Students
MMCS200 – Musical Authorship and Songwriting
2017 – S1 Day
General Information
Download as PDF
| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Convenor/Lecturer/Tutor
Dr Andrew Robson
Contact via Email
TBA
Please email for a consultation time
Andrew Robson
|
|---|---|
| Credit points |
Credit points
3
|
| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
12cp at 100 level or above
|
| Corequisites |
Corequisites
|
| Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
|
| Unit description |
Unit description
The phenomenon of 'the song' in contemporary music is undisputed. This unit will explore 'the song' in various cultural and historical contexts. Students will deconstruct some of the most popular and critically regarded contemporary compositions in order to better understand and facilitate their own creative techniques. Song structure will be a unit focus and topics will include lyrical, melodic, rhythmic, chordal and musical components, and will build on and provide links between existing Music units in music production, voice, guitar, music business, and popular music. Recording as a compositional tool, loop stations and aspects of music production will enable students to work with various music technological in their creative practice. In the context of music business, the authorship and ownership of original material through song publishing, performance and recording will be discussed.
|
Important Academic Dates
Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- Demonstrate the context of the song in popular and/or world musics
- Analyse critically the components of song structure in a variety of contexts
- Analyse forms of authorship
- Analyse the song in publishing, performance and recording contexts
- Create an original song
- Demonstrate musical and lyrical components of the song
- Demonstrate the use of various technologies
- Communicate effectively through an original song
Assessment Tasks
| Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Song analysis | 20% | No | Week 5, 30/03/17 |
| Creative Process Journal | 30% | No | Week 10; 18/05/17 |
| Original song | 50% | No | Week 12; 01/06/17 |
Song analysis
Due: Week 5, 30/03/17
Weighting: 20%
You are required to comprehensively analyse a song. The song may be from popular music traditions and styles or from world musics. For this assessment, a song is considered to include lyrics, melody and musical accompaniment. Only commercially released audio tracks may be used for this assessment. You are required to analyse an original song of any artist or band (that is, no cover versions are to be analysed). Please note that the maximum word count of 1200 words includes the reference list. It is recommended that you refer to the assessment criteria below for analytical content. The use of sub-headings is permitted.
You will be assessed on:
- Identification of the song's authorship, including date/timeframe
- Identification of the song's context (historical, social and/or cultural) and style
- Analysis of song components
- Analysis of any publishing, performance and/or recording contexts
- Academic writing and referencing
The essay is to be submitted through Turnitin by 5pm on the due date.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Demonstrate the context of the song in popular and/or world musics
- Analyse critically the components of song structure in a variety of contexts
- Analyse forms of authorship
- Analyse the song in publishing, performance and recording contexts
- Demonstrate musical and lyrical components of the song
- Demonstrate the use of various technologies
Creative Process Journal
Due: Week 10; 18/05/17
Weighting: 30%
You are required to write a process journal consisting of weekly entires (up to 500 words per entry) that documents your musical authorship. It is expected that your journal entries will correlate to weekly course content (lectures, readings, your own research and tutorials) and any subsequent influences on your creative processes. in addition, the journal should answer the weekly question that relates to each week's lecture content.
You will be assessed on:
- Effective communication of original ideas
- Creative components
- Documentation of the creative processes and song context
- Identification of musical authorship
- Integration of unit content
- Academic writing and referencing
The journal is to be submitted through Turnitin by 5pm on the due date.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Analyse forms of authorship
- Demonstrate musical and lyrical components of the song
- Demonstrate the use of various technologies
Original song
Due: Week 12; 01/06/17
Weighting: 50%
PART 1 (40%) - Your Song
You are required to write an original song during the course of this unit. This is a song to be written by you and not by a band that you may be part of. You will be required to discuss/play your song progressively through the Session in tutorials.
For this assessment, a song must include melody, lyrical content and musical accompaniment. You will record the song for assessment submission. The level of production is an individual choice; for students who do not play an instrument, you may want to consider using a loop station to assist in the creation/recording of your song.
Your final song will be submitted digitally as an audio or visual recording. The uploaded file should be of sufficient sound quality to do justice to your song. This will be uploaded to iLearn.
Song Submission: iLearn
PART 2 (10%) - Relevant Documentation
You are required to submit a credit list stating all those who assisted in bringing your project to fruition - e.g., musician/s, vocalist/s, recording engineer/s. Please include the dates, places and method/s relevant to your recording.
Submission for Part 2: Turnitin
You will be assessed on:
- Effective communication of original ideas
- Creative components
- Documentation of the creative process and song context
- Identification of musical authorship
- Academic writing and referencing
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Demonstrate the context of the song in popular and/or world musics
- Analyse critically the components of song structure in a variety of contexts
- Analyse the song in publishing, performance and recording contexts
- Create an original song
- Demonstrate musical and lyrical components of the song
- Demonstrate the use of various technologies
- Communicate effectively through an original song
Delivery and Resources
| MMCS200/S1/Day/Lecture_1/01 | Thursday | 9:00am | 10:00am | 1:00 | (Y3A) 187 Drama Studio | |||
| MMCS200/S1/Day/Tutorial_1/01 | Thursday | 10:00am | 11:00am | 1:00 | (Y3A) 123 Ensemble Rm | |||
| MMCS200/S1/Day/Tutorial_1/02 | Thursday | 11:00am | 12:00pm | 1:00 | (Y3A) 123 Ensemble Rm |
Students are required to attend weekly lectures and tutorials. The lecture is not recorded.
The weekly schedule and reading list will be available on iLearn.
Late penalties for assessment submissions received after the due dates are 10% per day, including weekends. Disruption to studies can only be considered when applied for online and supported with appropriate documentation.
Policies and Procedures
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html
Assessment Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy_2016.html
Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html
Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/complaint_management/procedure.html
Disruption to Studies Policy (in effect until Dec 4th, 2017): http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html
Special Consideration Policy (in effect from Dec 4th, 2017): https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/special-consideration
In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.
Student Code of Conduct
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/
Results
Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.
Additional information
MMCCS Session Re-mark Application http://www.mq.edu.au/pubstatic/public/download/?id=167914
Information is correct at the time of publication
Student Support
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Learning Skills
Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.
Student Services and Support
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
Student Enquiries
For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au
IT Help
For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/.
When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.
Graduate Capabilities
Creative and Innovative
Our graduates will also be capable of creative thinking and of creating knowledge. They will be imaginative and open to experience and capable of innovation at work and in the community. We want them to be engaged in applying their critical, creative thinking.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- Create an original song
- Demonstrate musical and lyrical components of the song
- Demonstrate the use of various technologies
- Communicate effectively through an original song
Assessment tasks
- Song analysis
- Creative Process Journal
- Original song
Capable of Professional and Personal Judgement and Initiative
We want our graduates to have emotional intelligence and sound interpersonal skills and to demonstrate discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgement. They will exercise initiative as needed. They will be capable of risk assessment, and be able to handle ambiguity and complexity, enabling them to be adaptable in diverse and changing environments.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- Demonstrate the context of the song in popular and/or world musics
- Analyse the song in publishing, performance and recording contexts
- Create an original song
Assessment tasks
- Song analysis
- Creative Process Journal
- Original song
Discipline Specific Knowledge and Skills
Our graduates will take with them the intellectual development, depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content in their chosen fields to make them competent and confident in their subject or profession. They will be able to demonstrate, where relevant, professional technical competence and meet professional standards. They will be able to articulate the structure of knowledge of their discipline, be able to adapt discipline-specific knowledge to novel situations, and be able to contribute from their discipline to inter-disciplinary solutions to problems.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- Demonstrate the context of the song in popular and/or world musics
- Analyse critically the components of song structure in a variety of contexts
- Analyse forms of authorship
- Analyse the song in publishing, performance and recording contexts
- Create an original song
- Demonstrate musical and lyrical components of the song
- Demonstrate the use of various technologies
- Communicate effectively through an original song
Assessment tasks
- Song analysis
- Creative Process Journal
- Original song
Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking
We want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning and analysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently and systemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in the world. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technology literacy.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- Demonstrate the context of the song in popular and/or world musics
- Analyse critically the components of song structure in a variety of contexts
- Analyse forms of authorship
- Analyse the song in publishing, performance and recording contexts
- Create an original song
- Demonstrate musical and lyrical components of the song
- Demonstrate the use of various technologies
- Communicate effectively through an original song
Assessment tasks
- Song analysis
- Creative Process Journal
- Original song
Problem Solving and Research Capability
Our graduates should be capable of researching; of analysing, and interpreting and assessing data and information in various forms; of drawing connections across fields of knowledge; and they should be able to relate their knowledge to complex situations at work or in the world, in order to diagnose and solve problems. We want them to have the confidence to take the initiative in doing so, within an awareness of their own limitations.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- Demonstrate the context of the song in popular and/or world musics
- Analyse critically the components of song structure in a variety of contexts
- Analyse forms of authorship
- Analyse the song in publishing, performance and recording contexts
- Create an original song
- Demonstrate the use of various technologies
- Communicate effectively through an original song
Assessment tasks
- Song analysis
- Creative Process Journal
- Original song
Effective Communication
We want to develop in our students the ability to communicate and convey their views in forms effective with different audiences. We want our graduates to take with them the capability to read, listen, question, gather and evaluate information resources in a variety of formats, assess, write clearly, speak effectively, and to use visual communication and communication technologies as appropriate.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- Analyse critically the components of song structure in a variety of contexts
- Analyse forms of authorship
- Analyse the song in publishing, performance and recording contexts
- Create an original song
- Demonstrate musical and lyrical components of the song
- Demonstrate the use of various technologies
- Communicate effectively through an original song
Assessment tasks
- Song analysis
- Creative Process Journal
- Original song
Engaged and Ethical Local and Global citizens
As local citizens our graduates will be aware of indigenous perspectives and of the nation's historical context. They will be engaged with the challenges of contemporary society and with knowledge and ideas. We want our graduates to have respect for diversity, to be open-minded, sensitive to others and inclusive, and to be open to other cultures and perspectives: they should have a level of cultural literacy. Our graduates should be aware of disadvantage and social justice, and be willing to participate to help create a wiser and better society.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- Demonstrate the context of the song in popular and/or world musics
- Analyse the song in publishing, performance and recording contexts
- Create an original song
Assessment tasks
- Song analysis
- Original song
Changes from Previous Offering
The assessment tasks have been amended in line with the assessment policy introduced in S2 2016.
Changes since First Published
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 27/02/2017 | Due dates for assessments have been amended |