TA212 The Technology of Music

1. TA212The Technology of Music Steve Wells

2. End of Module Assessment 2013J TA212: Block 5, EMA

3. The Questions • Question 1 • 4000 word essay about a musical instrument of your choice • required to go beyond the course material • Question 2 • use “Audition” and “Cubase LE” to create a version of “Frère Jaques” • recording, MIDI, sound synthesis etc. TA212 - Block 5 – EMA 2013J

4. To Pass... • The EMA is 50% of the overall course marks • The pass mark for the EMA alone is 40% • To pass the course you must pass the EMA • Question 1 is marked out of 120 • Question 2 is marked out of 80 • The overall EMA mark is obtained by averaging the marks for the two questions TA212 - Block 5 – EMA 2013J

5. Files • There could be over 12 files in your final submission • The assignment specifies exactly what file names you should use • if you don’t keep track of the files by naming them carefully, you will get very confused TA212 - Block 5 – EMA 2013J

6. Submission • The assignment is to be delivered as a single ZIP file to the EMA system • Maximum size for the ZIP file is 10Mbytes • The assignment must be submitted electronically • If you cannot submit electronically, you cannot pass the course. TA212 - Block 5 – EMA 2013J

7. Cutoff 12 noon on Monday June 2nd 2014 No extensions are allowed TA212 - Block 5 – EMA 2013J

8. End of Module Assessment 2013JQuestion 1 TA212: Block 5, EMA

9. The Instrument • Choose an instrument about which information is available • the OU library can give you access to the online edition of “Grove” • Instrument must be pitched and totally acoustic • not drum kit, electric guitar, theremin • You need to be able to make reference to the sources for your information • a chat in the pub is not enough • You need to be able to get (or make) a recording of the instrument TA212 - Block 5 – EMA 2013J

10. Subheadings • The Question 1 essay MUST have the following subsections • Introduction, Historical Development and Present-Day Usage (25 marks) • Construction and Operation (35 marks) • Note Analysis (40 marks) • Summary and Conclusions (20 marks) • In addition, Contents list, appendices, list of references etc. TA212 - Block 5 – EMA 2013J

11. The Word Count for Question 1 • 4000 words • absolute maximum • sections which cause the limit to be exceeded will not be marked • not included in the word count: • contents pages • glossaries • references • appendices • sections not in the word count will be marked on presentation only TA212 - Block 5 – EMA 2013J

12. (a) Introduction, Historical Development and Present-Day Usage • Choice of Instrument • Only 2 marks so don’t spent too much effort here! • 4 or 5 sentences maximum. • Don’t get too specific about the detail of the instrument. TA212 - Block 5 – EMA 2013J

13. (a) Introduction, Historical Development and Present-Day Usage • Outline description • Only 6 marks. • Non-technical. • How the instrument is played. • Imagine someone who has never seen or heard the instrument. TA212 - Block 5 – EMA 2013J

14. (a) Introduction, Historical Development and Present-Day Usage • Historical Origins and Development • 11 marks. • This is the meat of the section. • What has caused changes to the instrument • History • Musical role • Technology TA212 - Block 5 – EMA 2013J

15. (a) Introduction, Historical Development and Present-Day Usage • Usage • 6 marks. • Expand on the idea that an instrument may have had different roles at different periods (including the present day) • Extend the discussion of “role” from the previous section. TA212 - Block 5 – EMA 2013J

16. (b) Construction and Operation • Geometry and component parts • 10 marks • Detail of construction • Materials (and sources) TA212 - Block 5 – EMA 2013J

17. (b) Construction and Operation • Method of sound production and radiation. • 16 marks • This is the core of this part of the question • Primary and secondary vibrators • How does the player create the vibrations? • How does the sound reach the listener TA212 - Block 5 – EMA 2013J

18. (b) Construction and Operation • Pitch range. • Only 4 marks so don’t spend too much time here. • If you are looking at a family (e.g. “the recorder”) mention the ranges of the different members of the family. TA212 - Block 5 – EMA 2013J

19. (b) Construction and Operation • Timbre and other musical or playing features. • Only 5 marks so, again, don’t spend too much time here. • Why does it sound the way it does? • Relate the timbre to the theory behind its operation • Particular features and/or playing techniques • Think of this as an introduction to the section which follows: “Note analysis”. TA212 - Block 5 – EMA 2013J

20. (c) Note Analysis • Waveform analysis. • Only 6 marks • 2 to 5 cycles of a typical waveform (use Audition) • How did you produce the display? • What does it show? • Sine wave? Or more complex TA212 - Block 5 – EMA 2013J

21. (c) Note Analysis • Frequency analysis. • 20 marks – this and the following “Envelope Analysis” form the core of this part of the question. • Illustrate Several notes over the pitch range • Compare their steady state • Not enough to include only a screen shot. • How was the screen shot produced? • What does it show? • How does this relate to the structure and use of the instrument. TA212 - Block 5 – EMA 2013J

22. (c) Note Analysis • Envelope analysis. • 12 marks • What changes as a note is played • (Steady state was the previous section) • Overall envelope of a typical note • Compare envelopes from different notes • Not enough to include only a screen shot. • How was the screen shot produced? • What does it show? • How does this relate to the structure and use of the instrument. TA212 - Block 5 – EMA 2013J

23. (c) Note Analysis • Files. • There are 2 marks for including sound files • Easy marks!!! TA212 - Block 5 – EMA 2013J

24. (d) Summary and Conclusions • Summary • Refer back • No new information • Conclusions • Reflect on what you were able to achieve • Reflect on the limitations of what you were able to do • Marks • 10 marks are for the Summary and Conclusions section • 10 marks included for this section are for the overall structure and presentation of the report. TA212 - Block 5 – EMA 2013J

25. Source Material • OU Library • Grove Music Online • Naxos Recordings TA212 - Block 5 – EMA 2013J

26. Plagiarism • It is very easy to cut and paste from web sites! • The work presented must be your own work. • Quotations should not be more than a sentence or two. TA212 - Block 5 – EMA 2013J

27. End of Module Assessment 2013JQuestion 2 TA212: Block 5, EMA

28. Question 2 • The assignment description tells you exactly what to do! • Create a four part round • part 1: based on a sound file provided with the assignment (Cubase LE6) • part 2: a recording made by you (Cubase LE6) • part 3: MIDI (Cubase LE6) • part 4: synthesised tones (Audition) • Short report on what you did TA212 - Block 5 – EMA 2013J

29. Marks • Create Part 1 10 marks • Create Part 2 8 marks • Create Part 3 10 marks • Create Part 4 25 marks • Create Master Mix and Summary 22 marks • Create an Archive of the Project 5 marks TA212 - Block 5 – EMA 2013J

30. A Simple Round TA212 - Block 5 – EMA 2013J

31. Table of Notes TA212 - Block 5 – EMA 2013J

32. Table of Notes TA212 - Block 5 – EMA 2013J

33. Creating Part 1 • You are provided with a tone • Need to create a set of notes from the single tone • use Cubase LE6 to stretch the tones • use Cubase LE6 to repitch the notes • Provide the mono audio file as part of the submission TA212 - Block 5 – EMA 2013J

34. Creating Part 2 • Record the sound using Cubase LE6 • If in doubt don’t forget that blue, plastic recorder • You must use a microphone: an electronic input from (say) an electric guitar is not acceptable • Singing is allowed • If necessary, record in small chunks, then combine these later • Describe how you achieved the correct tempo • Provide the mono audio file as part of the submission TA212 - Block 5 – EMA 2013J

35. Creating Part 3 • This time use MIDI in Cubase LE6 • Provide the MIDI file as part of the submission • NOTE: not an MP3 file!! Note that Cubase LE6 defines middle-C as C3, not C4 (page 68 “Blocks 4 and 5 Activity instructions”) TA212 - Block 5 – EMA 2013J

36. Creating Part 4 • You create a set of tones in Audition • Need to add attack and decay to each note • use Audition • you can’t simply stretch the notes - that would affect the attack and delay. • Provide the various screen-images from Audition • Create these as you proceed, to avoid needing to repeat processes unnecessarily • Provide the mono MP3 file as part of the submission TA212 - Block 5 – EMA 2013J

37. ADSR Minim Quaver Crotchet TA212 - Block 5 – EMA 2012

38. Assemble the Round • Position the Four Tracks in time • Position the Four Tracks in the Stereo Field • Reduce the levels of tracks as each subsequent track comes in TA212 - Block 5 – EMA 2013J

39. Cubase LE6 Project • Normalise all three audio parts to the MIDI part • Generate and supply mono MP3 file for Raw Mix • Generate and supply stereo Master Mix • Adjust stereo sound field for each part, using Cubase LE6 pan controls • Adjust fade in/out volume of each part, using Cubase LE6 Automation • Create and supply Cubase LE6 project screen shot TA212 - Block 5 – EMA 2013J

40. Project Summary • Summary for whole of Part 2: • Reflect on what you have done • Comment on any technical/musical difficulties encountered • Comment on the quality of resulting Master Mix. Be honest – if things went wrong, say so! • Any ways in which the results could be improved TA212 - Block 5 – EMA 2013J

41. Completion • Follow the EMA instruction document to the letter • Follow the EMA instructions very carefully when assembling and collecting together files and folders • Ensure your submission is within the 10Mb limit • If necessary, make sure graphics files are not too high in resolution • Try to submit well before final cut-off time • Midday on Monday June 2nd 2014 • Leave yourself plenty of time to complete the work TA212 - Block 5 – EMA 2013J

42. Contacting Me • Phone 01454-850379 • Email s.wells@.open.ac.uk • Web http://www.stevesphotosite.co.uk/ta212 TA212 The Technology of Music

43. Questions ? ? ? ? ? ? ? TA212 The Technology of Music