CQUniversity Unit Profile
PERF11027 Production Fundamentals 2
Production Fundamentals 2
All details in this unit profile for PERF11027 have been officially approved by CQUniversity and represent a learning partnership between the University and you (our student).
The information will not be changed unless absolutely necessary and any change will be clearly indicated by an approved correction included in the profile.
General Information

Overview

Through continuing your studies in music and production fundamentals, you will gain knowledge of how music is created, rehearsed, recorded and performed. You will specialise in genres such as jazz, rock, pop, rhythm and blues, funk and soul. Using industry recognised software, you will gain further experience with Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI), software synthesisers, sequencing, multi-track recordings, editing and audio mixing. The study of practical and theoretical principles gives you the opportunity to explore various performance, technical and creative skills.

Details

Career Level: Undergraduate
Unit Level: Level 1
Credit Points: 6
Student Contribution Band: 8
Fraction of Full-Time Student Load: 0.125

Pre-requisites or Co-requisites

There are no requisites for this unit.

Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).

Offerings For Term 2 - 2023

Mackay
Online

Attendance Requirements

All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).

Class and Assessment Overview

Recommended Student Time Commitment

Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.

Class Timetable

Bundaberg, Cairns, Emerald, Gladstone, Mackay, Rockhampton, Townsville
Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney

Assessment Overview

1. Practical Assessment
Weighting: 35%
2. Practical Assessment
Weighting: 35%
3. Practical Assessment
Weighting: 30%

Assessment Grading

This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.

Previous Student Feedback

Feedback, Recommendations and Responses

Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.

Feedback from Staff reflection

Feedback

Collaborative practice

Recommendation

More opportunities will be created for online students to collaborate in the unit to create connections and build peer networks.

Unit Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
  1. Implement at a foundation level, a range of music and production techniques pertinent to your specialisation within various live or recorded music and production contexts
  2. Apply, at a foundation level, a range of technical and creative skills pertinent to your specialisation, specific to music and production within various live or recorded contexts
  3. Develop, to a foundation level, musical skills of stylistic authenticity pertinent to your specialisation within a range of live or recorded music and production contexts.
Alignment of Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Graduate Attributes
N/A Level
Introductory Level
Intermediate Level
Graduate Level
Professional Level
Advanced Level

Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes

Assessment Tasks Learning Outcomes
1 2 3
1 - Practical Assessment - 35%
2 - Practical Assessment - 35%
3 - Practical Assessment - 30%

Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes

Graduate Attributes Learning Outcomes
1 2 3
1 - Communication
2 - Problem Solving
3 - Critical Thinking
4 - Information Literacy
5 - Team Work
6 - Information Technology Competence
7 - Cross Cultural Competence
8 - Ethical practice
9 - Social Innovation
10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures
Textbooks and Resources

Textbooks

There are no required textbooks.

IT Resources

You will need access to the following IT resources:
  • CQUniversity Student Email
  • Internet
  • Unit Website (Moodle)
  • Ableton Live software
Referencing Style

All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 7th Edition (APA 7th edition)

For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.

Teaching Contacts
Patty Preece Unit Coordinator
p.preece@cqu.edu.au
Schedule
Week 1 Begin Date: 10 Jul 2023

Module/Topic

Introduction to Unit

Introduction to MIDI and software instruments

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 2 Begin Date: 17 Jul 2023

Module/Topic

MIDI sequencing 1 – drums and percussive patterns

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 3 Begin Date: 24 Jul 2023

Module/Topic

MIDI sequencing 2 – creating chords

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 4 Begin Date: 31 Jul 2023

Module/Topic

MIDI sequencing 3 – bass and lead lines

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 5 Begin Date: 07 Aug 2023

Module/Topic

Subtractive synthesis

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

MIDI Sequencing Due: Week 5 Friday (11 Aug 2023) 11:59 pm AEST
Vacation Week Begin Date: 14 Aug 2023

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 6 Begin Date: 21 Aug 2023

Module/Topic

Sampling

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 7 Begin Date: 28 Aug 2023

Module/Topic

Instrument racks

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 8 Begin Date: 04 Sep 2023

Module/Topic

MIDI effects

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 9 Begin Date: 11 Sep 2023

Module/Topic

MIDI arrangement

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Sound Design Due: Week 9 Monday (11 Sept 2023) 11:59 pm AEST
Week 10 Begin Date: 18 Sep 2023

Module/Topic

Project week

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 11 Begin Date: 25 Sep 2023

Module/Topic

Final mix, automation and media preparation


Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 12 Begin Date: 02 Oct 2023

Module/Topic

Project week

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Review/Exam Week Begin Date: 09 Oct 2023

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

MIDI Arrangement Due: Review/Exam Week Friday (13 Oct 2023) 11:59 pm AEST
Exam Week Begin Date: 16 Oct 2023

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Term Specific Information

Production Fundamentals students require some very specific equipment to facilitate the production requirements of this unit. This unit provides training in performing, recording and mixing music. Because of this, you will need to have access to the following:

  • Ableton Live software
  • An audio interface
  • A quick stable internet connection (preferable ethernet)
  • Microphone or instrument lead
  • Studio headphones and your computer / webcam

About Ableton Live

Ableton Live is an industry standard DAW (digital audio workstation) and learning how to use it is extremely beneficial. You will be required to submit Ableton Live sessions as part of your assessments and therefore need to have access to a copy of Ableton software. As the production classes are based on the Ableton software, no other DAWs are acceptable for this unit. A free 90 day full use trial version of the Ableton Live software is available for download from the Ableton Live website (https://www.ableton.com/en/trial/). If you have already used your free trial version, please a request for an extension code to Ableton - information in Moodle.

If you have any questions regarding these requirements, please contact the Unit Coordinator, Patty Preece (p.preece@cqu.edu.au).

Assessment Tasks

1 Practical Assessment

Assessment Title
MIDI Sequencing

Task Description

In this assessment, you will be required to perform a series of MIDI sequencing tasks. To complete this assessment, download the 'project brief' document from Moodle as well as the Ableton Live set. You will be required to use the MIDI sequencing and edit functions of Ableton Live including but not limited to:

  • Draw
  • Note length
  • Velocity
  • Copy
  • Paste
  • Cut
  • Duplicate
  • Loop

Once you have completed all the steps outlined in the project brief, “collect all and save” your session. Navigate to the location on your computer where you saved your session. Right-click on the top level project folder to compress/zip the Ableton Live project.

Name the folder: Edit assessment_YourName. This will create a .zip file that you can upload to Moodle as your submission.


Assessment Due Date

Week 5 Friday (11 Aug 2023) 11:59 pm AEST


Return Date to Students

Week 7 Friday (1 Sept 2023)


Weighting
35%

Assessment Criteria

  • MIDI sequencing meets the requirements of the brief - 50%
  • Loop points are applied effectively to all clips - 30%
  • Ableton Live session handling - 20%


Referencing Style

Submission
Online

Learning Outcomes Assessed
  • Implement at a foundation level, a range of music and production techniques pertinent to your specialisation within various live or recorded music and production contexts

2 Practical Assessment

Assessment Title
Sound Design

Task Description

In this assessment task, you will be required to create a series of sounds using the Ableton Live software instruments. To complete this assessment, download the 'project brief' document from Moodle as well as the Ableton Live set. You will be required to apply principles of synthesis as well as use the built-in sound design tools of Ableton Live including but not limited to:

  • EQ
  • Time based effects
  • Arpeggiator
  • Modulation


Assessment Due Date

Week 9 Monday (11 Sept 2023) 11:59 pm AEST


Return Date to Students

Week 11 Monday (25 Sept 2023)


Weighting
35%

Assessment Criteria

  • Sound design meets the requirements of the brief - 40%
  • Time based effects applied effectively to all instruments - 20%
  • MIDI effects applied effectively – 20%
  • Ableton Live session handling - 20%


Referencing Style

Submission
Online

Learning Outcomes Assessed
  • Apply, at a foundation level, a range of technical and creative skills pertinent to your specialisation, specific to music and production within various live or recorded contexts

3 Practical Assessment

Assessment Title
MIDI Arrangement

Task Description

In this assessment, you will expand upon the foundational skills learned in assessment tasks 1 and 2 to create a musical arrangement. You will be supplied an Ableton live set containing an 8 bar MIDI loop of drums, bass and chords.

You will be required to

1. Add a software instrument to each of the loops

2. Create an 8 bar loop for a lead part, using a lead sound of your choice

3. Create a 32 bar arrangement of the parts in the arrangement view

4. You will also perform a basic mix of the instruments that demonstrates genre specific production techniques.


Notes

You may add additional sounds as you see fit, including acoustic instruments and samples (eg vocals or guitar). The genre you are working in is Lo-fi trap. 


Submission guidelines

  • Your final bounce will be a stereo mix of your signals with a peak level of no more than -3 dBFS.
  • You will be required to submit both a stereo bounce of your composition as well as your Ableton Live Project.
  • Your project should not contain any missing media or unused tracks.


Assessment Due Date

Review/Exam Week Friday (13 Oct 2023) 11:59 pm AEST


Return Date to Students

Exam Week Friday (20 Oct 2023)


Weighting
30%

Assessment Criteria

  • Composition demonstrates genre-specific production techniques - 20%
  • Composition meets submission requirements - 20%
  • Sound design is implemented effectively - 20%
  • MIDI sequencing is implemented effectively - 20%
  • Presentation and project handling - 20%


Referencing Style

Submission
Online

Learning Outcomes Assessed
  • Develop, to a foundation level, musical skills of stylistic authenticity pertinent to your specialisation within a range of live or recorded music and production contexts.

Academic Integrity Statement

As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.

Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.

When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.

Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.

As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.

What is a breach of academic integrity?

A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.

Why is academic integrity important?

A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.

Where can I get assistance?

For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.

What can you do to act with integrity?