Composition is an essential skill for a variety of careers within the music industry. Compositions have longevity
and the capacity for works to generate income for the composer through the collection of royalties from
recorded, live and broadcast performance can have ongoing financial benefits. This unit showcases the learner’s
composition skills — both their capacity to compose in a defined style in response to a brief and their ability to
apply key concepts within the area of music sequencing to their own practice.
Assessment Criteria:
Learners can:
1.1 Research compositional methods associated with the style.
1.2 Compose a piece in the style researched in 1.1, including at least four musical parts.
1.3 Demonstrate the process of musical and structural arrangement representative of the style.
2.1 Use DAW software to create and manage a project file, containing a minimum of ten tracks (including
both software instruments and audio), and meeting the following requirements:
a. Two original synth patches, which between them show use/manipulation of at least four of the
following:
• Oscillators
• Envelopes (ADSR)
• Pitch
• Filters
• LFOs
b. A sampler to create the following patches:
• Drum patch from an audio file
• Melodic/pitched-based patch, utilising looping where applicable
c. Use of quantisation techniques (creative and/or corrective)
d. Use of audio/MIDI editing techniques (creative and/or corrective)
e. Use of at least four insert and four send effects across the 10 tracks
f. Use of automation on at least two tracks
Develop the individual:
Create a supportive community:
The aim of this unit is to develop the learner’s technical and creative knowledge in composing music for adverts
and TV, and expand their understanding as composers of music for TV themes and TV based advertising. The
purpose of the unit is to provide learners with the opportunity to develop their composition skills through the
creation of two contrasting pieces of music, developing a deep understanding of the musical requirements within
the specific media context. Through research and analysis of a range of representative films and documentaries
and their associated incidental music and soundtracks, learners can assess and develop the knowledge and skills
required to create music for media while also acquiring other skills relating to the use of technology, editing,
sound design, script writing, storyboarding, arranging and orchestration etc.
Learners can:
1.1 Evaluate the use of music in advertising and TV programme theme applications, citing two contrasting
examples of each, assessing the following in each example:
a. The target audience / client base
b. The style of music used
c. The prominence of the music
d. The melodic content
e. The impact and effect of the music
1.2 Working to given client briefs create music for two different applications (one advert and one TV
programme theme), each meeting the following requirements:
a. Creation of a storyboard using screenshots of the moving image, highlighting and spotting relevant
musical points using appropriate synchronisation code (e.g. SMPTE)
b. Enhance musically the advert/TV programme theme message and intent
c. The music does not impair any functional dialogue, where applicable
d. The creative and appropriate use of instrumentation
e. A functioning theme or ‘hook line’ where appropriate
f. The creative use of sound and sound effects where appropriate
RSL Vocational Qualifications: MUSPRA Level 3 2 Composing for Adverts and TV
1.3 Describe the structure of the music produced for 1.2, commenting on personal musical intentions using
the storyboards from each application, simple notation and at least two of the following;
a. Graphic diagrams
b. Chord charts
c. Annotated sequencer screen shots
d. Musical score
1.4 Evaluate how well the pieces of music created in 1.2 met the specified criteria, incorporating feedback
from the ‘client’ and assessing strengths and areas for development.
Develop the individual:
Create a supportive community:
The ability to arrange musical structure and content to exacting briefs and for different applications in the media
industry is a skill that is becoming increasingly sought after. This unit aims to develop the learner’s understanding
of the technical and musical skills specific to arranging an existing piece of music to meet defined briefs. The
purpose of this unit is to provide learners with opportunities to develop a range of technical and musical skills
and facilitate the development of musical arrangements for different applications.
Learners can:
1.1 Create new arrangements of a chosen piece of music for recording applications, including production of
original structure/score and the arranged structure/score, to satisfy any three of the following briefs:
• An arrangement for release as a single lasting between 21/2 and 3 minutes
• An arrangement for release as an album track lasting between 41/2 and 5 minutes
• An arrangement for release as a radio edit lasting between 45 seconds and 1 minute
• An arrangement for release as a dance remix lasting between 41/2 and 5 minutes
• A reduction for the purposes of providing the theme or incidental music for a TV or radio show lasting
20–30 seconds
• An arrangement to accompany a story board lasting between 2 and 21/2 minutes
1.2 Evaluate how well the arrangements created in 1.1 met the specified criteria, identifying strengths and
areas for development.
Develop the individual:
Create a supportive community: