Spring 2024
CRN 10148
2 Credit Hours
Instructor: Dr. Dennis Davis
Office: Foster 112
Office telephone: 859-622-5007
Email: dennis.davis@eku.edu
Office hours: By appointment or by Zoom.
Catalog Description and Prerequisite
Catalog Description
MUS 384: Computer Skills for Musicians (2), I.II. This course will provide a systematic investigation of technology and software relevant to the field of music.
Prerequisite
MUS 182 and a junior classification in Music
Course Rationale
Music professionals, including educators, performers, merchandisers, and conductors, will need to use and understand music technology during their careers. This course provides a general overview of sound reinforcement and recording technology, music notation software, digital recording, MIDI sequencing, and music-specific web design.
Learning Outcomes
| Student Learning Outcomes | KTS | CAEP | InTasc | ISTE | NASM |
| Students will acquire and apply Macintosh operating system skills. | 6.1, 6.2, 6.4 | R1.1-R1.3 | 4 | 2, 3 | Oc4b |
| Students will create and publish basic webpages with music-specific content. | 1.1, 5.5, 6.4, 6.5 | R1.1-R1.3 | 5, 8, 10 | 1, 2, 3, 4 | B5 |
| Students will learn how to configure and operate a basic P.A. system. | 6.2, 6.3 | R1.1-R1.3 | 4 | 3 | Oc4b |
| Students will learn and apply basic audio engineering techniques. | 5.4, 5.5, 5.6, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4 | R1.1-R1.3 | 4, 6, 7 | 1, 2, 3 | Oc4b |
| Students will learn and apply basic digital audio workstation (DAW) editing and mixing techniques. | 6.2, 6.3, 6.4 | R1.1-R1.3 | 4, 7 | 1, 2, 3 | Oc4b |
| Students will sequence and perform music using MIDI technology. | 6.2, 6.3, 6.4 | R1.1-R1.3 | 4, 6, 7 | 1, 2, 3 | Oc4b |
| Students will learn how to use music notation software and create musical scores. | 2.4, 2.5, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4 | R1.1-R1.3 | 4, 6, 7, 8 | 1, 2, 3 | Od4, Od6 |
| Students will acquire a requisite knowledge of the history of music technology. | 6.1-6.6 | R1.1-R1.3 | 4 | 1, 2, 3 | Od4 |
| Students will adapt selected assignments and assessments for use in other educational environments (K-12, Private Studio, Conference Presentations, etc.) | 4.1, 4.2, 4.5 | R1.1-R1.3 | 4, 6, 7, 8 | 1, 2, 3 | Od4 |
| Students will acquire the expertise to use technology as an assessment tool. | 5.1-5.6 | R1.1-R1.3 | 4, 6, 7, 8 | 1, 2, 3 | Od4, Od6 |
Texts
Assigned readings will come from a variety of sources and are available on Blackboard or on course reserve in the Music Library.
Evaluation Methods
Students will be evaluated through projects, in-class learning assessments, and asynchronous and synchronous quizzes. Students will be assigned a variety of video, audio, and reading assignments. Announced and unannounced assessments will be given throughout the semester to evaluate the understanding and comprehension of the topics discussed in class and in the assignments. The percentage of each method of evaluation is indicated below:
| Activity | Points |
| Mac OS & Survey Assessment | 30 |
| Ice Breaker | 20 |
| Google Sites & Web Design Quiz | 20 |
| History of Music Technology Wiki Rough Draft | 40 |
| History of Music Technology Video Study Guide Answers | 40 |
| Student created HMT quiz made with Google Forms and posted to the HMT webpage (three questions) | 10 |
| History of Music Technology Wiki Entry Final Draft (submitted to both GDrive and Gsites-MHT Page: top of that page) | 40 |
| Completed Web Pages (7 pages X 40 pts. per page: 1. Landing and 2. Software Projects (subpages: Audacity, GarageBand, Sibelius, Finale, and Sheets & Docs). Apart from the Landing page, each page, subpage, or project entry must be prefaced by a narrative that explains the processes and technologies used for that project. These narratives should be well written and approximately 100-150 words. Pages will not be graded until their respective due dates as given in the modules. Submitting the Landing Page/Site link is worth 5 pts. The History of Music Technology page (containing: research text entry (final draft), audio podcast, and video podcast on this same page) is graded separately and has separate entries in the BB gradebook (see below). | 285 |
| S.R.R.S. Assessments (Mixing & Dealing with Disasters Quiz: 15 pts.; PA & Recording Terminology and Overview assessment in Blackboard: 25 pts.) | 40 |
| Audacity Quizzes (Digital Audio & Computers: 22 pts. and Audio Processing: 15 pts.) | 37 |
| Audacity Projects [Eight mini-projects: 40 pts. each (must be submitted to GDrive and posted to Gsites-Audacity Page) | 320 |
| History of Music Technology Wiki Entry Final Draft Webpage with images (submitted to both GDrive and Gsites-MHT Page: top entry) | 50 |
| History of Music Technology Research Topic: Audacity (or GarageBand) Audio Podcast (submitted to both GDrive and Gsites-MHT Page: under text entry) | 50 |
| History of Music Technology Research Topic: iMovie Video Podcast (submitted to both GDrive and Gsites-MHT Page: under Audio Podcast Entry) | |
| GarageBand: Original Composition 50 pts. (must be submitted to GDrive and posted to Gsites-GB Page) | 50 |
| GarageBand: MIDI Project [Bach Chorale & Audio Recording mix: must be submitted to GDrive and posted to Gsites-GB Page) | 50 |
| GarageBand Assessments (GB Assessment: 20; MIDI Quiz: 20 pts.) | 40 |
| Sibelius Projects | 140 |
| Finale Projects | 140 |
| Extra Credit Exam: History of Music Technology (Online: available after the module concludes and must be taken by the due date given in the GradeBook) | (100) |
| Unannounced Assessments (if given, will be added to the total points) | 0 |
|
Total Points NB: all projects should be posted in the proper folder in Google Drive and to proper page on your Google Site. Failing to post projects may result in a failing grade for that Module. |
1452 |
Grading Scale
All graded work will be given a numeric score. Those scores will be averaged to determine the final letter grade:
| Percentage | Grade | Points |
| 90-100% | A | 1307 or Above |
| 80-89% | B | 1162 – 1306 |
| 70-79% | C | 1016 – 1161 |
| 60-69% | D | 871 – 1015 |
| 0-59% | F | 870 or below |