MUS 188 : Making Words Sing: The Art and Soul of Songwriting

Creative Arts and Industries

2021 Semester Two (1215) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

A widescreen survey of contemporary songwriting, its various origins, directions, themes and principles with specific reference to the work, styles and lyrical techniques of prominent songwriters from the past half century. Songwriting from English music hall, through the Beatles and Bob Dylan to contemporary singer-songwriters and today's hip-hop stars.

Course Overview

A survey of contemporary popular music styles from the perspective of tools of thecreative songwriting process. Discussion of harmonic, melodic, rhythmic and structural concerns of works by prominent songwriters of the last fifty years. Explores connections between the traditional skills of songwriting and the international pop chart. Offers opportunities and insights into music and songwriting across a wide spectrum of genres from pure pop to folk, country and hip-hop.

The purpose of this course is to enhance students' knowledge and understanding of songwriting craft in popular music from World War II to the present. And to broaden the student's listening experiences and musical palette through close listening and analysis, and to challenge aspiring songwriters to explore new modes of expression and and styles.

Course Requirements

No pre-requisites or restrictions

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice
Capability 2: Critical Thinking
Capability 3: Solution Seeking
Capability 4: Communication and Engagement
Capability 5: Independence and Integrity
Graduate Profile: Bachelor of Music

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Demonstrate and identify a broad range of musical styles and genres and their historical significance and wider contexts (Outcomes 1,2 and 3) (Capability 1, 2 and 4)
  2. Analyse and discuss songwriting techniques (musical, lyrical, construction in a recording studio) in relation to ideas of various styles, approaches and subjects in popular music. (Capability 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5)
  3. Identify relevant historical or contemporary influences on songwriters and relate them to their chosen style (Capability 1, 2, 3 and 4)
  4. Demonstrate an understanding of how songwriters and performers use source material from their own lives and experiences, as well as perhaps literary and historical references, to inform their work. (Capability 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Essay #1 30% Individual Coursework
Essay #2 30% Individual Coursework
Research essay #3 40% Individual Coursework
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4
Essay #1
Essay #2
Research essay #3

Assignments are to be submitted, according to submission type specified on CANVAS, by the due date. In the event of illness or other circumstances that prevent completing an assignment, please contact the course coordinator with evidence as appropriate before the due date. Late assignments that do not have an approved extension will be penalized 10% for each day or part thereof. No assignment will be accepted after that assignment has been returned to students.

Teaching & Learning Methods

This course takes the form of 12 x two hour lectures with musical (and video) examples which will include critical and guided discussion, and the analysis of textual documents and online articles.

Essential coursework documents will be available on CANVAS as well some reference documents.

Additional notes, web links, readings and items of interest will also be posted on CANVAS.The lectures are all available https://www.elsewhere.co.nz/lectures/and will be recorded, but students are strongly advised to attend class and take notes.

In the first class, students will be provided with their own Song Logbook (a 1B exercise book) in which they can take notes from class but also record as an aural diary their private listening and analysis of songs they encounter in their own life. Students will be expected to keep up this log on an almost daily basis and can be called on to discuss a song in class they have heard which made an impression – good or bad – and say why

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 150 hours in lectures, reading, and work on assessment tasks. Students are expected to attend all lectures, to complete weekly reading and listening tasks, in addition to the various assessment tasks.
Independent study might take up to 20 hours per week, in addition to time spent working on assignments.
The 150 hours expected for this course is made up of lecture time (24 hours), seven hours revision for each lecture (84 hours), research and writing for the first two essays (24 hours) and additional time for the final research assignment (18 hours).


Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

This course will be delivered by 12 2-hour lectures, according to the published lecture timetable. Lectures will involve relevant notes, visual material (video clips, images) as well as music being played to illustrate key points, artists and styles.

Attendance is expected at scheduled activities including lectures and listening tests.
Lectures will be available as recordings.
The course as it stands will not include live online events.
Attendance on campus is required for the listening tests and the final exam.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.

The lecturer will be available for one-to-one discussion with any student who requires that (see below). The lecturer also arrives early and stays after lectures if any student has just a quick query.

Graham Reid (lecturer/course co-ordinator)
E-mail: g.reid@auckland.ac.nz


Learning Resources

There is no set textbook for this course. The lecturer will provide handouts, musical examples to assess and details of how to access listening material.
The following books provide useful supplementary reading.

Bollinger, N. 100 Essential New Zealand Albums. Wellington, 2009
Bourke, C. Blue Smoke: The Last Dawn of New Zealand Popular Music 1918-64. Wellington, 2010
Chang, J. Can't Stop, Won't Stop; A History of the Hip-Hop Generation. 2005,
Dix, J. Stranded in Paradise: New Zealand Rock 'n ’Roll Wellington 1988,
Hartman, K. Wrecking Crew: The Inside Story of Rock and Roll's Best Kept Secret, 2012
McDonald, I. Revolution in the Head; The Beatles Records in the Sixties. 1994
Martin, G (ed) Making Music 1983
Spittle, G. Counting the Beat: A History of New Zealand Song. Wellington, 1997.
Townshend, P. Who I Am 2012
Webb, J. Tunesmith, Inside the Art of Songwriting 1998
Zollo, P. Songwriters on Songwriting 1997
And some useful DVDs
Anthology (An insightful career overview of the Beatles, especially relevant when they retreat into the studio after 1966)
Brian Wilson, Songwriter 1962-1969 (Portrait of Wilson's working methods and increasingly ambitious songs for the Beach Boys)
Down in the Flood(Bob Dylan and the Band)
I Am Trying to Break Your Heart (A documentary about Wilco making their album Yankee Hotel Foxtrot)
Just an American Boy (Portrait of singer-songwriter Steve Earle)
No Direction Home (Martin Scorsese documentary about Bob Dylan in the Sixties
Standing the Shadows of Motown (The story of the Funk Brothers who played on Motown sessions)
Soundtrack For a Revolution (Documentary about the music of the civil rights movement)
Spectacle (Series of Elvis Costello in conversation with songwriters and singers, and Bill Clinton)
The Sound of Her Guitar (very revealing doco about New Zealand singer-songwriter Donna Dean and her often autobiographical songs)
The Wrecking Crew (a doco by Denny Tedesco about the famous LA session musicians)

also New Zealand Musician, free and published monthly online

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Other Information

Graham Reid (lecturer/course co-ordinator)
E-mail: g.reid@auckland.ac.nz

Appointments to see the lecturer outside class time can be made via e-mail and a mutually agreeable time can be made. Students wishing to do this should e-mail the lecturer with a few options of times.

Digital Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

In the event of unexpected disruption

We undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions, the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and your assessment is fair, and not compromised. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. In the event of a disruption, the University and your course coordinators will make every effort to provide you with up to date information via Canvas and the University website.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.

Published on 11/12/2020 04:12 p.m.