In this module we will be learning/undertaking different aspects of the different roles of music in audio post-production of film. We will be developing an understanding of film-cues, hit points, underscores, musical anticipation and heightening of dramatic tension. We will also be touching on the topic of creating audio content for video games. We will be undertaking a series of practical exercises and tasks that cover many different aspects involved with Music for Digital Media including… ‘MIDI Highlighting’, syncing and creating sound effects and atmospheres, making ‘success’ and ‘failure’ music for a set game situation. We will be looking at some aspects of Music Theory to help us to be able to convey the right type of mood that corresponds to a certain scale/mode. We will also be looking closely at the roles that Strings, Brass, Woodwind, Tuned Percussion and other types of orchestration play and the impact they have on Music for Digital Media.
I am mostly looking forward to learning about the importance of the different types of orchestration (especially the strings) and boning up on the Music Theory, which I know will be extremely helpful.
Assessment Details
Here are the Detail for the Assessment for the Tasks that we will be undertaking each week:
Tasks are expected to be quite short, at minimum 45 seconds., at max 2 mins.
Each task must be accompanied with a short critical report stating clearly (use these headings):
1. what your objective was in creating the score (your ‘auto-brief’)
2. the visual elements you wanted to highlight and why you chose them
3. what well known composer’s approach you decided to adopt and how you modified it to
suit your piece. Or, if you feel your approach is totally original, then explain what makes
it so. Please reference the films on DVD as shown in the ARU Harvard referencing style.
4. Note one particular audio technique you applied in this task which you had not applied
before
5. Note one particular music technique you learned through doing this task
6. In your view, how is this task an example of practice as research?
7. Autoevaluation: what mark would you give yourself for this task and why.
Intended Learning Outcomes
Just to sum up… when we finish this module, we should be expected to be able to:
1. Identify key elements of the creative rationale for the composition of music for film.
2. Competently evaluate major compositional approaches to game audio/music
3. Apply a variety of sound-processing techniques to original sounds (synthetic and/or
sampled) and use the results creatively.
4. Demonstrate a detailed understanding of the possible relationships of music and film
as well as the key issues arising from creating music and/or audio for videogames.
5. Use a range of established techniques for creating interactive and dynamic music
and audio for videogames
6. Define and discuss criteria to be met by their own work and that of others whilst
identifying the appropriate tools needed to carry out the work with minimal guidance.
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