This course is designed to give an overview of the history of
electronic music (including representative musical compositions), a
solid background understanding of its technology and terminology,
and
“hands on” experience with the equipment and software available in
the
lab. Important components of the class will deal with MIDI,
digital audio, and digital synthesis. While not a requirement,
most students in the class will have some prior experience using
computers to create electronic music.
Class
Packets:Music
4130/5130:
The
History and Practice of Electronic Music
> available in “.pdf” format at the
course website.
Texts:Electric Sound: The Past and Promise
of
Electronic Music, Joel Chadabe, Prentice-Hall, 1997.
> available in bookstores and
on reserve in the library. (strongly suggested)
Introduction to
Electro-Acoustic Music,
Barry Schrader, Prentice-Hall, 1982.
> out-of-print but available on
library reserve. I use it primarily for its discussion of historical
recordings.
NOTE: Also
on reserve is a photocopy of excerpts from this book
which deal specifically with the listening examples on your
tapes (see
Listening Guides 1 & 2). It is strongly recommended
that you
make
yourself a copy of this material.
Modern Recording Techniques,
Robert
E.
Runstein, Howard W. Smith & Co., (various editions available)
> on
reserve: Chapter 2 suggested reading on sound waves
In addition to attending
Tuesday/Thursday lectures students will work outside of class on lab
projects, as well as studying, listening, and reading (an average of
c.
4 hours/week according OU guidelines).
Class grades will be determined
solely
by the totaling your scores the following:
Exam I (25%) + Exam II (25%) + Exam III (25%) + lab projects (25%)
• No make-up exams will be
given
without prior arrangements.
• Academic dishonesty will
result
in a class grade of "F"
II. Basic Principles of Electronic Sound
Synthesis/Early Electronic Instruments
September 25 —
October 25. Exam II on (or near) October 25. (ca. 100
pts.)
Readings: Schrader: pp.
61-69, 75-119, 122-159
Chadabe: Chapters 1, 6
Listening:
Exam 2 listening — mp3 files available on course
website
III. Digital Audio, Digital Sampling, Computer
Synthesis Techniques, Other Uses for MIDI
October 30
—
December 6. Exam III — During Final Exam Week (ca. 100
pts.)
• Thursday, December 13, at 10:10 a.m. (University scheduled final
exam
time)
• Lab Projects due by 5 PM, Friday,
December
14 — but early submission is recommended (40 pts.)**
Readings: Chadabe: Chapters 5, 7, 8
&
9
Listening: Exam 3 listening — mp3 files available
on
course website
>Lab
work: final project — digital audio/synthesis**
** See course website or class packet for details
on
lab project.
Course Outline
(tentative lecture & lab topics — both subject to change!)
Week 1 Course Intro; Early History of
Electronic Music & Musique Concrète
Physical Properties & Human Perception of Sound as a
Waveform Phenomenon
Intro to E-A_Primer software
Week 2 Basic Principles of Human Hearing
& Perception of Sound
Some Basic Audio Recording Terms & Concepts
Organized Sound, the Art of Noise, and the Origins of
Electronic Music Esthetics **lab: intro to
mini-project 1 (musique concrète–style using DP4, Pierre’s
Playhouse, etc.)
Week 3 Early Musique Concrète
“Classics” (Exam 1 listening examples) **lab: mini-project 1
(continuation)
Week 5 Earliest Electronic Music
Instruments;
Early Electronic Studio Tape Music **lab: intro to
mini-project 2 (analog-style synthesis using E-A_MusicPrimer,
etc.)
Week 6 Pioneers of the Analog Synthesizer
(Moog, Buchla, etc.); Basic Principles of Sound Synthesis **lab: mini-project 2 (continuation)
Week 7 More on Electronic Sound Synthesis
Techniques: Subtractive & Additive Synthesis **lab: mini-project
2
(analog-style synthesis using E-A_MusicPrimer, etc.)
Week 8 Early “Classics” of Electronic Tape
Music, Analog Synthesizers, and the RCA Mark II (Exam 2 listening
examples) **lab: mini-project
2
(continuation.)
Week 9 Review for Exam 2 and Exam 2 **lab:
mini-project
2
(completed)
Week 10 Intro to Digital Audio; Direct Digital
Synthesis (Csound, SuperCollider)
Basics of Linear FM synthesis (Chowning) **lab:
final project [digital audio, digital synthesis (e.g. FM, granular
synthesis)]
Week 11 Intro to MIDI: history & origins,
technology standards, applications, MIDI controllers, etc. **lab: final
project (continutation)
Week 13 More on Max/MSP/Jitter
Week 14 Analysis and Re-synthesis (Symbolic
Sound’s Kyma system) **lab: final project
(continuation)
Week 15 Early “Classics” of Direct Digital Synthesis,
Computer Music, & recent live/electronic music
(Exam 3 listening examples)
Review for Final Written Exam **lab: final project
(continuation)
Week 16 Exam 3: Thursday, December 13, at 10:10
a.m. (University scheduled final exam period)
Final Project: Due Friday, December
14 at 5:00 p.m. — but early submission is recommended!
** See course packet for
details on lab projects. ACCOMODATION
STATEMENT: Any student who feels s/he may need an
accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact me
privately to discuss your specific needs. If you are not yet
registered
as a student with a disability, please contact the Office of
Disability
Services at 740-593-2620 or visit the office in 348 Baker University
Center. www.ohio.edu/disabilities