MUED4002 Week 1
Todays class was extremely valuable as we learnt how to navigate through the commonly used DAW/music software ‘Soundtrap’. It’s one thing to navigate through a DAW to create something musical but it's another thing to do so with such creativity that goes beyond the harmony and theory of music. We learnt how to alter music with tools such as volume/filter manipulation, slow down/speedup, reversing etc. This is incredibly important as it opens new creative pathways in the brain that theoretical/harmony knowledge can't give us. In today’s class we focused on making a loop with different layers.
I think this form of learning is integral for students learning music as they are learning the rules only to have their creativity break them in a very positive way. It makes the learning process more personal and fun for the student when they are in control of so many variable’s within the creative writing/loop making process.
The layers I used in my loop consisted of a syncopated drum beat, SFX’s, synths and a walking bass. I really wanted to incorporate the walking bass and make it work with the electronic synth style layers. Bringing the best of jazz and EDM together.
Link to loop below:
https://unisydneyedu-my.sharepoint.com/:u:/g/personal/amur0510_uni_sydney_edu_au/ETqQLxjZwhRMscsap7xPQb0Btge1rg2U8n5mUE4mlctrGQ
MUED4002 Week 2
Today's class got us to work in a collaborative enviroment using common technology found in the class room. We learned how to setup a mircophone and audio interface running it in to the online DAW sound trap. This is a very important process as the day will come where I have to present and teach this information to students of my own. It is so important for practical technology components to be included in the classroom as technology is the way of the present and the future. Technology captivates and intrigues students especially when it can be extremely hands on. Who thought technology in a class room could go beyond just a screen! Mic's, interfaces and cool sounds all the way!
For our recording we switched between an SM58 a dynamic microphone and a Blue Yeti which is a condenser microphone. The SM58 is perfect for students in the class room as the mic only has a small radius around which it picks up noise meaning multiple students can be recording in a class room at once. The Blue Yeti would be better suited to recording an ensemble type project from duo too trio to small orchestra with everyone with in equal distance of the microphone for optimal recording. The recording below showcases seeing how far FX's and noise manipulation can turn my nasally voice in to a master piece in sound traps honour. Though this beat we made might not win me any music awards, it sure taught me how to apply practical technological concepts in a super fun and creative way.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NMzm6P8aLaut-Z_1w4G0FCCbF7tKrK-Z/view?usp=sharing
MUED4002 Week 3
Today's class was extremely hands on as we learned how to film a music video. That entailed an audio station, lighting station, camera station and the 'talent'/performance station. I was allocated the audio station with a fellow classmate. On this station we configured two small pencil mics running them directly in to the video camera via an XLR cable. Mic placement was very important as we needed to find the best way to pickup the live music and also making sure the mics were off camera. The whole class worked as a team to make this class project possible. It was great to see students trouble shoot tech issues and obstacles with other students.
I was lucky enough to play guitar with my teachers. We performed tenor madness while the class made sure everything was running smooth from the filming to the lighting to the audio. I had so much fun being able to play with my uni teachers! Was a very cool exercise. We can see that all these skills displayed today were vital skills for class content during the COVID pandemic. Online learning incorporates good filming, lighting and audio of class content to all come together to produce a valuable learning resource. The class wrapped up with some really nice conversation about 'life'. Bonding over the show Seinfeld. We learned that's it really important to be able to talk about life and our personal lives in a form of reflection and just getting to know the people around us and show that we care. This moment for me of just talking about a TV show was extremely powerful for me because I was able to talk to my peers and teachers as if they were buddies of mine and the student/teacher relationship was momentarily forgotten about.
Today's class was very insightful as we got to explore the creative and educational perimeters of notation softwares used in the classroom and their functionality. We covered a few softwares but I'm going to talk about the ones that were ground breaking for me and ones I can see my self using in the classroom. MuseScore and Noteflight. MuseScore is very close in ways to the industry standard Sibelius as it has very similar short cuts, functionality and can tackle anything from a lead sheet writing to composing for a whole orchestra. I was very impressed, but unfortunately I kept on comparing the software to Sibelius and its functionality. I would definitely use this software in the classroom for year 10 plus music when diving in to proper composition and the nuts and bolts of it. I have full confidence that a HSC student could compose a composition of band 6 level using MuseScore. For the younger students I would 100 percent use NoteFlight as it is very user friendly due to main features being presented in an obvious/easy to find way. This software is perfect for students to initially mindlessly punch notes in to the staff and see what cool sounds and combinations they can make. This process would then obviously flow in to composition and building/crafting an idea over one or multiple instruments. Below is a screenshot of me noodling on the software and a picture of the easy to use menu bar showing all the cool features/options.
In the last legs of this lesson we learnt the importance of copyright as an educator utilising media and creating it. It is very important to not breach the copyright laws and be well informed. Here is the link to APRA AMCOS we were told to familiarise our selves with.
https://www.apraamcos.com.au
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