PORTFOLIO OF RECORDINGS - 2027/8

Module Overview

The portfolio of recordings module forms one of the major specialisations of the final year, and represents the culmination of the practical recording strand of the programme. You will have the opportunity to develop your skills as a recording engineer, organising your own recording sessions throughout the year (including any genre of music both in the studio and on location). You will develop your craft by undertaking many recordings and receiving feedback from staff and peers in weekly listening sessions. At the end of the programme, you will present a portfolio that represents the best of your recorded material for assessment.

Module provider

Music & Media

Module Leader

HAIGH Caroline (Music & Med)

Number of Credits: 30

ECTS Credits: 15

Framework: FHEQ Level 6

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

Module Availability

Year long

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

TON1030 Listening and Practical Skills TON2019 Recording Techniques

Module content

The portfolio of recordings must contain: 

• A multi-tracked pop recording 
• A large-scale ¿classical¿ item recorded on location 
• A classical item recorded, edited and produced under studio conditions. 

A report listing all submitted items and presenting an appropriate summary of the processes involved in recording each The module contains workshops, listening seminars, Q and A sessions, and recording and mixing tutorial opportunities to allow you to develop your practical and operational skills in making music recordings.

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

N/A

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide you with the opportunity to demonstrate excellence in recording and post-production skills in a variety of music genres. 

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of: 

• Portfolio. A compilation of recordings, total running time 25-35 minutes (addresses learning outcomes 1-9). 

Formative assessment 

There are frequent opportunities to present work in progress for feedback in a group or individual setting - during listening seminars, operational workshops, and tutorials. This offers the opportunity for improvement on current work before submission as part of the summative assessment. 

Feedback 

Formative verbal feedback will be given to individual students in tutorials, in group listening seminars and during operational workshops.

Module aims

• To provide you with operational experience building on the previous parts of the course that is relevant to a career in the sound recording and broadcast industries.
• To provide an opportunity to develop individual areas of operational interest and expertise.
• To develop the concepts and skills involved in mastering audio for a variety of genres of music and platforms.

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to develop your skills in audio recording and post-production techniques for the music recording and broadcast industries, and to present your audio work alongside written documentation. It will also provide opportunities for discussion and debate. 

The learning and teaching methods include: 

• workshops and tutorials with staff and visiting professionals;
• listening seminars for formative feedback on work in progress;
• online content for studio equipment training and techniques; and
• lectures with Q and A sessions.

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: TON3018

Other information

Digital Capabilities: All the assessed components of this module will be handled digitally. Commonly developed digital capabilities include: audio capture, editing, processing, compilation, and finally distribution. 

Employability: Your Portfolio of Recordings will encourage you to develop professional skills related to all the digital capabilities listed above, along with the interpersonal and management skills essential to creating and delivering content or products in any workplace.

Global and Cultural: The creative arts in the UK are world leading both culturally and economically. The breadth of techniques and robust theory-led practices taught on this module will enable you to successfully apply your skills to a diverse range of musical and cultural styles. 

Resourcefulness and Resilience: This module's combination of creative and technical challenges in producing two major pieces of work will stretch you and encourage you to develop your skills in long-term planning, time management and collaborating with others. You have opportunities to learn from failures, benefit from formative feedback in seminars and one-to-one tutorials, and apply this learning to produce polished and professional material.

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 2027/8 academic year.