This simple resource gives pupils a brief overview of the options available to them when attempting to record live sound. It should be used to start a conversation about the relative benefits and drawbacks of each technique. I hope you and your pupils enjoy this resource!

This lesson resource explores the use of Ostinato and Pedal in Film Music with pupils, and encourages them to create their own and manipulate the Elements of Music to create different moods. This resource includes a number of embedded musical examples to illustrate different uses of Ostinato, as well as exposing your pupils to different genres and improving their listening skills. This Film Music resource comes with a built-in task and a worksheet, and all files come in editable formats so that you can adjust the lesson to suit your pupils. It also includes PDF files in case of formatting issues. This resource is perfect for KS3 pupils just starting out on their musical journey, or for KS4 pupils as an introduction to the Film Music Set Works at GCSE in all major exam boards. You could use this Film Music resource as a supplement lesson in your own Scheme of Work, or buy it as part of the HiggsTeach Film Music Bundle, which comes with a full Scheme of Work as well as Bonus material to push your highest ability pupils even further with their composition. I hope you and your pupils enjoy this resource!

This is an in-depth exploration of the characteristics of tape, and the nature of recordings made with tape. This resource also explores all of the essential knowledge pupils require regarding the anatomy of a tape machine, and also an introduction to the editing process when recording with tape. This resource is a great way to improve pupils’ (and teachers’) knowledge and understanding of a technology that is rarely practised but is an essential part of the specification. Includes: Magnetic Tape anatomy Tape Machine anatomy Tape head develops and explanation AC Bias Saturation + Soft Clipping Drift, Wow, and Flutter Print-through Cross-talk This resource is also an excellent companion to the upcoming ‘Sound of Popular Music’ series, in which the historical context of this tape technology is explored in more detail, providing pupils with a solid foundation upon which to build high quality extended answers, rich in both technical and contextual information.

This resource is a great place to start when introducing Synthesis to A Level Music Technology students. It introduces the three main processes/components involved in subtractive synthesis: Oscillators, Filters, and Envelopes. This Powerpoint is fully animated to allow for ease of delivery and is designed to spark curiosity about synthesis and synthesisers, ready for further development throughout later lessons. This resource also contains a task to foster creative exploration within a variety of software instruments. This resource contains essential knowledge for A Level students, particularly for Technology-Based Composition (All boards) and for their Component 3 & 4 exams (Edexcel specific). I hope you and your pupils enjoy this resource! NB This resource is written with Logic X as DAW in mind. It is easily adaptable for Cubase, Ableton, or any other DAW.

This resource is part of the ’Sound of Popular Music’ series. This series is designed carefully to allow pupils to draw parallels between their musical, historical, practical, and technical knowledge, and further appreciate how developments in Music Technology shaped the course of popular music throughout the 20th Century. In doing so, pupils are better equipped to deal with exam-style questions, particularly extended responses. In this resource, we explore the early developments of tape technology pre- and post- WWII. This will give pupils a basic understanding of the relative recency of recording technology, and the rapid rise and immense popularity of recorded media. This resource contains a ‘recording comparison’ task, that could be used either as a classwork or homework task. I hope you and your pupils enjoy this resource!

This resource is part of the ’Sound of Popular Music’ series. This series is designed carefully to allow pupils to draw parallels between their musical, historical, practical, and technical knowledge, and further appreciate how developments in Music Technology shaped the course of popular music throughout the 20th Century. In doing so, pupils are better equipped to deal with exam-style questions, particularly extended responses. This resource charts the rise of Motown, and how a consistent approach to recording, massive output, and a focus on quality made Motown a force to be reckoned with in the 1960s. This resource also explores the Motown ‘process’, and what it was that gave Motown its distinctive sound. I hope you and your pupils enjoy this resource!

This resource explores the explosion in popularity of Rock’n’Roll with the first ‘post-war’ generation, and how improvements in recording (pioneered by Sam Phillips and other influential artists/engineers/studios) and the availability and mass-distribution of records paved the way for the first pop mega-stars. This resource is part of the ’Sound of Popular Music’ series. This series is designed carefully to allow pupils to draw parallels between their musical, historical, practical, and technical knowledge, and further appreciate how developments in Music Technology shaped the course of popular music throughout the 20th Century. In doing so, pupils are better equipped to deal with exam-style questions, particularly extended responses. I hope you and your pupils enjoy this resource!

In this resource, we explore the trailblazing recording and production techniques of Joe Meek and Phil Spector in the 1950s-60s. We explore how they crafted their own vision of recorded music, and how they manipulated their sound in unique and innovative ways to pave the way for the ‘modern producer’, rather than engineers in lab coats. This resource is fully animated for ease of delivery, and contains many embedded audio examples. It also contains an exam-style comparison question between Meek and Spector’s work. This resource is part of the ’Sound of Popular Music’ series. This series is designed carefully to allow pupils to draw parallels between their musical, historical, practical, and technical knowledge, and further appreciate how developments in Music Technology shaped the course of popular music throughout the 20th Century. In doing so, pupils are better equipped to deal with exam-style questions, particularly extended responses. I hope you and your pupils enjoy this resource!

This resource is an exploration of the electric guitar, including it’s history, construction, and electronics. This resource explores all the relevant information needed to be successful at A Level Music Technology. This resource is a great way to improve pupils’ (and teachers’) knowledge and understanding of technology that is rarely practised/used by most but is an essential part of the specification. Includes: Brief History Construction of different types of electric guitar single coil and humbucker pickups An overview of outboard effects and modifications This resource is also an excellent companion to the upcoming ‘Sound of Popular Music’ series, in which the historical context of this technology is explored in more detail, providing pupils with a solid foundation upon which to build high quality extended answers, rich in both technical and contextual information.

This resource explores Reverb, from its beginnings as a by-product of recording in a room to the essential effect used by every engineer and producer. This resource also explores the various parameters and characteristics of reverb, the graphical representation of reverb, and how to read a reverb graph (Early reflections, Body RT60, Decay etc.) This is essential knowledge for all A level Music Technology pupils, and forms an integral part of the deeper understanding required to access the **highest possible marks. ** This resource is part of the ‘Effects’ series, examining the historical development, characteristics, and technical features of some of the most common effects that your pupils use on a day-to-day basis. I hope you and your pupils enjoy this resource!

A grid to quickly allow students to work out the correct chords in any major key. Can be used with younger pupils who are just starting their compositional journeys or more GCSE or A Level pupils who need a quick compositional reference tool.

The ‘Advanced Study’ series is designed for high-ability and/or A-level pupils who are preparing for further study at university. This resource explores the fundamentals of Orientalism, it’s origins, and the main musical features that composers often employ. There are also embedded audio examples to help pupils identify these features. I hope you and your pupils enjoy this resource!

The ‘Advanced Study’ series is designed for high-ability and/or A-level pupils who are preparing for further study at university. This short resource explores the fundamentals of Historical Performance Practice, the reasoning behind it, and certain things for pupils to look out for as they become more advanced musicians. There are also embedded audio examples to help pupils identify these features. I hope you and your pupils enjoy this resource!

The ‘Advanced Study’ series is designed for high-ability and/or A-level pupils who are preparing for further study at university. This resource explores the fundamentals of Modernism, it’s origins, and the main musical features that composers often employ. There are also embedded audio examples to help pupils identify these features. I hope you and your pupils enjoy this resource!

A simple lead sheet for the purposes of teaching chords, treble clef reading, syncopated rhythms, or for use in ensemble work.

A presentation that outlines different orchestral instrument families (except percussion - see note below) and common playing techniques, including many audio-visual and notation examples. This resource could be used as an extension of an ‘Instruments of the Orchestra’ Scheme of Work, or as a resource for GCSE and A level Music pupils who are developing their composition skills. The audio/video examples come from a wide variety of composers within the classical tradition, exposing pupils to music outside of the normal syllabus. Where possible, the videos not only provide an audio stimulus but also a visual one, where the pupils can see the technique in action and/or what it looks like on a score. I hope you enjoy this resource. NB - The Percussion section is not included in this resource, as there are a huge number of unusual playing techniques specific to each individual piece of percussion; too many to cover in a short presentation.

A grid to quickly allow students to work out the correct chords in any major key. Can be used with younger pupils who are just starting their compositional journeys or more GCSE or A Level pupils who need a quick compositional reference tool.

The first Powerpoint in a series of four exploring the musical features and development of Western Classical Music within (and slightly after) the Common Practice Period. This Powerpoint, designed to aid the teaching of The Baroque Period, includes a brief exploration of relevant musical features and the historical context in which the music was written. Includes: Musical and video examples (embedded YouTube clips) Relevant Composers A brief exploration of the musical and historical context Homework/classwork tasks

The final Powerpoint in a series of four exploring the weird and wonderful world of Western Classical Music after the Common Practice Period at the beginning of, and throughout, the 20th Century. Whilst focusing on musical features, this resource also breaks down some of the thinking behind the music in simple ways that pupils can digest. NB - As the 20th century contains many different approaches and styles, this resource explores only Impressionism and Modernism Includes: Musical and video examples (embedded YouTube clips) Relevant Composers A brief exploration of the musical and historical context Homework/classwork tasks