CREATING MUSIC WITH COMPUTERS RESEARCH PROJECT - 2020/1

Module code: CMT3010

Module Overview

The purpose of this module is to provide you with the opportunity to develop further the skills and experience you have acquired in computer-based music making and to advance to a professional level individual computer-based creative practice. The extended scope of the work required by this module, commensurate with its credit weighting, will be discussed and agreed via tutorial support.

Module provider

Music and Media

Module Leader

HALL Thomas (Music & Med)

Number of Credits: 45

ECTS Credits: 22.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 6

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Overall student workload

Workshop Hours: 6

Independent Learning Hours: 430

Lecture Hours: 4

Seminar Hours: 6

Tutorial Hours: 4

Module Availability

Year long

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

CMT2003 (Creating Music with Computers 2B) is a pre-requisite for this module

Module content

Indicative content includes:


  • Plenary sessions outlining the purpose of the module, requirements for the assessed presentations and guidance on the commentary component of the portfolio.

  • Lectures on relevant specialised topics such as mixing and mastering.

  • An initial tutorial with the module co-ordinator to discuss your portfolio proposal and determine your supervisor.

  • Presentations and discussions on aspects of your work in class-based composition clinics.

  • Tutorials with your supervisor.


Assessment pattern

Assessment type Unit of assessment Weighting
Oral exam or presentation PRESENTATION 10
Coursework PORTFOLIO 90

Alternative Assessment

None

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide you with the opportunity to demonstrate your independence in the planning, research, and production of a large body of computer based compositional and/or other sound/music led creative practice\ and your ability to understand and explain this work in contextually aware, theoretically informed, and insightfully reflective ways.

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:


  • Presentation (10%)

  • Portfolio (90%)



The presentation will evidence research-informed arts practice and be focused around discussion of a completed piece of work.

A portfolio typically contains 6 to 8 compositions (30-40 minutes of music) with a commentary considering its cultural and historical context, and its technical and/or processual characteristics as may be appropriate.

Formative assessment and feedback 


  • Presentations and discussions of finished pieces and work-in-progress in composition clinics. Verbal feedback will be supplied in these sessions and during one-to-one tutorials during the year.

  • You will also receive written feedback from your supervisor in the form of annotations on your drafts. 


Module aims

  • Enable you to conduct research-informed arts practice in an area or areas of your choosing at a level of detail not otherwise offered on the programme.
  • Foster an ability to conduct an extended creative project.
  • Develop professionalism in your approach to and quality of work.
  • Increase your knowledge of specialised computer-based musical endeavour

Learning outcomes

Attributes Developed
1 Create work of a professional standard. KP
2 Conduct research-informed arts practice. KCT
3 Independently conceive, develop and realise practical work that is coherent and utterly convincing. KCPT
4 Explain your practice both orally and in writing in ways that are contextually aware, theoretically informed, and insightfully reflective. KCPT
5 Give and receive information and ideas clearly, and modify your work in response to group and tutor feedback. KCPT
6 Take responsibility with minimum direction. PT

Attributes Developed

C - Cognitive/analytical

K - Subject knowledge

T - Transferable skills

P - Professional/Practical skills

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to:

Develop a high degree of independence in the planning, research, and production of a large body of computer-based compositional and/or other sound/music-led creative practice.

The learning and teaching methods include:


  • Plenary sessions outlining the aims and methods of the module and the range of approaches possible, and guidance on the assessed presentation and portfolio commentary. (3 x 2 hour lectures)

  • Lectures (2 x 2 hours)

  • Composition clinics (3 x 2 hour sessions)

  • Tutorials (8 x 30 minute sessions)

  • Individual study (430 hours total)


Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: CMT3010

Programmes this module appears in

Programme Semester Classification Qualifying conditions
Creative Music Technology BMus (Hons)(YEAR LONG) Year-long Compulsory A weighted aggregate mark of 40% is required to pass the module

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2020/1 academic year.