Module overview
In 2017, global recorded music revenues totalled $17.3 billion, the majority of which comes from the consumption of what we would classify as songs.
This module aims, through lectures and practical work, to investigate & demonstrate how new production, distribution and consumption technologies are changing the way songs are made.
Aims and Objectives
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge and Understanding
Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:
- songwriting fundamentals: lyrics, rhythm, melody and harmony;
- roles and processes in contemporary song production, distribution and consumption;
- song production fundamentals: Digital Audio Workstation control of dynamics, texture, timbre and space.
Transferable and Generic Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- work independently and demonstrate critical self-awareness;
- apply critical listening and critical thinking skills to recorded music.
Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- identify key compositional and production elements of musical styles/genres.
- use a range of appropriate techniques to realise musical ideas as sound;
- manage a non-linear creative process;
Syllabus
Topics will typically include:
- Roles and non-linear creative processes in contemporary digitally-mediated song-making cultures;
- Recording, composition, arrangement and audio mixing & processing to control mood, texture and spectral space;
- Working with samples (reduced listening as creative starting point; looping techniques; legal implications & making your own loops);
- New AI- and machine learning-based tools for music production.
Learning and Teaching
Teaching and learning methods
Lectures and demonstrations
Seminars, tutorials and group sessions
Practical tasks (both in-class and in independent study)
Reading Blackboard resources and hardware/software manuals
Watching curated online video content
Critical listening to a range of audio resources (both in-class and in independent study)
Group work
| Type | Hours |
|---|---|
| Independent Study | 126 |
| Supervised time in studio/workshop | 12 |
| Lecture | 12 |
| Total study time | 150 |
Resources & Reading list
Internet Resources
Textbooks
Moorfield, Virgil (2010). The Producer as Composer. Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press.
Seabrook, John (2016). The Song Machine: Inside the Hit Factory. New York City: W. W. Norton & Company.
Pattison, Pat (2010). Writing Better Lyrics. Cincinnati, Ohio: Writer's Digest Books.
Herstand, Ari (2017). How to Make it in the New Music Business: Practical Tips on Building a Loyal Following and Making a Living as a Musician. New York City: Liveright.
Assessment
Assessment strategy
- Formative assessments or tasks designed to provide informal, on-module feedback;
- Production assignments to allow students to demonstrate the practical technical skills covered;
- Reflective report writing.
Summative
This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Group project | 40% |
| Composition | 60% |
Referral
This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Practical assignment and write-up | 100% |
Repeat
An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Composition | 100% |
Repeat Information
Repeat type: Internal