Reading assignments are listed together with the relevant lectures. It is
highly recommended that readings be done in advance of the lectures to
facilitate maximum comprehension.
The dates given in the Dates column are for the Tuesday lecture.
| Dates |
Lecture Topics |
Reading |
Tutorial |
|---|
Week 1
(8/21) |
Course overview — Administrivia — Introduction to
electroacoustic music and the modern computer music studio
|
Readings are due for class in the week they appear (so be reading Week 2 readings now during Week 1) |
[no tutorial this week] |
Week 2
(8/28) |
Basic acoustic principles, part I — Microphones and
recording techniques
|
Basic Acoustic Principles 1-5
Week 2 Acoustics Study Guide
Microphones
|
First tutorial meeting (Wed. or Thurs.): Introduction to the MAC304
studio
Start Assignment 1: Recording
|
Week 3
(9/4) |
Acoustics, part II — Audio signal flow — Mixing
consoles — Introduction to audio in Digital Performer (DP)
|
Basic Acoustic Principles 6-9
Week 3 Acoustics Study Guide
Mixing Console Basics
DP7 manual: Part 5, 7 (Audio only), p. 189-194—
one copy in MAC304 (don’t remove!) and copies also on Library
reserve
|
DUE: Assignment 1
Start Assignment 2: Audio Editing
|
Week 4
(9/11) |
Acoustics, part III — Digital signal processing: time
scaling, pitch and formant shifting — Virtual mixing
consoles — Automation
|
Basic Acoustic Principles 10-17
Week 4 Acoustics Study Guide
Cables and Connectors
DP 7 manual: Part 9
(read half)
|
DUE: Assignment 2
Start Assignment 3: Short Piece
|
Week 5
(9/18) |
Audio effects: equalization (EQ), delay, reverberation
|
Digital Effects Primer
Week 5 Lecture Outline
DP 7 manual: Part 9
(finish)
Using DP's MW Equalizer, eVerb, Delay, Echo with automation |
Continue Assignment 3
(Be prepared to play your source material in original, edited,
and processed versions; discuss plans for the piece.)
|
Week 6
(9/25) |
Final mixdown (Bounce to Disk) — Digital audio theory
|
Digital Audio Primer 1-7
Week 6 Digital Audio Study Guide
Optional: Ballora: Ch. 9, pp. 100-122
Optional: Dodge: Ch. 3
|
Continue Assignment 3
(Be prepared to play passages, show how you’re using
effects and automation.)
|
Week 7
(10/2) |
Introduction to MIDI sequencing: MIDI hardware connections,
MIDI recording and editing — Virtual instruments
|
DP 7 manual parts 3 and 4 (MIDI only)
Optional: Ballora: Ch. 6 (skim)
|
DUE: Assignment 3
Accessing the CECM Server
Start Assignment 4: MIDI Sequencing
|
Week 8
(10/9) |
MIDTERM EXAM |
Exam review sheet
|
Continue Assignment 4
(Be prepared to play some passages.)
|
Week 9
(10/16) |
The MIDI language — Using MIDI controllers —
MIDI effects and automation
|
How MIDI Works
Week 9 MIDI Study Guide
DP5 manual: Review Part 3 and 5 (MIDI topics only)
Optional: Ballora: Ch. 7-8 (skim)
|
DUE: Assignment 4
Start Final Project
|
Week 10
(10/23) |
More virtual instruments — Digital samplers: sample
preparation, mapping samples to keyboard
Native Instruments Battery
|
DP nanosampler
Using NI Battery for multisamples
READ Battery Manual (All)
|
Continue Final Project
(Be prepared to play some sequenced ideas or show some sketches.)
|
Week 11
(10/30) |
Spatialization — Multichannel mixing — Introduction to
synthesis, part I: the voltage-controlled analog synthesis model,
oscillator waveforms, spectra
|
DP Quad Mixing
Analog Synthesis Facts
Analog Synthesis Patches
Analog Sythesis Terms
|
Continue Final Project
(Be prepared to show more than you had last time.)
|
Week 12
(11/6) |
Introduction to synthesis, part II: filters, envelopes,
sub-audio rate modulation
|
Analog Filter Basics
|
Continue Final Project
(Be prepared to show more. See, you’re supposed to be making
steady progress! By now, you should have either the whole piece
roughed out or a substantial portion nearly completed.)
|
Week 13
(11/13) |
Introduction to synthesis, part III: more complex patches and
control schemes
|
|
|
Week 14
(11/27) |
Dynamics processing — Busing — Mastering
|
Wiki compression article
Audio Compression Explained |
Continue Final Project
(Time for finishing touches and final mixdown.)
|
Week 15
(12/4) |
PERFORMANCE OF FINAL PROJECTS |
Final Exam Review Sheet |
 Exam Review |
| TBA |
FINAL EXAM (not cumulative, just post-Midterm) |
|
|