CDD : Analysing An Existing CD Digipack

We have looked at the history of music recording and you have also considered how conventions and codes are used on 4 existing CD covers.

You now need to move on to completing an analysis of an existing 4 panel CD digipack in order to show awareness of the expected conventions and the ways that codes are 'decoded' by an audience.

This will help you when it comes to planning your own CD digipack for your chosen album.

Take a targeted screenshot of each of the 4 panels of the CD Digipack posted below. This is artwork for an album titled 'I'll Keep Calling' by the band J P Harris and The Tough Choices.

If you research the band you may be able to make links between the artwork on the digipack and the genre of music.

Once you have done this, copy each panel at a time and paste these into Powerpoint. 

You can then add annotations around the image in which you analyse:

• the way in which the conventions of album artwork have been used / developed / challenged 
• the messages that are communicated by the codes such as image, font, positioning, colour, etc.

On completion of this close analysis, take targeted screenshots of your Powerpoint slides and post these to the CD Digipack page of your blog with the same title as this post. 

This MUST be accompanied by a description of the task and an explanation or analysis of HOW completing this task may help you to produce a more realistic media product yourself.

Repeat the task for the following number of CDs by artist(s) of your own choice. You can use CDs but will need to take photographs of the front cover, back cover, inside front cover and inside back cover.

• Minimal : 1 other CD
• Basic : 2 other CDs
• Good : 3 other CDs
• Excellent : 4 other CDs

This work must be completed and available on your blog ready for the start of September.

J P Harris and the Tough Choices "I'll keep Calling"

FRONT COVER 

BACK COVER

INSIDE BACK COVER

INSIDE FRONT COVER

CDD : Initial Research - Codes and Conventions of CD Covers

You were asked to look at 4 CD covers and make notes about the use of codes and conventions on each of these.

Create a post on your CD Digipack page titled as above.

Explain the task you were given, take a photo of your notes, add these to the post and explain what you have learned from this initial task about CD cover design.

CDD : History Of Music Recording

Below are the slides we looked at in lesson.

Use these plus your own notes to create the first post on your CD Digipack page titled The History Of Music Recording