Music 420: Advanced Computing and Music, Spring 2005
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Wednesdays 4:30 - 7:10 pm
Music B50

Christopher Burns
office hours: Monday, 2-4 pm, or by appointment; Music 367

Course description:
Computer music history and repertoire; signal processing mathematics; compositional technique emphasizing frequency-domain methods.

Prerequisites:
Analog and Digital Synthesis I & II (Music 327/328)

Grading policies:
Semester grades will be determined in accordance with the following priorities:
Attendance and participation 20%
Assignments 50%
Final project 30%

Course materials:
Recordings and scores are on reserve in the Music Library; Curtis Roads' Microsound is available at the main reserve desk.

Course outline:
January 26: spectrum introduction
topics: course outline, time and frequency domains, Fourier transform, discrete-time
materials: lecture slides
repertoire:
John Chowning Stria [quadraphonic playback in class]
Jonathan Harvey Mortuos Plango Vivos Voco [quadraphonic playback in class]

February 2: studio introduction (Kevin Schlei)
topics: studio usage and resources, Digital Performer
repertoire:
Kyle Bruckmann Elsewhere
James Tenney Fabric for Ché

February 9: UPIC / resynthesis I
topics: UPIC history and context, additive synthesis, Hyperupic
assignment: compose a brief etude using Hyperupic (due February 23, 2005)
repertoire:
Iannis Xenakis Mycenae Alpha, Voyage absolu Unari vers Andromède
Brigitte Robindore L'Autel de la Perte et de la Transformation

February 16: UPIC / resynthesis II
topics: Fourier resynthesis, windowing, spectrograms
repertoire:
Nicola Cisternino Xöömji
Julio Estrada Eua-on, Euo-on-ome
Roger Reynolds Ariadne's Thread [score and recording]

February 23: filtering / convolution I: time domain
topics: difference equation, impulse response, FIR vs. IIR, Octave
assignment: filter mathematics (due March 2, 2005)
repertoire:
György Ligeti Artikulation [score and recording]
James Tenney Analog #1 (Noise Study)

March 2: filtering / convolution II: frequency domain
topics: frequency response, direct convolution, SoundHack
repertoire:
David Tudor Rainforest I
Joji Yuasa Towards the Midnight Sun, Projection Esemplastic

March 9: filtering / convolution III
topics: practical filters, convolution reverb
repertoire:
Morton Subotnick A Sky of Cloudless Sulphur
Paul Lansky Night Traffic

March 16: filtering / convolution IV
topics: filter design (window method)
repertoire:
Michael Theodore Goatsong
Chris Chafe Transect

March 30: windowing / granulation I
topics: synthetic grains, StochGran
repertoire:
Barry Truax The Wings of Nike
Matthew Burtner Fern

April 6: windowing / granulation II
topics: frequency-domain grains
repertoire:
Curtis Roads Sonal Atoms
Jonathan Harvey Ritual Melodies

April 13: windowing / granulation III
topics: soundfile granulation
repertoire:
Fernando Lopez-Lezcano iICEsCcRrEeAaMm [quadraphonic playback in class]
John Oswald Dab
David Berezan Baoding

April 20: analysis / resynthesis I
topics: phase vocoding
repertoire:
Bob Sturm Foam and Froth of Faraway Storms
Olga Neuwirth Nova/Minraud

April 27: analysis / resynthesis II
repertoire: spectral modeling (transient+stationary, sines+residual), ATSH
Terre Thaemlitz Resistance to Change
Steven Vitiello & Pauline Oliveros Po Clicks

May 4: [reschedule: catch-up session]

May 11: peer critiques

May 12, 7:30 PM: salon concert: performance of final projects