207: Contextualising Music

Brief intro to the unit.

Contents:

What do I need to do?

TASK 1: Write

TASK 2: Write

TASK 3: Write

Grading Criteria

Grading Criteria – Task 1:

Pass:

 

Merit:

 

Distinction:

Grading Criteria – Task 2:

Pass:

 

Merit:

 

Distinction:

 

Grading Criteria – Task 3:

Pass:

 

Merit:

 

Distinction:

RSL Unit Documentation

Learning Outcome

Assess the profile of a chosen musical style in relation to

  1. cultural influences
  2. audience perceptions;
  3. technological developments;
  4. media representation

Describe the main musical elements of the style. Illustrate the relevance of the following where appropriate:

  1. instrumentation
  2. structure
  3. rhythm
  4. lyrical content
  5. use of technology
  6. production making reference to two recorded examples by two prominent artists in the style

Describe personal response to the style identified in 1.1 in terms of where applicable

  1. relationship to own musical output
  2. relationship to own image/ lifestyle
  3. relationship to other personal musical likes and dislikes

Provide a profile of the chosen musical style analysing cultural and historical influences (social, political, artistic and musical influences on the styles); audience expectations and perception; technological developments; media representation. An explanation or analysis of the main musical elements of the style identified illustrating the importance of instrumentation (including the role, texture and timbre of the instruments used in each style); song structure; the way rhythm is used (e.g. drum patterns, the importance of rhythm to the style etc.); melodic content (this may include scales used, melodic range, the importance of melody; lyrical content and subject matter; use of technology; and production techniques, making reference to recorded examples of each style (preferably more than one example of each style).

Brief

You have been asked to create a presentation for an exhibition on musical styles. You may choose any musical style.

You will need to analyse your chosen musical style including the main musical elements, how the music is received by the public, technological developments.

Unit Aims

This unit aims to develop your analytical, research, IT and communication skills, ensuring that you can understand and analyse your chosen genre. You will develop the following skills:

  • Analytical Skills: Analysing musical and lyrical content of a specified music style, Analysing production techniques and use of technology, Analysing media techniques and styles.
  • Research Skills: Researching cultural influences and media approaches.
  • Communication Skills: Annotated diagrams, presentation skills, essay writing.
  • IT Skills: Using the internet for research, using word processing software, image software or presentation software.

Throughout this project you will be expected to:

  • Investigate a variety of research methods
  • Develop your presentation skills
  • Participate in group discussions
  • Work with increasing independence from staff

You are to prepare a PowerPoint presentation on your chosen music style.  You must work individually in your research and presentation. You also need to identify the support you will need and ask for it when you need it.

Sources of Information

The internet can be used to research your chosen style but you must beware of plagiarism by rewriting your research using your own words. You should also make a clear reference to where you got the information from.

What is plagiarism? Plagiarism is presenting someone else’s work or ideas as your own, by using it in your work without stating where you got the information from (University of Oxford, 2016).

How do I reference my work to avoid plagiarism? Look at the above definition of plagiarism and notice how I have made reference to where I got the information from and also the year that it was written ‘(University of Oxford, 2016)’. I rewrote the information in my own words, and made reference to the source of the information.

Resources to use:

YouTube is excellent for looking at live performances of artists within your chosen genre

Evidence

Evidence will be in the form of a PowerPoint presentation or other method of presentation e.g. PowerPoint that describes the profile of one style of music. As well as writing about the style, your presentation will show your analysis of the musical elements used in the style in specific pieces.