Faculty ofeative Arts
Faculty of Media and Creative Arts
BA (Hons) Music Production
Module Title and Code
MP107 Production Analysis
Student Number
Tutor Name
Assignment Title and
Due Date
Date Set
Date Submitted
Listening Exam
Written Analysis
Deadline
Exam wk of 14th
May 2012
26th April 2012
Faculty of Media and Creative Arts
BA (Hons) Music Production
Production Analysis
Number of credits
Lecturer
15
Module Level
Deadline
Purpose of Module
Critical listening is a fundamental and basic skill required by anyone who wishes to work
‘behind the glass’ in the music industry. This modules aims to furnish students with the
beginnings of that critical awareness and an understanding of music from detailed
listening and consideration of a wide variety of music recordings. This will establish the
foundations of what is an appropriate treatment of a sound and in what context should a
particular type of technique be used and when should it be avoided. This will also serve
to widen the students experience of music, and the types of genres covered should
reflect a break from the norm of the students personal musical tastes in order to strive to
widen their palette of musical experience. This will compliment the module MP127
Studio Management and Production, and provide skills for MP226 Audio Post
Production, and MP220 Audio Post Production, as well as providing the basis of skills
required in the third year for MP324 Practical Project and MP325 Advanced Location
Recording.
Learning Outcomes
Analyse of a piece of recorded music taking into account:
 Genre, influences and formative external factors
 problems, mistakes and errors in performance and production
Indicative Module Content

Critical listening skills
Identification of problems, mistakes and errors in performance and production
Social, cultural and historical conditions of musical developments
Political factors, censorship, equal opportunities and propaganda
Definition of popular culture and influences of the media
Music from around the world and different artistic movements
Economic factors, public funding and private funding
Genre analysis
Recognising ways in which the same musical material is treated
Recognising similarities and differences in the style of presentation
Making connections between pieces of music from different cultures and periods
Teaching / Learning Strategies & Learning Outcomes
Teaching and learning will take the form of lectures, workshops and critical listening
sessions in a suitable environment. Networked computers and the library will be
accessible in order to undertake research.
Essential Reading
Alton Everest F. (2005) Critical Listening Skills for Audio Professionals, Course
Technology Inc.
Herrington T. (2002) Undercurrents: The Hidden Wiring of Modern Music, Continuum
International Publishing Group Ltd.
Moylan, M. (2007) Understanding and Crafting the Mix: The Art of Recording, Focal
Press, New York.
Indicative Reading
Ashby A. (2004) The Pleasure of Modernist Music: Listening, Meaning, Intention,
Ideology, University of Rochester Press.
Clarke E. (2005) Ways of Listening: An Ecological Approach to the Perception of Musical
Meaning, Oxford University Press Inc.
Kivy P. (2002). New Essays on Musical Understanding, Clarendon
Taylor E (1989) The AB Guide to Music Theory Vol 1, Associated Board of the Royal
School of Music.
Paynter J. (1992) Sound and Structure, Cambridge University Press
Assignment Briefs for this Module
Assessment
The assessment for this module will consist of a listening exam (1Hr, 40%) and a Written
Analysis of a piece of recorded music (60%, 1800 words).
Assignment 1
Listening Exam (40% 1hr)
Students will be played a number of examples of recorded music which will contain
deliberate errors, problems and mistakes. Students must identify these issues and
provide an appropriate response to fix them.
Marks will be awarded for Knowledge and Understanding, Conceptualisation and Critical
Thinking and Analysis and evaluation.
Assignment 2
Written Analysis (60%, 1800 words)
Students will be required to undertake an analysis of a piece of recorded music provided
by the lecturer. Students will be expected to research and develop an understanding of
the genre conventions utilised, musical styles referenced and established within the
piece, in addition to providing links between the piece and the socio-economic climate of
its writing and recording.
Marks will be awarded for Knowledge and Understanding, Conceptualisation and Critical
Thinking, Analysis and evaluation and Awareness of Context.