Transcript Certificate III in Technical Production CUS30209

VET in VCE Music Exam Review
Certificate III in Music CUS30109
Certificate III in Technical Production CUS30209
Certificate III in Music CUS30109
This is a Performance Exam worth 50% of the student’s study
score.
Assessors are looking for levels of competency relevant to the
following Units of Competency:
- CUSMPF301A Develop technical skills in performance
- CUSMPF402A Develop and maintain stagecraft skills
And either of the following units of competency
- CUSMPF406A Perform music as a soloist
Or
- CUSMPF404A Perform music as part of a group
Specific information from VCAA can be found at
http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Pages/vet/programs/music/exams
music.aspx
Apply knowledge of genre to music making
Develop improvisation skills are not assessed in the exam
Certificate III in Music CUS30109
Assessment Marking
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Pre 2012: 7 Criteria marked out of 5
Post 2012: 10 Criteria marked out of 10
Range of 5-7 is expected level for Certificate III
Above 7 is outstanding level
Certificate III in Music CUS30109
Assessment Criteria
• The 10 criteria are outlined in the VCAA documentation
available from the website.
• The next 10 slides provide teachers with some guidance based
on COSAMP staff experience in relation to each criterion.
Certificate III in Music CUS30109
Criterion 1: Compliance with the requirements of the task
• Construction of groups meet the appropriate requirements.
Read the specific requirements of group structure which may
include teachers (max of 2) and/or non-‐VCE or VET persons (max
of 4 in total)
• A student playing in multiple presentations is assessed in their
FIRST group / solo
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Assessed singers maintain active contribution to the
performance
Certificate III in Music CUS30109
Criterion 1: Compliance with the requirements of the task
• Only assessed performers adjust equipment, lighting, sound,
troubleshoot during the assessment.
• Other school personnel (teachers, students, parents, etc) may
contribute to the setup and sound check
• Assessed students take care during setup, as not to injure
themselves or suffer undue stress
• Students have access to replacement parts for their instrument.
Certificate III in Music CUS30109
Criterion 1: Compliance with the requirements of the task
• Non-assessed support musicians contribute only in a support role.
• Students are assessed on all the instruments they present at the
exam.
• Assessors are instructed to assess on the WHOLE performance of
each student being assessed. (Confirmed by Glenn Martin at
VCAA September 2013)
Certificate III in Music CUS30109
Criterion 1: Compliance with the requirements of the task
• The Industry Focus statement should include
• a generic band context statement
• the specific performer’s contribution to the presentation
• the specific instrument(s) the performer is using to contribute
to the performance
• explanation of how their staging craft will contribute to the
performance
• Give the assessor something meaty against which to award
marks. They are looking for direction from the student.
Certificate III in Music CUS30109
Criterion 1: Compliance with the requirements of the task
OH&S principle to keep in mind are:
• Leads taped down
• No drinks on stage
• Tripping hazards removed
• Use of guitar stands for instrument changeovers
• High / extreme volume levels are to be minimised. If high
volume or tonal levels are required for stylistic quality, hearing
protection needs to be evidently used.
• Posture during performance, including
• over-‐use of movements like “head-‐banging”,
• extremely low-slung guitars,
• slouching,
• vocal placement, screeching/growling affecting voice
quality over time
Certificate III in Music CUS30109
Criteria 2 & 3: Performing with accuracy & control
Potential expressiveness and versatility of instruments
Concerns that have been expressed previously include:
• Unsuitable key for vocalists
• Lack of vocal intonation.
• Use of insubstantial percussion.
Certificate III in Music CUS30109
Criteria 2 & 3: Performing with accuracy & control
Potential expressiveness and versatility of instruments
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The presentation reflects a full year’s study,
Accurate tuning of instrument.
• Possibly a small riff or lick between songs could be created which
enables musicians to check their tuning and adjust as required.
Performing on more than one instrument is not necessarily a demonstration
of versatility
Certificate III in Music CUS30109
Criteria 4 & 5: Use of Musical elements & phrasing/shaping
• Most areas of specialisation include some variety of rhythms, time
signatures, beat patterns, rhythmic styles, scales, chord sequences
and music systems.
Issues noted by VCAA
• Lack of focus in the area of specialisation
• Variety was not explored thoroughly.
• Full program of works in 4/4 time,
• Most songs employing a simple chord progression in a major or
harmonic minor key,
• Exploring songs within the same style or area that use different
beat groupings or compound time,
• Explore songs with a variety of keys and more unusual chord
progressions,
Certificate III in Music CUS30109
Criterion 6: Creativity, Individuality & originality
This criterion is not necessarily articulated as presentation of original
material.
Assessors are looking for
• Interesting, well conceived interpretations
• Creative arrangements
• Original works demonstrating sound knowledge of song structure,
harmony and lyric writing
Individuality and creativity are underpinned by strong technical skills
• Colour their presentation with their own personalities and musical
interpretations.
• Avoid copying a performance recorded by professional acts or
recreating songs from recordings.
Certificate III in Music CUS30109
Criterion 7: Group / Solo performance
• The assessors need to hear each student being assessed.
• Volume levels are affected by
• balance,
• tone,
• arrangement and
• voicing
• Two musicians may NOT copy the same part
The rules clearly state “one performer per musical part”.
Certificate III in Music CUS30109
Criterion 7: Group / Solo performance
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Good coordination between members of a group is required:
• Introductions to the presentation
• Musical intros
• Moving in and out of lead breaks
• Following and supporting as required
• Outro and ending of each song in the performance
• Suitable ending to the whole presentation
• Consistent posture/action/movement indicating a high level of
interaction between members of the group
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Backing tracks for vocalists need consistent and suitable sound quality.
• Poor backing track quality can detract from the ability of the vocalist
to place their voice, pitch and volume levels appropriately.
Certificate III in Music CUS30109
Criterion 8: A Cohesive program
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The performance reflects their industry statement accurately.
A well‐planned performance within a well-defined industry context will
usually incorporate a ‘journey’ throughout the program with highs and
lows in energy and intensity.
Steer away from a traditional VCE or AMEB Music Performance style of
program.
Certificate III in Music CUS30109
Criterion 9: Protocols appropriate to area of speciaisation
Students are encouraged to consider that this assessment is not just
about musical virtuosity. While musicality and technical skills are
important, this is a ‘Performance’ assessment. In their planning for this
performance students need to consider:
- Visuals
- Costuming
- Lighting - Props
- Staging
- Movement
- Stance
- Confidence
- Engaging with an audience
- Dialogue
Certificate III in Music CUS30109
Criterion 9: Protocols appropriate to area of speciaisation
• Assessors appreciate that interaction with an audience can lead,
drive and feed non-musical aspects,
• Assessors are not able to respond like an audience
• Students need to rehearse their program in full regularly
• to refine these elements to the point where an audience is not
necessary and
• the energy levels remain high.
Certificate III in Music CUS30109
Criterion 10: Skill in presenting a confident performance
• Students need to be animated and ‘sell’ their songs or pieces.
• Students need to develop ways of owning the works
• avoid being fixed or riveted to one section of the stage.
• deliver as if it was a professional show, with
• focus,
• poise,
• flair,
• energy and pacing,
• Convince the audience of the authenticity of the musician
and their story.
Certificate III in Music CUS30109
Any Questions?
Certificate III in Technical Production CUS30209
Students undertake a written exam of which there are two components:
- An aural section requiring students to identify production elements
- A written section responding to a series of crafted questions related to the
following units of competency:
CUSSOU301A – Provide sound reinforcement
CUSSOU302A – Record and mix a basic music demo
CUESOU07B – Apply a general knowledge of audio to network activities
CUESOU08B – Select and manage microphone and other audio input
sources
CUSSOU303A – Set up and disassemble audio equipment.
The exam contributes 34% towards the student’s study score.
Specific information from VCAA can be found at
http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Pages/vet/programs/music/examsmusic.aspx
Certificate III in Technical Production CUS30209
The Aural Component
Students need much practice in identifying the following aural
aspects of their course:
• Listening for changes to the mix,
• removing instruments,
• attenuating volumes
• Listening for frequencies in specific frequency bands
• Identifying various FX applied such as
• Reverb
• Delay
• Compression
• Gate
• Distortion
• Being able to identify the parameters that are used to change the
settings of these FX such as
• Feedback & time for delay
• Threshold, ratio & knee for compression, etc
Certificate III in Technical Production CUS30209
The Aural Component
Students need much practice in identifying the following aural
aspects of their course:
• EQ filters
• Pass & Cut filters
• Knowledge of Frequency bands such as low, low mid, high mid,
high, etc
• Various issues relating to audio such as buzz, pop, click.
• NB. These terms are NOT interchangeable. Make sure students
know exactly what each is!
Certificate III in Technical Production CUS30209
The Written Component
Basic Sound Theory
• Students need to know how to interpret a standard wave
• Amplitude over Time
• Compression and Rarefraction
• Frequency of waves producing pitch
• Doubling and halving for octaves
• What sine, square and sawtooth waves look like
• The sound envelope – ADSR
• Waves in and out of phase
• Speed of sound
Certificate III in Technical Production CUS30209
The Written Component
Production Techniques
• How to use a virtual mixer (software such as protools)
• Plugins used in the recording studio & how to apply them to a
channel
• Plugins fall in one of 3 categories:
• Dynamic processors (eg compressor)
• Frequency processors (eg EQ)
• Time-based processors (eg Delay/Reverb)
• The use of gates
• Suitable opportunities to use various processors & the usual
needs for a specific processor on an instrument such as
compressor on bass, reverb on vocals, etc
• How to minimise sibilance and plosives
Certificate III in Technical Production CUS30209
The Written Component
Digital Sound Theory
• Sample rate & bit depth suitable for CD quality
• Other options available for sample rate & bit depth
• Calculation on determining the amount of storage space
required
• Advantages & disadvantages for the various sample rates & bit
depths
• What is SPDIF, 0dBFS
• Discontinuous wave forms
• Joining regions together with cross fade
Certificate III in Technical Production CUS30209
The Written Component
Microphones
• How a transducer works
• Main types of microphones (dynamic, condenser, ribbon,
small/large diaphragm
• Polar patterns (Cardioid, Super cardioid, Figure 8, Omni)
• Proximity effect & Frequency Response
• In / out of phase
• Balanced / unbalanced signals
• Phantom power
• Microphone placement (on / off axis, spaced pairing, Coincident pairing, etc)
Certificate III in Technical Production CUS30209
The Written Component
Mixing Consoles
• Signal level (difference between gain pot & volume fader)
• Safe SPL levels
• Unity gain
• Busses
• Phantom power
• Phase switch
• Auxilliary sends
• Pre & post
• EQ section
• Parametric
• Shelving
• Q
• Inserts
• Pan
• Master section / Output controls
Certificate III in Technical Production CUS30209
The Written Component
Speakers & PA systems
• Transducers
• Drivers
• Crossovers (Passive & active)
• Power ampifiers
• Signal flow diagram (draw & interpret)
• DI Box
• Line level vs Mic level
• Tuning a PA
• Power connections & power availability (referenced as watts)
Certificate III in Technical Production CUS30209
The Written Component
Electronics
• Ohms law
• Voltage, current, resistance (impedance)
• Purpose of shielding
• Series & parallel circuits
• Determining power requirements of speakers
Certificate III in Technical Production CUS30209
General notes from the Chief Assessor report
• Advise students not to write 2 responses to a question such as Buzz
and hum. The correct answer is one or the other. Students can’t
“hedge their bets”
• Students need to read the question properly, underlining the
important parts of each question is a good practice.
• Give the students plenty of opportunities to verbalise answers with
you.
• Discuss with student potential problems when operating a PA or a
studio console. Have students verbalise and practice writing their
answers down.
Certificate III in Technical Production CUS30209
Any Questions?