CLASS TESTS

HSI2013 The Science of Music Mid-Term Test

Date: Wednesday, 12 March 2025 (Week 8)
Time: (10:10 -- 11:10) am
Duration: 1 hour
Venue: Multi-purpose Sports Hall 2B
Format: 25 Multiple Choice Questions (Open Book)
Scope: Lectures 1 to 12 (including open and closed pipes but excluding beats)

There will be an End-of-Term Test during Week 8. The details are as follows:

HSI2013 The Science of Music End-of-Term Test

Date: Wednesday, 16 April 2025 (Week 13)
Time: (10:10 -- 11:10) am
Duration: 1 hour
Venue: Multiple venues (refer to seat plans which have been uploaded) 2B
Format: 25 Multiple Choice Questions (Open Book)
Scope: All Lectures

Submission: Answers are to be shaded using a 2B PENCIL on a computer-readable answer sheet provided. Make sure a full dark shade is made for both your matriculation number (including the ending letter) and each answer choice you select. PLEASE DO NOT USE PEN FOR SHADING as it will not be detectable by the grading machine.

Please bring along your matriculation card, a 2B pencil, an eraser and a calculator. Report at the venue and arrive at the venue at the usual electure time (10 am). Refer to the lists of seat numbers and venue seating plans available in Canvas Files.

Open Book here means you could access your course materials (only lecture notes, tutorials and/or any personal notes on same subject) stored on any electronic device (such as your laptop or ipad) or on hard copy. There will not be any formula sheet given. Make sure you can easily have access to information such as keyboard arrangement, scale chart, etc. since memorisation is not necessary.

Take note that browsing of the Internet, he use of chatGPT or any AI tools and any form of communication using any of your mobile or electronic device(s) are STRICTLY PROHIBITED. Any violation will be reported directly to the University Disciplinary Board and no grade will be issued.

Both the Mid-Term and End-of-Term Tests are within scheduled lecture slots.

Make-up tests for students who have valid reasons for missing the tests, i.e. either a valid MC or official leave of absence granted by the University, will be scheduled in the week following each test.

MCs must be submitted within 24 hours of a Test to the Lecturer, Tutor or to Mdm Pang at the 1st year Physics Laboratory, S12, level 4.

ESSAY FOR SCIENCE OF MUSIC

The essay should be on the following topic:

Attend a musical concert or any live musical performance, which could be an SSO concert, a musical or an opera, a pop/rock concert, a jazz concert, a Chinese orchestra concert or any concert, performance or event in which the live performance of music is the main focus (this excludes plays or ballet/dance performances). Say in your own words how and why you have enjoyed (or not enjoyed) the performance. You should include some comments on how and why science and/or technology may have had an effect (positive or otherwise) on your musical experience and why, but the main focus of the essay should be on your personal views of the concert performance. The essay should be written from the point of view of a member of the audience, and NOT as one of the performers.

You may also write about a concert you have recently attended (within the last 3 months). This will include concerts during the months of October, November and December 2024. The concert should be a formal performance by live performers for an audience lasting at least 45 minutes. The concert may be either in an indoor or outdoor venue, and need not be a ticketed fee-paying performance.

You need not confine your essay to the content of the lectures. The essay should express your own opinions, and will be graded on content and writing ability.

The essay should have a word count of at least 200 words but not exceeding 800 words and should be written in English. If other languages are used in, for example, titles of musical pieces, an English translation should be provided. The essay should consist only of text and should NOT include any photographs or illustrations. Any references or bibliography should be included in the word count.

Please mention the name of the performer or group performing and the venue and date of the concert. Your essay MUST be entirely your own unaided work.

The essay should be submitted as a Microsoft Word file with the name:
exxxxxxxxx.docx
where xxxxxxxxx is your matriculation number. Please put the number of words and your matric number at the end of your essay but do NOT include your name.

The submission deadline is at the end of week 10 of the semester, at the midnight of Saturday 29 March 2025, i.e. the midnight between Saturday 29 March and Sunday 30 March.

The Canvas workbin for the submission of the Essay project files will be opened a few days before the deadline.
Please do NOT email your essay files to me.

The MIDI music composition is an electronic/computer music piece in MIDI format lasting at least 20 seconds, but not more than 60 seconds. MIDI files lasting less than 20 seconds and more than 60 seconds will be penalized.

The piece MUST be an original piece and NOT an arrangement of an existing piece of music.

It should be for at least two different General MIDI (GM) instruments, and for not more than five different General MIDI (GM) instruments. You are permitted to use any GM instruments except for instruments no. 121 to 128. Whatever number of GM instruments you choose to use from two to five, they should all be different instruments i.e. if you use the same instrument twice for more than one track/channel, it will be considered one instrument.

Your MIDI piece must begin with not more than two GM instruments, and continue thus for at least 8 seconds. Additional GM instruments should only enter the music after 8 seconds. (You are of course free to use only two instruments for the entire piece.)

If you intend to use the channel 10 percussion instruments, this will count as one instrument.