Syllabus (PDF)
In this course we will use computers and computer-aided technology as compositional tools, that is, as a means to music-making and an avenue to approach musical and acoustic concepts. Each unit of study will consist of a series of short composition projects using specific types of hardware and software in clearly delineated ways. This will involve (in broad order) live recording and digital editing, digital processing, analog sound synthesis (real and virtual), MIDI sequencing, and building interactive environments The course will culminate in a large, final composition and a public concert during the last week.
The weekly lectures will mainly be spent listening and reacting, both to each other's music and to those of other composers, historical and contemporary. Occasional guests will provide perspective on their own work in electronic composition, live computer-assisted performance, instrument design, and recording techniques.
The class will meet once a week for lab sessions. You will likely need to do most of your work there, scheduling your times on a weekly sign-up basis, and subject to Studio Rules. (Of course, if you have access to computers with sufficient capabilities, you are free to do your work outside of the studio.)
Class requirements consist primarily of composing music. It is imperative that you keep up with all assignments and that you turn in and/or present your compositions on time. There will also be listening and reading assignments and recommendations. The studio is Mac-based, and the course will principally center around Pro Tools, MAX/MSP, Peak, and Digital Performer, as well as the 'outboard' hardware in the lab.
Part One - Sound Structures (Week #1 to Week #3)
Sound objects: their collection, manipulation, and organization. The old school name for this is musique concrete, that is, music made entirely of found sounds. This will involve collecting sounds on tape or disc, transferring them digitally onto Pro Tools editing software, organizing them in various ways, and, finally, burning them onto CD.
Part Two - We value your feedback (Week #4 to Week #5)
A short project evoking the natural language of electronic objects, speaking among themselves. The sounds for this project will be completely generated in the studio, by the equipment itself. First, we will generate and digitally record feedback in real time using amplifiers and microphones. We will then enhance and alter this sound using outboard filters and delays, as well as recursive recording within Pro Tools. You will then make a 5-7 minute piece with no processing and no pasting - only cutting and layering.
Part Three - Structuring Sound (Week #6 to Week #8)
Fundamentals of acoustics, harmonics, and timbre. We will continue our work with live recordings, processing them with convulution, compression, filtering, and other devices, soft and hard. Your raw materials can be any of the sound files you've created for the previous pieces. Each student will be randomly assigned one of your classmate's first projects, and you will use this as a formal basis for your own piece.
Part Four - Interaction (Week #9 to Week #11)
The concept of music as an interactive environment and/or as algorithm. We will dip our toes into the Max/MSP programming environment, and then device Max patches which generate defined but not necessarily predictable musical results. Along the way, we will learn the basics of simple AM and FM synthesis.