G6

Music
PRODUCTION
COURSEWORK EDITION
Grade 6
All accompanying and supporting audio can be downloaded from: www.rslawards.com/downloads
Input the following code when prompted: KVFAKY5U9M
For more information, turn to page 5
Cover Artist: Mark Ronson
www.rslawards.com
Acknowledgements
Published by Rockschool Ltd. © 2016, 2018

Catalogue Number: RSK200086
ISBN: 978-1-78936-042-4
Initial Release | Errata details can be found at www.rslawards.com
SYLLABUS
Syllabus revised by Tim Bennett-Hart
Syllabus authoring by Ash Preston, Antony Greaves, Nik Preston and Max Wheeler
Syllabus advisors: Joe Rubel, Chad Jackson, Sam Vasanth and Hannah V
Edited by Simon Troup, Abbie Thomas, Zoe Woodroffe, Nik Preston and Grace Roberts
PUBLISHING
Cover design and artwork: Phil Millard
Original illustrations: Simon Troup
Typesetting and design: Simon Troup and Jennie Troup
Front cover photography: Mark Ronson by Gary Gershoff © Getty/WireImage
AUDIO
Audio composition: Ash Preston and Max Wheeler
Audio mixing and mastering: Ash Preston
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS
Norton York
John Simpson
IMAGES & ILLUSTRATIONS

Copyright info and credits for images and illustrations can be found below the image or in the image rights summary at the
back of the book.
SPECIAL THANKS
Ableton, Alesis, Apple, Audio-Technica, Avid, Drawmer, Fluid Mastering, Magix (Sequoia), Merging (Pyramix), Miditech,
MOTU, Neumann, Prismsound (SADiE), RME, RØDE, Samson Technologies, Sennheiser, Shure, Sound Technology,
Steinberg, TL Audio and Universal Audio.
PRINTING
Printed and bound in the United Kingdom by Caligraving Ltd.
CONTACT
RSL, Harlequin House, Ground Floor, 7 High Street, Teddington, Middlesex, TW11 8EE
Music Production Grade 6 | Coursework Edition
Tel: +44 (0)345 460 4747

Web: www.rslawards.com
Email: info@rslawards.com
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2
Table of Contents
Introductions & Information
1 Title Page
2 Acknowledgements
3 Table of Contents
4 Welcome to Music Production – Grade 6
6 Entering Rockschool Exams
6 Marking Scheme
Section A | Music Production Theory
7 Summary
8 Music Production Terminology
15 Sound and Audio Fundamentals
Section B | Listening Skills
21 Summary
22 Sonic Fidelity
23 Music Theory & Harmony
24 Stylistic Awareness
Section C | Coursework Task
27 Summary
28 Technical Skills
29 Coursework Task
Sample Paper
33 Rockschool Music Production Grade 6 Exam – Sample Paper
Additional Information

42 Glossary
75 Useful Information (Non-assessed)
77 Image Copyright Information
78 Rockschool Popular Music Theory
80 Rockschool Digital Downloads
3
Welcome to Music Production – Grade 6
1991 saw a paradigm shift in UK music education with the inception of Rockschool graded syllabi and now, some
25 years later, over 350,000 contemporary musicians, performers and artists have been awarded Rockschool qualifications.
Subsequently, contemporary music education provision has seen universal acceptance from all areas of education and truly
phenomenal growth the world over.
In keeping with our history of innovation, Rockschool’s 25 year anniversary sees the release of the world’s first ever music
production graded syllabus. A syllabus that has been devised to afford opportunities to all aspiring producers, engineers,
composers and performers that has not previously been available in an accredited, graded syllabus. All students can now
develop their skills and knowledge in what is currently the fastest growing area of the music education industry whilst
earning a globally recognised qualification.
As with all Rockschool syllabi, academic rigour and industry relevance are crucial and the 2018 Music Production
Coursework Edition syllabus is no exception. The syllabus has seen contributions from hugely respected producers,
engineers, composers, performers and educators from a diverse range of backgrounds. Amongst their glowing list of
achievements, these industry experts can count credits such as:
■■ Blockbuster movie soundtracks

■■ Production and engineering duties for iconic, global artists
■■ Top ten singles
■■ Games soundtracks
■■ Conservatoire & university lecturing
■■ Degree programme authoring
■■ World DJ championships
Upon successful completion of Grade 8, all students will have demonstrated the skills and knowledge to progress to both
higher education and ultimately the professional ranks.
Whatever your desire, be it music producer, recording engineer, mix or mastering engineer, editor, electronic music
composer or merely to improve your knowledge of traditional and contemporary production techniques, this syllabus will
ensure you gain the most comprehensive range of skills and knowledge currently available.
Nik Preston – Head of Product Development and Publishing
Book Contents
The book is divided into a number of sections:
■■ Music Production Theory

Rockschool’s Music Production syllabus provides you with the necessary material needed to achieve an understanding of
key music production terminology, as well as sound and audio fundamentals, in relation to modern music production.
■■ Listening Skills
Using audio examples provided, you will learn how to demonstrate effective listening skills relevant to modern music
production. In this section, Rockschool’s Music Production syllabus looks at sonic fidelity, music theory & harmony
and stylistic awareness.
■■ Coursework Task
In order to enhance your technical skills, you will be asked to complete a coursework task which will demonstrate
your ability to use the digital audio workstation (DAW) of your choice.
You must complete the coursework task before your exam and will be asked to upload your task and screen shots
during the exam.
In this section you will be given the opportunity to demonstrate both your skills and creativity in a simulated
professional situation. You will be assessed on your ability to resolve industry standard scenarios using appropriate
4 techniques and your DAW of choice.
Audio and Media
In addition to the grade book, we have also provided audio to support both curriculum content and the sample exam paper.
This can be downloaded from RSL directly at www.rslawards.com/downloads
You will need to input this code when prompted: KVFAKY5U9M
The audio files are supplied in MP3 and/or WAV format(s). Once downloaded you will be able to play them on any
compatible device.
You can find further details about Rockschool’s Music Production syllabus by downloading the syllabus specification from
our website: www.rslawards.com
All candidates should download and read the accompanying syllabus specification when using this grade book.
5
Entering Rockschool Exams
Entering a Rockschool exam is easy, just go online and follow our simple process. All details for entering online, dates, fees
and regulations can be found at www.rslawards.com
ll candidates should ensure they bring the hard copy of their Grade syllabus book or their proof of digital purchase, their
A
coursework task and screen shots, and headphones to the exam.
All Grade 6–8 candidates must ensure that they bring valid photo ID to their exam.
Marking Scheme
MUSIC PRODUCTION GRADES 1–8
ELEMENT Pass Merit Distinction
PART A:
15–18 out of 25 19–20 out of 25 21–25 out of 25
TERMINOLOGY & FUNDAMENTALS
PART B:
LISTENING SKILLS
PART C:
COURSEWORK TASK
TOTAL MARKS 60%+ 75%+ 85%+

6
© Eternalfeelings/Shutterstock
SUMMARY
SECTION (Current section highlighted) MARKS
> Theoretical Written Exam 25 [25%]
Listening Test 15 [15%]
Coursework Task 60 [60%]
The Theoretical Written Exam section of Rockschool Music Production Examinations covers the following:
■■ Music Production Terminology

■■ Sound & Audio Fundamentals
At Grade 6 the theory content covered will include subject areas such as creative uses for studio hardware, lossy Music Production Grade 6 | Coursework Edition
audio formats, balanced audio, cloud storage, plugins, multi microphone technique, automation, basic software
synthesis, dynamic range and sound isolation.
7
Music Production Terminology

Creative Uses for Studio Equipment
Here are some creative uses for studio equipment which you can also recreate in your DAW:
Gated Reverb
You are likely to have heard this effect before, most famously used on the distinctive drum fill from ‘In the Air Tonight’
by Phil Collins. The effect makes the drums sound very big but also very tight, making it possible to create a stadium
sound without all the reflection ‘clutter’ that would be heard in the real world.
The effect is achieved by sending the snare or toms to a dense reverb using an auxiliary or bus. This should be mixed in
with the original drum so that it sounds very big and reverberant.
Add a gate to the channel that the reverb is fed to, so that it is after the reverb in the chain. Set the gate so that it is only
open when the drums are played. Adjust the attack and hold settings so that the rich reverb is allowed to pass through
the gate smoothly, then set the decay time very short so that it dies away quickly.
This will result in a drum sound which has a big reverb that is cut unnaturally short. It’s a great effect but use it sparingly
as it’s a very distinctive technique.
Pumping Compressor
If you are familiar with electronic dance music, you will almost certainly have heard this effect before. The theory is that
the whole mix can be made to sound bigger if it is compressed only when the kick drum triggers it. This emulates how
our ears react to loud noises, compressing our hearing to try and protect us from the dangerous levels.
This is achieved by patching a compressor over the main mix and feeding the kick drum into the sidechain input of the
compressor. Bypass the sidechain and set the compressor to heavily compress the track (a ratio of 10:1 should do it) and
reduce the threshold until you can hear the effect taking place.
Adjust the attack control so that the compression is applied fairly quickly, but the release so that it fades relatively slowly.
Ensure that the release is fast enough to recover before the next trigger.
Now switch in the sidechain so that the compressor is no longer reacting to the music itself, but just the kick drum.
Make fine adjustments to the threshold until the music is heard compressing heavily on every kick drum hit. This tends
to work best with four to the floor rhythms, but experiment and see what interesting results you can achieve.
Delay
Delays can be used for many purposes and they are arguably one of the most flexible effects available. By using short
delays you can make a mono sound seem stereo, make a sound seem like it’s in a very large space or use it to add notes
where the performer didn’t put them.
Adding notes to a performance is a very effective technique which some guitarists use to great effect with their pedal
rigs. Some guitarists who use this effect well include The Edge (U2) and Nuno Bettencourt (Extreme), who by adding
a single echo that is 3/16ths after the note was played can make it seem like they are playing more notes than they
actually are.
Listen to ‘Where The Streets Have No Name’ by U2 or ‘Flight of the Wounded Bumble Bee’ by Extreme to hear this effect
in action.
8
Music Production Theory | Section A
Stuttering Gate Effect

The principle is quite simple, that you use one sound to tell another sound when it should be heard. The trick is
choosing the right sounds and getting the settings just right.
Start by playing a chord on a pad sound, change the chords as per the progression of the piece of music you’re working
on but ensure you are holding down a chord all the time without any gaps.
Then place a gate on the insert of the channel (or channels if it’s stereo).
Now, find a rhythmic sound which has fast transients (a quick attack) and a fairly quick decay. A hi-hat is perfect.
Record the hi-hat playing 8th notes or 16th notes in time with the piece of music. Keep it simple for now.
Feed the output of the hi-hat channel into the key input of the gate(s) that you have placed on the pad channels.
Go to the gates and switch on the key input, then use the key listen function to monitor the hi-hat sound through the
gate. Adjust the settings until the gate is only open when the hi-hat is hit.
Now switch off key listen so that you can hear the pad again. You should now only be able to hear the pad when the
hi-hat is being hit. Tweak the settings for attack, hold and release until you achieve the sound you like. A long attack and
release will make the pad fade in and out like a tremolo effect.
Experiment with using different sounds and different triggers. You can also programme complex rhythmic patterns with a
sequencer to feed into the gate, which will make the pad sound even more interesting. Why not try applying this effect to
some guitar chords?
Pitch Correction
Pitch correction was once a taboo subject, vocalists hated to be tuned and the consumer hated artists who had been.
However, the technology has been around for some time now, having come to prominence in 1998 with Cher’s ‘Believe’.
The vocal effect used on this song, which uses a piece of software called autotune to dramatically alter the pitch of the
vocals, is sometimes known colloquially as ‘the Cher effect’.
Each of the DAWs that support the Rockschool Music Production syllabus have their own brand names for their
respective pitch correction functions, which are as follows:
■■ Logic Pro – flex pitch

■■ Cubase – variaudio
■■ Pro Tools – elastic pitch
■■ Ableton Live – warp mode

This is a very extreme use of pitch correction and it’s quite possible to use the technique and still make the performance
sound natural. While the processing can still be heard, today’s consumer is so used to the sound it makes that on the
whole they are happy to accept it as the norm.
Some still believe that the invention of autotune has diminished the quality of music available today as it’s enabled those
with lesser vocal talents to have careers that they would otherwise not have access to. Others see this as progression of
technology, and the use of the software is a performance in itself.
There are several pitch correction plugins available such as Antares Autotune, Melodyne, Revoice Pro and Waves Tune,
all of which will be paid upgrades. However, your DAW may have some pitch correction software installed as standard,
so it’s worth taking a look through your plugins and experimenting with advanced editing functions such as elastic pitch.
9
Radio EQ
This is an effect that is so common that you have almost certainly heard it at some point. One example is the vocal lines
“yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah” on the intro to Britney Spears’ hit from 2000, ‘Oops!… I Did It Again’.
The intention is to process the audio so that it sounds like it is being played back through a small radio speaker.
In the real world when sound is broadcast over the airwaves (perhaps through the older AM bands) and
amplified through a small speaker, the sound loses a lot of the low and high frequencies that are filtered out by the
limited technology.
This can be emulated using an equaliser.
The process is quite simple, add a parametric EQ across the insert of the channel(s) you wish to process, then activate a
hi pass filter (HPF). A HPF is a type of EQ which removes almost everything below the set frequency. Set the frequency
of the filter to around 300Hz.
Now activate a low pass filter (LPF). This is similar to a HPF, but it removes everything above the set frequency.
Adjust the frequency to around 3kHz.
You should already notice the sound getting much thinner, then adjust the frequencies of the filters to suit the sound you
are processing.
If you really want to emphasise the effect, add a boost at around 1kHz. This will make any vocals really stand out just
like an old radio broadcast or walkie talkie.
Audio and the Internet

The internet is a major part of how we buy, sell and share music. Therefore, it’s important to understand its limitations and
how to make the most of the technology available.
The internet has come on leaps and bounds since its inception, but there are still some users who have relatively slow
internet connections.
This makes it very difficult to share large files with them, which limits the use of high quality Wav files like the ones we
prefer to use in music production.
While the internet was developing, in 1993 the Fraunhofer Institute developed an audio format which retained the majority
of the quality of an audio file but at approximately 1/10th of the file size. This was called MP3.
■■ MP3 is actually an abbreviation of ‘Mpeg 1 audio layer III’ but as that’s a mouthful, the term MP3 is more commonly used.
■■ MP3 is a ‘lossy’ format. This means that there is a trade off in quality in order to reduce the file size. Wav on the
other hand is ‘lossless’.
– Lossy audio formats include MP3, MP4, AAC, OGG.
– Lossless audio file formats include WAV, AIFF, FLAC, ALAC.
– Lossy formats have made it possible for services such as Napster, iTunes, Spotify, and many others to operate via
the limited bandwidth of the internet.
10
Balanced Audio
Audio connections in a studio can be broken down into two categories:
■■ Unbalanced
■■ Balanced
Unbalanced
An unbalanced connection uses cabling and a connector with only two points of contact.
On a jack connector, this would be the tip and the sleeve.
Another type of unbalanced connector is the RCA/ These are the simplest types of connections as they use
Phono connector. one signal cable and a screen.
11
Balanced
Balanced connections use connectors with three points of connection.
These are referred to as the hot (+), cold (-) and screen (or ground/earth).
The cable therefore needs to have two cores, plus the screen.
Some connectors may look similar to their unbalanced XLR connections can be balanced and use the three
equivalents, but they will have an additional signal pins for the three required connections. In the UK:
connection. In the case of a balanced jack plug it will
have a tip, ring and sleeve. Pin 1 = Ground
Pin 2 = Hot
Tip = Hot Pin 3 = Cold
Ring = Cold
Sleeve = Ground
12
Why Use Balanced Audio?

The purpose of balanced audio is to reduce the risk of external interference.
When running cables around a studio, or on location, there are many electrical devices nearby which can have an effect
on the audio if the cable runs past them. These might be mains cables causing hum or radio devices causing high
frequency crackles.
An unbalanced cable uses its screen to give it some protection but this isn’t always enough.
A balanced audio system uses a clever method for eliminating any external interference when it is received at its destination.
This means that the cables can be longer and as a side effect the audio signal will be louder.
How Balanced Systems Work

In a balanced audio system the exact same audio signal is sent along two wires (hot and cold), but the polarity of one of the
signals is inverted. This happens in the output device, not in the cable itself.
Polarity Inversion
Positive ‘Hot’ Signal

+1
Resulting Signal
+2
Original Signal
+1 +1
–1
Negative ‘Cold’ Signal

+1
–1 –1
Polarity Polarity –2
Inverted Inverted
–1

When interference or noise is introduced into the cable, it is introduced equally to both the original and the inverted signal.
When the signal arrives at its destination, the inverted signal is inverted back to its original orientation and both signals are
combined. The wanted signal will now be in phase with itself and will increase in level but the noise will now be out of phase
with itself and will therefore cancel out to nothing.
This is called common mode rejection and ensures that any noise in the signal is eradicated.
13
Canceled Noise
Interference Noise
Positive ‘Hot’ Signal

+1
Resulting Signal
+2
Original Signal
+1 +1
–1
+1
–1 –1
Polarity Polarity –2
Inverted Inverted Interference Cancelled Out
–1
Negative ‘Cold’ Signal
If a fault occurs in a balanced cable and either the hot or cold connection is broken, then the connection will no longer be
balanced and the level will drop by around 6dB.
Cloud Storage
‘The Cloud’ is used to refer to any internet based storage solution. As internet upload and download speeds have increased,
this type of service has become more and more useful.
Any kind of file can be stored in the cloud, as long as it can be uploaded via an internet connection.
As the files are accessed via the internet, they can be accessed from anywhere in the world that has a connection. This has
revolutionised collaboration in many industries, for example a producer in London can upload a file to their cloud storage
and share it with another producer in Los Angeles. Their co-producer can the continue working on the file immediately, and
can share it back when ready.
An added bonus is that the storage used by the Cloud service provider will almost certainly be backed up regularly. This
means that if you lose a file, they will be able to help you recover it, in some cases almost instantly.
This makes long distance collaboration fast and effective.
However, even a very fast internet connection will not operate quickly enough to stream 24 tracks of high quality audio in
real time. Therefore, all files must be downloaded to continue working on them. This can still cause a problem if one of the
producer’s internet connections is slow.
14
Sound and Audio Fundamentals

Creative Microphone Technique
There are many ways that microphones can be used creatively and while there are tried and tested methods for recording
which you can learn from others, there is nothing better than moving microphones around and seeing what happens. No
two rooms and no two instruments are exactly alike, so the possibilities are endless.
When working with microphones, try to think in three dimensions. You can move the microphone up or down, left or right,
towards and away.
As you move the microphone away from the source, you will start to hear more and more of the room around it. The
reflections from the walls, floor, ceiling and other objects in the room will become more apparent.
If you want a tight and focused sound, then you won’t want to hear these reflections, so you‘ll need to keep the microphone
close. However if you want an airy or ambient sound, then the reflections may be quite desirable.
Also remember that you’re not limited to choosing between tight or airy sounds. You can in fact have a bit of both by using
two microphones, one which is close and another which is further away.
By mixing these two microphones together you can achieve a sound which is bigger than any single microphone
can produce.
A common technique when recording drums is to place ambience microphones on the other side of the room. When mixed
together this can make the drums sound big, and can help the listener feel like they are in the room. Of course, you might
only want to do this if the room sounds good.
When mixing these ambience microphones, be creative with how you process them. By heavily compressing the ambience
and blending it in with the rest of the kit, you can make the drums sound even bigger.
Experiment with using this technique on other instruments too.
Automation
Automation is the function which enables the sound engineer to record his or her movements on the mixing desk.
While this was once reserved for mixing consoles that cost in excess of £250,000, it is now a standard feature on most digital
audio workstations.

Movements of many settings can be recorded, including fader level, pan position, mute/cut status, auxiliary sends and even
settings from within plugins such as compressor thresholds, EQ frequencies, filter cutoffs and so many others.
On a hardware mixer, the advantage of using automation was that the sound engineer only had two hands and could
therefore only adjust two things at a time. With automation they could record the movements on faders 1 & 2, then move on
to adjusting the pan settings on channel 15.
In the digital audio workstation, the sound engineer is even more limited, in that their mouse can only operate one thing at a
time. This means that even fading out two faders at the same time is impossible without automation.
15
Automation Modes
Different DAWs will offer different ways of working with automation, but in general there are four modes which you can set
any channel to operate in when using automation:
Read
Reads the automation movements without recording any new changes.
Write
Records new automation data based on the sound engineer’s control movements.
Latch
Reads automation data until something is changed, then records until playback is stopped. The positions of controls are
left where they are released.
Touch
Reads automation data until something is touched and then records for as long as a control is being adjusted. When the
adjusted control is released, the control will revert back to its read position.
As well as recording movements of controls, the automation system in a DAW will also allow the sound engineer to
manually insert or edit a graphical representation of the automation.
16
Synthesis Basics
Sound synthesis is the combining and manipulation of waveforms to create a new sound.
A synthesiser is the device that enables this to happen, offering all the functionality required to be able to alter the waveform
in appealing and interesting ways.
Whether you are using a software synthesiser or hardware, the principle is that multiple components can be chained
together in order to create and manipulate sound.
The basic components used in synthesis are:
VCO
Voltage Controlled Oscillator
This is the tone generator which creates the initial waveform. A synthesiser may have several of these which you can
combine to create new waveforms using waveform interference.
Some synthesisers will enable you to choose between several options for the initial waveform such as sine wave, square
wave and sawtooth wave, each of which have different sounds and harmonic content which can then be manipulated.
VCA
Voltage Controlled Amplifier
This controls the level of the signal.
VCF
Voltage Controlled Filter
The VCF is a filter with a controllable frequency. The filter may be a high pass, low pass or band pass filter. Adjusting the
frequency of the filter will alter what frequency content of the signal can be heard.
LFO
Low Frequency Oscillator
A low frequency oscillator is so called because it is a control which oscillates at a much lower frequency than the tone
generator (VCO).
The LFO is used to modulate characteristics of other components such as the amplifier level or VCF frequency.

VCO AUDIO VCF AUDIO VCA AUDIO MONITOR
AMP
CONTROL
ADSR
17
ADSR Envelope – Attack, Decay, Sustain, Release

The envelope can be assigned to operate other components such as the amplifier or filter. When assigned to the
amplifier, the envelope controls the level of the signal in four phases:
■■ Attack
– The initial impact of the sound when the sound is triggered.
■■ Decay
– The recovery from the attack’s peak phase.
■■ Sustain
– The level at which the signal remains.
■■ Release
– The dissipation of sound once the trigger key has been released.
Max
Amplitude
Key Released
Key pressed
Time
A D S R
Attack Decay Sustain Release
If your DAW has a synthesiser, experiment with the use of these components. If you feel lost at first, load one of the presets
and change the settings to help you understand what they do.
Sonic Fidelity
Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR)

SNR represents the relationship between the wanted signal and the unwanted noise. This might be referred to when
discussing a piece of equipment or perhaps a cable in the case of a balanced system.
The higher the SNR, the less likely the noise is to cause a problem.
Noise Floor
The noise floor is the level at which background noise exists in a system. Generally a better designed piece of audio
circuitry will have a lower noise floor which increases the dynamic range.
Dynamic Range
The dynamic range of a system is the difference between the noise floor and the maximum level that a system can
operate with before distortion occurs.
18
Headroom
Headroom is the level difference between the signal level and the maximum level that the system can operate with before
distortion occurs.
Dynamic Range, Signal to Noise Ratio and Headroom
dB
Distortion Region
+26 Peak Level Clipping Point
Headroom
+4 Nominal Electronic Line Level
SNR Dynamic Range
–65
Noise “Floor”
–95
Sound & Acoustics
Sound Isolation & Transmission Loss

Whether you are working in a commercial recording studio or practicing your craft in your bedroom, sound isolation is
something you will quickly become familiar with.
In a professional studio, the live room (the area where the musicians are recorded) needs to keep out any sounds that
shouldn’t be recorded. It’s not uncommon for a recording studio to be near a noisy road but the studio wouldn’t be very good
if all the recordings it produces contain engine noise and brakes squealing.
Therefore the studio is designed in such a way as to minimise the amount of undesirable sound that enters the room. Music Production Grade 6 | Coursework Edition
The same principle will be important to a bedroom musician, except that they are more likely to be worried about the sound
getting out. It’s nice to be able to work on your music with the speakers turned up every now and again but your neighbours
won’t be very happy if you’re stopping them sleeping.
Sound travels out from the source in every direction until it is either reflected or absorbed by what it encounters. If there is
nothing in the way then it will keep going until the energy in the sound waves dissipate.
It is therefore important that when aiming to minimise sound leakage in or out of a room, that there are no gaps for the
sound to travel through. Open windows or doors are an obvious problem but less obvious is the gap that surrounds a closed
door. Using door seals can fill these gaps. Also ensure that you look around the room for any other small holes that the
sound could get through and block them with something.
19
The construction of the walls, floors and ceilings are all important too. Generally the denser the wall, the greater its ability to
prevent sound travelling through it.
Some materials are denser than others and are therefore better at isolating the sound. Their surface density is measured in
pounds per square foot with a higher number meaning the material is denser.
Here are some examples:
Material (Depth/Thickness) Surface Density (lb/sqft)
Heavy Concrete (12”) 100
Brick (4”) 40
Light Concrete (4”) 33
Steel (single sheet) 10
Sand (1”) 8
Glass (single sheet) 7.5
Lead (1/16”) 4
Plasterboard 3
Wood (1”) 2
From these numbers you can see that concrete is an excellent sound isolator, however, it needs to be very thick. Lead isn’t as
good but it doesn’t need to be as thick to be as effective.
If you have the choice of where to place your recording studio, take a look at what materials have been used to construct
the room or building you’ll be in. Of course if you’re lucky enough to build a studio from scratch, then it’s certainly worth
designing it with these things in mind.
An underground concrete bunker would make a very well isolated recording studio.
20
© Dmitri Ma/Shutterstock
SUMMARY
Theoretical Written Exam 25 [25%]
> Listening Test 15 [15%]
Coursework Task 60 [60%]
The Listening Test section of Rockschool Music Production Examinations covers the following:
■■ Sonic Fidelity
■■ Music Theory & Harmony
■■ Stylistic Awareness
At Grade 6 the aural content covered will include subject areas such as identifying industry standard effects,
diminished and augmented triads, genre specific drum grooves and specific genres.
21
Sonic Fidelity
Objective: Identifying Effects/Plug-ins Including EQ, Reverb, Delay, Compression, Gates and Pitch Correction
As a producer or sound engineer, your aural skills are extremely important as they enable you to hear the music and
production values, so be mindful to always look after them. Avoid listening to music too loud and always be cautious
of listening for too long. If you find yourself unavoidably subjected to high volume levels, be prepared to wear
hearing protection.
Whilst it is difficult to improve your hearing per se, there are ways you can improve your aural skills. This can be achieved
by training your ears and brain to identify the sounds that you hear. Your aural skills are associative in nature i.e. by
associating particular labels to particular sounds, your brain will associate the label with the sound and subsequently you’ll
stand a greater chance of identifying (and ultimately using) these sounds in the future. Always be prepared to listen intently
and be aware that the producer’s analytical ear is one of his/her greatest tools.
It is crucial for any producer to become familiar with each of the effects listed above, and their applications. The advent of
digital technology has now led to most effects being accessed via plug-ins as opposed to dedicated outboard effects, but great
mixes have been created by using both approaches. The general application of each remains the same and every producer
and engineer will always have their own subjective preferences.
Always be mindful to practise identifying effects which exist in pre-recorded audio and also, experiment with using effects
yourself. Some great results have occurred through the whole history of contemporary music due to advancements in
technology and these have even become the catalyst for whole new genres of music (heavy metal, hip hop, electronica to
name a few), so be prepared to be creative.
For the Grade 6 exam, you will be required to identify these effects.
■■ In audio example LSG6SF1.mp3 you will hear a vocal affected with reverb
■■ In audio example LSG6SF2.mp3 you will hear a vocal affected with reverb
■■ In audio example LSG6SF3.mp3 you will hear a guitar affected with chorus
■■ In audio example LSG6SF4.mp3 you will hear a guitar affected with chorus
■■ In audio example LSG6SF5.mp3 you will hear a synth affected by sidechain compression, delay and flanger
Please note, Rockschool uses the term ‘sonic fidelity’ to define anything of an audible nature, but it would be just as likely for this
to be referenced as ‘audio fidelity’ and subsequently both terms should be learnt.
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Listening Skills | Section B
Music Theory & Harmony

Objective: Identify Diminished and Augmented Triads
The major and minor triads represent the core sounds of the majority of music we hear every day. However, there are two
less common but still important triads called diminished and augmented.
The diminished triad is made up of two minor 3rds on top of each other. Like the minor triad, it has a minor 3rd but this
time, the 5th is ‘diminished’, which means lowered or flattened, so would be spelled 1 b 3 b 5, which in the key of C is C E b G b.
The b 5 interval will always produce a high degree of dissonance/tension.
■■ In audio example LSG6H1.mp3, you will hear a C diminished triad chord.
The augmented triad consists of two major 3rds on top of each other and has a more open, mysterious sound. Like the major
triad, it has a major 3rd but the 5th is ‘augmented’, which means raised or sharpened. This triad would be spelled 1 3 # 5,
which in the key of C is C E G #.
■■ In audio example LSG6H2.mp3, you will hear a C augmented triad chord.
Objective: Identify genre by solo drum grooves alone
This content will be covered by the Stylistic Awareness content
■■ In audio example LSG6R1.mp3, you will hear a drum groove in the style of metal.
■■ In audio example LSG6R2.mp3, you will hear a drum groove in the style of jazz.
■■ In audio example LSG6R3.mp3, you will hear a drum groove in the style of hip hop.
■■ In audio example LSG6R4.mp3, you will hear a drum groove in the style of reggae.
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Stylistic Awareness
House
By the late 1970’s, disco DJs had replaced most of the live funk bands across the clubs of America. Club owners wanted
more value for money and one man with a bag of records was considerably cheaper than a full band. Just like the hip hop
pioneers of the same era, disco DJs and producers embraced beat matching, sampling and synthesizing techniques that new
technologies were making possible. As the disco era started to wane in the early eighties, Chicago DJs like Frankie Knuckles
and Ron Hardy began to edit elements of disco, funk and soul together, creating soulful but repetitive ‘dance floor friendly’
tracks. These early house producers then incorporated the Roland TR-303 bass synthesizer and the Roland TR-808 drum
machine into their productions, giving the genre a much stronger electronic aesthetic.
Four-To-The-Floor
The disco revolution saw live drummers playing less syncopated grooves than they had previously working in funk
bands. They introduced the four-to-the-floor technique (playing all 4 downbeats of the measure on the kick drum) into
popular club music. House music kept this technique and was arguably the first of the electronic genres to use it. To this
day it underpins the majority of all house music and that of its sister genre, techno.
Off-Beat Hats
The repeated introduction and removal of an off-beat hi-hat pattern against the four-to-the-floor kick drum, is a staple
rhythmical motif of house music. This simple technique of introducing a prominent hi-hat hit on the quaver off-beat
was incredibly effective at lifting the dynamics of a new section of music.
House Piano
The house piano riff is another notable feature in house music with its syncopated triplet time in the right hand
playing around the rigidity of the four-to-the-floor rhythm track. Harmonically it is not particularly rich and rarely
strays beyond using thirds in its chords. Sonically, house pianos have always sounded synthesized, mainly due to the
limitations of the technology during its early years. Those limitations prevented decent velocity control so in early house
productions, the piano sounds not only synthesized but also very flat in terms of performance. The stark, flat piano
stabs of the early era became part of the fabric of house music and maintains to this day, despite the advances in piano
programming and production.
■■ In audio example LSG6SA1.mp3 you will hear a house recording

24
Listening Skills | Section B
Modern R’n’B
R’n’B is a fusion of soul, hip hop and modern electronic dance music. It is predominantly focused on vocals and chorus
hooks and has unarguably become the pop music of the 2010’s. Harmonically, R’n’B tends to use cadences found in pop
music but with more emphasis on 7th chords rather than just triads. This gives the compositions a smoother, jazzier feel.
R’n’B is one of the few genres that has an almost equal amount of both male and female stars, with both sexes opting to sing
in traditional soul styles and by using rapping techniques, taken from its hip hop influence.
Melisma
From the mid-1980’s, soul singers like Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey popularised the melisma vocal technique
and it is still employed today in modern R’n’B. This technique involves moving through a succession of notes all on
one syllable of text. Western music had mainly adopted the one pitch per syllable method until this point, but there are
obvious examples of vocalists such as Stevie Wonder predating this.
Mariah Carey’s 1990 hit ‘Vision of Love’ contains many uses of the melisma technique and is often cited by R’n’B stars
Beyoncé and Christina Aguilera as the song that inspired them to become singers.
Pitch Correction
Modern R’n’B also became synonymous with extreme pitch correction treatment on its lead vocalists, using plug-ins
like Autotune and Melodyne. The digital wobble created by these effects became the sought after sound for many R’n’B
vocalists and was soon a creative choice rather than a functional one of pitch correction. Its aesthetic became one of the
most easily identifiable characteristics of modern R’n’B, especially amongst male stars like T-Pain and Kanye West.
Drum Programming
After its vocal stylings, it is the programmed drums and percussion of R’n’B that makes it stand out from almost all
other forms of popular music. R’n’B producers have taken influence from a huge range of genres like hip hop, funk and
Latin as well as more underground sub-genres of electronic music like UK garage and dubstep, to create new syncopated
grooves, often with an absence of a strong backbeat. With such variety in its rhythmical influences, it’s no surprise that
a wide range of tempos and grooves can be found within modern R’n’B. Although the genre’s superstars like Beyoncé or
Drake will use live drummers and percussionists for their shows, almost all drum parts on their records are programmed
via drum machines and DAW’s. The sound of the Roland TR808 & TR-909 drums machines are as prevalent in modern
R’n’B as they are in more underground genres like techno.
■■ In audio example LSG6SA2.mp3 you will hear a modern R’n’B recording
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26
© Adil Yusifov/Shutterstock
SUMMARY
Theoretical Written Exam 25 [25%]
Listening Test 15 [15%]
> Coursework Task 60 [60%]
At Grade 6 the Technical Skills will centre around adding effects using buses and auxiliaries. In the Coursework
Task, the candidate may choose to specialise in Audio Production, Electronic Music Production or Sound
for Media:

■■ Audio Production: The scenario will require the use of automation to fix an uneven vocal recording
■■ Electronic Music Production: The scenario will require the creation of an original synth patch that
works with the provided drum groove
■■ Sound for Media: The scenario will require the candidate to create a suitable sonic or musical
atmosphere for the provided image
Candidates must complete the Coursework Task before their exam and will be asked to upload the Task and
screen shots during their exam.
27
Technical Skills
Effects are a great way of enhancing your productions, either to add that professional sheen or to create an unusual and
distinctive sound.
There are two ways of applying effects within a DAW mixer, either you can apply them on the channel of the desired
instrument or you can use a bus send and auxiliary channel.
Which of these options you choose depends on the desired result but us a general rule:
■■ Dynamic Processing – on the instrument channel
■■ Effects – on an auxiliary channel.
This is because dynamic processing is affecting the entire signal on that channel, i.e. a compressor is looking at the dynamic
range of that instrument and changing it all.
An effect such as reverb or delay doesn’t need to affect the whole signal. It’s more likely that you only want a little reverb or a
little delay and you want to be able to control how much.
Also, by using an auxiliary channel for effects, it means that multiple channels can send to that effect without needing to add
another instance of the plugin on every channel. This saves processing power, helping the DAW to perform more efficiently.
28
Coursework Task | Section C
Coursework Task
At Grade 6 and above, you will be able to specialise in one of three areas:
■■ Audio Production – focusing on traditional studio production technique.
■■ Electronic Music Production – focusing on techniques for electronic music genres.
■■ Sound For Media – focusing on techniques relevant to Film and TV sound.
Audio Production
You won’t always be working with artists that are experienced in the recording studio. Even Brian Eno had to start
somewhere before he worked his way up to producing Coldplay and U2.
You may find that the artist needs their hand holding a little and that the recordings you achieve with them require a little
work to smarten them up.
A common issue which affects all vocalists, but more so the less experienced, is an inconsistent recording level. Some
phrases might be easily heard while others fade into the background of the music.
It’s your job to ensure that the words can be heard clearly and that the vocals sit in the mix at an appropriate level. Listen to
a commercially released piece of music that you like and hear how clear the vocals are. This is what you’re trying to achieve.
Compression can solve some of these problems but it also affects the tone of the vocal, so should be reserved for reducing
the last 1% of the dynamic range.
In order to fix any issues with inconsistent level, the channel fader for the vocals should be adjusted, perhaps for every word.
In the early days of recording this would be achieved by ‘Riding the vocal’ – a technique which requires the sound engineer
to sit with his finger on the fader altering it for every word or phrase during the final mix. This would take some rehearsals,
and any mistakes would mean starting again.
These days we have the power of automation to help us and modern DAWs are very capable of performing this task without
too much bother.
For the Audio Production Grade 6 Coursework Task you will be required to use automation to fix an uneven vocal recording.
Electronic Music Production

As an electronic music producer, your sound is your identity.
Think about some of the biggest electronic musicians, they all have a distinctive sound which is instantly recognisable when
it is heard on the radio. This is what you should aspire to achieve.
If you only ever use the preset patches that come with your synthesiser or software instrument, then the best you can achieve Music Production Grade 6 | Coursework Edition
is sounding like everyone else who has that piece of equipment. Be unique.
Your DAW will have numerous software synthesisers available, so using your knowledge of the components and how they
interact, put together an original synth patch. Practise doing this, create lots and lots of patches in the same way that a
successful songwriter will write hundreds of songs to find the one that is a hit.
Use your skills to develop additional layers to the synth, allow the tone to evolve over time using LFOs and envelopes
creating a soundscape on which you can build a new piece of music.
As you become more fluent with the synth components, you will be able to get to a good result more quickly.
For the Electronic Music Production Grade 6 Coursework Task you will be required to create an original synth patch.
29
Sound For Media

Media work comes in all shapes and sizes, from multi million dollar Hollywood blockbusters to small budget sound
design projects.
Almost everything has sound elements and a lot of the time the consumer won’t even notice it’s there. If it wasn’t there,
however, it would seem eerily quiet.
One example is on home entertainment systems which offer menu screens. The sound you hear in these isn’t particularly
complex but it sets a relaxing mood which fills the silence while you interact with the options on screen.
This background sound or music may be used for 10 seconds or 10 minutes, depending on what the user is doing. Therefore
the sound needs to flow in such a way that there is no beginning, middle or end and it must loop without the join being
too noticeable.
For the Sound For Media Grade 6 Coursework Task you will be required to create a suitable sonic or musical atmosphere for
the provided image.
Coursework Task 60 Marks [60%]

Assets for this task can be found
in the book’s downloadable files
Audio production:
You have a deadline - a TV company wants to use a track you have recorded with a singer and which the singer passed on
to a friend. As the track was a rough demo the TV company have complained about the mix of the vocal, saying it is not
clear enough and the lyrics are too hard to make out clearly. Use automation in your DAW to adjust the level of the vocal
phrases, ensuring they are always audible, but not overpowering, all the way through the track. Automate the vocal level
and use compression to smooth the vocals further. To finish off the mix to a professional standard use bus/send effects
to apply tasteful reverb and delay to the vocal. Make sure that the timing of the delay is in sync with the track and sounds
pleasant. You will be given a vocal stem and backing track stem. Do not use or create any other audio. You are not required
to treat the backing track in any way.
When you have finished, save your DAW session, render it to a stereo WAV/AIF file (16bit / 44.1kHz) and upload.
Submission during your exam:
1. Submit a WAV/AIF file (16bit / 44.1kHz) of your finished work

2. Upload a screen shot of your main arrangement view (including automation) and mixer view
30
Coursework Task | Section C
Electronic Music Production:
You have been asked to create a soundscape for a museum installation about Migration. They have requested a synthetic
sound that changes constantly to reflect the movement of people around the world. Create a dynamic synth patch that can
be used over a backing track which you must create from the loops sent by the museum. Use the loops to create a varied
and effective backing track and then use at least 3 different instruments as sound sources for your evolving sound. Use
modulation and effects to give movement to your sound and make sure that these effects are modulated in time with the
backing track.
Use bus effects to separately group and mix the loops in one group and the 3 synth sounds in another, automate the
loop and synth levels to finish off the mix to a professional standard. Use automation in your DAW to adjust the level of
the sounds, ensuring they are always audible but not overpowering, all the way through the track. You should also use
compression to smooth the sounds further.
When you have finished, save your DAW session, render it to a stereo WAV/AIF file (16bit / 44.1kHz) and upload.

Sound for Media:
You have been asked to produce the music for an online advert for a prominent sportswear brand. The music must
create a city soundscape bringing in sound effects which the advert can be edited to. It must be 60 seconds long and
change constantly to reflect the hectic nature of city life. Use some of the included sound sources.
Use bus effects to group and mix your sound sources, automate the different sound effects levels and use compression
to finish off the mix to a professional standard. Use automation in your DAW to adjust the level of the different sounds,
ensuring they are audible but constantly evolving reflecting the life of the city, but not overpowering, all the way through
the track. You should also use compression to smooth the blend of the sounds further.
Once you are happy with your solution, render the master as a stereo WAV/AIF file (16bit / 44.1kHz) and upload.

31
32
Sample Paper
© Evgeny Drablenkov/Shutterstock
The following pages contain examples of the types of questions you will find in the Rockschool Music
Production Grade 6 exam. They give an indication of the content, format, layout and level at this grade.
You will see the sample paper has been split into the same three sections that have been presented earlier in
this workbook:
■■ Part A: Theory
■■ Part B: Listening
■■ Part C: Coursework Task
Please visit www.rslawards.com for detailed information on all Rockschool examinations, including syllabus
specifications, marking schemes and examination entry information.
33
Grade 6 | Sample Paper
Part A: Theory (25%)
Section 1 | Music Production Terminology Total marks for this section: 10
Mark:
Q 1.01 | What device/plugin would you use to achieve a ‘pumping’ sound? 1
Your answer:
Q 1.02 | What device would you use to make it seem like the singer is in a large room? 1
Your answer:
Q 1.03 | What is meant by a ‘Lossy audio file format’? 1
Your answer:
Q 1.04 | What is meant by a ‘Lossless audio file format’? 1
Your answer:
Q 1.05 | What is a balanced system designed to minimise? 1
Your answer:
34
Sample Paper | Grade 6
Q 1.06 | The connections on a balanced system are hot, screen and…? 1
Your answer:
Q 1.07 | What name is used for internet based data storage? 1
Your answer:
Q 1.08 | Name a disadvantage of using cloud storage for audio: 1
Your answer:
Q 1.09 | Which plugin would you use to automatically repeat notes which are already present in a recorded 1
instrumental or vocal part?
Your answer:
Q 1.10 | Which plugin or function would you use to create ‘the Cher effect’? 1
Your answer:
35
Section 2: Sound & Audio Fundamentals Total marks for this section: 10
Mark:
Q 2.01 | How might you use an ambient microphone technique to enhance a drum recording? 1
Your answer:
Q 2.02 | How might you process the ambient microphones of a drum recording to make the drums 1
sound bigger?
Your answer:
Q 2.03 | What is automation? 1
Your answer:
Q 2.04 | What is latch mode? 1

Your answer:
Q 2.05 | What is sound synthesis? 1
Your answer:
36
Q 2.06 | In synthesis, what is VCO short for? 1
Your answer:
Q 2.07 | What is dynamic range? 1
Your answer:
Q 2.08 | What is signal to noise ratio? 1
Your answer:
Q 2.09 | What is sound isolation? 1
Your answer:
Q 2.10 | Which has the greater surface density, glass (single sheet) or wood (1”)? 1
Your answer:
37
Section 3: Glossary Total marks for this section: 5
Mark:
Q 3.01 | What is additive synthesis? 1
Your answer:
Q 3.02 | What is another name for ADSR? 1
Your answer:
Q 3.03 | What is a bandpass filter? 1
Your answer:
Q 3.04 | What is a budget? 1
Your answer:
Q 3.05 | What is a machine room? 1
Your answer:
38
Part B: Listening (15%)
Section 4: Listening Skills Total marks for this section: 15
Mark:
You have been provided with a selection of audio files to enable you to answer the following questions.
Q 4.01 | Which effect can you hear on the vocals? (Audio file EXLSG6SF1.mp3)(Tick one box) 3
§ Reverb
§ Delay
Q 4.02 | Which effect can you hear on the guitar? (Audio file EXLSG6SF2.mp3)(Tick one box) 3
§ Chorus
§ Flanger
Q 4.03 | Choose 3 effects that you can hear being used on the synth melody: (Audio file EXLSG6SF3.mp3) 3
(Tick three boxes)
§ Reverb
§ Delay
§ Sidechain compression
§ Flanger
§ Chorus Music Production Grade 6 | Coursework Edition
Q 4.04 | Which piano chord is an augmented triad, chord A or chord B? (Audio file EXLSG6H1.mp3) 1
(Tick one box)
§A
§B
39
Q 4.05 | Which piano chord is an diminished triad, chord A or chord B? (Audio file EXLSG6H2.mp3) 1
(Tick one box)
§A
§B
Q 4.06 | Identify the genre from the following solo drum groove: (Audio file EXLSG6R1.mp3)(Tick one box) 1
§ Metal
§ Hip hop
§ Reggae
Q 4.07 | Identify the genre from the following solo drum groove: (Audio file EXLSG6R2.mp3)(Tick one box) 1
§ Rock
§ Jazz
§ Reggae
Q 4.08 | In which genre would you classify the following audio clip? (Audio file EXLSG6SA1.mp3)(Tick one box) 2
§ Modern R’n’B
§ Reggae
§ House
§ Jazz
40
Part C: Coursework Task (60%)
Section 5: Coursework Task Total marks for this section: 60

15
Mark:
Q 5.01 | Bring your coursework task and screen shots to your exam – you will be asked to upload these 60
during the exam. There will also be a number of questions for you to answer regarding the task.
These will focus on:
■■ The skills used to complete the task

■■ How you approached the professional nature of the task
■■ How you interpreted the creative elements
41
Glossary
1/4" Jack
A kind of jack connector with a diameter of approximately 1/4".
2.1 Sound
An audio format which uses the traditional left and right of stereo but adds a subwoofer. The subwoofer does not have
its own discrete channel, but rather is fed the lower frequencies of the left and right signal via a crossover.
3.5mm Jack
Also known as mini-jack. A kind of jack connector with a diameter of approximately 3.5mm. Most commonly used by
consumer headphones.
5.1 Surround Sound

A surround sound format which uses 6 speakers: left, centre, right, left surround, right surround and subwoofer.
7.1 Surround Sound

A surround sound format which uses 8 speakers: left, centre, right, left surround, right surround, left back surround,
right back surround and subwoofer.
AB
A stereo microphone technique where two omnidirectional microphones are placed apart from each other, where their
placement adheres to the 3:1 rule. This technique provides a very wide stereo image.
Ableton Live
A digital audio workstation which is very popular with electronic musicians due to its focus on real time interaction.
Acoustic Instrument
A musical instrument which creates sound without the need for electrical power, for example, an acoustic guitar, drum
or piano.
ADAT Lightpipe
An optical digital data transfer connection, capable of transferring 8 channels of high quality audio at once.
Additive Synthesis
A synthesis method that builds waveforms by adding sine waves together.
ADSR
Attack, decay, sustain and release are the four stages of an envelope that describe the shape of a sound over time.
AFL
An initialism of ‘after fade listen’, used to solo a channel after the fader.
After Touch
A force that is applied by a performer to the key on a controller after it has been initially pressed.
42
Glossary
.aif
A file suffix (also known as .aiff) used for AIFF files.
AIFF
An acronym of ‘audio interchange file format’. This file format is considered high quality as it is a lossless format. It has
largely been superseded by Wav in the interest of compatibility.
AKG C1000
A rugged condenser microphone often used in live situations to amplify drum kits.
AKG C414
A high quality large diaphragm condenser microphone with a switchable polar pattern, mainly used in studio situations
for instruments such as acoustic guitars, pianos and vocals.
AKG C451 \ AKG C451B

A small condenser microphone with good balance between quality and price. Often used for stereo miking acoustic
guitars or drum kits.
AKG D112
An industry standard dynamic microphone, most commonly used for recording kick drums.
Algorithm
A code supplied to a computer for the purpose of solving a problem such as how to create artificial reverb.
Aliasing
A digital audio term for ‘ghost’ frequencies’, created when trying to record frequencies greater than one-half the system’s
sample rate.
All Notes Off

A message sent to a MIDI device to instruct it to cease generation of all MIDI notes.
Ambience
The sound that a room or space adds to the original sound source.

Ambient
The ambience features highly in the sound.
Amp/Amplifier
An electrical or electronic device which increases the amplitude of a signal.
Amplitude
The measurement of the change in atmospheric pressure caused by sound waves.
Analogue
Constantly varying. Refers to audio devices which are not digital.
43
Glossary
Analogue Synthesis
The method of sound synthesis which relies on standard waveforms to create new sounds. The amplitude, frequency and
harmonic content of these waveforms can be manipulated to produce an infinite number of differing results.
App Store
An abbreviation of ‘application store’, an online cloud based service which provides access to new applications. Many
software companies use an application store, such as Apple, Microsoft and Google.
Arpeggiator
A device which takes the notes of a chord and plays them sequentially.
Arrange Window
The main area of a DAW which enables the user to organise and edit audio clips.
Artist Manager
The person or company who looks after the interests of the artist. This might include negotiating their contracts,
managing finances, organising transport and other logistics or managing their diary to ensure they are in the right place
at the right time.
Attack
Attack represents the time the sound takes to rise from an initial value of zero to its maximum level. On a compressor
or gate the attack control is used to define how much of the audio signal’s transient is allowed to pass before the device
reacts.
Attenuate
To make quieter.
Audio File
An audio recording in digital format, most commonly on a computer system.
Audio Interface
The computer peripheral which enables the user to input and output audio from a computer, converting the analogue
sound into digital when recording and the digital back into audio when played back.
Audio Track
A type of channel in a DAW which is used for recording or playing back audio files.
Automation
The function which automates the variation of settings in a DAW or high level mixing desk.
Automation Track/Lane
A type of channel view in a DAW which shows the automation recorded to that channel. In most DAWs the automation
is overlayed on top of the recorded audio or other channel content.
Aux
An abbreviation of ‘auxiliary’.
44
Glossary
Auxiliary
This refers to the function of a mixing desk which can send part of a signal in a channel to an additional destination.
Often used for sending a varying amount of signal to a reverb or other effects.
Auxiliary Track
A type of channel in a DAW which is used purely for routing and processing audio.
Backup
A copy of the materials from a project, created to ensure that nothing is lost if the originals are damaged.
Balanced
A type of connection between two devices which uses a twin core and screen cable, using common mode rejection to
reduce external interference. Commonly uses either XLR, 1/4” jack or bantam connectors.
Bandpass Filter
A type of filter which removes frequencies above and below a determined frequency.
Bandwidth
The range of audio frequencies which directly influence the fidelity of a sound.
Bass Guitar
A kind of guitar with a register that is one octave below a traditionally pitched guitar. In its most common 4-string
format, the pitching mirrors the lowest four strings of a traditional guitar.
Binary
A mathematical term used in digital electronics. A binary number is a number expressed as either a 0 or 1, referring to
‘off ’ and ‘on’, or in simple terms ‘there is no electricity’ or ‘there is electricity’.
Bit
One binary digit.
Bit Depth
The accuracy with which the amplitude of a signal can be measured when sampling. A higher bit depth achieves better

quality.
Bluetooth
A wireless connection technology, mainly used for consumer peripherals such as connecting mice or keyboards to
computers or connecting mobile telephones to handsfree devices.
Boost
To raise the level of an audio signal or part of an audio signal in the case of equalisation.
Bounce
The creation of a new mix file from the audible elements of a session.
45
Glossary
Budget
An amount of money invested to fund a project.
Bus
An internal connection in a mixing desk that carries the signal from one place to another. Also emulated in DAWs,
sometimes referred to as ‘sends’.
Cable
A wire which connects two devices, normally coated in rubber or plastic for durability.
.caf
A file suffix used for CAF files.
CAF
An acronym of ‘core audio format’. This is a file format developed by Apple, to enable users to create large file sizes for
example, long audio recordings.
Capacitor
An electronic component, containing two opposing conductive plates with a voltage potential difference across them. A
capacitor is a core component in a condenser microphone.
Cardioid
A microphone polar pattern. Cardioid pattern mics are most sensitive to sounds in front of the mic, rejecting sounds
from the rear.
Cashflow
A way of tracking how much money is available over time. Cash Flow is different to a budget as it takes account of any
money coming in as time passes.
CD
An abbreviation of ‘compact disc’.
CD-ROM
An acronym of ‘compact disc read only memory’. CDs can store both audio for playback on consumer CD players or
data for retrieval by computers using a CD-ROM drive.
Cello
A wooden stringed-instrument with four tuned strings. Commonly used in classical music as well as many other genres.
It is larger than a viola, giving it a deeper sound and lower pitch.
Channel (MIDI)
One of 16 different paths of data that can be used to carry MIDI messages.
Channel (Mixing Desk)

A default signal path through a mixing desk. A mixing desk will have a set number of channels, each of which will be
numbered.
46
Glossary
Chord
A musical collection of notes played at the same time to form harmony.
Chord Progression
A sequence of chords.
Chorusing
An effect which makes a single sound appear to sound like an ensemble. The signal is duplicated and delayed slightly
with a subtle variation of pitch. These time and pitch differences are controlled by a low frequency oscillator (LFO) to
provide a subtle variation to the sound.
Chrome
An internet browser created and developed by Google.
Close Miking
A microphone technique where a microphone is placed close to an instrument so as to minimise the spill from other
instruments or the effects of the room reverberation.
Cloud Storage
An area of file storage based on a remote server which can only be accessed via an internet connection. This makes it
possible to share or work on files from any location with an internet connection, greatly aiding collaboration.
Coincident Pair
A type of XY stereo microphone technique where the capsules are as close together as possible.
Collaboration
A method of working which involves working with others with the shared goal of achieving something greater than what
may have been achieved in isolation.
Compact Disc
An optical digital audio medium used for sharing music. Compact disc was the largest selling music medium from the
late 80’s to early 2000s and remains widely used. A CD can hold 74 minutes of stereo audio or up to 700MB of data.

Compression Pumping
An effect achieved by using a compressor’s sidechain input to trigger high ratio dramatic compression on the rest of
a track using a kick drum or other fast transient audio signal. The effect of this pumping can be adjusted with the
compressor’s attack and release controls.
Compressor
An audio device which reduces the dynamic range of a signal.
Computer
The hardware which hosts the DAW software, typically an Apple Macintosh or Windows PC.
47
Glossary
Computer Keyboard
A computer peripheral used for entering letters into a computer. It can also be used with certain software applications to
trigger shortcut functions.
Condenser
A microphone design which uses a capacitor and requires 48v phantom power. Achieves a crisp and clear sound.
Console
Also known as mixing desk or mixing console.
Constructive Interference
When two or more waveforms are combined a new waveform is produced which is a sum of the originals.
Continuous Controller
A type of MIDI message that is generated by the movement of a variable controller such as the pitch bend or modulation
wheel.
Contrabass
It is larger than a cello, giving it a deeper sound and lower pitch. It is commonly transposed up an octave due to the
notes it is capable of, requiring excessive ledger lines making it difficult to read.
Control Room
The part of a recording studio where the sound engineer will operate the equipment such as the mixing desk.
Controller Keyboard
An emulation of the piano which is unable to generate sounds on its own. It will generally be MIDI enabled so will use
the MIDI protocol to trigger sounds on a synthesiser.
Copy
A computer software function common to most software which takes a selected proportion and copies it to the
clipboard (RAM).
CPU
An abbreviation of ‘central processing unit’. A silicon chip that performs calculations and acts as the ‘brain’ of a
computer.
Crossover
An electronic device which divides up the frequency spectrum so that the different frequency ranges can be sent to
different speakers, for example, a tweeter for high frequencies and woofer for lower frequencies.
Cubase
A digital audio workstation (DAW) created and developed by Steinberg.
48
Glossary
Cut
Another name for mute used to silence signal paths on a mixing desk, e.g. channel or auxiliaries. Also used to refer to a
reduction in level when using equalisation.
Cut
A computer software function, common to most software which takes a selected proportion and copies it to the
clipboard (RAM) while simultaneously deleting it from its original location.
D-Sub
A kind of connector used in computing and audio applications, which has multiple pins. There are numerous sizes,
the most common of which in audio technology would be the DB-25, which has twenty five pins capable of carrying
8 channels of balanced analogue audio (either 8 in one direction or 4 in and 4 out). It may also be used in digital audio
applications using the TDIF standard.
DAT
An abbreviation of ‘digital audio tape’.
DAW
An abbreviation of ‘digital audio workstation’.
De-esser
A device which is used to balance out the sibilance in a performance. It combines a compressor and EQ in one device.
The EQ is used to boost the sibilant frequencies of the input (normally a vocal) which causes the compressor to
compress these frequencies more than the others.
Deadline
The agreed time by which a project must be delivered.
Decay
In synthesis, decay is the time taken for the signal to fall to the sustain level.
Delay
An echo effect.
Delete Music Production Grade 6 | Coursework Edition

A computer software function, common to most software which removes a selected portion.
Destructive Editing
The editing of an original file or recording, which cannot be undone.
Digital
A digital device uses binary to function.
Digital Audio
Audio recorded to a digital device such as a computer.
49
Glossary
Digital Audio Tape

A linear medium which uses tape to record sound as digital data. Introduced in 1987, it was once the industry standard
for recording final mixes before sending to be duplicated.
Digital Audio Workstation

Music production software for recording and editing MIDI and audio data. Examples include Cubase, Logic, Pro Tools,
Garageband and Ableton Live. The DAW can be used for recording audio, editing audio, cutting up and rearranging
audio recordings and loops, mixing, creating MP3 files and many other functions.
Digital Signal Processing

The action of a computer processor altering an audio signal. DSP can be native (using the computer’s CPU) or using a
dedicated DSP hardware for example, in high end Pro Tools systems or UAD peripherals.
Digital Synthesis
Artificial sound synthesis, generated using a digital system.
DIN
A five pin plug or socket, most commonly used by MIDI devices, but can also carry audio when connected to audio
devices.
Distortion
When the maximum sound level of an analogue device is exceeded. Unlike digital clipping, analogue distortion can be
appealing for example, when overloading a guitar amplifier.
DJ
A performer who plays back pre-recorded material, crossfading between tracks. A modern DJ may also create content of
his own for playback and interact with the music.
Drum Editor
A piano roll style DAW editor but tuned to enable easier drum editing.
Drum Kit
A rhythmic instrument commonly used in modern music featuring a combination of drums and cymbals.
Drum Machine
A hardware device or software instrument used to create drum patterns.
Dry
With no effects added to the signal.
DSP
An initialism of ‘digital signal processing’.
Duck
When the duck function is active, the signal arriving at the key input causes the signal at the input to lower in level.
50
Glossary
Duplicate
A computer software function, common to most software which takes a selected portion and replicates it immediately
after the original instance.
DVD
An initialism of ‘digital versatile disc’. An optical format much like a CD but with far greater storage capacity. This made
it the standard for consumer video playback.
DVD-ROM
DVDs can be used to store video content for playback on consumer DVD players, or data which can be retrieved by
computer systems using a DVD-ROM drive. This is a cost effective medium for sharing large session files with others if a
network transfer isn’t practical.
Dynamic
A microphone design which uses electro-magnetism to convert acoustic energy into electrical energy.
Dynamic Range
The difference in decibels between the quietest and the loudest points in a signal, or the noise floor and the maximum
level an audio system can handle.
Dynamics
The variation in perceived level of a mix.
Ear
The part of the human body which enables us to hear sound. It converts acoustic energy into electrical nerve impulses
for the brain to interpret as audio.
Echo
When a sound bounces off a surface and returns to the listener later than the original sound. Emulated in audio
production using a delay effect.
Editing
The process of altering the arrangement of recorded audio or MIDI data in order to composite a more favourable
version.
Effects
Hardware devices or plugins which are used to enhance or alter the sound, such as reverb, delays, chorus, flange, phasing
and many others.
Electric Guitar
A guitar which uses an electromagnetic pickup to convert the vibrations in the strings to waves of electricity, which is
then amplified to create sound.
Electrical Sound Source

A source of sound which is created through electrical means for example, a synthesiser.
51
Glossary
Electronic Drum Kit

A set of MIDI triggers which are arranged like a real drumkit, allowing a drummer to perform quietly using artificial
synthesised sounds.
Electronic Drums
A synthesised drum kit, which can be played using specialist triggers, such as an electronic drum kit or pads.
Electrostatic
Another name given to a condenser or capacitor microphone.
Emulation
The effect of recreating something analogue in the digital domain. For example, a software instrument piano is an
emulation of a real piano.
Envelope
Changes in sound over time: attack, decay, sustain and release.
Envelope Generator
A device which generates an attack, decay, sustain and release signal for processing in synthesis.
EQ
An abbreviation of ‘equaliser’, a function which alters the tone of the input signal.
Equalisation
The process of changing the frequency content, tone or timbre of an audio signal.
Error Correction
A process undertaken by a digital audio system to replace missing data from a waveform.
Ethernet
The name given to the networking standards of LAN devices. It most commonly uses an RJ45 cable.
Event Editor
A DAW editor window which enables the editing of individual MIDI events using text.
Expander
An audio device which works much like the opposite of a compressor, in that it increases the dynamic range of a signal
so that the quiet signals are made even quieter. It can be used instead of a gate to achieve a more natural effect.
Expenditure
Money that is spent on a project.
Fade In
To gradually increase an audio signal from nothing to its normal level.
52
Glossary
Fade Out
To gradually reduce the level of a signal until it disappears.
Fader
The component on a mixing desk which adjusts the channel level. Faders are also emulated in DAWs.
Filter
A type of equaliser that removes certain frequencies, depending on the type of filter.
Finder
The area of the Apple OSX operating system which enables users to organise files and folders.
Firefox
An internet browser created and developed by Mozilla.
Firewire
A peripheral connection with two different versions available; Firewire 400 and 800. The number represents the speed in
Mbps. It may also be referred to as IEEE 1394.
FL Studio
A digital audio workstation, originally called ‘Fruity Loops’ but renamed as it grew more popular. Created and developed
by Image-Line.
FLAC
An acronym of ‘free lossless audio coding’. A lossless audio format which features a smaller file size than Wav, but
without losing quality like MP3.
Flange
A modulation effect which uses a delayed version of the signal mixed in with the original, with the time difference
altered over time by a low frequency oscillator.
Frequency
The rate at which something vibrates, measured in cycles per second (Hertz/Hz). In sound, the higher the frequency of a

sound wave then the higher the pitch that we hear.
Fundamental Frequency
The core frequency within a sound which determines its musical pitch.
Gain
A function of an amplifier circuit, which makes the signal louder. Among other places you will find it at the input stage
of a mixing desk channel to control how much signal is entering the console.
Garageband
An entry level digital audio workstation, created and developed by Apple. Currently supplied free with every new Apple
Macintosh computer.
53
Glossary
Gate
An audio device which helps to remove unwanted signals below a certain threshold for example, to remove the sound of
the cymbals from a snare microphone.
Gigabit Ethernet
A standard of ethernet which is capable of speeds of up to 1 gigabit per second.
Graphic Equaliser
A type of equaliser which divides the frequency spectrum into bands, typically by octaves or 1/3rd of an octave.
Guitar Pickup
The component of a guitar which converts the vibration of the string into electrical energy using an electromagnetic
field.
Half Normalled (Patch Bay)

When a patch bay is half normalled, the top socket and bottom socket of the row are connected together unless a cable is
inserted into the bottom socket.
Hard Disk
Also referred to as ‘hard drive’ or ‘hard disk drive’. This is the local storage in a computer system, where files are saved to
be retained after the computer has been switched off.
Hard Drive
Also referred to as ‘hard disk’ or ‘hard disk drive’. This is the local storage in a computer system, where files are saved to
be retained after the computer has been switched off.
HDD
An initialism of ‘hard disk drive’.
Headphone
A portable pair of speakers which can be worn on the head.
Headphone Volume
The function on a device which alters the volume specific to the headphones. This control would be independent of the
volume sent to the main monitor speakers in a studio.
Headroom
The difference between the signal level and the maximum output that a system can handle before distorting.
Hertz
The unit of frequency, cycles per second, abbreviated ‘Hz’.
High Fidelity
High quality audio.
54
Glossary
High Pass Filter

A filter which allows all frequencies above a set threshold to pass, but removes everything below that frequency.
High Pass Filter

A type of equalisation which allows the engineer to remove all frequencies below a defined frequency, allowing the
higher frequencies to pass.
High Shelf
A type of equalisation which allows the engineer to boost or cut all frequencies above a set frequency.
HPF
An initialism of ‘high pass filter’.
Hz
An abbreviation of ‘hertz’.
Insert Point
The point in a signal chain where a device can be inserted. On some mixing desks there is a dedicated insert point before
or after the EQ, which enables the signal to be sent to an external device such as a compressor. The insert concept is
emulated in a DAW as a plugin slot.
Internet
The global system of connected computers which use a standard communication protocol.
Internet Explorer
An internet browser created and developed by Microsoft.
Isolation (Acoustics)
Limiting the amount of sound which can pass from one space to another. For example, sound isolation would be
recommended to prevent road noise from outside entering a recording studio so that the noise isn’t recorded.
iTunes
An application created and developed by Apple for purchasing, organising and listening to music files. It can also be used

for managing the content on Apple’s smart devices such as iPhones, iPods and iPads and stream content to Apple TVs.
iTunes Store
Apple’s online music and multimedia purchasing/rental service. Music, film and TV shows can be purchased/rented and
downloaded immediately. The user will be required to set up an Apple ID.
Jack Connector
A male connector commonly used in patch bays, line level equipment and guitar connections.
Jitter
Inaccuracies in the PCM process caused by a poor time clock in the digital system.
55
Glossary
Key Input
An input on a gate or expander. The gate or expander uses the key input as its trigger, making it possible to have the
gate react to something other than the signal that is being processed. For example, you could have a synth pad playing
through the gate with a hi-hat fed into the key input, meaning that the synth would only be heard when the hi-hat
is played.
Keyboard
An electronic version of a piano, regarded as an artificial sound source as it requires a synthesiser to make sound.
Keyboard Split
A keyboard or sampler function which enables the user to trigger different sounds on the left and right halves of the
keyboard. The split point can be changed.
Knee
A function of a compressor which determines how severely the dynamics of a signal are affected when they exceed the
threshold.
LAN
An acronym of ‘local area network’.
Latch Mode (Automation)

An automation mode which allows existing automation to be altered during playback. When alterations are complete the
final altered value is retained.
Launchpad
A part of the Apple OSX operating system which provides a shortcut to all the installed applications.
Layering
Recording additional parts over the top of existing parts, so that they sound like one part when they are mixed together.
For example, a string section playing the same melody as a piano.
LCD
An initialism of ‘liquid crystal display’. Most commonly found as small screens.
Level
The absolute volume of an audio signal in electrical terms.
LFE
An initialism of ‘low frequency effects’, which refers to the subwoofer used in surround systems.
LFO
An initialism of ‘low frequency oscillator’.
Limiter
A type of compressor which reduces the dynamic range drastically, using a very high ratio above the set threshold.
56
Glossary
Line Input
Used for connecting line level devices, such as synthesisers or outboard equipment.
Line Level
The nominal reference level of an audio system, which could be -10dBv or +4dBu.
Linear Editing
The historical editing process which involved cutting tape in order to make edits. This was very limiting, and has since
been superseded by non-linear editing.
Live Room
The part of a recording studio where the performance takes place and microphones are used to record.
Lo-Fi
An abbreviation of ‘low fidelity’. Sometimes used for creative effect.
Local Area Network

A network of computer systems connected by ethernet in a contained location for example within a studio complex
or home.
Local On/Off
A mode on a keyboard which connects or disconnects the controller element from any synthesiser element.
Logic Pro
A digital audio workstation, originally created by a company called C-Lab, and now owned and developed by Apple.
.logicx
The file suffix for a Logic Pro X session file.
Loop
A repeating pattern of MIDI data or segment of audio.

Lossless
A type of file format which maintains the original quality of the audio recording. For example, Wav, AIFF, FLAC.
Lossy
A type of file format which by making the file size smaller, it also has a negative impact on the quality of the audio itself.
For example, MP3, AAC.
Low Fidelity
Low quality audio. Sometimes used for creative effect.
Low Frequency Oscillator

A device used in synthesis to alter the audio signal at a relatively slow pace when compared to a signal generating
oscillator.
57
Glossary
Low Pass Filter

A type of equalisation which allows the engineer to remove all frequencies above a defined frequency allowing the lower
frequencies to pass.
Low Shelf
A type of equalisation which allows the engineer to boost or cut all frequencies below a set frequency.
LPF
An initialism of ‘low pass filter’.
Machine Room
The part of a recording studio where any noisy equipment is stored. This will generally only be found in commercial
studios, with large mixing consoles which require noisy power supplies.
MADI
An acronym of ‘multichannel audio digital interface’. A high quality digital audio transfer protocol, which is capable of
carrying up to 64 channels of audio and at samples rates of up to 96kHz. You are unlikely to find this level of technology
in a home studio, but far more likely in a professional studio or in high end location recording.
Marker
A way of labeling time or arrangement locations in a DAW project, for example verse 1, chorus, middle 8 etc.
Memory Stick
A term used to describe a USB flash based storage device. The term memory stick was initially used by Sony, but has
since become a term used for all such devices.
Metronome
A device which emits a regular click in time with the tempo and time signature.
Mic Level
An abbreviation of microphone level. Due to their design microphones output only a small amount of current, which
requires the input circuitry to be very sensitive.
Microphone
A transducer, which converts acoustic sound into electrical signal.
Mid-Side
A stereo microphone technique where a figure of 8 microphone is placed at 90 degrees to a cardioid. The figure of 8
microphone is used to collect left and right, while the cardioid is focused on the subject. The figure of 8 microphone’s
signal is split, panned left and right, with one side phase inverted. As the left and right will then be canceled out when
summed to mono, this makes the technique very good for mono compatibility without requiring remixing.
MIDI
An acronym of ‘musical instrument digital interface’. The protocol used to transmit and receive musical information
between MIDI devices. This could be used for many purposes, including triggering notes on a synthesiser and adjusting
settings on an effects processor.
58
Glossary
MIDI In
The MIDI input connector of a device.
MIDI Interface
A device which enables MIDI devices to be connected to a computer. Some MIDI devices now use USB to avoid the
need for a MIDI interface.
MIDI Keyboard
A piano like electronic device for triggering a MIDI synthesiser, or recording into a DAW.
MIDI Merge
A device which combines the MIDI output of two devices into one input of another.
MIDI Message
An instruction sent between MIDI devices for control purposes.
MIDI Out
The MIDI output connector of a device.
MIDI Pickup
A guitar pickup which can convert the vibration of the strings into MIDI note data, making it possible to play
synthesized sounds with a guitar.
MIDI Port
A female MIDI connector on a MIDI device which enables connection to other MIDI devices using a MIDI cable. Ports
include ‘in’, ‘out’ and ‘thru’.
MIDI Thru
A MIDI connector which enables MIDI devices to be chained together. All data that arrives at the MIDI input of the
device is replicated at the MIDI thru port for passing on to the next device.
MIDI Track
A type of channel in a DAW which is used for recording and playing back MIDI data. It creates no sound in itself and

requires its output to be routed to a MIDI synthesiser or software instrument on a different channel.
Mini Jack
Also known as 3.5mm jack. A kind of jack connector with a diameter of approximately 3.5mm. Most commonly used by
consumer headphones.
Minidisc
An evolution of the CD, which housed the optical disc inside a plastic case making it smaller and more durable.
Mix
The version of a recording which features all the required recorded elements balanced together coherently.
59
Glossary
Mix Window
An area of a DAW which enables the user to balance the levels of the recorded sounds.
Mixer
The device in a recording studio which acts as the central hub, altering the audio signal or directing it to different
locations. Also referred to as mixing desk or mixing console.
Mixing
The process of balancing the relative level of the recorded audio tracks. The ideal result being a coherent and well-
balanced sound.
Mixing Desk
The device in a recording studio which acts as the central hub, altering the audio signal or directing it to different
locations.
Modulation Wheel
A controller found on musical keyboards which enables the musician to control many elements of the sound of the
performance. Modulation is a controller in itself, but the modulation wheel can be assigned to any other controller such
as filter cutoff.
Monaural
A single channel of audio.
Monitor Display
The visual interface of a computer system.
Monitor Speaker
The main set of speakers that the sound engineer will use to listen to their mix in the studio.
Mono
An abbreviation of ‘monaural’.
Monophonic
A limitation of some synthesisers that can only play one note at a time.
Mouse
A common computer peripheral used to control the pointer on screen.
MP3
An abbreviation of ‘mpeg-2 audio layer 3’. A lossy compressed audio format, which has a smaller file size than a WAV
file. Their combination of small file size and acceptable audio quality have made them very popular with consumers.
MS
An initialism of ‘mid-side’.
60
Glossary
Multitimbral
A multi timbral synthesiser is capable of playing more than one type of sound at a time.
Multitrack
The system of recording invented by Guitar pioneer Les Paul, where recordings can be layered over each other,
regardless of when they are recorded. For example, a guitar recorded first, then the vocal added over the top at a later
time or date.
Mute
The function which silences a device or channel.
My Computer
The area of the Microsoft Windows operating system which enables users to organise files and folders.
Natural Sound Source

A source of sound which is created through natural means, for example, the vibration of a string or drum skin.
Near Coincident Pair

A type of XY stereo microphone technique where the capsules are within 30cm of each other but not immediately next
to each other.
Neumann U87
A very high quality large diaphragm condenser microphone with a switchable polar pattern, it is considered to be an
industry standard in commercial studios, used for vocals, acoustic guitars, pianos and other acoustic instruments.
Noise
Unwanted sound, such as hiss, hum or buzz.
Non-Destructive Editing
The type of editing employed by modern DAW software, where the original file is not affected by changes made to it in
the software.
Non-Linear Editing

A non destructive form of editing, as used in modern DAW software.
Normalled (Patch Bay)

When a patch bay is normalled, the top socket and bottom socket of the row are connected together unless a cable is
inserted into either the top or bottom socket.
Note On
A MIDI message which triggers a note to sound.
Nyquist Frequency
The highest frequency that a digital audio system can capture accurately.
61
Glossary
Octave
12 semitones. One octave up is double the frequency of the starting pitch.
Offline
Any computer action which takes place through local processing.
Operating System
The software installed on a computer which controls its most basic functions, such as how it communicates with
peripherals and interacts with other installed software applications. The operating system is the graphic user interface
that the user interacts with.
Oscillator
An electronic device which generates a constant waveform. Used to generate sound waves in synthesis.
OSX
An operating system created and developed by Apple which comes preinstalled on all new Apple Macintosh computers.
Outboard Device
Any piece of equipment which is not part of the mixing desk or computer system.
Pan
An abbreviation of ‘panorama’. Commonly referring to the pan pot, a control on a mixing desk or DAW channel which
moves the signal from left to right in the stereo image.
Parallel
A set of sockets on a patch bay, which enable the engineer to duplicate the signal. Also referred to as a ‘mult’.
Parameters
Programmable elements of device or system.
Parametric EQ
An accurate form of equalisation, where the gain, frequency and Q factor can all be changed.
Paste
A computer software function, common to most software which inserts the contents of the clipboard at a chosen
location.
Patch
Settings that have been saved for future recall in hardware devices such as synthesisers or effects units.
Patch Cable
A short cable which is used to make connections on a patch bay. Some guitarists also use patch cables to connect their
pedals together due to their conveniently short length.
62
Glossary
Patch Bay
A series of rackmount sockets, which represent every connection in the studio. This makes it possible to connect two
devices together without running cables across the room and overcoming inaccessible rear connections.
PCM
An initialism of ‘pulse code modulation’.
Period
One cycle of an oscillation for example, a sound wave.
Peripheral
An external device that can be connected to a computer system to enhance its capabilities, e.g. audio interface, MIDI
interface, keyboard, monitor, mouse.
Personnel
The people involved in a project or task.
PFL
An initialism of ‘pre fade listen’. This enables signal to be sent from a channel independently of the fader level. A
common use is for headphone mixes.
Phantom Power
The 48v power supply required by condenser microphones.
Phasing
A delay based modulation effect.
Phono Connector
Also known as RCA connector.
Piano
A stringed instrument which uses keys to trigger hammers that strike the strings.
Piano Roll Editor Music Production Grade 6 | Coursework Edition

A DAW editor window which enables the manipulation of MIDI note data, which is arranged in a matrix with the piano
keys from top to bottom and time from left to right.
Pitch
A fixed note, determined by its fundamental frequency.
Pitch Bend
A MIDI controller found on most keyboards, which enables the musician to change the pitch of the sound during the
performance, bending the note.
63
Glossary
Pitch Correction
The process of correcting the pitching of a performance. DAWs offer this basic functionality, however bespoke plugin
solutions are offered such as Melodyne and Autotune.
Plugin
An optional piece of software, which operates within a DAW. Many plugins are supplied with a DAW, however further
plugins can be purchased from 3rd party manufacturers. There are several formats of plugin, including Audiounit, AAX,
VST, RTAS.
Polyphonic
An ability to reproduce multiple notes at once, unlike monophonic.
Post-fader
Anything that occurs after the fader in channel signal flow.
Pot
An abbreviation of ‘potentiometer’.
Potentiometer
A variable resistor, which exists on mixing consoles in the form of knobs such as gain, EQ and pan.
Pre-fader
Anything which occurs before the fader in chanel signal flow.
Preamp
An amplifier which brings the input signal up to an acceptable operating level for example, the gain stage of a mixing
desk is a microphone preamplifier.
Preset
The memory settings which come pre-installed on a device such as a synthesiser, effects unit, software instrument or
plugin.
Pro Tools
A digital audio workstation, originally created by a company called Digidesign, but now owned and developed by Avid.
Producer
The person who leads a music recording project, quite often making creative decisions and managing budgets where
applicable. It is the producer’s responsibility to ensure a project runs to time.
Profit
Income minus expenditure.
Programme Change Message

A MIDI message which instructs a device to switch between stored programmes.
64
Glossary
Promoter
The person or company who is responsible for ensuring live performances are advertised to the public and other
organisations such as the press.
Proximity Effect
A side effect of directional microphones, which results in greater low mid and bass frequencies when the source is close
to the microphone.
.ptx
The file suffix of a Pro Tools session file.
Pulse Code Modulation

The method by which analogue to digital conversion takes place, where measurements of the amplitude of a waveform
(bit depth) are measured at regular intervals (sample rate).
Punch In/Out
The function of a recording device to enable and disable recording during playback, enabling small sections to be
recorded over.
Q
An abbreviation of ‘quality’. A function of parametric EQ which adjusts the accuracy of the frequency band which is
being affected, a high Q is more accurate, a low Q affects a wider frequency band.
Quadraphonic Sound
Also referred to as 4.0 surround. An early surround sound format which uses four speakers located in the corners of the
room.
Quantisation
An automatic MIDI editing process which shifts the start of notes onto the selected beat, e.g. the closest 1/4 note, 8th note.
RAM
An acronym of ‘random access memory’, short term storage in a computer system which is cleared on restart.

Ratio
The control on a compressor or expander with controls how much compression or expansion is applied.
RCA Connector
Also referred to as a phono connector. An unbalanced connection, most commonly used in consumer hi-fi equipment.
Read Mode (Automation)

An automation mode which purely reads the existing automation data, without allowing any changes to be recorded.
Real Time
Processing that is applied in the same amount of time as it takes to play back the affected audio.
65
Glossary
Record Decks
A playback device for the vinyl format. Used by DJs, normally in pairs with a DJ mixer to crossfade between playback
from each.
Record Label
A company which coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing, promotion, and enforcement of
copyright for sound recordings and music videos.
Recording
The process of capturing real-world audio and storing it on a physical medium.
Recording Studio
A room or complex of rooms which is used to record sound.
Release (Dynamic Processing)

The time it takes for the dynamic processor to recover to normal.
Release (Synthesis)
Release is the time it takes to for the signal to fade from the sustain level to its final level.
Return
An input of a mixing desk which is used specifically for receiving signal that has already been sent out of the console for
some processing, e.g. an insert return or effects return.
Reverb
An abbreviation of ‘reverberation’.
Reverberation
The sound that bounces around the surfaces in a room, which is emulated using an outboard effect or plugin to give the
impression that the sound is in a real room.
RF
An initialism of ‘radio frequency’.
RMS
An initialism of ‘root mean square’. A means of calculating the loudness of audio.
ROM
An acronym of ‘read only memory’. An area of computer storage which can only be read from, and can not be
overwritten.
Routing
A function, commonly found on mixing desks, which enables the user to set the signal path. For example, you could
route a microphone signal to the input of the DAW.
66
Glossary
Sample Editor
An area of a DAW which enables the user to edit an audio clip in detail.
Sample Rate
The rate at which measurements are taken, measured in kHz.
Sampler
A hardware or software device which can record and manipulate short audio clips, and trigger them using MIDI note
messages. Samplers are also emulated in software instrument plugins.
Sampling
The process of converting acoustic audio into digital audio by measuring the waveform amplitude at set time intervals.
Save
To retain any work in progress. In a DAW this would be the generation of a ‘session’ file.
Score Editor
A DAW editor window which enables the user to input or edit musical notation.
Semi-Parametric EQ
A simplified version of a parametric EQ, where there is no Q control, just gain and frequency.
Send
A connection on a mixing desk which is used as an output, to send signal to an external location for further processing,
e.g. insert send or effects send.
Sennheiser MD421
A high quality dynamic microphone, often used for recording guitar amplifiers and toms.
Sequencer
A legacy name for a digital audio workstation, referring to the sequencing of audio or MIDI regions in the arrange page.

Session File
A DAW saved file, which will often also require additional assets such as audio files.
Shelving
A kind of equaliser which affects all frequencies above (hi-shelf) or below (lo-shelf) a specified frequency.
Shortcut Function
Software applications use combinations of key presses on a computer keyboard to trigger certain actions. Some are
standardised for example, Command-S on a Macintosh is the shortcut to save in all applications, the equivalent being
Control-S on a Windows PC.
67
Glossary
Shure SM57
A rugged dynamic microphone, similar to the SM58 but without the mesh protection. Commonly used for recording
guitar amps and close miking drum kits.
Shure SM58
A rugged dynamic microphone, most commonly used for vocals in live performances.
Sidechain
An insert loop on a compressor which can be used to send the signal for processing. The signal received at the sidechain
return is used as the trigger for the compressor. This makes it possible to make the compressor react in a different way,
perhaps to certain frequencies more than others, as in the case of de-essing.
Signal to Noise Ratio

The ratio between the wanted sound and the noise floor. In a system, this will refer to the ratio between the nominal
level and the noise floor.
Sine Wave
A basic waveform, with constant amplitude and consistent frequency.
Slapback
A single short delay echo without any repeats.
SNR
An initialism of ‘signal to noise ratio’.
Soft Synth
An abbreviation of ‘software synthesiser’. A software version of a synthesiser, a software instrument plugin.
Software Instrument
An optional piece of software, which operates within a DAW as a synthesiser of various kinds of instrument. Many software
instruments are supplied with a DAW however, further instruments can be purchased from 3rd party manufacturers.
Software Instrument Track

A type of channel in a DAW which is a hybrid between audio and MIDI. It has an audio output, which responds to MIDI
input, by triggering a software instrument added to one of the plugin slots.
Solid State Drive

An evolution of the hard disk drive, which uses solid state technology to save the files rather than using physical
magnetic disk plates. This makes the drive less prone to damage and enables faster data transfer rates.
Solo
A function of a mixing desk and DAW which enables the sound engineer to listen to channels in isolation.
Song
A piece of music, composed and arranged.
68
Glossary
Sound Engineer
The person who is primarily in control of the equipment, and aims to achieve the best quality of sound possible. They
would work under direction from the producer.
Spaced Omni
Another name for the AB microphone technique.
SPDIF
An acronym of ‘Sony Philips digital interface’. This is an audio data transfer protocol used over short distances to make
a single stereo connection between two devices. In most cases it will use an RCA connector however, it can also use an
optical TOSLINK connection.
Speaker
The device which converts electrical energy into acoustic energy. i.e. the opposite of a microphone.
Speakon
A cable connector created by Neutrik, used most commonly for connecting amplifiers and speakers in PA systems.
Spill
Unwanted sound that enters a microphone for example spill from the headphones on a vocalist, or spill from the
cymbals on a snare microphone.
Spotify
An online music streaming service, which has a free subscription with advertising, or for a monthly subscription the
user can bypass advertising and obtain additional functionality.
SSD
An initialism of ‘solid state drive’.
Standard MIDI File

A standard format for saving MIDI data for sharing between devices. There are two kinds, type 1 (multiple tracks of
MIDI) and type 0 (a single track of MIDI).

Standing Wave
When two waves of equal frequency are moving in opposite directions for example, as a result of a sound bouncing
from a wall in a studio. Standing waves can cause problems due to constructive interference, which may result in some
frequencies being louder than others.
Status Byte
An initial message sent to a MIDI device which identifies its purpose.
Step Sequencing
Recording MIDI into a sequencer or DAW one note at a time, without needing to keep up with the tempo.
Stereo
A realistic sounding format for audio, which uses two channels to emulate the feeling of space around a sound.
69
Glossary
Stringed Instrument
An instrument which generates its sound from the resonation of a pitched string.
Strings
A collective term used for stringed instruments, most commonly referring to bowed instruments such as violin, viola,
cello and contrabass.
Studio Assistant
The person in the studio who assists the sound engineer, for example setting up microphones or operating the patch bay.
Studio One
A digital audio workstation created and developed by Presonus.
Studio Runner
The person in the studio whose role it is to ensure that everyone has what they need during a recording session. They
might be tasked with fetching equipment or making tea.
Subtractive Synthesis
A method of synthesis in which the harmonics of an audio signal are attenuated by a filter to alter tone of the sound.
Subwoofer
A speaker which is designed to produce very low frequencies, often referred to as the ‘.1’ in surround formats, i.e. 5.1
and 7.1.
Surround Sound
An audio format which uses more than two speakers, arranged around the listener to provide a more realistic
environment.
Sustain
In synthesis, sustain is the time during which the signal remains at its normal level.
Sustain Pedal
A MIDI controller used to emulate the sustain pedal of a piano. When the sustain pedal is held, any notes that are played
will continue to sound beyond the release of the key/note off message.
Sweep EQ
Another name for the mid band of a semi parametric EQ.
Synth
An abbreviation of ‘synthesiser’.
Synthesiser
An electronic device which generates sound. This may be original sound, designed for its own tone and timbre, or it may
be to emulate acoustic instruments such as piano and drums.
70
Glossary
System Preferences
The part of an operating system that enables the user to optimise the computer for the required purpose, such as audio
recording.
Tape / Magnetic Tape

A linear magnetic medium, used to record sound and music. It is now rarely used due to its inconvenience and expense,
but many engineers still maintain that it sounds better than the digital equivalents.
TDIF
An abbreviation of ‘Tascam digital audio interface’, named after its founding company. Initially a standard for connecting
Tascam digital tape machines, it has also been adopted by other manufacturers to connect digital mixing desks and other
multichannel devices. The technology has since been superseded by MADI and ethernet based standards.
Template
Predefined settings which enable the user to get started more quickly.
Threshold
The control on a compressor, expander or gate which defines the sound level at which the device will react.
Thunderbolt
A peripheral connection which is capable of very high data transfer rates. There are three versions available, with
Thunderbolt 3 being capable of 40Gbps.
Timbre
The tonal colour of a sound.
Time Machine
A component of the OSX operating system which enables automatic backup of data stored on that computer or any
connected hard drives. Individual files can easily be retrieved if needed.
TOSLINK
An acronym of ‘Toshiba link’, named after its founding company. It uses the same connector as ADAT lightpipe to
connect two digital audio devices, using the SPDIF protocol to transfer the data. This is most common on consumer
hi-fi equipment, for example connecting a CD player to an amplifier.
Touch Mode (Automation)
An automation mode which allows existing automation to be altered during playback. When alterations are complete the
automation will jump back to pre-recorded value.
Track
An individual element of recording or recorded material, such as a vocal or guitar. When working with more than one
track, it is referred to as ‘multi tracking’. A track is different to a channel.
Track Pad
An alternative to a mouse, which is useful in small spaces. Commonly found on laptop computers, but also available as a
peripheral.
71
Glossary
Trackball
An alternative to a mouse, which uses a ball on the top for control of the pointer. Sometimes preferred by sound
engineers due to it remaining static on the work surface.
Transducer
A device which converts one kind of energy into another, for example acoustic energy into electrical energy in the case
of a microphone.
Transport
The controls of a DAW which enable the user to play, stop, pause, fast forward, rewind and record.
Tremolo
A rapid variation of pitch of a note, for example the effect of a tremolo arm on a guitar. Also emulated by effects plugins
in a DAW.
Trim
Another name for the gain stage of a mixing desk, except that trim can also be used to reduce the level of the input.
Trombone
A brass instrument which uses a telescopic slide to alter the note. Commonly used in classical music among many other
genres.
TRS
Initialisation of ‘tip, ring, sleeve’. A kind of jack connector used by headphones and balanced audio systems.
Trumpet
A brass instrument with three valves, the highest register in the family of instruments. Commonly used in jazz and
classical music, among many other genres.
TS
Initialisation of ‘tip, sleeve’. A kind of jack connector used by unbalanced audio systems.
Turnover
The amount of money that is earned by a company or project, normally measured annually.
Tweeter
A speaker which is designed to produce higher frequencies.
Unbalanced
An audio connection which uses one signal carrier, plus the screen/earth. Most commonly found on consumer
equipment, prone to external interference.
Unity Gain
When the output of an audio circuit is at the exact same level as the input level. i.e. when a fader is at zero on a
mixing desk.
72
Glossary
USB
An initialism of ‘universal serial bus’. A standard peripheral connection used on both PCs and Macs. Three versions are
available, with varying speeds. USB3 is the fastest at the time of going to print, with a data transfer rate of 480 megabits
per second.
VCF
An initialism of ‘voltage controlled filter’.
VCO
An initialism of ‘voltage controlled oscillator’.
Vinyl Record
A flat circular piece of vinyl with grooves cut into it. A record player needle sits in the groove as it rotates, the vibrations
in the needles are amplified to playback the recorded sound, making it an analogue medium.
Viola
It is slightly larger than a violin, giving it a deeper sound.
Violin
Voice
A natural sound source, created from air (breath) passing over the vocal cords in the throat.
Voltage Controlled Filter

A synthesis module which allows control of a filter’s frequency. The filter could be high-pass, low-pass or bandpass.
Voltage Controlled Oscillator

An oscillator (sound generator) whose pitch can be controlled via voltage variation.
WAN
An acronym of ‘wide area network’.

.wav
A file suffix used for Wav files.
Wav
An abbreviation of ‘waveform’. Wav files are the industry standard digital audio file format. They are considered high
quality as they are a lossless format.
Waveform
The visual representation of an audio wave, as seen in the DAW arrange page or sample editor.
73
Glossary
Wet
With effects or processing applied.
Wi-Fi
Also known a WLAN.
Wide Area Network

A network of computer systems which extends beyond the confines of the LAN location, connecting to other networks
anywhere in the world.
Windows
An operating system created and developed by Microsoft. There are numerous versions, including Windows XP,
Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10.
WLAN
An acronym of ‘wireless local area network’. A wireless connection to a local network.
Woofer
A speaker which is designed to produce lower frequencies.
World Wide Web

The content that is stored and accessed via the internet.
Write Mode (Automation)

An automation mode which records new automation data during playback.
XLR Connector
A balanced connection, used in most professional level equipment. The standard connection for microphones. Also
referred to as a cannon connector.
XY
A stereo microphone technique where two cardioid microphones are placed at an angle of 90–135 degrees of each other,
with the capsules as close as possible (coincident) or within 30cm of each other (near coincident).
Youtube
An online video streaming service provided by Google.
74
Useful Information (Non-assessed)
Record Labels
A Record Label is a company which coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing, promotion and
enforcement of copyright for sound recordings and music videos.
There are two kinds of record labels:

■■ Major labels
■■ Independent labels
At the time of writing there are three major record labels:

■■ Sony Music Entertainment
■■ Warner Music Group
■■ Universal Music Group
These three control the lion’s share of the recorded work in the music industry. The rest is controlled by independent labels.
A record label would sign an artist to a contract if they believed that they could make them more successful by financing
their development, studio production, distribution or marketing etc. In return the record label earns a percentage of the
income that artist receives from sales.
Record labels may also wish to involve themselves in other areas of an artist’s success, in which case they may offer them a
‘360’ deal where they subsequently earn money from not just sales but a percentage of all the artist’s income.
Of course, it’s up to the artist if they wish to sign such a deal and they should only do so if they are convinced that what is
on offer will increase their chances of success, thereby earning them more money as well. Always seek legal advice if you are
offered a contract to sign.
Publishing
The publishing company controls the copyright of the musical work, i.e. the creative element of music. When an artist
has a publishing contract, the publisher will ensure the writer is paid for the use of their music in return for a fee or
percentage of income.
This could be money that is paid for reproduction and sales of the song (via a record label) or from performances of the
music (e.g. on radio stations).
The laws relating to copyright vary around the world, so it’s worth investigating the laws that apply in your territory.
Time Management
In the music industry deadlines are king. Everyone works to a deadline which enables the process to flow from one
department to another.
It is therefore important that you learn to manage your time as effectively as possible, putting the most effort in where it is
most critical.
There are some tasks which do not require much effort or concentration in order to get them done. When you are under
pressure, consider delegating these tasks to someone more junior than you.
There are some tasks which are repetitive but time consuming – for example labelling recordings, setting up sessions or
backing up files. Try and make these things second nature, i.e. so you don’t have to think about what you’re doing but you’re
still getting it right every time. This will leave you with the mental capacity to think about other things while you are doing
the repetitive task.
Some things will be more urgent than others, prioritise these tasks to ensure they are completed before the less urgent items.
75
Useful Information (Non-assessed)
There is a difference between important and urgent, sometimes something can be urgent but not important and sometimes
something can be important but not urgent. If it’s important AND urgent, then get it done as soon as possible.
Avoid distractions. If something needs doing and time is of the essence, do what you can to minimise the risk of someone
talking to you or the television distracting you. Once you stop thinking about something, it can take time to put your head
back into that space again.
Plan your time. Write down everything you need to do and estimate how much time each thing takes. Then use a calendar
or diary to allocate the appropriate amount of time to each task.
If you fall behind at least you will know you are behind and can do what you can to catch up. Without the plan, you won’t
even know you’re about to fail.
Time is Money. Every wasted minute has a monetary value. If you are wasting time, you are wasting your ability to earn
money and you are potentially delaying other people down the chain from earning their money too. If you are in a recording
studio, that will cost money to run. Use your time plan to maximise your use of time and other resources.
Money Management
Budgets
A budget is an amount of money that is allocated to a project.
As a producer you may be required to manage the budget for a project, ensuring that you have enough money to pay for
all the people, resources and equipment you need to get the job done.
It is important to ensure that the use of the budget is planned carefully, if you run out of money towards the end, the
project may not get finished meaning it can’t earn anything to pay back the investors. If the person or company that is
financing the project doesn’t earn any money, then they won’t pay you to undertake the next project.
Cashflow
Cashflow is different to a budget, in that it takes into account any money that comes in.
For example, if you are running a recording studio you need to ensure you always have enough money to pay the staff
and any bills such as electricity, air conditioning and rent.
While these expenses are going out, some money will hopefully be coming in from people hiring the studio.
A cashflow spreadsheet will keep track of how much money is in the bank at any given moment, taking into account the
money going in and out each day.
Cashflow is what kills poorly managed companies. If they don’t have any money in the bank at the point in time when
they need to pay the bills, then they may go bankrupt, even if they are profitable overall.
Turnover
Company turnover is the amount of money that is earned in a year. It doesn’t take into account any expenses.
Expenses
Any costs that needs to be paid by the company such as wages and bills.
Profit
Company profit is the amount of money that is left when the expenses are subtracted from the turnover.
76
Image Copyright Information
Images listed by page, left to right, top to bottom.
p.11
© Ersin Kurtdal/Shutterstock
©Terry Putman/Shutterstock
p.12
© Logutenko/Shutterstock
© DTraves/Shutterstock
Additional vector technical illustrations by Simon Troup

© 2016 Rockschool/RSL
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Introductions & Information

Section A | Music Production Theory

Section B | Listening Skills

Section C | Coursework Task

33 Rockschool Music Production Grade 6 Exam – Sample Paper

Music Production Grade 6 | Coursework Edition

■■ Blockbuster movie soundtracks

Nik Preston – Head of Product Development and Publishing

■■ Music Production Theory

You will need to input this code when prompted: KVFAKY5U9M

Music Production Grade 6 | Coursework Edition

MUSIC PRODUCTION GRADES 1–8

ELEMENT Pass Merit Distinction

TOTAL MARKS 60%+ 75%+ 85%+

SECTION (Current section highlighted) MARKS

> Theoretical Written Exam 25 [25%]

Listening Test 15 [15%]

Coursework Task 60 [60%]

■■ Music Production Terminology

Music Production Terminology

Stuttering Gate Effect

■■ Logic Pro – flex pitch

Music Production Grade 6 | Coursework Edition

This can be emulated using an equaliser.

Audio and the Internet

On a jack connector, this would be the tip and the sleeve.

Music Production Grade 6 | Coursework Edition

Why Use Balanced Audio?

How Balanced Systems Work

Positive ‘Hot’ Signal

Negative ‘Cold’ Signal

Music Production Grade 6 | Coursework Edition

Positive ‘Hot’ Signal

This makes long distance collaboration fast and effective.

Sound and Audio Fundamentals

Experiment with using this technique on other instruments too.

Music Production Grade 6 | Coursework Edition

The basic components used in synthesis are:

Music Production Grade 6 | Coursework Edition

ADSR Envelope – Attack, Decay, Sustain, Release

Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR)

Dynamic Range, Signal to Noise Ratio and Headroom

SNR Dynamic Range

Sound & Acoustics

Sound Isolation & Transmission Loss

Here are some examples:

Material (Depth/Thickness) Surface Density (lb/sqft)

Heavy Concrete (12”) 100

Light Concrete (4”) 33

Steel (single sheet) 10

Glass (single sheet) 7.5

SECTION (Current section highlighted) MARKS

Theoretical Written Exam 25 [25%]

> Listening Test 15 [15%]

Coursework Task 60 [60%]