Music Technology students' tracks released on SoundCloud

Nescot’s Music Technology students have released a compilation of their tracks online.

Each first-year student on the Level 3 qualification has created a piece and published it on music streaming website SoundCloud, together with a press release.

The project is aimed at giving the students further technical experience in creating and mixing tracks, as well as broader experience of the industry including publishing and promoting their work.

Louise Gaskin, Head of Creative Arts, said the tutors had planned the project for the end of the students’ first year in order to bring their skills together in a ‘realistic’ project.

“We work really hard to get our students genuinely ready to work in the music industry," she said.

“We teach them the specific technical skills they need, such as using our industry-standard software and equipment, but also broader skills and experience in areas like marketing and promotion.

“Assignments like this, where we can combine both sets of skills and create a realistic project based on what they will be doing in the industry, are invaluable for our students.”

The project was also the opportunity for students to compare their newest tracks to those they created in the autumn term, in order to see the progress they’ve made since then.

“It’s been one of the best projects we’ve done,” said student Elle, who joined Nescot from Epsom and Ewell High School.

“I’m proud of my track, but to be honest I’m more proud of the progress I’ve made and the skills I’ve learnt. You can hear that in the music, from the way I used Ableton to the standard of the mixing.

“Writing the press release was hard at first, but it really made me stop and think about why I’d put the track together how I had, what my influences were, and how to describe myself as an artist.”

Connor, who studied at Richard Challoner School before joining Nescot, said he had used samples from artists from Jay-Z to Dusty Springfield to make a hip hop-inspired track called Grand Entrance.

“I paid a lot of attention to things I hadn’t noticed so much before, like the exact beats per minute, and the quality of the mixing,” he said.

“I can see for myself the progress I’ve made, so that’s rewarding and it helps to motivate you to keep working hard.”

Nescot offers Music Technology at Level 2 and Level 3, as well as a Level 1 qualification in Media and Music Technology.

You can listen to the students’ tracks on SoundCloud here.