HNC Music - HND Year 1
Overview
"You're in safe hands here" - Lewis Capaldi, former student
Take your playing seriously. Take it further.
Our HNC Music course is for musicians ready to develop properly: your technique, your writing, your stagecraft and your understanding of the industry you're trying to join.
You'll study at our Motherwell Campus, taught by industry professionals in dedicated rehearsal rooms and live performance spaces, with regular opportunities to perform. The HNC is equivalent to the first year of a degree. Finish it and you can continue to our HND, then on to BA and BA (Hons) Music Performance, the same route taken by students now working across the industry.
It's a competitive industry. The musicians who get ahead are the ones who put in the hours, and this is the place to do it.
Entry
You'll need one of the following:
- One Higher pass in Music, or equivalent relevant NQ unit passes
- Successful completion of our NC Music: Rock & Pop course
No formal qualifications? Relevant experience or prior learning can be considered instead, whether that's gigging, playing in a band or writing your own material. We may ask to see a portfolio of your work.
Your audition
Everyone who applies comes in for an audition and a short interview. It's a chance for us to hear you play and for you to ask us anything about the course.
What to prepare
Two contrasting pieces on your main instrument or voice. One can be your own composition. Your main instrument should be guitar, bass, keyboard, drums, saxophone or vocals. Please bring your own backing tracks, as a YouTube link or audio file.
On the day
Bring copies of any qualifications you have, and a passport-sized photograph.
Learn
This is a practical course built around performing, writing and understanding the industry you want to work in.
One-to-one tuition
You'll receive individual lessons on your first-choice instrument, guitar, bass, drums, vocals or piano and keyboard, from tutors still working in the music industry.
Play real venues
Performances and gigs take place at Glasgow venues including King Tut's Wah Wah Hut, Òran Mór, St Luke's, Ivory Blacks and Box. Weekly performance classes in our fully-equipped rehearsal studios build your stagecraft between shows, and you'll gain ensemble experience playing in bands and groups.
Write and create
Songwriting, composition and arranging classes help you develop your own material, and you'll work with digital audio workstations to record and produce your ideas.
Understand the music behind the music
Theory and history classes deepen your understanding of style and musicianship. Whatever your background or training, our theory classes are designed to work for everyone, from complete beginners to grade-trained musicians.
Learn the business
Music business classes cover how the industry actually works, including running a live music event from start to finish, so you leave understanding promotion, logistics and getting paid.
Modules include
Music First Study: Instrument · Music: Live Performance · Music: Stagecraft for Musicians · Music: Songwriting · Digital Audio Workstations 1 · Music Business for Musicians · Music Business: Running a Live Music Event · Music History · Music Theory · Music: Graded Unit 1
Where can I go from here?
Graduates of this course will be able to go directly into the following courses:
