Professor Christopher Dobrian
Music and Media Building, Room 211
dobrian@uci.edu
(949) 824-7288
Teaching Assistant Michael Matthews
Contemporary Arts Center, Room 2022
mgmatthe@uci.edu
A course on the composition of music made uniquely possible by computer, including the study of computer control of synthesizers and processors, digital signal processing, and algorithmic composition.
For additional consultation with the professor or the teaching assistant, you can make an appointment for office hours by speaking with the professor or TA before or after class. You can also contact the professor by email or by phone at 949-824-7288, and you can contact the teaching assistant by email, as well.
For announcements or questions to/from your classmates, it is suggested that you use (and check regularly) the class MessageBoard.
There is a class email address, which addresses all registered students and the professor and TA. This email is moderated by (i.e., must be approved and forwarded by) the professor, and thus should generally be used only for information that will be of interest to all in the class, and that you want to be sure they receive. The MessageBoard is generally a less obtrusive way to provide information to colleagues in the class, but of course there's no way to know exactly when and by whom a MessageBoard post will be read.
Assignments are posted online for the next class session.
The Gassmann Electronic Music Series is a full season of concerts and lectures at UCI focusing on new music, including experimental instrumental music, electronic music, and computer music. The events during this quarter will be of value to the students in this class, and you should plan to attend them if possible. If you are unable to attend these events, arrange for one of your classmates to report to you about the content of the event; the content of these events may be the subject of questions on the final exam.
The MFA Thesis Colloquium is also a good opportunity to learn about current work by composers using computers in their work. You are welcome to audit the class, which meets Tuesdays 3:30-4:50 in MMB 316.
The Gassmann Electronic Music Studio is a Macintosh-based studio for digital recording, production, and computer music composition. It is located on the first floor of the Mesa Office Building in the Claire Trevor School of the Arts.
The Arts Media Center has six computer music workstations, each including Mac Pro computer, Mbox audio interface, MIDI synthesizer keyboard, and audio mixer. Music software includes Pro Tools, Digital Performer, Reason, Sibelius, Max/MSP, Audacity, GarageBand, and iTunes.
A document detailing all the music technology facilities at UCI and the policies that govern their use is available online.
The written final exam will be held in the tenth week of class, Tuesday March 12. The (obligatory) final listening session will be held on Thursday March 14.
If you have a disability that inhibits you from performing any of the stated requirements of this course, as approved and documented by the UCI Disability Services Center, please ensure that the professor and the teaching assistants are thoroughly aware of the matter as early in the term as possible.
Collaboration between students in this course is strongly encouraged. Students are urged to exchange ideas, opinions, and information constantly, and to help each other with the composition of their technical/creative projects. However, each student is responsible for completion of his/her own assignments, and plagiarism of any kind is in direct violation of the UCI policy on Academic Honesty, and penalties for plagiarism can be severe. In this class you will be expected to attribute due credit to the originator of any ideas, words, or music that you incorporate into your own work.
This page was last modified January 2, 2013.
Christopher Dobrian, dobrian@uci.edu