Survey of Music Technology

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.