Feedback Session Guide
Feedback is how this class stays alive between studio days. You’ll give and receive it every sprint — mostly asynchronously in StemShare, with four in-class feedback sessions at the sprint seams (Mondays in weeks 5, 8, 11, and 14) when everyone has just finished something. The framework is introduced in September and you’ll still be using it in May.
Async by default — in StemShare
Most feedback happens in StemShare, on your own schedule:
- Open your group’s thread (e.g. “Sprint 1 — WIP”) and browse classmates’ posts.
- Listen to their work and leave comments using the framework below — StemShare lets you tie a comment to a moment in the music.
- Repeat for at least two peers by the WIP deadline.
Your Dashboard shows threads you haven’t posted to and feedback on your work you haven’t marked addressed. Check it when you sit down to work.
Why async? With ~40 students across two sections, live critique can’t reach everyone every week. Written feedback you can return to scales — and it’s how professional collaboration actually works: specific notes tied to the music, not “sounds weird.”
The Feedback Framework
Use all four steps, in order. Each step does a different job — skip one and the feedback gets lopsided.
| Step | Prompt |
|---|---|
| What’s Working | Name specific strengths |
| Observations | Describe what you notice, without judgment |
| Suggestions | Offer ideas the creator could try |
| Questions | Ask to understand intent |
A miniature example
What’s Working: The groove locks in immediately — the kick pattern is simple but confident, and the bass note choices support it without clutter.
Observations: Around 0:45 the lead synth and the chord pad occupy similar space; both feel centered and bright. The transition into the B-section is abrupt — the energy jumps but the arrangement doesn’t warn the listener.
Suggestions: Consider automating a filter sweep or dropping one element for two bars before the B-section. A short reverb tail on the pad might smooth the handoff.
Questions: Is the B-section meant to feel like a drop, or more like a new verse? That would change whether the abruptness helps or hurts.
In 174 feedback stays descriptive — what’s working, what you hear, what you might try. In 175 it deepens into reference-informed feedback, tying observations to a professional track or live set you’re studying. Same four steps, sharper lens.
Giving Feedback Well
- Listen once through before you write. First impressions matter, but so does noticing what happens at the midpoint and the end.
- Be specific about what you heard — a moment, a part, or an overall impression.
- Feedback the work, not the person. “This section loses energy,” not “You don’t understand arrangement yet.”
- Respond to at least two peers every WIP Sunday. The thread checklist tracks peer comments; it counts toward your provisional grade.
Receiving Feedback Well
Feedback is input, not a grade on your taste.
- Read for patterns. If two peers notice the same thing independently, pay attention.
- You don’t have to take every suggestion — but engage with it. “I tried the high-pass and preferred the original” is a valid reflection note.
- Reply in the thread if something isn’t clear.
- Mark addressed when you’ve acted on feedback (or consciously decided not to). It clears your Dashboard and signals to peers that their note landed.
- Separate ego from craft. Early drafts are supposed to be rough. WIP Sunday exists so you can get help before the due date.
Live Feedback Sessions (weeks 5, 8, 11, 14)
Four Mondays a semester, the class meeting becomes a feedback session, right after a sprint final when everyone has fresh work.
What happens in the room. Everyone has just submitted. You listen to excerpts — yours and peers’ — and give feedback out loud. The instructor models the framework and keeps time. You don’t have to type into StemShare during class, though you can post follow-up notes afterward. Async feedback at WIP checkpoints is still required every sprint; live sessions add depth, they don’t replace it. The Wednesday after each session kicks off the next sprint.
Giving live feedback — the same four steps, spoken:
| Do | Don’t |
|---|---|
| Name a specific moment or part | ”Sounds good” with no detail |
| Describe before you prescribe | ”The drums are bad” |
| Offer ideas as invitations | Demand a stylistic overhaul |
| Ask about intent | Assume you know the goal |
Keep it short; others are waiting for their turn.
Receiving live feedback — listen to understand, not to defend; take notes; ask if something is unclear; thank the person. After class, pick two or three actionable items to try before the next WIP checkpoint.
What to bring — your sprint final ready to play (exported, on your laptop), headphones in case the room splits into groups, and notes on what feedback you want: “I’m stuck on the transition” beats “tell me anything.”
Resources
- Giving & Receiving Feedback — the canonical article, with interactive checks
- Async Feedback on StemShare — the WIP Sunday workflow
- Live Feedback Sessions