I will use this page to share answers to some questions that students have asked me about changes to our class during the coronavirus situation. You may ask additional questions via email.
In addition, below the question and answers I will archive some of the email messages that I have been sending to the class.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Will we need to come to campus to meet in-person for the final exam?
No we will not meet in person for the final exam session. All in-person class sessions have been cancelled at De Anza College for the rest of the spring quarter. Class meetings, including tests, have been moved to alternative online and similar modes — video, email, text messages, etc.
How will I turn in projects, quizzes, and the final project?
The exact details are subject to change, but in most cases you will email the completed work to me as an attachment to an email sent to mitchelldan@fhda.edu. Specific deadlines have been (and will be) posted at the website and sent to you via email.
What if I cannot get the resources (computer and software) to complete the final project?
I think that everyone has found a solution, but please contact me right away if not. I’m going to be very flexible about how you complete the final project, permitting you to use a wide range of alternative software and recognizing that you may not be able to complete a project that exactly fits the original requirements. I’ve sent out some messages about this, but please do contact me directly with questions. In the event that a student who makes a good-faith effort to find solutions cannot do so, we have some other options that we can discuss individually.
I’m worried about completing my project, especially since other classes are taking more time now, too!
I hear you. Things are more difficult right now, and I will be flexible as much as possible and much more than usual. Your final project does not necessarily need to fulfill all of the original requirements — the most important thing is to finish some kind of piece that is “final project-like,” even if it is shorter or can’t include everything.
And please DO keep in touch with me about problems and concerns as you work on the project. I want to help, but since we don’t meet in class twice per week it is more important that you reach out to me as soon as you can.
My quiz is late. Can I still send it to you?
YES. Given the difficult circumstance and all of the other changes you are dealing with, I’m being extra-lenient about these deadlines. If you have not sent in one of the take-home quizzes… please complete it and send it as soon as you can.
What about test #2 and the final project? Can I submit those late, too?
I can probably accept them a little late, but I can’t extend those deadlines too much, since there is a deadline for me to turn in winter quarter grades. If you end up being a bit delayed it is super important that you contact me about a potential delay as early as possible so that we’ll have more options for working around it!
ARCHIVED EMAILS
3/25/20 — Final Exam “Session” (Projects/Test #2)
MUSIC 51: INTRO TO ELECTRONIC MUSIC FINAL EXAM
I am available during the final exam session today, Wednesday, March 25 between 11:30AM and 1:30PM. This is mainly for consultations, questions, technical help with assignments, etc. Please email your projects and tests to me as described in the earlier emails.
To contact me during this period you may, in order of preference:
- 1. Email to mitchelldan@fhda.edu
- 2. Text to (720) 432-6749
- 3. Phone/voicemail to (720) 432-6749
- 4. Zoom — I can set up a zoom session if anyone prefers it, but I’ll wait for requests sent to me by one of the above methods.
Note: It may take me a few minutes to reply.
Why should you contact me? Some interesting, important, or criticalreasons follow.
- – You need help getting your files to me.
- – You need to speak to me about an extension.
- – You are having technical difficulties with your project (or the test).
- – You have concerns about grades.
– You haven’t been in touch with me for a while, and we need to figure out the best way to handle that. (We do have options, but they require us to connect very soon… since I have to turn in grades before too long.)
– Anything else related to the class that I did not think of.
I’m looking forward to hearing your projects starting later today!
3/25/20 — Morning Message
Good morning, Electronic Music students,
I’ll try to make this message a bit shorter than some of the previous emails. (If you need information from those, several are archived on this page at my website: https://danmitchelldeanza.wordpress.com/music-51-q-a/)
If our world had not changed a couple of weeks ago, we would have been meeting today on campus to play back final projects. As you know by now, that is not going to happen, and everything has been moved to online alternatives.
As outlined in those earlier emails:
1. We will NOT meet on campus today.
2. Test #2 is due today. The earlier message (see link above, too) explained how to return your completed test.
3. Final projects are due today. Earlier emails explained the details of this work, too.
The best option for submitting this work is to email the test and project to me as attachments. My email address is mitchelldan@fhda.edu. (There are alternative ways to get the work to me, but I won’t explain those again here. Email if you have questions about that.)
I will be online and responding to email messages during the time of the original on-campus final exam session — between 11:30AM and 1:30PM. The most reliable way to contact me is to send email, and I will respond fairly quickly. I also shared a text message number in one of the earlier emails, and if you can get it to work (long story…) I can interact with you that way, too. I may be able to set up a video presence, though I’m not sure if that is the best option. Watch for updates here and on my website at https://danmitchelldeanza.wordpress.com/.
I know this has been a difficult and confusing couple of weeks for you, and I also know that you may have been distracted by other real-world issues that you have to deal with. PLEASE contact me and let me know about your situation. I will try to find ways to accommodate your circumstances — which may include alternative assignments, extensions of deadlines, and so forth.
3/23/20 — FINAL PROJECTS SUBMISSION AND MORE
Final Project Submission.
Good morning Electronic Music Students,
I’m writing today to outline important details about completing your final projects and sending them to me. Please take a moment to read this message carefully, and please communicate with me right away if you have questions or are concerned that you may have problems completing the project. I want to work with you to resolve your concerns.
(If you are among a small number of registered students who have had no contact with me at all, PLEASE REPLY TO THIS EMAIL AND CHECK IN, regardless of your situation.)
I WILL BE FLEXIBLE ABOUT ASSESSING YOUR PROJECT
Let me be clear again that I understand that I must be flexible in assessing your projects after the disruptions of the past few weeks. I know that I cannot hold you all of the details of the project requirements at this point, and I recognize that many of you would have done different/better projects if we were still meeting on campus. I will adjust my evaluation standards accordingly, and your “best efforts under trying circumstances” will be likely be sufficient!
PREPARING YOUR PROJECT FOR SUBMISSION
You should prepare an AUDIO RECORDING of your project.
Your music program (whether it is Logic Pro, Protools, FL Studio, Reason, Garage Band, or something else) will provide an option to produce an audio file of the playback of your project. In Logic this is found under the “Bounce” command in the File menu, but in other programs in might be “Export” or something else. (If any of you who are using other programs that I do not have would like to write a short tutorial on doing this in your program, I will share it with the class!)
Once your project is complete, double-check that it plays back correctly. Be sure to unmute tracks, turn off the solo feature on any tracks, turn off the click track/metronome. Then determine how your program exports or bounced the project as an audio file. Export/bounce as a MP3 file. The default settings for MP3 files on your computer are probably fine. Exporting as MP3 ensures that the project file will be small enough to send as an email attachment.
Do NOT send your original Logic Pro (or other) application file. The audio file alone should be sufficient. Do KEEP A COPY of your original application file until at least April 1 in case I need to ask you for it.
SENDING THE FILE TO ME
The simplest way to submit your final project MP3 audio file is to send it as an email attachment. Email it to my college email address: mitchelldan@fhda.edu.
Starting this evening, I will reply to the emails (including those that I already received) and confirm that I received your project. If you have not received a reply within 12 hours or so — or by 1:30PM on the deadline date — write back to me immediately to confirm the I received it.
Email submission is preferred, but there may be alternatives. For example, if you have a Google Drive account you could upload there and send me an invitation to view the file. You could do something similar using other cloud storage solutions. You could upload your project file to a website like YouTube or SoundCloud and give me a link. Note that each of these options could create some difficulties that we won’t likely encounter with the email attachment method.
DEADLINE
Our on-campus final exam session WAS originally scheduled for this Wednesday, March 25 at 11:20AM-1:30PM. We will NOT meet on campus at that time — the campus is closed. However, I will use that time as the official deadline for submitting your final project.
The official deadline for me to RECEIVE your emailed project is…
* * * * WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25 AT 1:00 PM * * * *
You may send it earlier if you wish. (In fact, a couple of students finished already and sent their files over the weekend!) I urge you to send it before the deadline if possible.
LATE PROJECT?
In extenuating circumstances I may be able to offer you a short extension, though I’m somewhat limited by college deadlines for turning in grades. If you think you need an extension YOU MUST LET ME KNOW BY EMAIL AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, so that we can work out the details. Contact me right away if you miss the deadline, and we’ll see what we can work out.
NO PROJECT?
I hope that everyone is going to be able to provide me with a final project, even if it may be a bit less than what you would have done if we still had access to the lab. Again, I understand, and I’ll be flexible about your individual situation. It is far better to turn in SOMETHING than to not submit a project, even if you are concerned that circumstances interfered with your ability to do the best work possible.
However, if you don’t think you can complete a project for any reason at all PLEASE LET ME KNOW AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I’ll try to help you find a way to complete one, and if necessary I’ll discuss some alternatives that may work for you.
FINALLY…
My goal is to find a way for you to complete the class this quarter and receive the credit you have earned!
Good luck on your final work on your project, and thanks for your heroic efforts to continue working in this difficult situation!
3/22/20 — TEST #2
Electronic Music Students,
Since we cannot meet in person for a final exam session this week, you have two more things to take care of using online methods:
- Complete Test #2
- Turn in a final project
This email only concerns TEST #2. (A separate follow-up message will go over procedures for the final project.)
Test #2 is now a “take home” test. I am providing you with access to copies in this email in two ways:
- A copy should accompany the email as an attachment.
- The direct link to the test is: https://danmitchelldeanza.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/music51test022020altversionpdf.pdf
You have several options for how you complete the test and return it to me.
- You can print out the test, write your name on EACH PAGE of the test, write your answers on the printed test, scan or photograph each page separately, and email the scans/photos back to me at mitchelldan@fhda.edu.
OR
- Type out your answers and save them as a TEXT file, then email the text file to me at mitchelldan@fhda.edu. (I can also accept MS:word, Google Docs, Apple Pages, and PDF versions of your typed answers.)
OR
- Type (or copy and paste) your answers directly into an email message and send to mitchelldan@fhda.edu.
DEADLINE FOR TEST RETURN
I must RECEIVE your emailed test no later than 1:00 PM on Wednesday, March 25. I will reply to your email to confirm that I have received it. If you send it during the 11:30AM-12:30PM time originally scheduled for our final exam session on that date, I will respond within about 15 minutes.
You may send the test earlier if you wish — any time between now and that deadline is OK. I advise sending it earlier if you can. I will also confirm that I received tests send earlier, typically within 12 hours or less, in in no case later than 12:00 noon on Wednesday, March 25.
Thank you all for your flexibility in adapting to the sudden changes during the final two weeks of the term. I know this hasn’t been easy, and that for some of you it has created some serious difficulties.
Finally, as you may have already heard, there are two major changes at De Anza for the upcoming spring term.
- ALL spring quarter classes will now be online.
- The start of the term has been DELAYED BY ONE WEEK to April 13 to give us time to adjust.
My Music 1A: Music Appreciation class (originally scheduled for MW at 3:30PM) will move to an online mode, and I’m working on the technical issues of the transition right now.
This class fulfills transfer, degree, certificate, and music major requirements in the Humanities area. Most students who take it are NOT music majors — almost all students take it for general education credit. I’d love to have you in the class next quarter if it fits with your plans.
Let me know if you have questions — about the Music 1: Music Appreciation class, about your final project, or about completing this test #2.
Thanks,
Dan Mitchell
3/18/2020
Hello electronic music students,
Today would have been our last regular class meeting… but since things aren’t exactly “regular” right now I am checking in with you via email. This message will include some important information, including something that I will ask each of you to do as soon as you finish reading the message. I’ll also include some important information from earlier messages in case you missed it.
The text message number I sent out on Monday may be incorrect. If (702) 432-6749 does not work, please use: (720) 353-3743
1. Test #2 was originally scheduled for today’s class session. But since we are not meeting on-campus today the test will change to a take-home exam. I’ll announce details very soon, but the short story is that you’ll download it from the website, complete it at home, and then email it to me by the scheduled final exam session time next Wednesday. Details will come soon.
2. Please send me an email message NO LATER THAN TODAY to let me know how you are progressing on the final project. This check-in is really important, especially for those of you who are using new software to complete the project… and it is even MORE IMPORTANT if you are having problems figuring out how to complete the project outside of the classroom/lab. I can answer your basic questions about working on the project… and I and work with you to come up with other solutions if you are encountering other problems. But letting me know now is super important!
3. I’ll be available online during class time today — between 12:30PM and about 2:30PM. As I described in my Monday message, there are several ways for you to contact me today, and I’ll include that list at the end of this message. You can take care of #2 above by contacting me in one of these ways during the scheduled class time today!
4. As you work on your project you can and should be in touch we me via email or other means over the next week. I’m here to answer any questions you have about the project and to work with your on trying to resolve any problems that come up.
5. I am not quite ready to post Quiz #3 grades yet, but I anticipate doing that soon.
6. Finally, a student asked today if it would be OK to submit a late quiz. YES. I’m being flexible about this right now, so if you missed ANY quiz earlier and would like to send it now… please do!
I hope to hear from you soon.
Dan Mitchell
CONTACT INFORMATION:
1. You can email me at mitchelldan@fhda.edu
2. You may be able to leave voicemail messages at(702) 432-6749 — if this does not work try (720) 353-3743. (This is not a college phone number, and will not likely be able to accept direct calls at that number yet.)
3. You can leave comments on website postings. I’ll be alerted via email and I’ll try to respond as soon as possible.
3/16/2020
Electronic Music Students,
This is one more update on the first official day of no on-campus meetings at De Anza College.
I’m working to set up multiple ways for us to stay connected. Here’s a summary of where we are right now:
1. You can email me at mitchelldan@fhda.edu
2. You may be able to leave voicemail messages at(702) 432-6749 — if this does not work try (720) 353-3743. (This is not a college phone number, and will not likely be able to accept direct calls at that number yet.)
3. You can leave comments on website postings. I’ll be alerted via email and I’ll try to respond as soon as possible.
4. I am setting up a “Zoom” account that will allow us to do video conferences, either one-on-one or as a class. It may be up to 72 hours from now before this is fully operating for me, but we may be able to use it by Wednesday this week.
I may be able to set up one or two other options soon, too. It is likely that I can do Google video “chat” sessions, and we may be able to use Apple’s Facetime.
I PLAN TO BE AVAILABLE DURING COURSE MEETING TIMES ON MONDAY/WEDNESDAY BETWEEN 12:30 AND 2:35. (YOu can also contact me at other times, though it may take a little longer to reply.)
In addition I am creating a “Music 51 Q & A” page at the website where I’ll post answers to some questions that students are asking about my class. See https://danmitchelldeanza.wordpress.com/music-51-q-a/.
QUIZ #3: Please email the quiz to me today. Either type your answers into your email (please number them!) or else scan/photograph your printed quiz and email that as an attachment.
TEST #2: This test WAS originally scheduled for this Wednesday, but it will instead be a take-home test that you will email back to me on the final exam session date. I’ll give you more details later.
Hang in there!
Dan Mitchell
Dan Mitchell 