Assessment Outline

Worksheets will be distributed in a number of tutorials. The worksheets will help you to prepare for your Live Performance assessment. Some worksheets will require you to evaluate your peers' work.

Requirements

• Worksheets are to be completed and submitted by the end of the tutorial.
• The tasks on each worksheet must be completed to a satisfactory standard.
• Where worksheets involve peer evaluation, you must provide constructive feedback on your peers' work, following the guidelines which will be provided in class.

Assessment Criteria

The worksheets will be assessed according to the following criteria:

• Evidence that all tasks have been completed.
• Evidence of constructive feedback on your peers' work (noting the strengths of each performance and making constructive suggestions for improvement).

Submission Instructions

All tasks specified on the worksheets should be posted on the 300-level Assignments Dropbox on the MMCCS server by the end of the tutorial.

Extensions and Late Penalties

Students who fail to submit the tasks on the MMCCS server for any given worksheet by the end of their tutorial will forfeit the marks for that worksheet.

Extensions are only granted if you have submitted a Disruption to Studies application. Please see the 'Disruption to Studies' policy: http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html

Assessment Outline

Write an analysis of a medley recording. (A link to the recording will be available on iLearn by Week 1.) An important aspect of DJing and remixing is the ability to listen critically. Therefore, this assessment aims to develop the skill of analysing how music has been arranged, edited, or otherwise manipulated.

Requirements

The critique must be between 700 and 900 words, and should address the following aspects of the recording. The most important items are marked with an asterisk.

• What are the overall strengths and weaknesses of this mix?
• Compare one of the featured tracks with the original version of the track. Identify three aspects of the track 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?*
• Which elements of this recording do you think would encourage people to dance (or discourage them from dancing)?

Assessment Criteria

Your critique 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 clearly and concisely describe salient aspects of the mix from a DJ/producer's perspective.
• Precision of analysis.
• Level of prose, grammar, and syntax.

Submission Instructions

The assignment is due on Turnitin/iLearn by 5pm, Friday 28 August (Week 5). Your first submission on Turnitin is final. Please check that you are submitting the correct file. Any requests for resubmission will attract a late penalty.

Extensions and Late Penalties

Assignments up to one (1) week late will receive a 10% deduction of the total marks possible. Assignments up to two (2) weeks late will receive a 20% deduction of the total marks possible. Assignments submitted more than two (2) weeks late will not be accepted.

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

Extensions may be granted at the convenor's discretion and 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 Ableton Live, liaise with other students to ensure that you 'mix into' your set smoothly, and submit a self-evaluation sheet (available on iLearn). You will be allocated a performance time slot by Week 4.

Requirements

• The live mix must be a minimum of 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 may be used as supplements.
• You must submit your Live Set, a self-evaluation sheet, and a Set Tracklist to the MMCCS 300-level Dropbox and to any designated computers by 5pm on the Wednesday 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 the mixing seamless.
• All tracks must be high-quality audio files. Lossless formats such as WAV and AIFF are preferred, although MP3s encoded at 320kbps may also be acceptable. Music ripped from YouTube clips is not acceptable.
• 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.
• 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 during class time, after the mid-semester break.

By 5pm on the Wednesday prior to your performance, you must upload a folder to the MMCCS 300-level Dropbox. The folder must include:

• the final version of your Ableton Live set
• a self-evaluation sheet (available on iLearn)
• a Set Tracklist (guidelines available on iLearn)

For example, if your performance is scheduled for Tuesday 6 October, you must upload your Live Set by 5pm Wednesday 30 September. 

Extensions and Late Penalties

Students who miss the Week 4 tutorial should contact Adrian Renzo immediately to arrange an assessment date. 

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 and contact Adrian Renzo to arrange an assessment date. (Please see the 'Disruption to Studies' policy: http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html)

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.