Entrance examinations for tonmeister

You can choose to take the audition at several levels of the Academy

The entrance examination consists of the following elements:

Principal study

The main subjects for Tonmeister are recording technique and music production. The test will consist of:

  • Test of general technical and musical knowledge (example here)
  • Auditive analysis
  • Discussion

Test 1 is a separate, 60 minute long test, whereas tests 2 and 3 are taken at the same time. Each part will last approximately 15 minutes. The tests are prohibitive. The entrance examination is assessed by two internal examiners and one external examiner. 

Audiogram

You must sent a certified audiogram (max. 1 year old) together with your application. An audiogram shows a person's hearing at different frequencies. An audiogram can be obtained from a specialist doctor.

Form and contents of the main subject examination

Test of general technical and musical knowledge

The test consists of a short written paper on a series of elementary technical and musical questions. Some of the questions will require only a yes/no answer, while others require brief answers. 

Auditive analysis

A verbal, musical as well as technical, description of two recorded pieces of music (one rhythmic and one classical). The applicant is asked to explain style, instrumentation, production technical choices, including dynamic, spectral and other processing. In addition, questions are asked about the usual stereo recording techniques and typical production methods within classical and rhythmic music. The candidate’s ability to express his/her perception of the music and his/her use of appropriate technical terminology will be taken into account. 

Discussion

With the help of individual questions the candidate’s technical and musical level will be established. These questions may be of both a theoretical and practical manner. Furthermore the candidate’s intentions and expectations towards the course will be discussed. 

If the applicant passes the principal study audition, he or she then takes further examinations in supporting subject: aural studies/theory test. This examination is identical for all Bachelor programmes. Furthermore, the applicant must take examination in supporting subject: basic piano.

Basic piano (video)

Please note that the entrance examination in basic piano has been changed from a January exam to a video submission, which must be uploaded along with your application. 

The piano test in basic piano is a video submission, which must be uploaded along with your application. 

The video must include all four parts below: 

1) A piano piece

The piano piece must be of a difficulty level equivalent to:

  • A sonatina by W.A. Mozart
  • A Two-part Invention by J.S. Bach
  • A movement from R. Schumann: Kinderszenen
  • A movement from C. Nielsen: Humoreske – bagateller
  • A movement from B. Bartok: Rumanian Christmas Songs
  • Notated jazz or other rhythmic arrangements with the same degree of difficulty as pieces by e.g. Chick Corea, Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans

2)  A previously prepared 4-part harmony chorale (from “Den Danske Koralbog”). 

You can find two examples of a 4-part harmony chorale here.

3) Assigned 2 scales and 2 arpeggios, played over two octaves with both hands in parallel motion. 

The scales and triads will be selected from all major and minor keys up to four key signatures (all three types of minor: melodic, harmonic, and natural).

The performance should be secure, with few or no mistakes, using standard fingerings.

The assigned scales and triads will be published on this page 10 days before the application deadline (1 December).

4) Set task: Accompaniment to own singing with text.

The set task is a song notated in both full score format (treble and bass clefs) and with chord symbols. The task is to be performed with the lyrics. Applicants may choose whether to complete the task by playing the written-out arrangement or by using the chord symbols.
The level of difficulty is comparable to a song from the new Højskolesangbogen. (We will provide an example shortly.)
One or two verses are to be played.

The set task will be published on this page 10 days before the application deadline (1 December).

 

The examination is assessed by two internal examiners and graded according to the Danish 7-point grading scale. The test is prohibitive.

Requirements for the recording

  • There are no formal requirements to the quality of the recording of the proposed task. I.e. using a smartphone on the music stand is perfectly fine.
  • The audition recording must clearly show the applicant in person including clear view of hands and fingers.
  • The audition recording must be unedited except between performances (i.e. between pieces), and the audition must be recorded within six months of submitting your application.
  • Check that the recordings have been submitted successfully.
  • Accepted formats: mp4, mp3, webm and mpeg (not mov).
  • The maximum size of a file that can be submitted in the online application is 1GB. Therefore, it might be necessary to divide your audition recording into individual pieces (please remember not to edit within a piece of music). 

The entrance examination for the Bachelor's programme is online. It consists of two rounds, and an online screening of aural training and theoretical skills. Applicants must pass the first round to proceed to the second — these rounds are sequential and prohibitive.

  1. Online entrance examination 
  2. Basic piano (video)

Both parts of the entrance exam must be passed. 

The screening of aural training and theoretical skills is mandatory but not prohibitive.

Based on the above, RDAM will decide if the applicant is recommended for admission.

Online entrance examination 

Non-EU applicants for the Bachelor's programme as Tonmeister will be called for an online audition, and should not upload any audition recordings as part of their application. 

The online entrance examination consists of the following elements:

  • General introduction
  • Auditive Analysis
  • Test of technical and musical knowledge

General Introduction

This will be a short talk about you, your musical background/experience and motivations/goals for applying to the tonmeister programme.

Auditive Analysis

For the auditive analysis, you will hear a short (2 minutes) piece of music unprepared. After you have heard it, we would like you to characterize the musical style, instrumentation, technical choices, including dynamic, spectral and other processing. There will be two different examples – one from classical western music and one contemporary pop/rock/jazz-production. The auditive analysis’s will also be used as a foundation for a talk about things like stereo microphone theory, microphones, compressors, classical recording technique versus recording technique for pop/rock.

The student must be capable of articulating her/his/their perception of the music and, to some extent, use the correct terminology.

Test of technical and musical knowledge

The examiners will ask different questions related to music, sound engineering and music production. Below you can read an outline of the topics which could be covered. At the exam we may not have time for them all.

Instrument/ensemble knowledge

  • How are different instruments tuned and how are some instruments transposed
  • Which instruments are in standard ensembles (bigband, symhony orchestra, string quartets and so on)

Technical knowledge

  • Microphone types (working principle, directional/spectral charactaeristics)
  • Stereo techniques
  • Spectral and dynamic processors
  • Other technical equipment and brands related to Pro Audio
  • Signal flow

Physics

  • Basic acoustics and electronics
  • Audio perception

Knowledge of classical music

  • History, Composers, works/pieces, traditions

Knowledge of contemporary music (pop, rock, jazz)

  • History, Bands, soloists, artists, musicians, producers, genres

Duration of the entrance examination max. 50 minutes including assessment. 
The entrance examination is assessed by two internal examiners.

Basic piano (video)

The piano test in basic piano is a video submission, which must be uploaded along with your application. 

The video must include all four parts below: 

1) A piano piece

The piano piece must be of a difficulty level equivalent to:

  • A sonatina by W.A. Mozart
  • A Two-part Invention by J.S. Bach
  • A movement from R. Schumann: Kinderszenen
  • A movement from C. Nielsen: Humoreske – bagateller
  • A movement from B. Bartok: Rumanian Christmas Songs
  • Notated jazz or other rhythmic arrangements with the same degree of difficulty as pieces by e.g. Chick Corea, Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans

2)  A previously prepared 4-part harmony chorale (from “Den Danske Koralbog”).

You can find two examples of a 4-part harmony chorale here.

3) Assigned 2 scales and 2 arpeggios, played over two octaves with both hands in parallel motion.

The scales and triads will be selected from all major and minor keys up to four key signatures (all three types of minor: melodic, harmonic, and natural).

The performance should be secure, with few or no mistakes, using standard fingerings.

The assigned scales and triads will be published on this page 10 days before the application deadline (1 December).

4) Set task: Accompaniment to own singing with text.

The set task is a song notated in both full score format (treble and bass clefs) and with chord symbols. The task is to be performed with the lyrics. Applicants may choose whether to complete the task by playing the written-out arrangement or by using the chord symbols.
The level of difficulty is comparable to a song from the new Højskolesangbogen. (We will provide an example shortly.)
One or two verses are to be played.

The set task will be published on this page 10 days before the application deadline (1 December).

 

The examination is assessed by two internal examiners and graded according to the Danish 7-point grading scale. The test is prohibitive.

 

Requirements for the recording

  • There are no formal requirements to the quality of the recording of the proposed task. I.e. using a smartphone on the music stand is perfectly fine.
  • The audition recording must clearly show the applicant in person including clear view of hands and fingers.
  • The audition recording must be unedited except between performances (i.e. between pieces), and the audition must be recorded within six months of submitting your application.
  • Check that the recordings have been submitted successfully.
  • Accepted formats: mp4, mp3, webm and mpeg (not mov).
  • The maximum size of a file that can be submitted in the online application is 1GB. Therefore, it might be necessary to divide your audition recording into individual pieces (please remember not to edit within a piece of music). 

The entrance examination consists of a principal study audition.

Applicants must submit two examples of their own musical productions – one in the rhythmic genre (e.g. pop/rock/jazz) and one in the classical genre. Each of the examples must be at least 7 minutes.

Together with the application applicants must also submit a production plan. The production plan is a short document describing how the production was put together. It should incorporate a simple time schedule, a list of the equipment/software used and a list of the participants and their roles in the production (musicians, engineer, producer, composer and others). Also there must be a short description of the musical material and the context of the recording, for instance: demo, concert documentation, release for streaming.

The applicant is called for a 20-minute discussion about the submitted Works.

In addition to the conversation about the submitted productions, the applicant's technical and musical standpoint is sought to be clarified. There may be questions of both theoretical and practical nature. In addition, the applicant's intention and expectations for the study are sought to be clarified.

Duration of the entrance examination: 30 minutes including voting.

The entrance examination is assessed by two internal censors. A grade is given on the Danish 7 point grade scale. The entrance examination can end with a five-minute conversation about the applicant's motivation for applying, career considerations, etc.. The conversation does not affect the grade but is used for mutual matching of expectations about the education.

The decision regarding admission will be based on provided documentation for previous education and an evaluation of the submitted musical productions.

The entrance examination consists of a principal study audition.

Applicants must submit two examples of their own musical productions – one in the rhythmic genre (e.g. pop/rock/jazz) and one in the classical genre. Each of the examples must be at least 7 minutes. 

Together with the application applicants must also submit a production plan. The production plan is a short document describing how the production was put together. It should incorporate a simple time schedule, a list of the equipment/software used and a list of the participants and their roles in the production (musicians, engineer, producer, composer and others). Also there must be a short description of the musical material and the context of the recording, for instance: demo, concert documentation, release for streaming.

The applicant is called for a 20-minute online discussion about the submitted Works.

In addition to the conversation about the submitted productions, the applicant's technical and musical standpoint is sought to be clarified. There may be questions of both theoretical and practical nature. In addition, the applicant's intention and expectations for the study are sought to be clarified.

Duration of the entrance examination: 30 minutes including voting.

The entrance examination is censured by two internal censors. A grade is given on the Danish 7 point grade scale. The entrance examination can end with a five-minute conversation about the applicant's motivation for applying, career considerations, etc.. The conversation does not affect the grade but is used for mutual matching of expectations about the education.

The decision regarding admission will be based on provided documentation for previous education and an evaluation of the submitted musical productions.

Additionally, Non-EU/EEA applicants applicants may be asked to do an extra interview focusing on the musical entrance examination, including piano, ear training/solfége and theory.

Supporting information to be prepared when applying

Piano skills: As part of their application, the applicant must describe their experience with piano playing. Piano playing as a supporting subject in all programs and is an important part of the studies at RDAM. If the applicant has no prior experience in piano playing before starting their studies, RDAM will try to adjust the classes accordingly.