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2020/21 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

MUSS3640 Music Technology

40 creditsClass Size: 35

Module manager: Dr Ewan Stefani
Email: e.j.stefani@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2020/21

Pre-requisites

MUSS2620Music Tech Skills & Techniques

Module replaces

MUSI3620 Minor Music TechnologyMUSI3640 Major Music Technology

This module is not approved as a discovery module

Module summary

This module enables students to plan, devise, realise, and document a substantial project in an area where interaction with technology plays a significant role in creative musical activity. Through lectures, lecture-seminars, and individual and peer-group work, students will develop individual creative identity, technical skill, methodological rigour, and an awareness of the relevant contextual praxes and discourses. These will be applied in the realisation of the project.

Objectives

1) Provide students with a contextual overview of current and/or historic practice and/or critical, aesthetic, theoretical, or philosophical discourse relevant to one or more of the following (indicative) areas:
a. Computer music;
b. Sound recording;
c. Interactive multimedia systems;
d. Digital live performance tools;
e. Any other topic where interaction with technology plays a significant role in creative musical activity.
2) Enable students to develop their individual identities as creative practitioners in one or more (or a combination) of those areas through practical and intellectual engagement with music technology in individual and peer-group settings;
3) Provide a framework within which students can plan, devise, realise, and document a substantial project in one or more (or a combination) of those areas that articulates individual creative identity, technical skill, rigorous methodology, and awareness of the relevant contextual praxes and discourses (which might include current or historic, critical, aesthetic, theoretical, or philosophical discourse / practice).

Learning outcomes
On completing the module students will:
1) Have critical understanding of a range of current and/or historic practice and/or critical, aesthetic, theoretical, or philosophical discourse relevant to one or more of the following (indicative) areas:
a. Computer music;
b. Sound recording;
c. Interactive multimedia systems;
d. Digital live performance tools;
e. Any other topic where interaction with technology plays a significant role in creative musical activity.
2) Know how to develop their individual creative identities and situate themselves within the context of current/historic practice and discourse in one or more (or a combination) of those areas;
3) Know how to plan, devise, realise, and document a substantial project in one or more (or a combination) of those areas that articulates individual creative identity, technical skill, rigorous methodology, and awareness of the relevant contextual praxes and discourses (which might include current or historic, critical, aesthetic, theoretical, or philosophical discourse / practice).


Syllabus

Lectures will focus on:
• current and/or historic practice and/or critical, aesthetic, theoretical, or philosophical discourse relevant to one or more of the (indicative) areas given above;
Lecture-seminars will focus on:
• finding and summarising existing research on a focused topic;
• developing a project proposal;
• developing critical and evaluative skills (with respect to students’ own practice and to the practice of others);
• providing training in appropriate research methodologies;
• providing support for the development of technical skills through independent and peer-group activities.

Teaching methods

Delivery typeNumberLength hoursStudent hours
Lecture102.0020.00
Tutorial30.501.50
Private study hours378.50
Total Contact hours21.50
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)400.00

Private study

• 378.5 hours roughly equates to 12–13 hours per week of private study across 30 weeks. It is recommended that this be divided roughly equally between 6–6½ hours per week technical work on the one hand, and 6–6½ hours per week critical/contextual evaluation on the other. Indicatively:
o 189.25 hours technical project work. This may include development of the Project Proposal, reviewing of technical documentation, independent development of practical/technical skills, as well as fulfilling the technical realisation of the Portfolio itself.
o 189.25 hours critical evaluation. This may include locating, reviewing and critically evaluating current and historical practice including the student’s own and the practice of others; reading and reflecting upon relevant aesthetic, theoretical, and/or philosophical literature; and completing those parts of the assessed coursework that require such critical reflection.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

The main mechanisms for the monitoring of student progress are:
• Contribution to lecture-seminars
• Tutorials
In addition student progress, as appropriate to topic, may be monitored through any combination of the following:
• practical help and problem solving in seminars;
• formative assessment tasks;
• in-class tasks under the supervision of a tutor;
• online fora, discussion boards, email;
• online virtual classroom sessions.

Methods of assessment


Coursework
Assessment typeNotes% of formal assessment
Assignmentliterature review and project proposal, 3000-4000 words40.00
PortfolioPractical work equivalent in to 7000–8000 words, including documentation as appropriate to the project.60.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)100.00

In some cases, due to the time and access to facilities/equipment required, it may be necessary to offer resits of practical work during the following academic session rather than over the summer period.

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 10/08/2020 08:43:07

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