Author: michaelzfreeman.org

Art of Production Module

Module Description

“This module enables students to initiate and execute a creative music production project, from pre-production to final mastered output. The pre-production phase includes rehearsal, arrangement and project planning as well as technical preparation for recording. The module then provides an environment in which to explore advanced recording and mixing techniques and students are required to select and provide a rationale for the approaches that they use. The practical element of the module culminates in an introduction to audio mastering. Alongside this practical focus is an ongoing enquiry into the changing role of the producer and as part of their final submission, students will provide a critical commentary on their work, which situates the decisions they have made within a broader historical context.

1. To develop a critical, historically-informed understanding of the role of a producer as applied to a specific musical context.
2. To develop critical, creative judgement in approaches to pre-production, recording, mixing and mastering within a particular musical context.
3. To develop technical skills in advanced sound recording, advanced mixing and mastering using a range of analogue and digital technologies.”

Assessment 1 Brief

Submission

Assessment 2 Brief

Submission

Results / Feedback

Supersonic Module

Module Description

“Supersonic is a module that examines new creative approaches to composing with sound, through the study of electroacoustic music. Whatever style and genre of music you make, we will locate fundamental elements of electroacoustic composition i.e. gesture, transformation and texture. Lectures and workshops are designed to broaden your compositional vocabulary and expand your creative horizons. Throughout the module, you will compose a series of miniature compositions alongside a more substantial final portfolio element using ideas developed from the activity sessions and by responding to the subjects discussed in class. The miniature composition assignments will be showcased and marked every two weeks, with a final showcase at the end of the module to premiere your major composition.
This module requires engagement with and beyond the DAW or other studio-based compositional environments.”

Assessment Brief

“Supersonic is assessed 100% by Portfolio Elements submitted to the learning space, evidencing 200 hours of work, and comprising:

• Miniature composition (90-120 seconds*) with 200 word artistic statement and engagement with Super Texture sessions.
• Miniature composition (90-120 seconds*) with 200 word artistic statement and engagement with Super Transformation sessions.
• Miniature composition (90-120 seconds*) with 200 word artistic statement and engagement with Super Gesture sessions.

Final composition (3-5 minutes°) with 400 word artistic statement and engagement with final Supersonic playback event. Your final piece should respond to the themes of the module taking into consideration issues surrounding texture, gesture and transformation.

Submission

MSI232_SUPER_TEXTURE_MICHAEL_FREEMAN_(HOLMES).mp3

MSI232_SUPER_TRANSFORMATION_MICHAEL_FREEMAN_(HOLMES).mp3

MSI232_SUPER_GESTURE_MICHAEL_FREEMAN_(HOLMES).mp3

MSI232_FINAL_COMPOSITION_MICHAEL_FREEMAN_(HOLMES).mp3

Result / Feedback

Feedback was provided in person in various seminars.

Creative Writing and Research in Virtual Music Module

Module Description

“This module explores the interdependency of technology, language and culture through research into music/sound based media and media theory. The module will equip you with a working knowledge of key concepts in cyberstudies, digital aesthetics and technoculture so that you develop a critical awareness of professional digital creative contexts. The module pays particular attention to the language used to create media profiles and identities whilst creatively working with an understanding of trends and trajectories in reviews of music, production and sound art. The module provides you with an opportunity to become critically and creatively engaged with language, text and visual representations of sound and music as they construct bodies of understandings in cyberspace and the ‘real world’. Students will elect to undertake a project based on advertising and self-promotion (writing about yourself) OR analysis and evaluation (writing about others) of a relevant case study. Either project will need to carefully consider context, module concepts, critical reflection, thorough research and appropriate language as you creatively respond to your project in writing.”

Assessment Brief

Submission

Result / Feedback

Feedback comment icons are further down the PDF. They are linked to the actual comment text at the end of the PDF.

Core Music Practice Module

Module Description

“As a practitioner in music and sound, you are preparing to become part of a very diverse, challenging and exciting working environment. This module equips you with a fundamental set of skills and knowledge that will enable you to move towards the realities of working in the sound and music industries as a professionally minded individual. You will be introduced into a wide variety of approaches and roles within the vast and broadly termed ‘music industry’ that will allow you to understand the requirements of certain industry roles such as: freelance session musician, a self-releasing label owner, a music educator, a producer, a music writer, composer, sound artist and so on. Despite this diversity, the module acknowledges and explores fundamental key skills pertinent to all professionals such as communication, collaborative work, independently managed self-discipline and a strong work ethic. A key aim of the module is to provide insights into the music industry, whilst helping to focus and develop your own specialist practice in your field. This individual focus is complimented by building on your ability to communicate via sound and music vocabularies in collective music making contexts.”

Brief

Submission

Collective Music Making

Rehearsal

Performance

Audience

“Audio Visual performance was great! Full audience! They all clapped a couple of times at the end ! Spoke to Antti and Will Parker outside about it afterwards and they said they were in the audience!”

My reaction to the performance

Result

Portfolio / Presentation

Electronic Toolkit Module

Module Description

“This module focusses on electronic music, covering the fundamentals of sound synthesis and audio signal processing in an applied musical context. Through lectures and practical workshops, you will gain a thorough understanding of electronic music history, contexts, technologies and creative techniques.”

Assessment 1 Brief

Submission

Result

Assessment 2 Brief

Submission

The Gelflings of Hyperspace

Carbon Based Lifeform

Result / Feedback

Mixcraft Module

Module Description

“Mixcraft introduces students to the art and craft of sound mixing and focusses on both the technical and aesthetic aspects of the mixing process. Working across a wide variety of genres using examples from students’ own work, the work of their peers and professional multi-track recordings, Mixcraft covers multiple mixing paradigms, from the naturalistic to the transformative.

Mixcraft aims to:

1. Develop critical, creative judgement in approaches to mixing applicable to a wide range of musical genres

2. Develop technical skills in sound mixing across a range of technologies

3. Develop a critical understanding of the relationship betwee mixing processes and musical practic

Assessment 1 Brief

Submission

Creative Vocals

Digital Mix

CRMT160_-Digital-Mix–Lately–Freeman-_Completed-Mix.mp3

CRMT160_-CRMT160_-_Digital-Mix_-_Lately_-_Freeman_-_Kick-Stem.mp3

CRMT160_-CRMT160_-_Digital-Mix_-_Lately_-_Freeman_-_Snare-Stem.mp3

CRMT160_-CRMT160_-_Digital-Mix_-_Lately_-_Freeman_-_Synth-Stem.mp3

CRMT160_-CRMT160_-_Digital-Mix_-_Lately_-_Freeman_-_Vocal-Reverb-Stem.mp3

CRMT160_-CRMT160_-_Digital-Mix_-_Lately_-_Freeman_-_Vocal-Stem.mp3

Mastering

CRMT160_-CRMT160_-_Mastering_-_6x4_-_Freeman_-_Dithered_-_UV22HR.mp3

CRMT160_-CRMT160_-_Mastering_-_AutoDaFe_-_Freeman_-_Dithered_-_UV22HR.mp3

CRMT160_-CRMT160_-_Mastering_-_December_-_Sun_-_Freeman_-_Dithered_-_UV22HR.mp3

Result / Feedback

Assessment 2 Brief

Submission

Result / Feedback

Audio Culture & Critical Theory Module

The medium mark reflected my unfamiliarity with the academic process they were looking for not my ability to write, as was verified in the feedback (see below).

Module description

“This module explores sound and music practices as they evolve within ever changing audio cultures. We will be examining the context and culture, in which you as artists and musicians are working, so as to better understand and critically question the relationship between music, sound, noise and culture. we will be engaging with various theoretical concepts that will enable you to develop interpretations of audio culture and to formulate critical theories whilst becoming self reflective of practice.”

Brief

Submission

Result

Designing Sound Module

Module description

“This module focusses on two themes. The first is an exploration of the ways in which recorded sound can be edited, manipulated and mixed. In thinking about sound as a material that can be sculpted, the module develops skills, knowledge and understanding that can be applied to other musical projects. The second theme involves introducing the professional workflows involved in putting sound to picture and exploring the ways in which sound can bring new depth and meaning to moving images.”

Assessment 1

Brief

Assessment #1: Detailed Brief – Online Submission of QuickTime Movie (35%)

Completion requirements

Brief:

Assessment #1 is a practical task that will be completed in groups with each member playing an integral role in the project and demonstrating the key skills acquired for the task.  Each group will select a movie clip lasting around 2 minutes (+/- 15 seconds), and create a believable sonic accompaniment to the scene. For this first task, your focus should be on making a credible, realistic sound world that corresponds to what we are seeing on screen. Think Foley, Sync and realism. The clip can be documentary, live action, animation or gameplay but needs to portray characters, spaces and objects that we recognise from the real world. For this task, please focus only on atmospheres, sync effects and Foley and avoid straying into dialogue or music. 


Please remove the original sound track from your clip and refrain from downloading sounds from the internet.  


Submission:

• Each student will submit a QuickTime movie file via the link on the learning space – making sure that the sound is encoded onto the QuickTime file at 16 or 24 bits, 44.1 or 48Khz and that the whole file does not exceed 1GB.
• Each member of the group should submit the same file i.e. no separate mixes or edits
• Each student submit a (300 words max) PDF which outlines the role you played in the group and how you contributed to the final product.
• The PDF should include …
• A list the members of the group and the different roles you played and or different contributions to the project, 
• A link to the original clip
• Any relevant materials such as spotting lists etc. 
• Any particular techniques and or processes that helped form the clip
• Both files should be submitted in a zipped folder labelled as follows: CRMT130_Assessment1_Surname_Forname
• Please allow plenty of time for uploading, bearing in mind that upload speeds are often much slower than download speeds.
• If you experience any technical problems submitting, email dlsupport@falmouth.ac.uk. Take screen grabs of any errors and issues. 

Submission

Result

Assessment 2

Brief

Submission

Recording of bowed symbol effect used in video

Result

Studiocraft Module

Module Description

“Studiocraft is about effective working with instruments, spaces, equipment and people, in the context of contemporary studio based music recording and production. Studiocraft introduces students to the art and craft of sound recording and focuses on both the technical and personal skills necessary for achieving high-quality recordings. These two themes are explored in parallel with students learning the psychology and diplomacy of getting the best performances from musicians, while also gaining a comprehensive introduction to the techniques of studio recording. The module follows the journey of sound from source to 17 of 103 recording media, and covers themes including acoustics, instrument optimisation, microphone technique and analogue and digital signal flow, as well as a variety of recording technologies. Students will be introduced to industry standard production techniques and workflows, which will be continuously measured against detailed critical listening. While this module has a predominantly practical focus, discussion around the key themes and technologies introduced will always be rooted in a critical, historical context. You will be actively encouraged to think creatively about the variety of possible modes of engagement and the associated material affordances and constraints you might have with studio technologies. The module also places a strong emphasis on session management, people skills, professional studio etiquette and work ethic, as associated with contemporary studio production. The module will be delivered through a series of practical, hands-on workshops and lecture-seminars and will include group critiques of student works in progress. Critical listening sessions will be integrated into the teaching, offering exemplars of techniques discussed. Projects will be supported by tutorials with staff, in addition to seminars and specialist lectures and blended learning materials.”

Assessment 1: Jazz Drumming Recording

Lots of mikes !

Brief

The final recording (over backing track)

Feedback / Results

Assessment 2: Pop Band Recording

Session Photo’s

Screenshot

Brief

Submission: “Jazzy One” by Sidetracked

Results