MUS 3930.02
Fall 2002
last updated
12.05.2002




J Bryan Pittard
Class Hours: T,R 2:00-3:15pm
Class Room: CNH 126
 http://www.cs.ucf.edu/~jpittard/musictech		 Office Phone: 407.380.4790
Office Hours: by appointment
jpittard@cs.ucf.edu

Course Objective: Students will receive an overview of electronic music history, theory, and techniques along with learning how to use a few Mac-based applications of music technology.

Class: Instruction will consist of listening, lectures, demonstrations, and student presentations on selected topics. Grading will consist of several homework assignments, periodic quizzes, a midterm, a final, and a paper/presentation on a topic pertaining to electronic music. 

Topics: Basics of music theory, acoustics, psychoacoustics, history of electronic music, Macintosh/MIDI basics, sequencers, digital audio, digital notation, sound formats, music online

Grading: Grades will be determined by the following (subject to change):

1) Homework   10 points
2) Project   20 points
3) Quizzes   20 points
4) Midterm Exam   20 points
5) Final Exam   30 points

Total

 100 points

Standard 10pt Grading Scale (A is 90-100, B is 80-89, etc.)

Homework: Each homework assignment is out of 100 possible points.  95 of these 100 will be given if the assignment meets all requirements and is on time.  The remaining 5 points will be given for at least one instance of creative effort (ie. going beyond the requirements).  Late assignments will lose 5 points per day late, and all projects will be posted online.

  • HW1 - Write 3-5 paragraphs on your website about Edgar Varese, citing sources
  • HW2a - Pretend that you are a producer or music supervisor for a project (whether its a game, movie, commercial, website, etc.).  Describe the music that you need for your production by citing musical influences (you want your music to sound like the music from Tron), general characteristics (loud, fast, simple, slow), or perhaps mood-inducing (calm, angry, sad, happy).
  • HW2b - Pair up with a producer in the class and sequence the music in Performer.  Before writing the entire thing, you should meet with your producer and audition a few musical ideas.  Based on their continued feedback, write the complete sequence and present it to the class.
  • HW3 - Pick a synthesizer (software or hardware) and write a webpage for it. This page should include several paragraphs of information about the synth, specifically pertaining to the history behind it, the technical advantages/disadvantages of it, the types of sounds it can produce, etc. As always, the sources of your information should be cited where applicable (minimum of 2, linked web sites). Pictures, sounds, animations, or anything else creative should also be included to get the full possible points.
  • HW4 - Input a piece of music into Finale. The piece can be for any kind of ensemble, but should contain at least 3 indepent tracks and be at least 2 pages in length.
  • Bonus HW - Choose a homework from the following list:
    • Performer - write yet another sequence in Performer, at least 2 minutes in length
    • Finale - input another short piece of music
    • Reason - use the Subtractor analog synth to model a particular sound
    • ProTools - record one of your sequences as an audio file

Project: Each student will prepare a 3-5 page paper/website and 7 minute presentation/demo of a topic pertaining to electronic music. The projects are intended to allow each student to further explore and teach about a facet of music technology not otherwise covered during the course. 10% of the grade will be taken from a prompt topic selection, 40% from the in-class demo, 25% from the paper, and 25% from the website. Each student is expected to plan out there demonstration needs at least a week in advance with the instructor. If a demonstration cannot be accomplished due to a last-minute lack of equipment, points will be deducted from the demo portion of the grade.

Schedule (also subject to change):
  • Week 1 (Aug 20,22)
  • Week 2 (Aug 27,29)
  • Week 3 (Sept 3,5)
  • Week 4 (Sept 10,12)
    • MIDI, Sequencers
    • Quiz 1 (9.12)
    • Wendy Carlos
      • selections from A Clockwork Orange, Tron
      • Two Part Invention in D Minor (Bach)
      • Allegro from 3rd Brandenberg Concerto (Bach)
  • Week 5 (Sept 17,19)
    • MIDI, Sequencers
    • HW2a Due (9.17)
    • Tangerine Dream
      • Astral Voyager, Circulation of Events
    • Tomita
      • Firebird Suite: Infernal Dance of King Kastchei (Stravinsky)
      • Ballet of the Two Chicks in their Shellsfrom Pictures at an Exhibition (Mussorgsky)
  • Week 6 (Sept 24,26)
    • MIDI, Sequencers
    • Quiz 2 (9.26)
    • Brian Eno
      • An Ending (Ascent) (1983)
  • Week 7 (Oct 1,3)
    • MIDI, Sequencers
    • HW2b Due (10.3)
  • Week 8 (Oct 8,10)
    • Midterm (10.8)
  • Week 9 (Oct 15,17)
    • Audio Synthesis
    • Vangelis
      • Opening from Blade Runner (1982)
      • Closing from Blade Runner (1982)
    • Radiohead
      • Pulk/Pull Revolving Doors (2001)
      • Like Spinning Plates (2001)
  • Week 10 (Oct 22, 24)
  • Week 11 (Oct 29,31)
  • Week 12 (Nov 5,7)
  • Week 13 (Nov 12,14)
    • No Class
  • Week 14 (Nov 19,21)
    • Quiz 4 (11.19)
    • HW4 Due (11.19)
    • Presentations
  • Week 15 (Nov 26)
    • Bonus Due
    • Presentations
  • Final (12/5)
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