Digital Audio Workstations
The Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) curriculum is a new addition for A Common Approach in 2024. It provides learning objectives and activities for Programmes of Study 1 and 2 that can be used with any DAW.
Programme of Study 1
A Listening and internalising
- A1 - Listen and respond to music in and out of lessons, enjoying their experiences and building on them
- A2 - Have some aural perception of the music to be played
- A3 - Recognise and discriminate between the musical elements of pulse, pitch, rhythm, tempo, dynamics and texture
- A4 - Recognise and convey in their playing simple melodic patterns, e.g. repetition of main tune
- A5 - Using appropriate notation, make links between sounds and symbols, e.g. shape of the melody, repetition
B Making and controlling musical sounds
- B1 - Sounds, instruments and sample selection
- B2 - Pulse and timing
- B3 - DAW controls
- B4 - FX
- B5 - Structure and texture
- B6 - Recording
- B7 - EQ
C Creating and developing musical ideas
- C1 - Improvise by exploring different sounds and creating repeated musical patterns or phrases
- C2 - Make use of vocal or DAW sequencing, audio recording and MIDI performance skills when beginning to compose
- C3 - Sequence simple verse/chorus structures with contrasting drum parts and different chord progressions and melodies
- C4 - Apply dynamic processes to a DAW session, such as balancing the volume levels, panning and compression
- C5 - Apply FX to a selection of sounds within the context of a composition
- C6 - Apply EQ to a selection of sounds within a composition
- C7 - Produce a fully realised composition with a coherent structure, balance of sounds, panning, FX (especially reverb) and EQ
D Playing music
- D1 - Work out by ear how to play short, easy phrases or patterns from well-known tunes
- D2 - Repeat with accuracy short, easy rhythmic and melodic patterns by singing or playing back from memory
- D3 - Play short, easy pieces from appropriate notation/ symbols
- D4 - Memorise with accuracy selected short, simple pieces from their repertoire
- D5 - Read and play at sight short, simple phrases at a regular pulse; begin to make links between sound and symbol
- D6 - Begin to interpret music with some expression and with a sense of its intended effect; talk about its mood and how it is sung or played and suggest improvements to convey the character of the music
E Playing music with others
- E1 - Play with the teacher and/or other learners, demonstrating some basic ensemble skills by listening, watching and keeping in time with the group
- E2 - Explore and discuss the character of the music and the expressive possibilities
- E3 - Work as a production team of artist/artists and producer to perform and record music on a DAW, demonstrating some basic skills of communicating instructions and keeping in time with the click track
F Performing and communicating
Programme of Study 2
A Listening and internalising
- A1 - Listen to music with concentration and understanding in and out of lessons, enjoying their experiences and building on them
- A2 - Have some aural perception of the music to be played, including some feeling of the expressive characteristics
- A3 - Recognise and discriminate between the musical elements, including aspects of articulation, phrasing and quality of tone
- A4 - Recognise and convey simple structures in their playing, e.g. repetition of rhythmic and melodic phrases
- A5 - Hear some elements of the music internally when using notation/symbol, e.g. tempo, pitch, rhythm, dynamics
B Making and controlling musical sounds
- B1 - Sounds, instruments and sample selection
- B2 - Pulse and timing
- B3 - DAW controls
- B4 - FX
- B5 - Structure and texture
- B6 - Recording
- B7 - EQ
C Creating and developing musical ideas
- C1 - Improvise rhythmic and melodic phrases freely or within given structures, individually or as part of a group
- C2 - Compose by developing musical ideas within simple given structures and applying DAW sequencing, audio recording and MIDI skills
- C3 - Sequence song form or similar structures with contrasting drum parts and different chord progressions and melodies
- C4 - Apply dynamic and expressive enhancements to a DAW session tastefully, such as balancing the volume levels, panning, compression and gating
- C5 - Apply FX tastefully to a selection of sounds within a composition, with effects such as reverb set up as ‘sends’
- C6 - Apply EQ to a selection of sounds within a composition, with consideration to the overall tonal balance of the mix
- C7 - Produce a fully realised, professional sounding composition, from a variety of sound sources with attention to detail, such as, structure, balance of sounds, appropriate panning, FX sends (especially reverb}, and appropriate EQ
D Playing music
- D1 - Work out by ear how to play short, easy well-known tunes or accompaniments using a limited range of notes
- D2 - Repeat with accuracy short, easy rhythmic and melodic phrases by singing or playing back from memory
- D3 - Play a variety of short, easy pieces from notation/ symbols
- D4 - Play from memory, and to others, selected contrasting pieces from their repertoire
- D5 - Read and play at sight short, easy pieces at a regular pulse, beginning to hear some of the elements internally and attending to expressive details, including articulation and dynamics
- D6 - Interpret music by making choices in relation to tempo, dynamics, phrasing, articulation, colour, etc. in order to achieve an intended effect and convey the expressive characteristics; describe and evaluate the music using appropriate musical vocabulary
E Playing music with others
- E1 - Play with others, helping to maintain a separate part and showing awareness of their role within the ensemble
- E2 - Explore, discuss and convey the character of the music
- E3 - Work as a production team of artist/artists and producer to perform and record music on a DAW, demonstrating skills of communicating instructions and keeping in time with the click track; attention to detail; selection of appropriate sounds; dropping in; and quantising, as appropriate.
F Performing and communicating
- F1 - Play produced music to others with a sense of occasion, e.g. in a concert, school assembly, examination, projecting the character of the music and acknowledging audience applause
- F2 - Evaluate the quality of their produced pieces in relation to the character of the music, suggesting improvements and commenting on how the intentions were achieved
A Listening and internalising
Programme of Study 1 Learning Objectives
- A1 - Listen and respond to music in and out of lessons, enjoying their experiences and building on them
- A2 - Have some aural perception of the music to be played
- A3 - Recognise and discriminate between the musical elements of pulse, pitch, rhythm, tempo, dynamics and texture
- A4 - Recognise and convey in their playing simple melodic patterns, e.g. repetition of main tune
- A5 - Using appropriate notation, make links between sounds and symbols, e.g. shape of the melody, repetition
Programme of Study 2 Learning Objectives
- A1 - Listen to music with concentration and understanding in and out of lessons, enjoying their experiences and building on them
- A2 - Have some aural perception of the music to be played, including some feeling of the expressive characteristics
- A3 - Recognise and discriminate between the musical elements, including aspects of articulation, phrasing and quality of tone
- A4 - Recognise and convey simple structures in their playing, e.g. repetition of rhythmic and melodic phrases
- A5 - Hear some elements of the music internally when using notation/symbol, e.g. tempo, pitch, rhythm, dynamics
B Making and controlling musical sounds
Programme of Study 1 Learning Objectives
- B1 - Sounds, instruments and sample selection
- B2 - Pulse and timing
- B3 - DAW controls
- B4 - FX
- B5 - Structure and texture
- B6 - Recording
- B7 - EQ
Programme of Study 2 Learning Objectives
C Creating and developing musical ideas
Programme of Study 1 Learning Objectives
- C1 - Improvise by exploring different sounds and creating repeated musical patterns or phrases
- C2 - Make use of vocal or DAW sequencing, audio recording and MIDI performance skills when beginning to compose
- C3 - Sequence simple verse/chorus structures with contrasting drum parts and different chord progressions and melodies
- C4 - Apply dynamic processes to a DAW session, such as balancing the volume levels, panning and compression
- C5 - Apply FX to a selection of sounds within the context of a composition
- C6 - Apply EQ to a selection of sounds within a composition
- C7 - Produce a fully realised composition with a coherent structure, balance of sounds, panning, FX (especially reverb) and EQ
Programme of Study 2 Learning Objectives
- C1 - Improvise rhythmic and melodic phrases freely or within given structures, individually or as part of a group
- C2 - Compose by developing musical ideas within simple given structures and applying DAW sequencing, audio recording and MIDI skills
- C3 - Sequence song form or similar structures with contrasting drum parts and different chord progressions and melodies
- C4 - Apply dynamic and expressive enhancements to a DAW session tastefully, such as balancing the volume levels, panning, compression and gating
- C5 - Apply FX tastefully to a selection of sounds within a composition, with effects such as reverb set up as ‘sends’
- C6 - Apply EQ to a selection of sounds within a composition, with consideration to the overall tonal balance of the mix
- C7 - Produce a fully realised, professional sounding composition, from a variety of sound sources with attention to detail, such as, structure, balance of sounds, appropriate panning, FX sends (especially reverb}, and appropriate EQ
D Playing music
Programme of Study 1 Learning Objectives
- D1 - Work out by ear how to play short, easy phrases or patterns from well-known tunes
- D2 - Repeat with accuracy short, easy rhythmic and melodic patterns by singing or playing back from memory
- D3 - Play short, easy pieces from appropriate notation/ symbols
- D4 - Memorise with accuracy selected short, simple pieces from their repertoire
- D5 - Read and play at sight short, simple phrases at a regular pulse; begin to make links between sound and symbol
- D6 - Begin to interpret music with some expression and with a sense of its intended effect; talk about its mood and how it is sung or played and suggest improvements to convey the character of the music
Programme of Study 2 Learning Objectives
- D1 - Work out by ear how to play short, easy well-known tunes or accompaniments using a limited range of notes
- D2 - Repeat with accuracy short, easy rhythmic and melodic phrases by singing or playing back from memory
- D3 - Play a variety of short, easy pieces from notation/ symbols
- D4 - Play from memory, and to others, selected contrasting pieces from their repertoire
- D5 - Read and play at sight short, easy pieces at a regular pulse, beginning to hear some of the elements internally and attending to expressive details, including articulation and dynamics
- D6 - Interpret music by making choices in relation to tempo, dynamics, phrasing, articulation, colour, etc. in order to achieve an intended effect and convey the expressive characteristics; describe and evaluate the music using appropriate musical vocabulary
E Playing music with others
Programme of Study 1 Learning Objectives
- E1 - Play with the teacher and/or other learners, demonstrating some basic ensemble skills by listening, watching and keeping in time with the group
- E2 - Explore and discuss the character of the music and the expressive possibilities
- E3 - Work as a production team of artist/artists and producer to perform and record music on a DAW, demonstrating some basic skills of communicating instructions and keeping in time with the click track
Programme of Study 2 Learning Objectives
- E1 - Play with others, helping to maintain a separate part and showing awareness of their role within the ensemble
- E2 - Explore, discuss and convey the character of the music
- E3 - Work as a production team of artist/artists and producer to perform and record music on a DAW, demonstrating skills of communicating instructions and keeping in time with the click track; attention to detail; selection of appropriate sounds; dropping in; and quantising, as appropriate.
F Performing and communicating
Programme of Study 1 Learning Objectives
- F1 - Play produced music to others, e.g. parents/carers, teachers, fellow learners and friends, demonstrating an awareness of the mood of the music
- F2 - Discuss the quality of their produced music and, with guidance, learn from their performance
Programme of Study 2 Learning Objectives
- F1 - Play produced music to others with a sense of occasion, e.g. in a concert, school assembly, examination, projecting the character of the music and acknowledging audience applause
- F2 - Evaluate the quality of their produced pieces in relation to the character of the music, suggesting improvements and commenting on how the intentions were achieved
Our Digital Audio Workstations curriculum is also available as a PDF which you can download below.
A Common Approach