104224 - MUSICAL CREATION

Subject type: Mandatory

Coordinator: Maddalena Fedele

Trimester: Second term

Credits: 4

This subject provides the theoretical and practical knowledge necessary for musical creation associated with an audiovisual product. These tools are not intended for professional creation, but to generate the ability to understand and analyze the role of music in audiovisual products (be it cinema, documentaries, advertising or video games) 

At the end of the course students must be able to:

1. Understand the concepts of rhythm, harmony and melody.
2. Know computer music notation systems.
3. Create a topic with a proper structure.
4. Know the different parts of a musical arrangement.
5. Know the different musical styles and their characteristics.
6. Know how to plan a musical recording.
7. Use the equalization and compression parameters.
8. Apply sound analysis tools.
9. Work with Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) and Virtual Studio.
10. Make your own personal study based on DAW and / or Virtual study.
11. Create your own sounds and sound textures for both music and special effects.
12. Create structured and homologable themes of electronic music in any style and for any possible recipient of the audiovisual sector.

In addition, the student will also achieve the following learning outcomes:

13. Have a generic vision of the possibilities of application of technologies linked to the musical creation.
14. Know the basic parameters of Western music theory. 
15. Have practical vocabulary to have a better understanding of the analysis and description of any sound phenomenon. 
16. To be able to analyze the role of sound in the audiovisual media beyond strictly technical issues.

The subject combines theoretical sessions with practical sessions. The work methodology is divided into two distinct parts:

- Large group sessions (3h / week) where theoretical knowledge is taught. 

- Practical sessions in small groups (2h fortnightly), where activities focused on the creation, editing and mixing of music are developed.

Attendance at internships is mandatory.

In the theoretical classes the teacher presents concepts and examples while encouraging student participation while in the practical classes students make use of specialized software to work in the various situations proposed.

All materials will be published on the virtual campus. Notices to students will also be made by this means; it is the student's responsibility to consult this virtual space regularly.

I. Basic foundations of the musical language

Introduction to the concepts of rhythm, melody and harmony.

Structure and form.

Visual recognition (with the on-screen keyboard and from the MIDI graphic representation, exceptionally with musical notation). 

Auditory recognition.

II. Introduction to music creation with DAW tools

Presentation and description of the DAW environments used (Pro Tools and Reason).

Reason:

Presentation of the environment (brief reminder) 

Step-by-step configuration of the rack.

Connection logics.

Basic aspects of the sequencer.

Protools:

Presentation of the environment.

Audio tracks, MIDI and virtual instruments.

Audio editing tools.

MIDI edition.

III. Musical creation in the field of audiovisual media

Bookstore music.

Original music i compilation scores

Functions of film music (reminder)

The elaboration of a queue list

Temp tracks. Click tracks. Mixing processes i dubbing

Analysis of music from films, commercials, series, documentaries and video games 

Activity 1. Introduction to the practices

Deeper knowledge of the DAW tools that will be used during the course: Reason and Protools.

Description of disk file management of DAW systems. Work disk, path, file types and referenced files.

Description of work environments. 

Creation of audio, MIDI and virtual instrument tracks.

Import audio tracks. Basic edition.

Learning outcomes. At the end of the activity the student must be able to:

LO7. Use equalization and compression parameters.
LO8. Apply sound analysis tools.
LO9. Work with Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) and Virtual Studio.
LO10. Make your own personal study based on DAW and / or Virtual study.
LO11. Create your own sounds and sound textures for both music and special effects.

Skills to be worked on: E10, E11

Activity 2. Production of background music for a video game sequence

It will delve into the possibilities of DAWs, their creative tools, their virtual instruments and the possibilities of editing and mixing. This activity will be done in pairs, only a group of three will be accepted when, in case the total number of students is odd, the teacher authorizes it. Under no circumstances will individual work be accepted.

Learning outcomes. At the end of the activity the student must be able to:

LO1. Understand the concepts of rhythm, harmony and melody.
LO4. Know the different parts of a musical arrangement.
LO5. Get to know the different musical styles and their characteristics.
LO6. Know how to plan a music recording.
LO8. Apply sound analysis tools.
LO9. Work with Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) and Virtual Studio.
LO10. Make your own personal study based on DAW and / or Virtual study.
LO11. Create your own sounds and sound textures for both music and special effects.

Skills to be worked on: E5, E9, E10, E11, E16, E18

Activity 3. Music for advertising spots

It will delve into the possibilities of DAWs, their creative tools, their virtual instruments and the possibilities of editing and mixing. This activity will be done in pairs, only a group of three will be accepted when, in case the total number of students is odd, the teacher authorizes it. Under no circumstances will individual work be accepted.

Learning outcomes. At the end of the activity the student must be able to:

LO1. Understand the concepts of rhythm, harmony and melody.
LO4. Know the different parts of a musical arrangement.
LO5. Get to know the different musical styles and their characteristics.
LO6. Know how to plan a music recording.
LO8. Apply sound analysis tools.
LO9. Work with Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) and Virtual Studio.
LO10. Make your own personal study based on DAW and / or Virtual study.
LO11. Create your own sounds and sound textures for both music and special effects.

Skills to be worked on: E5, E9, E10, E11, E16, E18

Activity 4. Follow-up tests

4 tests distributed throughout the term where theoretical content and aspects related to the content worked on in the practical activities will be evaluated.

Activity 5. Final test

Final test that will include all the contents of the subject.

The subject proposes the evaluation in four blocks:

Activity 2. Production of background music for a video game sequence (15%)

Activity 3. Music for advertising spot (15%)

Activity 4. Follow-up tests (20%)

Activity 5. Final test (50%)

To take the average, you must have passed the final test with more than a 5 out of 10. Those students who obtain a grade lower than 5 will have to take a recovery test. The recovery test is passed with a 5. The remaining marks of the partial tests will be kept. In no case will it be possible to opt for recovery to raise a grade. Partial tests and internships have no recovery.

Grades may be reviewed at a date and place posted by the teacher through the eCampus.

HERRERA, Enric (1990): "Musical theory and modern harmony, vol. And". Barcelona: Ed. Bosch Music.

WHITE, Glenn; LOUIE, GJ (2005) “The Audio Dictionary (3rd ed.).” Seattle: Washington Press. 

HOFFMANN, F. (Ed.). (2005). "Encyclopedia of recorded sound". London: Routledge.

LORENZO, Thomas (2008) “The arrangement, a puzzle of musical expression” Barcelona: Ed. Bosch Music.

GUSTEMS, Josep (Ed.). (2014) "Music and listening in audiovisual genres". Barcelona: University of Barcelona

STERNE, J. (2003) “The Audible Past. Cultural origins of sound reproduction” Durham: Duke University Press.

COOK, Nicholas (1998)”Analyzing Musical Multimedia. Oxford” Oxford University Press.

AVID. Protools 110, v12. AVID

AVID. Protools 101, v12. AVID