Music 147: Studies in Music Technology
(Can also be taken as I&CS 180 or E&CE 195 or Music 215 or ACE 277)
Computer Audio:
Musical Applications of Digital Signal Processing
Monday & Wednesday, 1:30-2:50
Music and Media Building, Room 216
University of California, Irvine
Course Syllabus
Professor: Christopher Dobrian
211 Music and Media Building
University of California
Irvine, CA 92697-2775
(949) 824-7288
dobrian@uci.edu
Required Text:
Dodge, Charles and Thomas A. Jerse. Computer Music: Synthesis, Composition, and Performance, 2nd ed. New York: Schirmer Books, 1997.
Other suggested texts:
Moore, F. Richard. Elements of Computer Music. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1990.
Roads, Curtis, et al. The Computer Music Tutorial. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press, 1996.
Course Description:
A theoretical and practical study of how computers synthesize and process sound. Essential premises of digital signal processing are explored as they apply to audio, and these concepts are put into practice in student-designed programming projects. The course provides the knowledge and experience required for advanced study in computer audio, synthesizer design, and computer music. Some ability to program (in C, Java, Csound, Max/MSP, or Pd) is required. Music 51 or equivalent computer music experience is highly recommended.
Topics:
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Fundamentals of sound and psychoacoustics; How digital audio works
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Additive synthesis, control functions; frequency modulation, amplitude modulation
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Wavetable synthesis, distortion techniques; Sampling
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Granular synthesis
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Delay, flanging, chorusing, reverberation, and other delay-based processing techniques
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Panning, location, and spatialization
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Amplitude compression and expansion
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Filtering and convolution
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Fourier analysis resynthesis; cross-synthesis; time compression/expansion
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Programming in Max/MSP and Pd
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MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface); MIDI programming for audio control
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Programming unit generators
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Interface design for software audio processing
Activities:
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Listening and analysis of musical uses of digital signal processing
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Reading and research on theoretical and practical issues of DSP programming
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Lectures on theoretical issues of computer music synthesis and processing
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Demonstrations of DSP programming in Max/MSP, Pd, and C
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Independent student-designed research/implementation projects in DSP programming, using Max/MSP, Pd and/or C
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Composition of scholarly articles summarizing specific topics in music DSP and describing research, experimentation, and programming for specific implementations
Requirements:
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Regular attendance (in at least 90% of all class sessions)
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Timely completion of all reading and listening assignments, and informed participation in class discussions
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Timely completion of assigned programming project(s) in C (or Java) and Max/MSP (or Pd), implementing known concepts in music DSP and experimenting with original extensions of those ideas
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Programming of at least one new "unit generator" (external object) for Max/MSP or Pd, written in C, or one new end-user application written in Max/MSP or Pd, to implement a function not currently available in those environments
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Scholarly article summarizing the research of, and detailing new developments in, a specific topic in music DSP; this article will generally be related to the topic of your main programming project
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Maintenance of a personal web site to share all research information, programming projects, articles, and sound examples developed during this class
Grading:
Grading will be based on the weekly programming projects (30%), the final programming project (25%), the article (25%), and the final exam (20%).
Final Exam:
Wednesday, March 24, 1:30-3:30 pm, Music and Media Building, Room 216.
This page was last modified on January 8, 2004.
Christopher Dobrian, dobrian@uci.edu