Music Technology (MPATE-UE)

All undergraduate music majors meet in Collegium six times each semester to discuss broad issues of the music profession, career opportunities, and department matters. During the remaining weeks students meet with members of their major program for visits with specialists in their field and for programmatic discussions.

It should be noted that independent study requires a minimum of 45 hours of work per point. Independent study cannot be applied to the established professional education sequence in teaching curricula. Each departmental program has established its own maximum credit allowance for independent study. This information may be obtained from a student's department prior to registering for independent study, each student obtain an independent study approval from the adviser.

The physical aspects of sound, analog recording technology & studio production techniques are explained & demonstrated. Lecture topics include microphones, stereo recording, analog consoles, multi-track tape recording, equalization, compression, reverberation & mixing. Studio lab assignments are performed outside of class reinforcing weekly lecture topics

Digital recording technology & production techniques are explained & demonstrated. Lecture topics engage analog to digital conversion, digital to analog conversion, digital signal theory & filter design, digital audio effects & mixing. Studio lab assignments are performed outside of class reinforcing weekly lecture topics.

Principles covered in MPATE-UE1001 & MPATE-UE-1003 are put into practice with additional theory & techniques. Students perform various duties just as they would in a professional recording session. Studio Lab assignments are performed outside of class reinforcing weekly topics.

Hands-on studio course with an emphasis on ear training to increase understanding of different technical & artistic practices in the recording studio. Students will explore use of microphone placement techniques, balancing natural & artificial acoustics as well as dynamic audio effects & filters.

An introduction to maintenance and troubleshooting concepts used in the recording studio. Procedures discussed are those necessary in utilizing sophisticated audio equipment and understanding essential aspects of studio design.

Advanced work in studio repair and maintenance focusing on digital equipment. Students will develop practical skills tracing schematics, using test equipment, and replacing components as required daily in the studio environment.

An introduction to the concepts & applications of audio production for video, television & film. Current production techniques frequently used in the post-production industry will be explored, with special emphasis on synchronization & audio production techniques including music editing, sound effects design, Foley, & dialog replacement.

Introduction to the concepts of live concert recording. Microphone selection, characteristics & placement as well as acoustic problems encountered in concert halls will be discussed. Students will have the opportunity to apply the lecture material by recording undergraduate rehearsals & recitals.

Programming for MIDI, C, and other appropriate techniques. Design and implementation of software sequencers, interface drivers, and hardware applications will be the focus.

This is a multidisciplinary course in which students with previous experience with analog and digital electronics create a novel hardware--based electronic musical instrument, controller, effects unit, or other device related to their interests in music and audio. Student projects may be analog, digital, or a hybrid, and should be unique in some way from devices currently in the commercial marketplace. Students present their designs and functioning physical prototypes with the class as they evolve throughout the semester for feedback.

Through discussions with guest performers, students study the conceptualization and production of live electronics performance pieces. Individual proposals for several pieces are created, followed by a final live performance project, in which live electronics are an integral part of the concept.

Introduction to the physical aspects of sound, psychoacoustics, basic electricity, principles and practice of magnetic recording and an overview of the recording studio, including an introduction to multi-track recording techniques. Students perform various duties just as they would in a professional recording session with live musicians in the recording studio. Open to students without previous experience in recording technology.

An introduction to the field of acoustics emphasizing sound production by musical instruments, propagation of sound from source to listener (including electronic reproduction), and psychoacoustics perception of sound.

This course focuses on electronic music synthesizer techniques. Concepts in the synthesis of music, including generation of sound, voltage control, and treatment of sound and tape techniques. Included is a short synopsis of the history and literature of analog electronic music. Students complete laboratory tasks and compositions on vintage synthesizer modules and create one or more final projects that demonstrate(s) the application of these concepts.

This studio course examines a mixtape selection of electronic music from NYC to Capetown to Tokyo using music theory and composition. Global electronic music necessitates diverse methodologies in critical discussion of the research of this music in a post/neo-colonial setting. The class will engage in critical discussion of the studio and the digital audio workstation as compositional tools on the continuum of improvisation, and the music itself as innovation, communication and historiography in global communities of the Information age.

Introduction for teachers, composers, and performers to explore potentials of computer music synthesis. Basic concepts of music synthesis presented through the use of a microcomputer, keyboard, and appropriate software. System may be used as a real-time performance instrument or as a studio composition instrument. Educators may explore potentials for classroom application.

Analytical and theoretical concepts required grasping the aesthetic development of electronic and computer music compositions. The course emphasizes analysis and historical understanding of techniques of production and compositional ideas.

A focus on basic knowledge of live sound reinforcement; applicable to interested students in music theatre, or the performing arts. Course topics introduce mixing consoles, room EQ, speakers, amplification, systems, monitoring systems and electrical requirements, as appropriate to the field.

Music is universal to all human cultures. This course will explore fundamental concepts of the psychological, emotional, and cognitive effects of music and what factors in the human body and brain are involved in producing them, with particular emphasis on cross-cultural study. Students will learn beginning methods of computational feature extraction and machine learning to explore simple artificial intelligence models that build on and articulate the conceptual frameworks of music and cognition introduced in the initial phase of the class.

This course explores the art and craft of mixing records, with special attention to “mixing in the box” (via a digital audio workstation). Focus on methodology and technique, with particular emphasis on establishing balances, using such tools as compression and automation to enhance dynamics and develop unique coloration. Examines intersection of technology, budgets, and the marketplace. Students execute their own mixes, with guidance and critique from the instructor. Basic level of DAW proficiency required.

A continuation of MPATE-UE 1010. This is an advanced & detailed study of the audio-visual production & post-production process including digital recording techniques, with special emphasis on synchronization & the interfacing of SMPTE time code. Sound design, advanced Foley topics, * creative workflow in audio post production will also be discussed.

A critical listening study of acoustic music recordings that develops the student's ability to define and evaluate aesthetic elements of recorded music. Students explore recorded music attributes including dynamic range, stereo imaging, perceived room acoustics, the use of reverb and equalization, naturalness, and the listening perspectives.

Multichannel Media Installation & Performance is a course designed for composers & artists who want to work in a performance or installation context with immersive sound & image technology. The course focuses on software & hardware workflows for the creative applications of multi-channel sound & immersive video for the creation of fixed, generative, reactive, performance-based, & interactive systems that can be experienced in a gallery context or a live performance. Students will develop a semester-length project to use scale & immersion to creative effect. The course will feature regular creative critique as well as an overview of relevant interaction design strategies for creating interactive spaces using sensors & cameras.

A general introduction to the fundamental concepts of music technology, including: MIDI and sequencing, the basics of digital audio, sound recording, mixing and sound synthesis,. The course will also briefly overview advanced topics and applications in the field.

An introduction to MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) with an emphasis on sequencing, production and arranging techniques. Open to students without previous experience in music technology.

An introduction to Analog Electronic theory including solid-state devices. Ohm’s Law & related measurement techniques will be explored. Students must enroll in a Lab section to apply hands-on experience in basic circuit design & measurement.

An introduction to Digital Electronics, including binary systems & logic. Students must enroll in a Lab section to apply hands-on experience in simple computer programming techniques, digital processing applied to music with specific relevance to computer music synthesis & MIDI.

Assignment to studios and/or corporations for on-the-job training.

Hands-on lab accompanying Analog Electronics. Lab sessions will contain hands-on experience with analog audio circuitry. The course culminates with a student developed final project.

Hands-on lab accompanying Digital Electronics. Lab sessions will contain hands-on experience with logic circuits & microcontrollers. The course culminates with a student developed final project.

This course serves as the capstone project class & will provide Seniors guidance & tools to complete an original project of their choice. Students will work with the instructor to define a project, research methods, & work plan. The class will be a combination of group & individual meetings. The experience culminates in a written document & a presentation to peers and faculty

Sound Design

This course is designed to introduce the student to contemporary practices of creating and presenting electroacoustic music from the practical perspectives of analyzing works and understanding current technologies and aesthetic paradigms. In addition to musicological issues, composition will be placed in the wider context of contemporary art and New Media practices. This is a composition class that uses a music appreciation format to teach music creation today.Practical compositional lectures by Michal Rataj will focus on the analysis of a few key works, each dealing with specific aspects of music and technology and individual compositional approaches. Eric Rosenzveig will present theoretical classes providing an overview, background and competing theories from the varied perspectives of the artist, philosopher, technologist, musician and composer. We will try and look at the question “why” in addition to “how” to make a new work. We'll listen to many shorter works in class, to provide context to our discussions.

This course focuses on three important areas in music technology: spatialization, computer aided composition, analysis & synthesis techniques. In each area, concepts & implementations will be explored in a variety of artistic & technological contexts. Students will work with the latest technologies including IRCAM Tools, Spat plugin, Max Bach library, Ambisonics, & Wave Field Synthesis. The course includes a 3-hour weekly lecture, 3-hour studio lab, & workshops at IRCAM. This course is taught in collaboration with IRCAM in Paris, one of the world leading institutions in computer music and acoustics.