About the class:
Students will have hands on experiences to teach them about the wide range of music production capacities of Garageband. Activities will include edititng, recording, sequencing MIDI and loops, and arranging. This class will teach students how to create music using Garageband and increasing your knowledge of music form and structure as well as the capabilities of Garageband and other music programs.
Grading:
Students will be graded on activities with the following weights given to each type of activity:
ñ Major projects 40% expect 2 a quarter
ñ Mini projects/skill building activities 20% expect several throughout the quarter
ñ Medium projects—25% (these incorporate the skills, but are not a complete project) expect 3 a quarter
ñ Quizzes and written work 10%
ñ Class participation in critiques 5%
Rubrics will be made available at the beginning of each major and medium project.
Standard deductions on assignments include lateness (10%) and poor quality of imported audio (varies—dependent on quality). Late assignments will be graded at the teacher’s earliest convenience: they may not be graded in time for eligibility purposes.
What you need for class:
ñ computer and charger
ñ your own, you cannot share computers for activities in this class
ñ using audio will drain your battery
ñ A pair of headphones with a mini-jack (1/8”) connecter—this is a standard size
ñ this will make it easier for you to hear what you are working on and allow others to get their work done
ñ do not expect that headphones will be available to be borrowed: if you know that you will need to borrow headphones to use in this class, please let Ms. Reinecke know immediately.
ñ pencil
ñ especially on quiz days
ñ You may be asked to bring music in on either CD or on your Itunes library
ñ You will need to be able to get your music onto your computer: this may not be possible from your iPod or streaming services
ñ A supportive attitude
ñ you will be asked to critique each other's work and to have your own work critiqued: let's create the environment that makes this productive
Absences:
Students absent from class will need to spend time outside of class completing any activities that were done in class. Students should expect to complete all mini-projects in order to have the skills to complete the major projects. Students are expected to make up quizzes within 5 days. If a student is absent only on the day a homework assignment is due, or the day a quiz is given, s/he will be expected to make it up the next day in class. It is the student’s responsibility, in all cases, to make up any work that is missed when not in class. Students who are absent for a length of time due to illness or vacation should see Ms. Reinecke for specific details regarding due dates. Students may make arrangements to come in before or after school.
Due to Ms. Reinecke's schedule, falcon period is not available for extra help.
Turning In Assignments:
There is a turn-in folder on the shared server that is the official place to turn in work. If you turn in work outside of class time, it is your responsibility to email Ms. Reinecke that the work has been turned in. Unless told otherwise, students should turn in both the Garageband file and an mp3 of their work and the files should be named as follows: Lastname_AssignmentName. You will receive an email reply when I have received work that has been turned in outside of class: if you do not get a reply, I did not get your email. Please allow one day for me to reply to email.
Equipment:
Students will use keyboards and microphones as part of their work in this class. Students are asked to treat this equipment with respect and report any problems they have with this equipment immediately so that Ms. Reinecke can remedy the situation.
Computer Issues:
For maximum success in this class it will be important that your computer has the latest updates, especially any Garageband plug ins. You may need to make arrangements with the computer tech to get all the updates you need. Doing so in a timely manner will allow you to get the most out of this class. Not having all the plug-ins may make project completion difficult if not impossible. Students will not be allowed to go to the computer tech to get updates during class time.
If you are having computer problems during class, let Ms. Reinecke know immediately. Most issues we have in class, especially with Garageband, are better handled in our class.
If your computer stops working outside of class please make arrangements for a loaner computer. If you need a loaner computer, let the computer tech know you have production class and that you need an updated version of Garageband on your loaner computer.
Saving your work:
Please make a habit of saving your work often. Students should be saving their work to the Google drive so it can be accessed from any computer.
It is unlikely that due dates for any assignment will change should you be having computer problems.