BA (Hons) Commercial Modern Music

A continuation of the Year 1 module, this genre-based performance workshop focuses on the sounds and skills found in each style as it evolved. It includes historical context, critical listening and the techniques used by the world’s most influential musicians.

A continuation of the Year 1 module, this unit will enable musicians to develop other areas of technical study, as well as enhancing their musical vocabulary. A disciplined approach to regular practice is essential for success in this unit.

This module includes practical music industry knowledge that will help students plan their career. All aspects of the music industry will be covered in comprehensive detail including record deals, publishing deals, management, music synchronisation, legal issues, copyright, music teaching, live music, and business planning.

This module consists of three components or learning arcs undertaken by both the instrumentalist stream and the songwriting stream.

The components are designed to be a continuation of key skills addressed in Year 1 and preparation for key skills required to enable the fulfilment of learning outcomes underpinning modules in Years 3 and 4.

The indicative syllabus associated with each component will inform and aid the development of a broad skill set and encourage a spirit of curiosity and a desire to learn among students.

The individual module components are:

1. Cultural Theory, An Introduction

2. Personal & Professional Development

3. Research Methods, Academic Writing and Pedagogy, An Introduction.

The module will consist of a series of thematic cycles, each beginning with a lecture-based class, giving the student an overview of the social, political and philosophical nuances associated with key live performances and their subsequent cultural impact.

A grounding in critical theory provided through content covered in DN/MM614 Essential Development Skills will also inform the approaches and discussion students are expected to undertake in Performativity and Live Music.

The module also takes the student through the process of effective live performance, from thorough individual preparation to live ensemble performance. It provides musicians with an opportunity to build upon the work undertaken in the previous Live Performance Workshop classes.

Students are now expected not only to take full responsibility for preparing the track and to have a much greater understanding of detail within performance, refining the parts, consistency, timekeeping and groove; but to also deconstruct assigned tracks and to reinterpret the tracks through experimentation shaped by engagement with the cultural theories associated with each thematic cycle.

Musicians will be encouraged to develop confident professional performance techniques, creative flair, arrangement skills and the interpersonal skills necessary for effective communication, all of which are essential to professional preparation and performance.

This module provides the student with an opportunity to consolidate, develop and apply the music theory concepts studied in Theory, Notation and Keyboard Skills.

It will facilitate further the development of aural transcription skills, along with a more detailed study of the theory behind the music, including practical applications of theoretical concepts to better prepare the student for the range of musical situations they are likely to encounter as professional musicians.

Musicians undertake a research project that supports their planning for the Professional Project module. For example, a vocalist could research the techniques involved in getting a vocal sound in the studio, or a band musician planning a national tour could prepare a case study on a relevant breaking act or important venue.

This module covers the comprehensive history of popular music from 1900 to 1970, which analyses the social and political conditions that influenced the development of the art form, as well as evaluating key releases from influential artists.

This unit focuses on high-level technical development on guitar. In addition to the lectures on technique, musicians will need to choose an area in which to specialise. This will be chosen in negotiation with the tutors.

This module assists musicians with ear training, transcription skills and notation. It discusses broad theoretical issues and introduces non-Western and ‘classical’ techniques of composition, analysis and performance.

In this module, students will work in a collaborative setting to develop their skills as performers. Students will engage in performing music at a high level, while considering aspects of performance aesthetics to create an engaging performance. Students will focus on repertoire and arrangement, while also engaging with staging, lighting, music technology in performance, and other aspects of collaborative performances.

In this class, musicians map their own performances against professional work using original and cover material. Performances are routinely videoed and critically assessed in small group settings.

In this module, musicians will be placed in simulated, ‘deadline-driven’ recording session environments. They’ll be encouraged to attain an understanding of professional production values and an awareness of the responsibilities of the recording musician. These responsibilities will include professional performance skills, studio etiquette and technical knowledge.

This module addresses the need for modern music practitioners to be digitally literate and dynamic entrepreneurs, enabling them to directly engage with their target audience. Some of the areas covered include data collection, analytics, social media marketing, artist branding, direct email marketing, website design, marketing campaigns, digital music stores and benchmarking.

This module is designed to help studio musicians understand basic engineering principles and take responsibility for the sonic direction of their recordings. With this knowledge, any musician should be able to get a quality tone in even the most basic of studios. Studio-based arrangement skills are also covered.

This module will address the musical and technological aspects of writing and producing popular songs and will include focusing on song form and structures (AABC, etc.), cadences and chord progressions, modulation, writing and harmonising melodies, lyric writing, and applying learning to original material.

Linked to this theme will be the introduction of technical training in the use of Digital Audio Workstations (DAW), which have become the mainstay of this discipline.

This module will familiarise musicians with fundamental issues in music publishing, including history of the industry, key concepts of copyright, collection societies, analysis of music publishing contracts, sub-publishing, and synchronisation.

It will encourage songwriters/musicians to apply their knowledge in real-world situations with their own material.

This module provides the student with an opportunity to consolidate, develop and apply the music theory concepts studied in Theory, Notation and Keyboard Skills.

It will facilitate further the development of aural transcription skills, along with a more detailed study of the theory behind the music, including practical applications of theoretical concepts to better prepare the student for the range of musical situations they are likely to encounter as professional musicians.

This module offers an in-depth exploration of contemporary commercial songwriting, with a focus on the development of practical compositional skills and creative expression. Students will engage with core theoretical musical concepts such as melodic and thematic development, harmonic progression, tension and release, and lyric writing. These will be applied to the creation of four original songs, two of which will be submitted for assessment: one written to a set brief for a third-party artist, and another developed as part of the student’s own artistic repertoire. Emphasis is placed on compositional technique, genre awareness, originality, and the creative process, alongside the use of music production technology to deliver industry-standard demos.

Classes will be delivered through practical workshops, guest sessions with professional songwriters and industry experts, focused writing exercises, weekly creative tasks, and ongoing formative feedback from both lecturers and peers. This approach is designed to simulate real-world songwriting environments, support individual artistic development, and enhance collaborative and critical skills essential to commercial songwriting practice. The module also encourages reflective practice and critical self-evaluation to support artistic growth and professional development.

This module presents a critical history of popular music from 1970 to the present day. Significant artists will be examined in relation to their cultural, social and political impact and their continuing influence on contemporary music genres.

The module will also draw on theoretical contexts found in the wider discipline of cultural studies, such as critical theory and postmodernism. You will be expected to develop a sophisticated understanding of our cultural and musical antecedents and will be encouraged to analyse, synthesise and evaluate the circumstances around significant moments in the history of popular music since 1970.

This module will oblige you to engage with in-depth reading and demonstrate an appropriate level of academic rigour. You will be required to engage in critical debate with full justifications and explanations for your reasoning.

This module ensures that students confront their responsibilities as professionals and manage a project that is rooted firmly in the professional world. Jobs in the music business vary enormously and musicians need to be adaptable and flexible in order to carve their own niche in the industry.

Final projects must be realistic and achievable and are linked with the earlier Course Planning and Research Methods modules. During the module, students will consolidate the skills and experience gained through the course of their studies.

These include industry-related skills, and research methods enabling them to analyse, interpret, and reflect upon their chosen project activity in a systematic fashion.

In the final stage of their studies, students will be able to utilise their analysis of past experience to create theories upon which to base models for future working practice.

This module will equip students with the knowledge and skills needed to plan their career pathways within the music industry and engage effectively with industry professionals. Students will develop an understanding of key contractual agreements they may encounter throughout their careers, including those related to management, recording, publishing, and live performance.

Through the exploration of industry structures and terminology, students will learn how to interpret important contract terms and assess their potential impact on professional opportunities. By the end of the module, students will be able to make informed decisions and communicate confidently with legal and industry advisors. This module encourages critical reflection on the principles of equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in music industry practice, enabling students to consider how these values influence business models, contracts, representation, and access to opportunities across different sectors.

This module prepares students to confront their responsibilities as creative and professional practitioners in the music industry by conceiving, managing, and delivering a professional-level music-based project rooted in real-world practice and career development. Students draw on academic theory, practice-led research, and reflective analysis to inform their professional activity, while developing robust practical, entrepreneurial, industry-related, and metacognitive skills.

Projects must be realistic, achievable, and deliver measurable outcomes, reflecting the need for adaptability, flexibility, and self-direction in a rapidly evolving industry shaped by digital technologies and AI. The module consolidates learning from Academic Study Skills (BA1), Artist Development & Entrepreneurship (BA1), Essential Development Skills (BA2), and Research Methods (BA3), enabling students to conduct thorough research, interpret findings, critically analyse outcomes, and reflect systematically on their practice to propose recommendations or models for future working practice.

In this module, musicians perform either on their own or using backing tracks. A clinic-style presentation could work well in this module, and work is compared to professional material with students critically assessing their progress and attainment.

This module explores the history of the Irish musical tradition, focusing on its repertoire, instrumentation, vocal and dance forms, ornamentation, and notable artists from the past to the present day.

Students examine the socio-political impact of the genre on Irish culture and the Irish diaspora, while analysing significant moments in the development of traditional Irish music and the factors that have shaped influential artists into important cultural icons.

This elective module is designed for students with a strong aptitude for Western Art Music history and theory – and offers an opportunity to deepen analytical engagement with both historical and contemporary developments in musical language. Emphasis is placed on close listening, detailed score analysis, and the critical examination of key works by major composers from a range of historical periods and artistic movements, with particular attention to the historical conditions that influenced stylistic and theoretical evolution.

Through focused study of selected compositions from key Art Music composers, students will investigate how stylistic and theoretical developments emerged in response to changing artistic, aesthetic, and formal priorities over time. The module prioritises analytical listening as a means of understanding compositional technique, structure, and the evolution of musical thought, supported by regular group discussion and critical reflection.

This module builds upon and extends the concepts introduced in DN/CMM701 ‘Advanced Music Theory and Arrangement’ and DN/CMM702 ‘Cultural Perspectives’.