AS Music Technology Unit 1 - LOGBOOK

There are two stages to completing the logbook: 1. Download the file called AS Logbook template – then complete questions 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9 & 10 as a word processed document. 2. Complete questions 4, 5 & 6 on the printed log book templates. If you don’t have one they are available as a link via the blog. Once you have completed this draft copy, submit this to the music tech. department. We will review and mark your logbooks and return them to you with any suggested alterations. You will then have to write them up in full during a class lesson after Easter. This document contains detailed guidance on how to complete each question in the logbook. Please make sure you have a copy of this to hand when you are completing you draft copy.

Notes from the 2009 & 2010 examiner’s report on completion of Log books: Many examiners commented on the disappointing standard of response to questions 9 and 10. This part of the portfolio carries 20 marks – half those allocated to the other tasks – and it is therefore to be expected that care and attention is given to it, the more so since it does not have to be completed under exam conditions and notes may be referred to whilst writing up the questions. Moreover, the necessity to meet criteria for QWC (Quality of Written Communication) resulted in a loss of marks when answers were disorganised and full of elementary spelling errors. Many candidates achieved less than half marks. Whilst the first part of the log is not marked it is worth remembering that the examiner may not be able to credit a particular feature of the work if the logbook documentation is missing or inaccurate. An example of this is given above, where details of edited timbres in the sequence need to be clear if they are to receive marks. Most answers suffered from a lack of detail. There is no requirement to write long passages of critical prose (bullet points are acceptable) but references need to be supported by clear examples and locations. For example, a response such as the one below is simply not specific enough for a high mark:

‘The songs [sic] texture varies a lot in the song starting off thin then getting thicker

building up to a bigger emphasis on the bridge and chorus’ On the other hand this is far more illuminating and shows evidence of thought and planning:

‘The original Light my Fire had 2-3 minute guitar and organ solos but this structure was suited to the time the song was composed and doesn’t suit an 80s rock song so I changed the structure to Intro, V1, Chorus, V2, Chorus, Guitar solo, Chorus, Outro.’

AS Music Technology Unit 1 - LOGBOOK

Common errors are repetition of material and failure to provide detailed and accurate references to the candidate’s own arrangement. Whilst a statement like ‘I was influenced by.....’ will attract some credit, more marks will be earned if the candidate goes on to explain how they were influenced and to give an example.

QUESTION 1 & 2

Questions 1 & 2 focuses on Task 1a. When answering question 2, please make sure that you list ALL the instruments (including drum sounds and any sample used). This question gives you the opportunity to explain to the examiner the detailed work you have put into editing and shaping the timbres (software instruments) in Logic. So here you can talk about how you have used the various software synths, (i.e. ES1, ES2 etc) to sculpt sounds that accurately imitate the timbres used in the original recording. The answers to question 2 come from one of last year’s submissions, this should give you some idea of the level of detail required. Please note the answer below is NOT THE COMPLETE answer but an excerpt, outlining timbres of just some of the parts:

• Electric Guitar – I found it difficult to recreate the guitar sound in the original track with any one sample library, so I used a combination of the Heavy Metal Guitar and Crunchy Muted Guitar in EXS24, and then used Flanger, Guitar Amp Pro and Stereo Delay effect plugins to complete it.

• Vocals  –  I  chose  a  tenor  saxophone  virtual  instrument  from  Logic’s  EXS24  sample  library  because  the  timbre  of  a  reed  is  the  most  similar  to  a  human  voice  of  the  available  instruments.  I  used  the  EQ  to  boost  the  higher  frequencies  and  liken  the  sound  to  the  almost  whiney  voice  in  the  original  track.  

• Lead  Synth  –  I  used  the  ‘Another  Comp’  preset  in  EXS24,  and  applied  the  Bitcrusher  plug-­‐in  to  reduce  the  fidelity  of  the  sound,  then  shelved  the  higher  frequencies  using  the  EQ  to  produce  the  restricted  frequency  range  of  the  original  part.  

 QUESTIONS 3, 4, 5 & 6

THESE all refer to Task 1B. You have already had a printed copy of this part of the log book. Question 4. You MUST USE PHOTOGRAPHS for this question. If you did not take any while recording, take some NOW to show the examiner how you set up mic placements for all the instruments recorded in your task. This does not need to include anything D.I.’d. Question 5. List all instruments recorded, including D.I. capture. Add more sheets if necessary. Question 6. This deals only with MIXDOWN, i.e. the settings you used in Logic when you created your mix.

AS Music Technology Unit 1 - LOGBOOK

• EQ – include something about Hi, Mid and Low frequencies, use the terms “boost” or “cut”

• FX – list any processing used – reverb, delay, chorus, distortion etc. but NOT compression or gating, that comes next…

• DYNAMIC PROCESSING – this is all about noise gating and compression. When describing gating, juts mention if you used it on the given track or not. When describing the amount of compression used include the ratio and threshold settings.

• PANNING – indicate the position of the track in the stereo field, i.e.

• LEVEL – indicate the level in Db i.e. -2.7Db

QUESTION 7 Computer and processor: Apple iMac 5.2 - 1.83 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Main Digital Audio Workstation software: Logic Express 9 Additional software: Logic native software instruments Audio/MIDI interface: M-audio Fast track pro Keyboard: M-Audio keystation 49e

QUESTION 8

Here you must list ALL the instruments used in your arrangement and clearly include any editing of software instrument parameters and any effects processing used – reverb/delay/guitar amp pro, etc. Make sure you include and use of loops/samples and any processing that you applied to these too.

 Panning  (L-­‐R)  

Level   -­‐38  

AS Music Technology Unit 1 - LOGBOOK

QUESTION 9 Question 9 draws attention to the optional criteria in the mark scheme. This gives you an excellent opportunity to point out specific areas you wish to bring to the examiner’s notice. Focus on development of the areas listed rather than just describing the piece in words to accompany the audio. This applies to how you have developed your piece from its initial working drafts to the final version and also to how you have musically developed the thematic material.

Note that this is worth 10 marks, so must make at least 10 clearly justified points to be awarded full marks.

Melody:

• Have you developed the melody? • If so how? Have you added notes, changed the melodic rhythm, added any

harmony parts? • Have you used any countermelody? • Have you chosen a particularly interesting instrumental voice for the melody?

Harmony:

• How have you reharmonised the stimulus? • Is your arrangement in a new key, if so why? • How is the harmony expressed, is it using block chords, broken chords or

arpeggios? • Is the harmony expressed by one instrument or more than one instrument? • What type of chords have you used? Power chords, sus chords, triads,

extended chords (7th, 9th, 11th, 13th etc.) • Bass line – does the bass line state the harmony? How does the bass reflect

what is happening harmonically? How does the bass work rhythmically? Rhythm:

• How have you created the rhythm track? Does the rhythm track uses drum kit sounds or drum machine/sampled elements?

• Have you integrated any sampled drum loops? • Have you used any percussion? • Are there any drum fills? • How have you created contrast in your rhythm track? Does it vary from verse to

chorus, intro etc. • Have you used percussive layers?

Texture & Instrumentation:

• Texture: Terms to include when discussing texture include: thick, rich, thin, open, spacious, multilayered, sparse, dense.

• Texture: How is there contrast in the texture? i.e from verse to chorus, or from intro to verse etc.

AS Music Technology Unit 1 - LOGBOOK

• Instrumentation: Have you chosen any particularly interesting instrumentation that is different from the stimulus but that reflects your chosen style?

• Instrumentation: You can comment on performance techniques that you have used, i.e. strings – pizzicato, arco (bowed), staccato. Guitar – strumming, fingerpicking, broken chords, power chords, lead solo lines

• Instrumentation: Use of processing and FX, how has this been used. Form & Structure:

• Have you used a different structure from the original stimulus, if so outline in detail, explain why you made those choices.

QUESTION 10 Question 10 requires you to focus on the fingerprints of your chosen style. To gain the highest available marks for this question, you must link the stylistic “fingerprints” to examples in your arrangement using high levels of detail to justify. Additional pages may be used if required. Please ensure that you have at least 10 clearly identified points that link the stylistic aspects of your chosen style for the arrangement with demonstrable aspects of your arrangement.

Stylistic Fingerprints of: SYNTH POP

• Extensive use of synthesizers – often layered with a mixture of synth pads and contrasting staccato parts.

• Use of synth techniques: Arpeggiator • Use of synth chordal pads • Use of repeated rhythmic block chord figures which follow the chord

sequence • Simple chord sequences – often diatonic • Use of snyth countermelodies • Use of brassy rhythmic synth figures – mimicking “call & response”

horn lines • Use of climactic “orchestral” synthesized string parts • Some use of synthesizers to emulate orchestral textures • Minimal use of live instrumentation • Some use of guitars • Use of drum machines and sampled drum beats • 4/4 most common time signature – typically uptempo – dance tempos • “Four on the floor” house influenced grooves are common • Drum grooves tend to be simple repeated one bar grooves,

punctuated with basic synth tom fills • Some use of shuffled/swing grooves

AS Music Technology Unit 1 - LOGBOOK

• Bass patterns often follow root note exclusively – often coupled with octaves

• Some use of spoken word phrases • Extensive effects processing – delays, reverb, vocoder, etc • Use of vocal processing – delay/reverb/vocoder • Use of big compressed pop production sound

Stylistic Fingerprints of:

REGGAE

• Almost exclusive use of 4/4 time signature • Slow to medium tempo • Common use of swing/shuffle feel • Kick drum often falling on beats 2 and 4 with a snare/rimclick • Syncopated rimclick/snare patterns with much variety • Some use of 16th note and triplet feel Hi-hat patterns. Some complex

and widely varied • Use of timbale style drum fills – often as intro • Some use of latin percussion instruments in layers: congas, bongos,

maracas, triangle, clave, timbale, etc • Drums and bass very prominent in mix balance • Bass often outlining triads from the chosen chord sequence • Common use of repeated bass rhythms – often doubled on guitar • Common use of repeated ostinato bass grooves – often also doubled

on guitar • Use of simple chord sequences • Common use of two chord sequences • Off beat “skank” guitar chords – often also on keyboard • Instrumentation often includes keyboard – Hammond organ • Use of horn sections – often with call and response parts • Extensive use of backing vocals – typically call and response • Use of vocal embellishment – soul music influence

On the following two pages there are the criteria from the mark scheme for

completion of the logbook:

AS Music Technology Unit 1 - LOGBOOK

QUESTION 9 MARK SCHEME

AS Music Technology Unit 1 - LOGBOOK

QUESTION 10 MARK SCHEME