VET in VCE Music Exam Review
Certificate III in Music CUS30109
Certificate III in Technical Production CUS30209
Certificate III in Music CUS30109
This is a Performance Exam worth 50% of the student’s study
score.
Assessors are looking for levels of competency relevant to the
following Units of Competency:
- CUSMPF301A Develop technical skills in performance
- CUSMPF402A Develop and maintain stagecraft skills
And either of the following units of competency
- CUSMPF406A Perform music as a soloist
Or
- CUSMPF404A Perform music as part of a group
Specific information from VCAA can be found at
http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Pages/vet/programs/music/exams
music.aspx
Apply knowledge of genre to music making
Develop improvisation skills are not assessed in the exam
Certificate III in Music CUS30109
Assessment Marking
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Pre 2012: 7 Criteria marked out of 5
Post 2012: 10 Criteria marked out of 10
Range of 5-7 is expected level for Certificate III
Above 7 is outstanding level
Certificate III in Music CUS30109
Assessment Criteria
• The 10 criteria are outlined in the VCAA documentation
available from the website.
• The next 10 slides provide teachers with some guidance based
on COSAMP staff experience in relation to each criterion.
Certificate III in Music CUS30109
Criterion 1: Compliance with the requirements of the task
• Construction of groups meet the appropriate requirements.
Read the specific requirements of group structure which may
include teachers (max of 2) and/or non-‐VCE or VET persons (max
of 4 in total)
• A student playing in multiple presentations is assessed in their
FIRST group / solo
•
Assessed singers maintain active contribution to the
performance
Certificate III in Music CUS30109
Criterion 1: Compliance with the requirements of the task
• Only assessed performers adjust equipment, lighting, sound,
troubleshoot during the assessment.
• Other school personnel (teachers, students, parents, etc) may
contribute to the setup and sound check
• Assessed students take care during setup, as not to injure
themselves or suffer undue stress
• Students have access to replacement parts for their instrument.
Certificate III in Music CUS30109
Criterion 1: Compliance with the requirements of the task
• Non-assessed support musicians contribute only in a support role.
• Students are assessed on all the instruments they present at the
exam.
• Assessors are instructed to assess on the WHOLE performance of
each student being assessed. (Confirmed by Glenn Martin at
VCAA September 2013)
Certificate III in Music CUS30109
Criterion 1: Compliance with the requirements of the task
• The Industry Focus statement should include
• a generic band context statement
• the specific performer’s contribution to the presentation
• the specific instrument(s) the performer is using to contribute
to the performance
• explanation of how their staging craft will contribute to the
performance
• Give the assessor something meaty against which to award
marks. They are looking for direction from the student.
Certificate III in Music CUS30109
Criterion 1: Compliance with the requirements of the task
OH&S principle to keep in mind are:
• Leads taped down
• No drinks on stage
• Tripping hazards removed
• Use of guitar stands for instrument changeovers
• High / extreme volume levels are to be minimised. If high
volume or tonal levels are required for stylistic quality, hearing
protection needs to be evidently used.
• Posture during performance, including
• over-‐use of movements like “head-‐banging”,
• extremely low-slung guitars,
• slouching,
• vocal placement, screeching/growling affecting voice
quality over time
Certificate III in Music CUS30109
Criteria 2 & 3: Performing with accuracy & control
Potential expressiveness and versatility of instruments
Concerns that have been expressed previously include:
• Unsuitable key for vocalists
• Lack of vocal intonation.
• Use of insubstantial percussion.
Certificate III in Music CUS30109
Criteria 2 & 3: Performing with accuracy & control
Potential expressiveness and versatility of instruments
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The presentation reflects a full year’s study,
Accurate tuning of instrument.
• Possibly a small riff or lick between songs could be created which
enables musicians to check their tuning and adjust as required.
Performing on more than one instrument is not necessarily a demonstration
of versatility
Certificate III in Music CUS30109
Criteria 4 & 5: Use of Musical elements & phrasing/shaping
• Most areas of specialisation include some variety of rhythms, time
signatures, beat patterns, rhythmic styles, scales, chord sequences
and music systems.
Issues noted by VCAA
• Lack of focus in the area of specialisation
• Variety was not explored thoroughly.
• Full program of works in 4/4 time,
• Most songs employing a simple chord progression in a major or
harmonic minor key,
• Exploring songs within the same style or area that use different
beat groupings or compound time,
• Explore songs with a variety of keys and more unusual chord
progressions,
Certificate III in Music CUS30109
Criterion 6: Creativity, Individuality & originality
This criterion is not necessarily articulated as presentation of original
material.
Assessors are looking for
• Interesting, well conceived interpretations
• Creative arrangements
• Original works demonstrating sound knowledge of song structure,
harmony and lyric writing
Individuality and creativity are underpinned by strong technical skills
• Colour their presentation with their own personalities and musical
interpretations.
• Avoid copying a performance recorded by professional acts or
recreating songs from recordings.
Certificate III in Music CUS30109
Criterion 7: Group / Solo performance
• The assessors need to hear each student being assessed.
• Volume levels are affected by
• balance,
• tone,
• arrangement and
• voicing
• Two musicians may NOT copy the same part
The rules clearly state “one performer per musical part”.
Certificate III in Music CUS30109
Criterion 7: Group / Solo performance
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Good coordination between members of a group is required:
• Introductions to the presentation
• Musical intros
• Moving in and out of lead breaks
• Following and supporting as required
• Outro and ending of each song in the performance
• Suitable ending to the whole presentation
• Consistent posture/action/movement indicating a high level of
interaction between members of the group
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Backing tracks for vocalists need consistent and suitable sound quality.
• Poor backing track quality can detract from the ability of the vocalist
to place their voice, pitch and volume levels appropriately.
Certificate III in Music CUS30109
Criterion 8: A Cohesive program
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The performance reflects their industry statement accurately.
A well‐planned performance within a well-defined industry context will
usually incorporate a ‘journey’ throughout the program with highs and
lows in energy and intensity.
Steer away from a traditional VCE or AMEB Music Performance style of
program.
Certificate III in Music CUS30109
Criterion 9: Protocols appropriate to area of speciaisation
Students are encouraged to consider that this assessment is not just
about musical virtuosity. While musicality and technical skills are
important, this is a ‘Performance’ assessment. In their planning for this
performance students need to consider:
- Visuals
- Costuming
- Lighting - Props
- Staging
- Movement
- Stance
- Confidence
- Engaging with an audience
- Dialogue
Certificate III in Music CUS30109
Criterion 9: Protocols appropriate to area of speciaisation
• Assessors appreciate that interaction with an audience can lead,
drive and feed non-musical aspects,
• Assessors are not able to respond like an audience
• Students need to rehearse their program in full regularly
• to refine these elements to the point where an audience is not
necessary and
• the energy levels remain high.
Certificate III in Music CUS30109
Criterion 10: Skill in presenting a confident performance
• Students need to be animated and ‘sell’ their songs or pieces.
• Students need to develop ways of owning the works
• avoid being fixed or riveted to one section of the stage.
• deliver as if it was a professional show, with
• focus,
• poise,
• flair,
• energy and pacing,
• Convince the audience of the authenticity of the musician
and their story.
Certificate III in Music CUS30109
Any Questions?
Certificate III in Technical Production CUS30209
Students undertake a written exam of which there are two components:
- An aural section requiring students to identify production elements
- A written section responding to a series of crafted questions related to the
following units of competency:
CUSSOU301A – Provide sound reinforcement
CUSSOU302A – Record and mix a basic music demo
CUESOU07B – Apply a general knowledge of audio to network activities
CUESOU08B – Select and manage microphone and other audio input
sources
CUSSOU303A – Set up and disassemble audio equipment.
The exam contributes 34% towards the student’s study score.
Specific information from VCAA can be found at
http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Pages/vet/programs/music/examsmusic.aspx
Certificate III in Technical Production CUS30209
The Aural Component
Students need much practice in identifying the following aural
aspects of their course:
• Listening for changes to the mix,
• removing instruments,
• attenuating volumes
• Listening for frequencies in specific frequency bands
• Identifying various FX applied such as
• Reverb
• Delay
• Compression
• Gate
• Distortion
• Being able to identify the parameters that are used to change the
settings of these FX such as
• Feedback & time for delay
• Threshold, ratio & knee for compression, etc
Certificate III in Technical Production CUS30209
The Aural Component
Students need much practice in identifying the following aural
aspects of their course:
• EQ filters
• Pass & Cut filters
• Knowledge of Frequency bands such as low, low mid, high mid,
high, etc
• Various issues relating to audio such as buzz, pop, click.
• NB. These terms are NOT interchangeable. Make sure students
know exactly what each is!
Certificate III in Technical Production CUS30209
The Written Component
Basic Sound Theory
• Students need to know how to interpret a standard wave
• Amplitude over Time
• Compression and Rarefraction
• Frequency of waves producing pitch
• Doubling and halving for octaves
• What sine, square and sawtooth waves look like
• The sound envelope – ADSR
• Waves in and out of phase
• Speed of sound
Certificate III in Technical Production CUS30209
The Written Component
Production Techniques
• How to use a virtual mixer (software such as protools)
• Plugins used in the recording studio & how to apply them to a
channel
• Plugins fall in one of 3 categories:
• Dynamic processors (eg compressor)
• Frequency processors (eg EQ)
• Time-based processors (eg Delay/Reverb)
• The use of gates
• Suitable opportunities to use various processors & the usual
needs for a specific processor on an instrument such as
compressor on bass, reverb on vocals, etc
• How to minimise sibilance and plosives
Certificate III in Technical Production CUS30209
The Written Component
Digital Sound Theory
• Sample rate & bit depth suitable for CD quality
• Other options available for sample rate & bit depth
• Calculation on determining the amount of storage space
required
• Advantages & disadvantages for the various sample rates & bit
depths
• What is SPDIF, 0dBFS
• Discontinuous wave forms
• Joining regions together with cross fade
Certificate III in Technical Production CUS30209
The Written Component
Microphones
• How a transducer works
• Main types of microphones (dynamic, condenser, ribbon,
small/large diaphragm
• Polar patterns (Cardioid, Super cardioid, Figure 8, Omni)
• Proximity effect & Frequency Response
• In / out of phase
• Balanced / unbalanced signals
• Phantom power
• Microphone placement (on / off axis, spaced pairing, Coincident pairing, etc)
Certificate III in Technical Production CUS30209
The Written Component
Mixing Consoles
• Signal level (difference between gain pot & volume fader)
• Safe SPL levels
• Unity gain
• Busses
• Phantom power
• Phase switch
• Auxilliary sends
• Pre & post
• EQ section
• Parametric
• Shelving
• Q
• Inserts
• Pan
• Master section / Output controls
Certificate III in Technical Production CUS30209
The Written Component
Speakers & PA systems
• Transducers
• Drivers
• Crossovers (Passive & active)
• Power ampifiers
• Signal flow diagram (draw & interpret)
• DI Box
• Line level vs Mic level
• Tuning a PA
• Power connections & power availability (referenced as watts)
Certificate III in Technical Production CUS30209
The Written Component
Electronics
• Ohms law
• Voltage, current, resistance (impedance)
• Purpose of shielding
• Series & parallel circuits
• Determining power requirements of speakers
Certificate III in Technical Production CUS30209
General notes from the Chief Assessor report
• Advise students not to write 2 responses to a question such as Buzz
and hum. The correct answer is one or the other. Students can’t
“hedge their bets”
• Students need to read the question properly, underlining the
important parts of each question is a good practice.
• Give the students plenty of opportunities to verbalise answers with
you.
• Discuss with student potential problems when operating a PA or a
studio console. Have students verbalise and practice writing their
answers down.
Certificate III in Technical Production CUS30209
Any Questions?