MUSI 443: Sound Studio
The String in Computer Music
Professor Matthew Burtner
University
of Virginia
Department of Music
VCCM
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MUSI 443: Sound Studio Professor Matthew Burtner
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In MUSI 443/743 students gain hands on experience with a variety of computer music software applications and hardware devices. The class builds on the foundations of computer music studied in MUSI 339, Introduction to Computers in Music. In Sound Studio the theory, history and compositional approaches to digital audio synthesis and advanced MIDI are explored with a concentration on creative uses of music technology. This project-based class gives students the opportunity to create original compositions using new technologies. Student compositions have the possibility of being performed on the Digitalis Computer Music concert on April 28. Each year the course has a different focus or approach. In 2002 the subject was "The Voice in Computer Music." 2003 will look at "The String in Computer Music" as a theme.
MUSI 443/ MUSI 743, Sound Studio: The String in Computer Music
(3 credits)
Maximum Enrollment 16
Schedule Number: 40182
All students need to register for the lab section of this class (0 credits but
required).
Lab Schedule Number: 40392
Monday and Wednesday, 3:30-4:45 Rm. B012 and The VCCM Lab, Old Cabell Hall
Instructor: Matthew Burtner
- mburtner@virginia.edu
office hours: Wednesday 1-3pm, OCH 201 and by appointment
Teaching Assistant: Damon Osgood - dosgood@earthlink.net
studio hours in the VCCM: Wednesday, 6:30-9pm VCCM and by appointment
- Attendance and Class Participation %20
Timely attendance of class is required.This includes attendance of the Technosonics
Concert and Forum on February 7 (3:30pm OCH 107 and 8pm OCH Hall). It also includes
attending and helping produce (setup/breakdown/posters/programs/etc) the Digitalis
computer music concert on April 28 (setup during the day, concert time 8pm).
The participation part of the grade is based on these things and in sharing
ideas in class discussions and in general by being a good citizen of the VCCM
by assisting others with technical problems and treating the studios and equipment
with respect.
- Assignments: %40
There are four (4) assignments this semester as described below
- Final Exam: %15
described below
- Final Project %25 (including an in-class or concert presentation
and submitted documentation/recording)
described below
Check your grades: http://toolkit.itc.virginia.edu/2003_Spring_MUSI443-1/gradebook
Week 1:
VCCM Orientation, Review of Basic Studio Techniques, and
Introduction to "String Theory"
Listening: Aeolian Harp, Henry Cowell, String Quartet,
Ruth Crawford; Illiac Suite, Lejaren Hiller and Leonard Isaacson; Music
on a Long Thin Wire, Alvin Lucier
Week 2-3:
Spectral Mutation and Phase Vocoding
Listening: Different Trains, Steve Reich; Black Angels, George
Crumb; Sleeping Beauty, Allen Strange; Stasis, Charles Nichols;
TNT, James Mobberly
Assignment 1: Experiment with Convolution, Spectral Mutation, Phase
Vocoding, and Spectral Dynamics in SoundHack. Edit your results in order to
keep only the most interesting parts of the soundfiles. Create three very different
short soundfiles using the same original sample sound. Sample
sounds are provided to get started or you can make your own.
Due Monday Feb 10.
Week 4-6
Granular Synthesis
Listening: nscor, Curtis Roads; Riverrun, Barry Truax;
Fern and Incantation 1, Matthew Burtner; Toco y me voy, Damian
Keller
Assignment 2: Granulate your sounds using the assorted granular synthesis
programs provided. Edit your results in order to keep only the most interesting
parts of the soundfiles. Create a 1 minute composition using your sounds.
Due Wednesday Feb 26
Week 7:
Spring Break
Week 8-9
Scanned Synthesis
Listening: Petals, Kaija Saariaho; Helicopter Quartet, Karlheinz
Stockhausen; Dialtone, Speedometer; Snowprints and MinMax,
Matthew Burtner; Natural Selection, Edmund Campion, Electric Counterpoint,
Steve Reich; Artikulation, Gyorgy Ligeti
Assignment 3: create a 1' Scanned Synthesis composition
Due: Wednesday, March 19
Week 10 and 11
Physical Modeling Synthesis and Advanced MIDI
and Alternate Controllers
Listening: Max Mathews, Bicycle Built for Two; Ping, Chris Chafe; Silicon Valley Breakdown, David Jaffe; Corda di Metallo, Michelangelo Lupone
Assignment 4: explore one of the physical modeling instruments of your
choice.
Write a 1-page paper onyour instrument for the class. Provide a short user tutorial.
Give 2 suggestions for settings that generate interesting sounding results.
Talk about how this instrument extends its real-world counterpart.
Due: Monday April 7
Weeks 12-14
Putting it all together and Digitalis Concert on April 28
Final project: Compose a piece for Digitalis.
Decide how your composition will be presented. Will it have a live performer
component? Will the electronics be played from a CD or will they be performed
live by a performer using an alternate controller and computer? What instructions/score
will be necessary for the performer? Write a short final project proposal.
WedApril 16 project proposals due in class.
Wed April 23 completed composition due.
Monday April 28 Digitalis Concert
Final Exam: Research take-home exam about topics in computer music
Final Project: a composition submitted as an audio file or on an audio
CD. And a short written "program note" or commentary on the composition discussing
the technical and aesthetic approach used.
Required books for this course are available in the UVa Bookstore
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| Thom
Holmes "Electronic and Experimental Music |
Suggested additional books (not required):
The "Computer Music Tutorial" and "Microsound" by Curtis
Roads
Students should also get 1 Digital Audio Tape (DAT) for recording sounds using the DAT machines on reserve in the library.
Students should also buy recordable CDs to back up files
String Samples: These sampled string sounds can be used to get started on the assignments until you decide on, and record your own sounds.
Other classes taught by Matthew Burtner
at UVa
copyright Matthew Burtner 2003