Assessment Outline

For this assessment, you will analyse a short 'megamix' and learn how to recognise when music has been edited, looped, sampled, remixed, or otherwise manipulated. In addition, you will draw on relevant research to explain the similarities and differences between this megamix and other types of sample-based music.

Requirements

PART 1 (700-800 words)

Write an analysis of a 'megamix' recording. (A link to the recording will be available on iLearn by the end of Week 1.) The analysis should address the following aspects of the recording. The items marked with an asterisk are the more important ones; you should devote more space to them than to the first item.

• What are the overall strengths and weaknesses of the mix?
• Compare one of the featured tracks with the original version of the track. Identify three aspects of the track (other than tempo) which have been changed for the purposes of the mix.*
• Analyse one segue (that is: a transition from one track to the next). Which elements of the segue are gradual and which elements are abrupt?*

PART 2 (700-800 words)

Address the following questions:

• To what extent does the megamix above use techniques described by Robert Ratcliffe (2014)? 
• Are the production techniques used in the megamix above closer to hip hop conventions or to EDM (electronic dance music) conventions? Draw on the essential readings available on iLearn, and remember to focus on production techniques rather than the style of music.

Assessment Criteria

Your analysis will be assessed according to the following criteria.

• Ability to compare a track in its original form with its appearance in the mix.
• Ability to analyse a segue.
• Precision of analysis.
• Level of engagement with scholarly research.
• Level of prose, grammar, and syntax.

Submission Instructions

The assignment is due on Turnitin/iLearn by 5pm, Tuesday 13 September. Your first submission on Turnitin is final. Please check that you are submitting the correct file.

Extensions and Late Penalties

The submission on Turnitin will attract a late penalty of 10% of the total possible mark per day (including weekends and public holidays). Assignments submitted 10 days late (or more) will not be accepted.

Please note that late penalties accrue from 17:00:01 on the due date. It is strongly recommended that you aim to submit your work one day early.

Extensions on the final version may be granted only if you have submitted an application for Disruption to Studies. Please see the 'Disruption to Studies' policy: http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html.

Assessment Outline

For this assessment you will write peer-evaluations of five performances. You will be allocated five performances via iLearn by 5pm 9 September. In class time, you will be given advice on how to write effective, constructive feedback.

Requirements

• You must use the peer-evaluation sheet provided in class as a template.
• The minimum word length per evaluation is 100 words. There is no upper word limit for this task.

Assessment Criteria

Peer-reviews will be assessed according to the following criteria.

• Number of reviews submitted.
• Ability to identify relevant strengths of each performance.
• Ability to identify potential areas for improvement in each performance.

Submission Instructions

Your peer-evaluation sheet must be submitted to the MMCCS server on the same day as the performances that you have evaluated. The file that you submit should be named as follows: [Surname - ID number - Peer-evaluation - Week X]. 

Example:

Renzo - 44441234 - Peer-evaluation - Week 9

Extensions and Late Penalties

Students who fail to peer-review their allocated performances may review performances scheduled for the following week, with a standard late penalty of 10% of the total possible mark per day. Students who fail to peer-review their allocated performances in the final week may be given an alternative performance to review 7 days later, with a standard late penalty of 10% of the total possible mark per day.

Extensions on peer-reviews may be granted at the convenor's discretion and only if you have submitted an application for Disruption to Studies. Please see the 'Disruption to Studies' policy: http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html.

Assessment Outline

In this assessment, you will perform a 10-minute DJ set using the Session View of Ableton Live, liaise with other students to ensure that you 'mix into' your set smoothly, and submit a self-evaluation sheet (available on iLearn). The performance schedule will be available on iLearn by 5pm Friday 9 September.

Requirements

• The live mix must last for 10 minutes. You may use up to 2 minutes extra for transitions to and from your set.

• Ableton Live's Session View must be used as the 'hub' for the set. Turntables and/or other instruments and controllers may be used as supplements.

• You must submit your Live Set, a self-evaluation sheet (available on iLearn, 500-600 words), and a Set Tracklist to the MMCCS server by 5pm on the day prior to your performance.

• You will need to liaise with the people playing before and after you, to ensure that the overall tracklist is cohesive and that the mixing is seamless.

• All tracks must be high-quality audio files. Lossless formats such as WAV and AIFF are preferred, although MP3s encoded at 320kbps are also acceptable. Audio tracks ripped from YouTube clips are not acceptable for the purposes of this assessment.

• You may be required to attend a separate viva voce regarding this assignment, to elaborate on your preparation process.

• If you choose to use your own equipment for the performance, you are responsible for ensuring that your hardware and software are in good working order.

• IMPORTANT: Click 'Collect All and Save' before submitting your assignment. No concessions will be made if your Live Set is missing the required audio files.

Assessment Criteria

Marks will be awarded according to the following criteria:

• Ability to apply concepts of music design and theory to DJ performance.
• Level of mixing techniques.
• Competence in the use of technologies.
• Creative adaptation of sound materials.
• Quality of self-assessment.

Submission Instructions

The Live Performances will take place after the mid-semester break. The schedule will be available on iLearn by 5pm Friday 9 September. By 5pm on the day prior to your performance, you must upload a folder to the MMCCS server. The folder must include:

• the final version of your Ableton Live set
• a self-evaluation sheet (available on iLearn, consisting of 500-600 words)
• a Set Tracklist (guidelines available on iLearn).

The folder should be named as follows: [Surname - ID number - Performance - Week X]

Example:

Smith - 44443333 - Performance - Week 10

Extensions and Late Penalties

No extensions can be granted without a Disruption to Studies application. If you experience serious and unavoidable disruption, please submit a Disruption to Studies application immediately and contact Adrian Renzo to arrange a new assessment date. (Please see the 'Disruption to Studies' policy: http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html).

Students who fail to attend their allotted performance time (without submitting a Disruption to Studies application) may be given an opportunity to perform at a later date. In such cases, the standard late penalty of 10% of the total possible mark per day will apply.

Please note: it is your responsibility to keep at least three copies of your work in different locations (e.g. an external hard drive, your own computer, and a USB flash drive). The hard drives of computers in the lab can be erased at any time, so these computers should not be used as back-up storage. No extensions will be granted in the event that you fail to back-up your work and inadvertently lose data.