Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Unit Convenor
Mary Mainsbridge
Contact via mary.mainsbridge@mq.edu.au
10HA 165E
By appointment
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Credit points |
Credit points
3
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Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
MUS202
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Corequisites |
Corequisites
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Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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Unit description |
Unit description
Building on MUS202, this unit explores the audio functions of music production within the virtual studio. Acoustic recording practices, the virtual mixing desk, plug-ins, effects, and hardware peripherals are introduced. Conceptual and practical issues regarding audio production and recording are covered through lectures and hands-on tutorials. This unit is taught within music laboratories fully equipped with individual digital audio workstations, MIDI keyboards, mixers, and a range of recording and production software to support the creation of original audio works.
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Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
Late Submissions
Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, (a) 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 (b) no assignment will be accepted more than seven (7) days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline. No late submissions will be accepted for timed assessments – e.g. quizzes, online tests.
Assessment Grading
All assignments of this unit are aligned to the standards outlined in the Macquarie University Assessment Policy (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and- governance/university- policies-and-procedures/policies/assessment). Marking rubric for each of the assignments is available on the iLearn.
Expectations of students
Students are responsible for their learning and are expected to:
Feedback in this unit
Feedback (on assessments and learning) is provided in several ways throughout this unit. How useful feedback is depends on what you do with it. (Adapted from ‘Feedback is a Dialogue’ – University of Strathclyde Glasgow)
Sources of Feedback in this Unit
Formal:
Informal:
Individual:
In addition to feedback regarding assessments, examples of relevant and related assessment tasks will be made available on iLearn and will be discussed in tutorials.
Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
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Group forum | 30% | No | Various weeks |
Project 1 | 25% | No | During Week 7 tutorials |
Project 2 | 45% | No | Before Week 13 tutorials |
Due: Various weeks
Weighting: 30%
Groups will be formed in the Week 2 tutorials. The Group Forum assessment exists to facilitate collaboration and discussion among groups of like-minded music producers. Individual weekly responses will not be assessed; overall group forum participation will be assessed at the end of the session. Group forums are located within weekly blocks on iLearn. The requirements and due dates for each forum are included in each forum's description; students will generally have one week to complete a forum activity. You may write informally on these forums, as long as you respond to what is required in each week’s activity. You are encouraged to use these forums to discuss and workshop ideas with each other. Group members are responsible for keeping to deadlines, ensuring that all group members are able to contribute, and maintaining civil discussion.
Assessment criteria:
Due: During Week 7 tutorials
Weighting: 25%
Students will produce an original musical work (2-4 minutes) in the style of their choice. This project should demonstrate an ability to creatively work with audio files, resulting in a coherent musical composition. The project should incorporate production techniques discussed in lectures, including both sampling and recording. Projects will be accompanied by documentation including a project summary and audio/copyright information. All audio material used must be of copyright-permitted or Creative Commons origins and all collaborators must be acknowledged in the project documentation.
Assessment Criteria:
Due: Before Week 13 tutorials
Weighting: 45%
Building on tutor and peer feedback and skills developed in the previous assessment, as well as new course concepts introduced in the second half of the unit, students will produce an original musical work (3-6 minutes). This project should demonstrate an ability to creatively work with audio files and recording, resulting in a coherent musical composition. The project should incorporate advanced production techniques discussed in the unit. All audio material used must be of copyright-permitted or Creative Commons origins. Projects will be presented to class in Week 13. The final mix is to be exported from the project as a stereo wave file and uploaded to a music streaming service such as Soundcloud. Projects will be accompanied by documentation including a project summary and audio/copyright information and a link to the audio file online.
Assessment Criteria:
Lectures:
All MUS203 lectures are provided as online videos via iLearn. You are expected to have watched each week's video(s) before attending tutorials.
iLearn:
MUS203 lecture videos, slides, and tutorial worksheets are hosted on the unit iLearn site; all written assessments and group forum work is to be submitted via iLearn. http://ilearn.mq.edu.au/course/view.php?id=25124
Lecture and tutorial start date:
Lectures commence in Week 1. Tutorials commence in Week 2.
Attendance:
Students are expected to attend all lectures and tutorials for this unit. Lecture and tutorial attendance is compulsory, and missing more than two tutorials will severely compromise your performance in this unit. If you have missed a tutorial, medical certification or other evidence of disruption must be provided. 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.
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. Headphones should have a 1/4 inch jack connector or a 1/4 inch adaptor. Mac-compatible USB memory sticks (4GB or more) are required for saving and transferring audio projects from the lab computers.
Software Compatibility:
It is your own responsibility to ensure that any work undertaken outside of the 10HA 223 Music computer lab is fully functional within and compatible with the software currently installed on the computers in the labs.
Assignment Submission:
There are no hard-copy submissions for MUS203. All assignments will be completed/submitted via iLearn. Project folders will be uploaded to a secure dropbox and final mixes will be uploaded to an online music streaming/download service. This will be further explained in tutorials.
Readings and resources:
A list of readings and resources for MUS203 are available via the MUS203 iLearn page. Readings and resources should be used as a starting point for your own research.
Recording facilities:
You may make use of the recording facilities in 10HA, which are equipped with hardware, computer workstation, microphones, etc. Use of these facilities is organised via the MMCCS Facilities booking system and students are expected to adhere to regulations surrounding facilities use. This will be discussed in lectures and tutorials.
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.
Return of marked work:
Marked work will be returned to students on iLearn.
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:
Undergraduate 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).
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 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
Re-Marks: The Re-mark Application form is available at http://www.mq.edu.au/pubstatic/public/download/?id=167914
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
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
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.
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