Survey of Music Technology

About this course: How can we use computers to create expressive, compelling music? And how can we write computer software to help us create and organize sounds in new ways? This course provides a hands-on introduction to the field of music technology as both a creative musical practice and an interdisciplinary technical research pursuit. Students will be able to compose music in digital audio workstation software using both audio and symbolic representations; to write code to algorithmically generate music, analyze sound, and design sound; and to describe the essential theory and history behind these activities as well as their connection to cutting-edge computer music research. Through the exploration of topics such as acoustics, psychoacoustics, digital sound, digital signal processing, audio synthesis, spectral analysis, algorithmic composition, and music information retrieval, we will explore the deep relationships between art and science, between theory and practice, and between experimental and popular electronic music. We will learn about these topics in the context of digital audio workstation (DAW) software, the multi-track editing paradigm that has been dominant in music production since the 1980s. As we learn about the foundations behind such software, we will use this knowledge to more effectively create music with it, and we will also write a series of short software programs that extend the software’s ability to manipulate, transform, and analyze sound.

Created by:  Georgia Institute of Technology

• Taught by:  Dr. Jason A. Freeman, Professor

  School of Music

Commitment 5-7 hours/week Language English How To Pass Pass all graded assignments to complete the course. User Ratings 4.7 stars Average User Rating 4.7See what learners said Coursework

Each course is like an interactive textbook, featuring pre-recorded videos, quizzes and projects.

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Georgia Institute of Technology The Georgia Institute of Technology is one of the nation's top research universities, distinguished by its commitment to improving the human condition through advanced science and technology. Georgia Tech's campus occupies 400 acres in the heart of the city of Atlanta, where more than 20,000 undergraduate and graduate students receive a focused, technologically based education.

Syllabus


WEEK 1


Module 1: Introduction and the Basics of Sound
The first module provides an introduction to the course and lessons in acoustics, psychoacoustics, timbre, digital representation of sound, and spectral representation of sound.


14 videos, 5 readings expand

1. Reading: Syllabus
2. Reading: Consent Form
3. Video: Course Introduction
4. Video: Soundscape Composition
5. Video: Brian Whitman: A Singular Christmas
6. Video: Course Structure and Expectations
7. Discussion Prompt: Meet and Greet
8. Reading: Get From Georgia Tech
9. Video: Sound Waves
10. Video: Psychoacoustics
11. Video: Timbre
12. Video: Digital Sound
13. Video: Sampling Rate
14. Video: Bit Width
15. Video: Channels and Spatialization
16. Video: Digital Audio Storage
17. Video: Frequency Domain Analysis
18. Video: Changing the Pitch and Speed of Sound
19. Reading: Video References: Course Introduction
20. Reading: Video References: The Basics of Sound

Graded: The Basics of Sound

WEEK 2


Module 2: Digital Audio Workstations
This module will look at DAW history and key features, music representation, recording and editing audio in a DAW, effects and automations, and aesthetic context.


7 videos, 1 reading expand

1. Video: Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs)
2. Video: Getting Audio into the DAW
3. Video: Editing Audio in the DAW
4. Video: Using Effects in the DAW
5. Video: Basic Audio Effects Part I
6. Video: Basic Audio Effects Part II
7. Video: Rendering Your DAW Project
8. Reading: Video References: Digital Audio Workstations

Graded: Digital Audio Workstations

WEEK 3


Module 3: Working With MIDI



In this module we will take a look at MIDI specification (history, structure, limitations), real and virtual MIDI devices, and MIDI sequencing in the DAW. The module concludes with the first of two peer reviewed assignments, in which students create a multi-track DAW audio and MIDI composition.


9 videos, 1 reading expand

1. Video: What is MIDI?
2. Video: Types of MIDI Devices
3. Video: The MIDI Specification Part I
4. Video: The MIDI Specification Part II
5. Video: Sequencing in the DAW
6. Video: Editing MIDI in the DAW
7. Video: Effects and MIDI in the DAW
8. Video: Loop-Based Sequencing
9. Video: Project A
10. Reading: Video References: Working with MIDI

Graded: Working With MIDI
Graded: Multi-track DAW Audio and MIDI Composition

WEEK 4


Module 4: Algorithmic Composition Basic Techniques
In this module students will learn the basics of Python programming and the EarSketch API and the history and practice of algorithmic composition.


8 videos, 1 reading expand

1. Video: Algorithmic Composition
2. Video: EarSketch
3. Video: Our First Earsketch Script
4. Video: Algorithmic Composition in EarSketch
5. Video: Placing Sounds in the DAW
6. Video: Pattern Sequencing in EarSketch Part I
7. Video: Pattern Sequencing in EarSketch Part II
8. Video: Effects in EarSketch
9. Reading: Video References: Algorithmic Composition Basic Techniques

Graded: Algorithmic Composition Basic Techniques

WEEK 5


Module 5: Algorithmic Composition Advanced
This module looks at more advanced topics in algorithmic programming for music including stochastic composition, chance music, process music, and modeling.


8 videos, 1 reading expand

1. Video: Data Sonification
2. Video: Chance Music
3. Video: Stochastic Composition
4. Video: Process Music
5. Video: Musical Modeling
6. Video: Synthesis and Signal Processing
7. Video: Unit Generators
8. Video: Project B
9. Reading: Video References: Algorithmic Composition Advanced

Graded: Algorithmic Composition Advanced
Graded: Musical Algorithms

WEEK 6


Module 6: Future Directions
This module will help students by describing the core research areas in computer music and their future directions. We will explore music information retrieval, live coding, machine musicianship, new musical interfaces, mobile music, and networked music.


7 videos, 3 readings expand

1. Video: Music Information Retrieval
2. Video: Machine Musicianship
3. Video: Live Coding
4. Video: New Musical Interfaces
5. Video: Mobile Music
6. Video: Networked Music
7. Video: Where Do I Go From Here?
8. Reading: Earn a Georgia Tech Badge/Certificate/CEUs
9. Reading: Video References: Future Directions
10. Reading: Where to go from here

Graded: Future Directions