MO1S50 - Inside the Music: Theory, Analysis and Songwriting 01 Sep 2022 - 31 Aug 2028 | Version 1

Associated Module Information

Module Code: MO1S50
Module Title: Inside the Music: Theory, Analysis and Songwriting
Faculty: Faculty of Business and Creative Industries
Faculty Group: Music and Drama
Faculty Sub Group: Music
Module Leader: Alun Tomos
Module Team: Matthew Evans
First Intended Intake: SEP 2022 Final Year of Intake: 2027
Date Closed:
Credit Value: 20 Credit Level: 4
Language: English
Percentage of Module Taught in Welsh: 0
Equivalent Module:
HECOS codes: 101450 - applied music and musicianship
HECOS Code Weighting: 100

Document Version Information

Version 1
Valid From 01 Sep 2022
Valid To 31 Aug 2028

Module Aims

The module will allow students to acquire a body of subject-specific knowledge about music creation and a portfolio of key skills in relation to interpretation, with the following aims:

To develop skills in the use of performance to interpret original songs.

To create a portfolio of recordings of original works, through a process of collaborative and solo techniques.

To examine and evaluate through discussion a range of compositional and/or songwriting methods and techniques.

Content Summary

Students will work in guided practical workshops in order to:

Use and comprehend a range of music creation techniques.

Understand how to develop a diverse set of original lyric resources and harmonic constructions.

Be introduced to the creative process of music creation and songwriting.

Examine their music creation practice.

Recognise and explain various kinds of musical devices: imagery and metaphor, harmonic complexity, melodic and rhythmic features.

Learning and Teaching Methods

Activity Type Hours
Lecture 16
Seminar 18
Tutorial 2
Independent Study 72
Directed Study 80
Groupwork 12
Total Hours Selected 200

Learning Outcomes

# Learning Outcome
LO1 Discuss the principles and professional practices of popular music creation, while identifying techniques germane to the art and craft of the form and interpret these ideas through to presentation and production.
LO2 Interpret musical stylistic conventions to produce a portfolio of work in an appropriate format, recognising expectations pertinent to industry requirements and utilising suitable technologies.

Module Requisites

N/A

Assessment Criteria

Assessment Category Assessment Type Description Duration Word Count Weight (%) Best of? Pass Mark
Asynchronous Assessment Project Output 1 A submission of 2 original compositions 15 N/A 50 No 40
Synchronous Onsite Oral Assessment Presentation (Synchronous Onsite) 1 Oral presentation of a musical work and analysis 15 N/A 50 No 40

Assessment Matrix

Assessment Type Learning Outcomes
LO1 LO2
Project Output 1
Presentation (Synchronous Onsite) 1

Reading List

1. Blume, J. (2008) Six Steps to Songwriting Success. (Exp. Ed.), New York: Billboard Books.

2. Cahn, W. (2005) Creative Music Making. London: Routledge.

3. Cooper, S. (2014) Never Mind the Bee S#harps: The Popular Musician's Guide to the Language, Notation and Theory of Music: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.

4. Middleton, R. (2000) Reading Pop: Approaches to Textual Analysis in Popular Music, Oxford: Oxford University Press.

5. Moore, A. (ed.) (2003) Analysing Popular Music. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

6. Morley, P. (2003) Words and Music. London: Bloomsbury Books. Pattison, P (2010) Writing Better Lyrics. New York: F&W.

7. Pattison, P (2014) Song writing: Essential Guide to Rhyming: A Step-by-step Guide to Better Rhyming and Lyrics. United States: Berklee Press.

8. Waterman, D.J. (2007) Song: The World’s Best Songwriters on Creating the Music That Moves Us. New York: F&W Publications.

9. Zollo, P. (2003) Songwriters on Songwriting. United States: Da Capo Press.