course-details-portlet

MUST1058

Music Technology in Light of History

Choose study year

Assessments and mandatory activities may be changed until September 20th.

Credits 7.5
Level Foundation courses, level I
Course start Spring 2026
Duration 1 semester
Language of instruction Norwegian
Location Trondheim
Examination arrangement Aggregate score

About

About the course

Course content

The course provides an introduction to the history and distinctive character of music technology, based on a critical and humanistic perspective, and the development of new practices in production, distribution and use. The course also discusses the relationship between technology, aesthetics, musical expression/ form and practice and how ways of working with music technology have changed throughout history.

Learning outcome

Knowledge:

Having completed the course the candidate will

  • have acquired knowledge of the most important tendencies in the development of technologies for sound recording, electronic sound synthesis, manipulation, transmission and distribution.
  • have an understanding of how 20th and 21st century music technology is related to earlier forms of music technology
  • have acquired knowledge of how music technology has developed in interaction with art and culture, as well as technology and society
  • have acquired knowledge of how music technology has contributed to changing the understanding of what music is and how it is created, performed, distributed and experienced.

Skills:

Having completed the course the candidate will

  • be able to see interrelationships between recent and historical practices within music technology
  • be able to carry out simple forms of sound recording, playback, editing and treatment with the use of digital tools and relate this to music technology history
  • be able to reflect critically based on, and in continuation of, the acquired knowledge
  • be able to formulate his/her knowledge convincingly, both in writing and orally, according to academic standards

Learning methods and activities

Lectures and.exercises: Exercises may be a written essay and/or practical assignments. Teaching is usually conducted in Norwegian, but may take place in English.

Instruction is obligatory and demands minimum 80% attendance.

Compulsory assignments

  • Satisfactory participation in compulsory classes
  • Exercises

Further on evaluation

7 exercises must be passed to take the exam.

The exam consist of two parts, one 4 hours written exam and an assignment. The assignment is a written homework assignment of 2-3,000 words related to one or more topics from the syllabus.

Grades are set on the individual sub-assessments before an overall grade is calculated. To pass the course, all parts of the assessment must be passed. If one part of the examination is failed, only the failed part has to be retaken.

Required previous knowledge

No previous knowledge necessary.

Credit reductions

Course code Reduction From
MUST1051 5 sp Autumn 2007
HFMT101 7.5 sp Autumn 2007
This course has academic overlap with the courses in the table above. If you take overlapping courses, you will receive a credit reduction in the course where you have the lowest grade. If the grades are the same, the reduction will be applied to the course completed most recently.

Subject areas

  • Music History
  • Music Technology

Contact information

Course coordinator

Lecturers

Department with academic responsibility

Department of Music

Examination

Examination

Examination arrangement: Aggregate score
Grade: Letter grades

Ordinary examination - Spring 2026

School exam
Weighting 2/3 Examination aids Code D Duration 4 hours Exam system Inspera Assessment Place and room Not specified yet.
Assignment
Weighting 1/3 Exam system Inspera Assessment