CREATING MUSIC WITH COMPUTERS 2A - 2021/2

Module Overview

This module is one of two at Level 5 within the Creative Music Technology degree that builds on the understanding of creative practice and technical skills in relation to making music with computers acquired at Level 4. The module deepens your knowledge of specific contemporary technologically-based compositional repertoire to enable you to develop your practice in more engaging and technically challenging ways. In the module we also examine a varied range of technical skills in order to enrich your understanding of the aesthetic, technical and theoretical concerns of historical and contemporary computer-based music.

Module provider

Music and Media

Module Leader

THOMPSON Bill (Music & Med)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 5

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

Module Availability

Semester 1

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

CMT1003 (Creative Music with Computers 1B) is a pre-requisite for this module

Module content

Indicative content includes:

Readings and discussions related to historical and contemporary composition involving music technology

A review of a range of historical and contemporary practitioners, reflecting upon their aesthetic, technical, and create approaches to music making

A study of specific technical aspects of music making with computers involving a varied selection of techniques and compositional approaches to synthesis, sampling and sequencing.

Continued exploration of and guidance on sonic design and production techniques for computer based composition

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

None

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate technical and practice-based musical skills in the context of critical approaches to historical and contemporary repertoire. 

The summative assessment for this module consists of:

Coursework    Module Project 1 (addresses LO 1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
Coursework    Module Project 2    (addresses LO 1, 2, 3, 4, 5)


Formative assessment and feedback 

Students work on regular compositional, technical and written tasks, elements of which may form part of their summative assessment. These may be presented in class as works in progress and will receive formative feedback as appropriate. Tutorials (individual and group) will be offered both for general guidance and for coursework assessments.

Module aims

• Develop knowledge of a range of historical and contemporary creative practices from which you apply to your own musical work.
• Deepen your knowledge of the aesthetic, technical and stylistic basis of a range of contemporary computer-based compositional practice.
• Advance your understanding of a selection of compositional, synthesis, sampling and production skills using computer software.
• Provide you with a basis for developing individual compositional practice.
• Develop an understanding of the relationships between theory and practice in computer music.

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to create a structured series of lectures and workshops presenting aesthetic, technical and stylistic topics to deepen students' knowledge compositional repertoire and practice in relation to of creative music technology.

The learning and teaching methods include:

Lectures

Seminars

Workshops

Guided reading

Group discussions and peer feedback

Use of supporting materials on SurreyLearn and elsewhere as appropriate

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: CMT2002

Programmes this module appears in

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 2021/2 academic year.