
RSL collaborates with test centres around the country and around the world to make the exams as accessible as possible – it has just organised its first exams in Mexico, furthering its already substantial reach. Moody says: ‘A test centre just needs a good internet connection and an accessible DAW for candidates. It is just as easy for a candidate to do the exam on their own laptop, as long as they are invigilated.’ Ultimately, the goal of the syllabus is to provide acknowledgement to students for the practical skills they are developing. ‘One of the key drivers for the development of this qualification was that it was imperative that there should be no barriers between the creative work that the students are producing and the recognition for their achievements.’
Further information about the RSL Music Production syllabus can be found here.
