Students

MMCC2020 – Music Production: The Virtual Studio

2020 – Session 1, Weekday attendance, North Ryde

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update

Due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, any references to assessment tasks and on-campus delivery may no longer be up-to-date on this page.

Students should consult iLearn for revised unit information.

Find out more about the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and potential impacts on staff and students

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Convenor / Lecturer / Tutor
Mary Mainsbridge
10HA 165E
Convenor / Tutor
Julian Knowles
10HA 225
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
40cp at 1000 level or above
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

Contemporary music production and composition is increasingly reliant on computer technology. In this unit, students are introduced to principles of composition and production using specialized software programs and virtual instruments. Students develop technical skills as well as compositional literacy. Creativity is encouraged, as students produce original musical works within the dedicated music computer laboratory. While music production software is used in this unit, no prior computer production or musical ability is necessary.

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:

  • ULO1: apply proficiency with technological composition and musical creativity.
  • ULO2: analyse and describe creative musical works.
  • ULO3: evaluate musical ideas and participate in shared creativity both in class and online.
  • ULO4: practice independent problem-solving and analytical judgement in the application of specialized software in music making.
  • ULO5: produce and time-manage creative and research projects.

Assessment Tasks

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update

Assessment details are no longer provided here as a result of changes due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Students should consult iLearn for revised unit information.

Find out more about the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and potential impacts on staff and students

General Assessment Information

Assessment standards

Assessment standards in this unit align with the University's grade descriptors, available at: https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/assessment

Late submission / Special Consideration

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved:

  1. a penalty for lateness will apply – two (2) marks out of 100 will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date – and
  2. no assignment will be accepted more than seven (7) days (including weekends) after the original submission deadline. No late submissions will be accepted for timed assessments – e.g. quizzes, online tests, online participation.

Feedback

Feedback on assessments and student learning and performance will be provided in written or verbal form. Students will receive formal individual feedback on their performance in assessments as general comments during class discussions and in-text comments attached to assignments marked in Grademark/Turnitin. Feedback may also be delivered verbally in tutorials, via email communication and in personal consultations on request. Students are encouraged to make use of tutorials as opportunities for feedback from the tutor on works in progress. Marks are made available in the Gradebook function in iLearn.

Delivery and Resources

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update

Any references to on-campus delivery below may no longer be relevant due to COVID-19.

Please check here for updated delivery information: https://ask.mq.edu.au/account/pub/display/unit_status

Lectures (delivered via iLearn) begin in Week 1. Tutorials begin in Week 2.

Technologies used and required: Lecture videos | All MMCC2020 lectures are provided as online videos via iLearn. There are no face-to-face lectures for MMCC2020. 

Technologies used and required: Website | MMCC2020 lectures and tutorial resources are hosted on the MMCC2020 iLearn site. The MMCC2020 iLearn unit may be accessed from within the music labs or from off-campus at http://www.ilearn.mq.edu.au. 

Technologies used and required: Required Equipment | You will need to bring a suitable pair of headphones to tutorials each week. In-ear (iPod-style) headphones are not recommended, as their sound reproduction quality is generally inadequate and may jeopardise the quality of your work. The lab is not equipped to handle wireless and bluetooth headphones. You will also require a Mac-compatible USB thumb drive (4GB or more) or a portable hard drive (preferably USB-powered) in order to back up and transfer your work. 

Music lab | You may make use of the 10HA music lab at any time when there are no classes taking place. The opening hours for the music lab will be 9–5 on weekdays, with possible longer opening hours; this will be discussed in lectures/tutorials. 

Software Compatibility | It is your own responsibility to ensure that any work undertaken outside of the Music computer labs is fully functional within and compatible with the version of Ableton Live on the computers in the labs. 

Attendance | Students are expected to watch all lectures and attend all tutorials for this unit. Tutorial attendance is compulsory, and missing more than two tutorials will compromise your ability to progress and complete the assessments satisfactorily. If you have missed a tutorial due to unforeseen/unavoidable medical or personal circumstances, please speak to your tutor as soon as possible and provide evidence of disruption. A roll will be taken in the first 10 minutes of every tutorial; students entering late are responsible for making themselves known to the tutor so they can be marked as in attendance.

Assignment Submission | There are no hard-copy submissions for MMCC2020. Written assignments will be completed/submitted via iLearn/Turnitin. Music production projects will be uploaded to a secure dropbox. This will be further explained in tutorials.

Return of marked work | Marked work and feedback will be returned to students online via iLearn.

Late submissions and Special Consideration | Assessments submitted after the due date and time will automatically be penalised in line with the Late Submission penalty outlined above, unless medical certification or evidence of serious and unavoidable disruption is provided. Contact the course convenor well in advance if you are experiencing disruptions and may be unable to submit an assessment on time. Extensions will only be granted through the Special Consideration process. Students experiencing disruptions of least three (3) consecutive days duration or a total of 5 days within the teaching period must apply for Special Consideration.

Referencing style | Preferred referencing styles include Harvard http://libweb.anglia.ac.uk/referencing/ harvard.htm?harvard_id=24#24 and APA http://www.usq.edu.au/library/help/referencing/apa.htm. Either or any style may be used as long as all necessary information is provided and a consistent approach is taken. 

Recommended reading and research | The recommended readings for this unit are intended to enhance students' understanding of concepts taught throughout the course. It is strongly advised that students broaden their understanding of core concepts relating to music production, MIDI, and software synthesis by completing relevant recommended readings as well as undertaking independent research and listening analyses. 

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/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/study/getting-started/student-conduct​

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) 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 or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

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 help you improve your marks and take control of your study.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

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

If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@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.

Changes since First Published

Date Description
04/02/2020 The first assessment task was changed from Week 8 to Week 7.