MO3S36 - Professional Practitioner 01 Sep 2021 - 31 Aug 2027 | Version 1

Associated Module Information

Module Code: MO3S36
Module Title: Professional Practitioner
Faculty: Faculty of Business and Creative Industries
Faculty Group: Music and Drama
Faculty Sub Group: Music
Module Leader: Gill Edwards-Randle
Module Team: Lucy Squire, Tim Land, David Coker, Alun Tomos
First Intended Intake: SEP 2021 Final Year of Intake: 2026
Date Closed:
Credit Value: 20 Credit Level: 6
Language: English
Percentage of Module Taught in Welsh: 0
Equivalent Module:
HECOS codes:
HECOS Code Weighting:

Document Version Information

Version 1
Valid From 01 Sep 2021
Valid To 31 Aug 2027

Module Aims

• Demonstrate advanced understanding and analysis of the industry practices and specifications involved in digital distribution for music release.
• Demonstrate the critical listening skills and technical agility required to master music for release, incorporating a range of advanced production techniques.

Content Summary

For this 6-week immersive module, students will engage with current practices in contemporary music media as relating to the production, distribution and consumption of digital music. Students will develop an understanding of the range of processes and technologies used in mastering audio for analogue and digital distribution and apply these techniques to create mastered mixes delivered to industry standards and specifications. As much commercial music is produced in small, computer-based facilities, the module will also cover basic acoustics for project studio settings and ways to improve the home mixing environment. Seminar work will help students to develop the essential listening skills for mastering as they enhance their technical abilities. On completion of this module, students will be required to have distributed their own music online.

Learning and Teaching Methods

Activity Type Hours
Lecture 18
Practical classes and workshops 18
Directed Study 164
Total Hours Selected 200

Learning Outcomes

# Learning Outcome
LO1 Research, select and evaluate digital distribution practices in preparation for distribution.
LO2 Work independently on the planning and execution of a given commercial music brief within strict time constraints.

Module Requisites

N/A

Assessment Criteria

Assessment Category Assessment Type Description Duration Word Count Weight (%) Best of? Pass Mark
Practical Assessment (CW) Production (Audio/Music) (CW) 1 Recording Project 0 N/A 60 No 40
Portfolio Portfolio 1 e-Portfolio submission 0 2400 40 No 40

Assessment Matrix

Assessment Type Learning Outcomes
LO1 LO2
Production (Audio/Music) (CW) 1
Portfolio 1

Reading List

Essential Reading
• Katz, R (2002) Mastering Audio – the art and the science, Focal Press
• Michael Brae (2018) New Channels of Music Distribution, Routledge
• Waddell, G (2013) Complete Audio Mastering, McGraw-Hill

Recommended Reading
• Owsinski, B (2016) Music 4.1 - A Survival Guide for Making Music in the Internet Age