K404/K504 — Electronic Studio Resources II: Syllabus
This syllabus includes lecture topics, tutorial assignments, reading assignments, and exam dates. Click on a tutorial assignment link to get a description of the assignment.
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.
Short quizzes pertaining to the week’s readings will be administered at the beginning of some Tuesday classes.
The dates given in the Dates column are for the Tuesday lecture.
| Dates | Lecture Topics | Reading | Tutorial |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 (1/8) |
Course overview — Administrivia — Synthesis with Absynth | Absynth manual (IU only) | We DO have tutorials this week! Assignment 1 |
| Week 2 (1/15) |
Modulation synthesis (AM, FM) | Audio-rate Frequency Modulation (Hass)
Optional (on reserve): • Foundations of Computer Music: Chowning article, pp. 6-29 (original digital FM exposition) |
DUE: Assignment 1 Assignment 2 |
| Week 3 (1/22) |
Processing techniques I: spectral delay and EQ, phase vocoder, convolution, MQ analysis/resynthesis (programs: Spektral Delay, Periscope, SoundHack (free), SPEAR (free)) |
Dartmouth FFT chapters: • Fourier and the Sum of Sines • The DFT, FFT and IFFT • Problems with the FFT • Some Alternatives to the FFT Phase Vocoding (Hass) Software info: • Spektral Delay manual (IU only) • SoundHack manual (IU only) • SPEAR |
DUE: Assignment 2 Assignment 3 |
| Week 4 (1/29) |
Processing techniques II: granular synthesis and granulation, channel vocoder — scoring for video |
Barry Truax:
Granulation of Sampled Sound
Granulator |
DUE: Assignment 3 Assignment 4 Video Project |
| Week 5 (2/5) |
MaxMSP: Max I |
Max Quickstart (1-6)
We expect you to explore the resources available on the Max 6 Help menu, as well as the Explorer. Inspector, and Reference sidebar. Also, check out the developer’s web site: Cycling '74 Optional: • Jeff Stolet’s Max/MSP/Jitter tutorials (IU only) |
DUE: Assignment 4 Assignment 5 Continue Video Project |
| Week 6 (2/12) |
MaxMSP: Max II |
Max Quickstart (7-13) 40 Max Objects You Should Know |
DUE: Assignment 5 Assignment 6 Continue Video Project |
| Week 7 (2/19) |
MaxMSP: MSP I | MSP Quickstart (1-3) | DUE: Assignment 6 Assignment 7 Continue Video Project |
| Week 8 (2/26) |
MaxMSP: MSP II |
MSP Quickstart (4-6) 40 MSP Objects You Should Know |
DUE: Assignment 7 Assignment 8 Continue Video Project |
| Week 9 (3/5) |
MIDTERM EXAM (in Parsifal Room) |
Exam review sheet |
DUE: Video Project |
| Spring Break (3/10 - 3/17) |
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| Week 10 (3/19) |
MaxMSP: MSP III | Project structures, more complex objects and patches | DUE: Assignment 8
Start Final Project |
| Week 11 (3/26) |
Electronic Music History and Literature I: early studios, musique concrète, elektronische Musik |
Classic Playlist Electronic Music History Powerpoint slides (Hass) Electronic Music Foundation Timeline (currently under construction, so it's dead right now) |
Continue Final Project |
| Week 12 (4/2) |
Electronic Music History and Literature II: computer music pioneers |
Digital Pioneers Playlist Digital Music History Powerpoint slides (Hass) |
Continue Final Project |
| Week 13 (4/9) |
Electronic Music History and Literature III: More recent computer music developments and literature | Digital Music History Powerpoint slides (Hass) | DUE: Preliminary Draft of Final Project |
| Week 14 (4/16) |
Interactive video with Jitter and Vizzie | Continue Final Project | |
| Week 15 (4/23) |
TEST: Electronic/computer music history and literature | Continue Final Project | |
TBA |
PERFORMANCE OF FINAL PROJECTS |