module specification

In this module you will work towards the completion of a major Final Project in Music Technology and Production, working alongside its companion module Project Development: Music Technology (MD6004),

By undertaking a major Final Project, you are given the opportunity to conceive, plan and produce a major, summative piece of work that brings together your knowledge and learning in Music Technology and Production over the course and serves as a graduation piece at the heart of their graduate portfolio.

You will produce a major piece of Music Technology and Production practical work, accompanied by appropriate investigation and documentation.

The eventual outcome will be either one of:
• EP – Mini Album demonstrating the composition and songwriting, recording, engineering and technical production skills you have developed.
• Sound Design Project – developing the elements of audio post-production, sonic arts and sound design developed across the course.

It will also allow you to deeply reflect on your practical work via a thorough report about the project, which should show clear understanding of the work’s contextualisation, in the artistic and technical skills involved in the project and in the excellence of the usage of the technologies required to achieve the final outcome.

The project shall be of high standard yet leaving you the necessary room for experimentation and researching and enhancing skills.

This module aims to:
• Introduce the working practices in music and audio post-production, particular on a major project
• Develop students’ skills in time and project management, working to deadlines and maintaining creative output.
• Foster more creative song writing and composition, by working to an EP format.
• Explore creative uses of sound design by developing a large scale portfolio work.
• Consolidate aptitudes and skills in all areas of music technology and production in one final major production

• Album, and EP production practices (LO1, 2, 3, 4)
• Sound Design and Audio Post-Production (LO1, 2, 3, 4)
• Project Management and budgeting (LO1, 2)
• Networking and skill sharing (LO6)
• Collaboration and cooperative song writing (LO6)
• Sound Engineering: Recording, Mixing and Mastering (LO1, 2, 3)
• Manging recording and studio sessions (LO1, 2, 3)
• Working with musician and performers (LO6)
• ADR and working with voice actors (LO6)
• Industry standards, deliverables and Metadata (LO1, 2, 3)
• Analogue and Digital signal flow (LO1, 2, 3)
• Microphone practice and recording techniques ((LO1, 2, 3)

Students work independently with guidance from the module teaching team. The coursework assignment is designed to enhance learning by offering a process model with clear and specified phases.

The first four weeks will serve to teach students the project management and specific skills in planning the production for albums, EP and audio-post production projects. Developing approaches in utilising concepts, and continuity. In week 5 students are required to present a proposal presentation, outlining their project for tutor and peer feedback.

The scheduled teaching from week 6 to 11 and 16 to 26 will be divided into weekly tutorials, with peer and tutor feedback sessions in weeks 12 and 27. These are then followed by the 3-week break for assessment and enhancement weeks.

The project is a major piece of work equating to about 300 hours of learning time for each student which will be reflected in the quality and quantity of work submitted. At each stage of the project the student is expected to establish agreed aims and objectives, to manage their own time, be aware of the resource and other costs necessary to complete the project and be aware of ethical issues that may arise. These reviews will be used to monitor the scope and ambition of the project.

This module pairs with MD6004 – Project Development: Music Technology to consolidate the knowledge and skills related to music technology and production.

At the end of this module, you should be able to:

LO1. Demonstrate effective time management and planning to work independently towards a major project outcome.
LO2. Apply the skills and understanding of music technologies and production practices learned in the production of a major final project.
LO3. Conduct and learn from experiments and research to create effective models of practice.
LO4. Appraise and evaluate your work with critical reflection, demonstrating an understanding of the project outcomes in relation to your learning.

Formative Assessment 1
Project Proposal – Student are required to present and submit a summary of their proposed project in Week 5 for tutor and peer feedback.

Formative Assessment 2
Interim Submission – Students are required to submit their in-progress work for formative feedback to check on progress and ensure they are on course for completion. The deadline for this submission is Week.

Summative Assessment
Project Outcome and report (circa 5000 words or equivalent) - Students are required to submit the Practical outcome of their major project, along with supporting documentation and a 5000-word technical report.

Viva presentation – Students are required to present and discuss the Practical outcome of their final project

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Core Reading:

• Ament, V.T. (2022) The foley grail: the art of performing sound for film, games, and animation. Third edition. New York, NY: Routledge.
• Allen, J.A. (2018) Music theory for electronic music producers: the producer’s guide to harmony, chord progressions, and song struture in the MIDI Grid. Minneapolis, MN: Slam Academy.
• Brett, T. (2021) The Creative Electronic Music Producer. Focal Press: Routledge.
• Corey, J. and Benson, D.H. (2017) Audio production and critical listening: technical ear training. Second edition. New York: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group (Audio Engineering Society presents).
• De Santis, J. (1997) How to run a recording session. Emeryville, CA: Mix Books (Mix pro audio series).
• Eargle, J.M. (2006) Handbook of recording engineering. 4. ed., 1. softcover print. New York, NY: Springer.
• Gibson, B (2020) First 50 Recording Techniques You Should Know to Track Music. Hal Leonard.
• Göknar, E. (2020) Major label mastering: professional mastering process. New York: Routledge.
• Harrison, T (2021) Sound Design for Film. The Crowood Press Ltd.
• Huber, D.M. and Runstein, R.E. (2018) Modern recording techniques. Ninth Edition. New York ; London: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group.
• Massy, S. and Johnson, C. (2016) Recording unhinged: creative and unconventional music recording techniques. Milwaukee, WI: Hal Leonard Books, an imprint of Hal Leonard Corporation (MusicPro guides).
• Owsinski, B. (2017) The mastering engineer’s handbook. 4th edition. Burbank, CA: BOMG Publishing.
• Owsinski, B. (2017) The mixing engineer’s handbook. 4th edition. Burbank, CA: BOMG Publishing.
• Owsinski, B. (2016) The music producer’s handbook. Second edition. Milwaukee, WI: Hal Leonard Books, and imprint of Hal Leonard Corporation (MusicPro guides).
• Owsinski, B. (2017) The recording engineer’s handbook. 4th edition. Burbank, CA: BOMG Publishing.
• Sonnenschein, D., (2001) Sound design: the expressive power of music, voice, and sound effects in cinema, Michael Wiese Productions, Studio City, California
• Viers, R. (2008) The sound effects bible: how to create and record Hollywood style sound effects. Studio City, CA: Michael Wiese Productions.
• Viers, R. (2012) The location sound bible: how to record professional dialogue for film and TV. Studio City, CA: Michael Wiese Productions. Woodhall, W. (2011) Audio production and post-production, Jones & Bartlett Learning, Sudbury, Massachusetts