About this course
This degree is delivered at our London Campus in Whitechapel.
Why study a foundation year?
The integrated foundation year is the perfect choice for those wanting to gain valuable knowledge and insight of the creative and entertainment industries before specialising in their chosen degree.
You’ll learn all about the creative and entertainment industries, spending time in lectures, seminars, and practical settings. The assessment methods are also the same as the other degree years, with a mixture of exams and essays, so you’ll be fully prepared to start your full honours degree.
After completing your foundation year, you'll join Year One of your chosen degree with the confidence and knowledge to successfully continue your studies.
About the course:
This course gives you the opportunity to develop the advanced skills, knowledge and technological understanding necessary to succeed as a professional musician in a music industry where creative technologies continue to transform the creation, production, performance and distribution of music.
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Creative technologies - study music at a specialist institute where creativity and cutting-edge immersive technologies combine to produce content rich events and experiences. -
Practical and aligned to the music industry – as a music student you will work together with student vocalists, songwriters, sound engineers, producers and music business and events students to create, perform, record, market and release music in a way that mirrors today’s music industry. -
Cross course collaboration – students on all courses across music, content and events work together to perform in an annual large scale, content rich, immersive festival of music for the public with external acts as headliners -
Industry partnerships and mentoring – our partnerships with the UK music industry give you access to live briefs, work experience, networking events, industry-based mentors and regular guests from the music business
What you’ll study
To sustain a career as a professional musician, not only do you need to be a versatile player, you must also have the musical skills to play live and in the studio, to back artists, work as a touring musician, secure well-paid corporate function gigs or work as a pit musician in West End musical theatre. You need to be able to follow musical direction and where necessary create musical parts for new songs and arrangements.
In addition to these technical skills in either guitar, bass, drums or keyboards, to be a successful musician you must also be adept at using DAWs and other technology needed. Having a compelling professional identity and the understanding of how to market yourself effectively is essential. To be a career musician, you need to know how the music business works in commercial terms and how to generate income from the different revenue streams available to you.
This course gives you an education that encompasses all these facets. It offers the broad technical education you need to thrive in different performance contexts and the knowledge you need to sustain a financially viable career as a professional musician.
Academic and Personal Development Essentials
In terms of academic skills, you will learn about academic writing conventions and best practice, research techniques, referencing and critical thinking. We will explore how new technologies can both help and hinder learning, and you will develop an approach that works for you. Importantly, you will present your work to your peers and give presentations with them – collaboration is embedded in this module throughout. Finally, you will start thinking about your long-term career goals and how you can turn your passion into a viable career.
Principal Instrument
In this module you will build foundational skills in either guitar, bass, drums, keyboards or vocals. You will be introduced to the concepts of pitch and metre and how these are represented in musical notation. You will follow a set daily instrumental or vocal practice routine and learn the importance of daily practice. The specific skills and techniques you will cover will be tailored to your specific instrument.
Performance Practice
In this performance-based module, you will work, play, and communicate with students on other related courses. You will be introduced to the skills needed to become an empathetic musician and develop foundational knowledge of how to play music as part of a band. By exploring key songs from the popular music canon, you will start to understand your own technical level and how to improve your all-round musicianship as an aspiring professional.
Instrumental Performance and Repertoire
In this module you will explore essential material to begin the structured development of your technical ability. You will experience a variety of playing situations and learn key tunes from the popular music repertoire. You will play in different genres and discuss the context the songs evolved in. You will embark on how to memorise material and recognise underpinning harmonic structures by ear. Through foundational rhythmic and harmonic analysis, you will start to relate melody to the underlying harmony and experiment with simple approaches to improvisation. This structured environment will help you understand that above all, it is the overall musicality and groove of the collective that elevates a performance from the routine to something that can ignite an audience.
Principal Instrument 1
Professional musicians and vocalists have the technical mastery and creative ideas to perform at the highest level. They understand different musical genres and aim to sound credible in a range of styles. They know how and when to bring their individual creativity to a performance or when emulating a seasoned musician or vocalist is required. Whatever the scenario, their technique, facility and all-round musical skill is paramount – it is the musician’s professional calling card.
In this module you will evaluate your core instrumental technique in either guitar, bass, drums, keyboards or vocals and through clear guidance, establish key areas for your instrumental or vocal development. You will be introduced to musical notation and understand the work needed to become a sight-reader. You will learn how to create an effective daily instrumental or vocal practice routine and use it. The specific skills and techniques you will cover will be tailored to your specific instrument.
Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) Skills
Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs) have become a key tool for all music practitioners. As recording technology has become smaller and more affordable, more people than ever can create music and audio content using a DAW. Regardless of whether you want to produce commercial records, quickly sketch song or audio ideas or create backing parts to practice over, being able to use a DAW to the level you want is an essential skill for today’s professional music practitioners.
In this module, you will learn and apply different DAW techniques to create audio projects through a series of set tasks. This module will give you the base level skills and knowledge needed to support your studies as your progress through your course.
Live Performance
Today’s professional musicians can adapt to a myriad of musical situations from playing a small live show to being filmed or touring with a name artist. Working empathetically as part of a team is an essential part of the professional musician's skillset. As new technologies and high production values become the norm for audiences, musicians must also understand how current and emerging technologies are transforming recorded and live music.
In this performance-based module, you will work, play and communicate with other student musicians, vocalists, engineers and producers in both live and recording studio environments. You will start to recognise the importance of becoming an empathetic musician. Working to professional briefs, your ability to perform material in different styles and work with different vocalists will develop. You will begin to understand the level of skills a professional musician must have to sustain a career in music.
Instrumental Performance and Repertoire 1
Professional musicians know their music. They understand genre references. They can place songs and artists in a social and historical context and recognise common musical sequences. They know how to get the right sound and play in a style that fits the genre. They have well-developed aural skills and can memorise patterns quickly in addition to being able to transcribe, read at sight and improvise when needed.
In this module you will play essential material to begin the structured development of your technical ability, creativity and all-round musicality. As you work towards becoming a well-rounded musician, you will learn to perform in a variety of playing situations, play key tunes and expand your repertoire. You will explore what it is to play in a variety of genres and understand the context the songs evolved in. You will improve your ability to memorise material, recognise common structures and begin to transcribe parts by ear. Through basic rhythmic and harmonic analysis, you will learn how to improvise be it to create effective parts, embellishments, or solos. This structured exposure to new material will help you understand that it is the overall musicality and groove of the collective that elevates a performance from the routine to something that can ignite an audience.
Principal Instrument 2
Professional musicians and vocalists have the technical mastery and creative ideas to perform at the highest level. They understand different musical genres and aim to sound credible in a range of styles. They know how and when to bring their individual creativity to a performance or when emulating a seasoned musician or vocalist is required. Whatever the scenario, their technique, facility and all-round musical skill is paramount – it is the musician’s professional calling card.
In this module you will extend your core instrumental technique in either guitar, bass, drums, keyboards or vocals. You will improve your sight-reading skills and apply them to work-like scenarios. You will explore a range of approaches to daily instrumental or vocal practice and understand how to set effective goals. The specific skills and techniques you will cover will be tailored to your specific instrument.
Instrumental Performance and Repertoire 2
Professional musicians know their music. They understand genre references. They can place songs and artists in a social and historical context and recognise common harmonic musical sequences. They know how to get the right sound and play in a style that fits the genre. They have well-developed aural skills and can memorise patterns quickly in addition to being able to transcribe, read at sight and improvise when needed.
In this module you will play complex material to extend your technical ability, creativity, and all-round musicality. As a developing musician, you will approach a variety of playing situations, play key tunes from memory and broaden your repertoire. You will improve your ability to play in a variety of genres and understand the context the songs originated from. You will improve your ability to memorise material and to transcribe parts and lines by ear. Through rhythmic and harmonic analysis, you will develop your skills as an improviser. Exploring sophisticated material will help you understand that above all, it is the overall musicality and groove of the collective that elevates a performance from the routine to something that can ignite an audience.
Public Performance
Today’s professional musicians can adapt to a myriad of musical situations from playing a small live show to being filmed or touring with a name artist. Working empathetically as part of a team is an essential part of the professional musician's skillset. As new technologies and high production values become the norm for audiences, musicians must also understand how current and emerging technologies are transforming recorded and live music.
In this performance-based module, you will work, play and communicate with other student musicians, vocalists, engineers and producers in both live and recording studio environments. You will develop as an empathetic musician listening and responding to the different musical situations you face. You will explore the difference between playing live and recording. Working to professional briefs, you will develop your ability to arrange and adapt cover versions for different vocalists. Your understanding of how to adapt both musically and personally to real-world situations will develop and prepare you for further study.
The Music Industry in Numbers
The global music industry is a vast ecosystem of related businesses. In turn, the global music industry forms part of a wider global creative economy. Companies in this vast network range in scale from multi-national and multi-functional organisations such as Sony, Universal, Apple or Amazon to those specialising in a single business area such as talent management, publishing or marketing. These organisations now rely more heavily on data than ever before. Understanding how to analyse, interpret and use numerical information has become a vital part of any management role in the music and creative economy whether this is in planning a tour, marketing or releasing products.
In this module you will explore the breadth of this creative industries landscape and then focus on a specific business area in detail. You will analyse market data and other information to devise a creative project and pitch it to an expert panel. Working collaboratively, you will learn how to use a range of tools to analyse and present your findings in a group presentation which will include slides, infographics and a concise persuasive paper to substantiate your argument.
Principal Instrument 3
Professional musicians and vocalists have the technical mastery and creative ideas to perform at the highest level. They understand different musical genres and aim to sound credible in a range of styles. They know how and when to bring their individual creativity to a performance or when emulating a seasoned musician or vocalist is required. Whatever the scenario, their technique, facility and all-round musical skill is paramount – it is the musician’s professional calling card.
In this module you will advance your core instrumental technique in either guitar, bass, drums, keyboards or vocals. You will extend your sight-reading skills and apply them in a variety of work-like scenarios. You will develop your own approach to daily instrumental or vocal practice, set your own goals and ultimately establish your unique identity as a musician. The specific skills and techniques you will cover will be tailored to your specific instrument.
Instrumental Performance and Repertoire 3
Professional musicians know their music. They understand genre references. They can place songs and artists in a social and historical context and recognise common harmonic musical sequences. They know how to get the right sound and play in a style that fits the genre. They have well-developed aural skills and can memorise patterns quickly in addition to being able to transcribe, read at sight and improvise when needed.
In this module you will play challenging material to advance your technical ability, creativity, and all-round musicality. As a well-rounded musician, you will handle a variety of playing situations, play key tunes from memory and expand your repertoire. You will learn to play confidently in a variety of genres and understand the context the songs emerged from. You will learn how to memorise material quickly and how to transcribe parts by ear. Through rhythmic and harmonic analysis, you will learn how to improvise over the material be it to create effective parts, embellishments, or exciting solos. This exposure to challenging material with its complex harmony and metre will help you understand that it is the overall musicality and groove of the collective that elevates a performance from the routine to something that can ignite an audience.
Professional Performance
Today’s professional musicians can adapt to a myriad of musical situations from playing a small live show to being filmed or touring with a name artist. Working empathetically as part of a team is an essential part of the professional musician's skillset. As new technologies and high production values become the norm for audiences, musicians must also understand how current and emerging technologies are transforming recorded and live music.
In this performance-based module, you will work, play and communicate with other student musicians, vocalists, engineers and producers in both live and recording studio environments. As your skills and understanding increase, you will become an empathetic musician listening and responding to every musical situation you face. You will learn the difference between playing live and recording and understand how the techniques differ for each scenario. Working to professional briefs, you will develop your ability to arrange original material and cover versions. Your ability to create authentic sounding musical parts and capture, control and influence an audience with your on-stage performance will be developed. Ultimately, you will know how to adapt both musically and personally to any number of real-world situations and so feel prepared to work as a professional.
Professional Identity
The notion of ‘brand’ is fundamental to all professional communications. Whether we are referring to an artist, a freelance professional or a globally recognised household-name business, the ability to present an offer that engages and converts its target audience is fundamental to success.
Building on the analytical and presenting skills developed at level 5, in this module you will explore brand, identity, the psychology of communications and marketing. Through the analysis of both corporate brands and individual public profiles, you will create your own professional identity across web and social media be it for you as a musician, freelancer, label or other artist services business.
We regularly review and update our course content based on student and employer feedback, ensuring that all of our courses remain current and relevant. This may result in changes to module content or module availability in future years.
How you're taught
This course forms part of a wider suite of music courses designed to work collaboratively with other courses in the London campus in events, content and broadcast production technologies. Every course in the London campus works towards an annual large scale final live music event designed to replicate a professional work-like environment. External input from industry will be included in its design and execution.
Industry visits, guest speakers and networking opportunities are provided at all levels of the course through extensive access to London-based music industry companies, individuals and organisations.
Career information guidance is embedded throughout the course and in the modules Music Industry in Numbers and Professional Identity in particular.
Assessment strategies and choice of assessment methods are designed to relate to the type of work students would be expected to undertake in related employment.
Students will develop and practice skills in industry relevant software, as well as looking at new and emerging technologies.
Course staff have worked extensively in the contemporary music industry ensuring current working practices are designed into every aspect of the course
Showcase
How you're assessed
The course provides you with a broad range of assessment opportunities designed to both challenge you and help you develop the broad range of skills and understanding relevant to the course outcomes. These assessment methods can include:
- Performance
- Skills assessments
- Finished physical items
- Presentations
- Written work
People excel in different ways, and we want everybody to have the best possible chance of success. On this course you will be assessed on a range of individual and group presentations, and your final year project. Your work in Year Two accounts for 20% of your final degree mark, and your work in your final year accounts for the other 80%
Careers and employability
Your time at Nottingham School of Art & Design doesn’t have to stop once you finish your undergraduate course. Choose to continue your studies on our postgraduate degrees that can help you further develop your skills and obtain the experience you need to get a head start in your career. Browse our postgraduate degrees.
Typical job roles in industry might include:
- Professional musicians working in West End musical theatre
- touring with pop artists
- high level corporate functions
- musical director
- recording/studio musicians
YouFirst – working with our Employability Team
Studying a degree at a popular university has many benefits, none more so than having access to a large employability team.
Our friendly, experienced careers consultants will work closely with you at every stage of your career planning, providing personal support and advice you won't find in a book or on the internet. You can benefit from this at any time during your studies and up to three years after completing your course.
Campus and facilities
Whether you’re a songwriter, performer, producer or someone who wants to get into the live events industry, you’ll study and learn in the heart of a world-class venue – Metronome.
By day, it’s an incredible place to study music performance, live events and audio technology. By night, Metronome transforms into a live events venue, hosting sell-out music gigs, comedy nights, theatre productions, esports tournaments, spoken word – the list goes on!
For our students, we can offer unrivalled facilities which include:
- 400 capacity live music venue
- 14 rehearsal spaces
- 10 recording studios
- Mastering, surround sound and post-production studio
- Critical listening seminar room
- Live events production workspace.
Entry requirements
UK students
- 64 UCAS Tariff points; and
- GCSE - English and Maths Grade C / 4.
Other requirements:
- A related music qualification such as BTEC Music Performance or similar (eg RSL or A Level Music); and
- A Grade 5 (ABRSM, RSL, Trinity or equivalent) in Guitar, Bass, Drums, Piano / Keyboards or singing
To find out what qualifications have tariff points, please use our tariff calculator.
Additional requirements for UK students
We very much welcome self-taught applicants who do not have the formal entry requirements, but we need to know you're at the right level to support your ambition. If that’s you, we’ll request a video of you playing 2 songs from start to finish in contrasting styles. This can be performing along to a backing track, or solo.
Contextual offers
If you don’t quite meet our entry requirements, we might be able to make you a lower offer based on a range of factors, including your background (such as where you live and the school or college you attended), your experiences and your individual circumstances (you may have been in care, for example). This is called a contextual offer, and we get data from UCAS to help make these decisions. We do this because we believe everyone with the potential to succeed at NTU should have the opportunity to do so, no matter what barriers you may face.
Other qualifications and experience
NTU welcomes applications from students with non-standard qualifications and learning backgrounds, either for year one entry or for advanced standing beyond the start of a course into year 2 or beyond.
We consider study and/or credit achieved from a similar course at another institution (otherwise known as credit transfer), vocational and professional qualifications, and broader work or life experience.
Our Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer Policy outlines the process and options available for this route. If you wish to apply via Recognition of Prior Learning, please contact the central Admissions and Enquiries Team who will be able to support you through the process.
Getting in touch
If you need more help or information, get in touch through our enquiry form.
International students
Academic entry requirements:
- 64 UCAS Tariff points; and
- GCSE - English and Maths Grade C / 4.
We accept equivalent qualifications from all over the world. Please check your international entry requirements by country.
Other requirements:
- A related music qualification such as BTEC Music Performance or similar (eg RSL or A Level Music); and
- A Grade 5 (ABRSM, RSL, Trinity or equivalent) in Guitar, Bass, Drums, Piano / Keyboards or singing.
English language requirements: See our English language requirements page for requirements for your subject and information on alternative tests and Pre-sessional English.
Additional requirements for international students
We very much welcome self-taught applicants who do not have the formal entry requirements, but we need to know you're at the right level to support your ambition. If that’s you, we’ll request a video of you playing 2 songs from start to finish in contrasting styles. This can be performing along to a backing track, or solo.
English language requirements
View our English language requirements for all courses, including alternative English language tests and country qualifications accepted by the University.
If you need help achieving the language requirements, we offer a Pre-Sessional English for Academic Purposes course on our City campus which is an intensive preparation course for academic study at NTU.
Other qualifications and experience
If you have the right level of qualifications, you may be able to start your Bachelors degree at NTU in year 2 or year 3. This is called ‘advanced standing’ entry and is decided on a case-by case basis after our assessment of your qualifications and experience.
You can view our Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer Policy which outlines the process and options available, such as recognising experiential learning and credit transfer.
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Getting in touch
If you need advice about studying at NTU as an international student or how to apply, our international webpages are a great place to start. If you have any questions about your study options, your international qualifications, experience, grades or other results, please get in touch through our enquiry form. Our international teams are highly experienced in answering queries from students all over the world.
Policies
We strive to make our admissions procedures as fair and clear as possible. To find out more about how we make offers, visit our admissions policies page.
