MUSC 5081: APPLICATIONS IN MUSIC TECHNOLOGY -Fall 2009
 
Instructor: John Drumheller
Class Sessions: Tuesday - Thursday 9:00 - 10:00 Room NB46 (CAML I) Office: N1B28B or CRuNCh Studio
Office Hours: 9:00 - 10:00 Monday, Wednesday or by appointment
Phone: (303)735-0272
E-mail: drumhell@stripe.colorado.edu
Web: http://stripe.Colorado.EDU/~drumhell/home.html

Textbooks on reserve: Chadabe, Joel. Electric Sound: The Past and Promise of Electronic Music. Prentice Hall, 1997. Pellman, Samuel. An Introduction to the Creation of Electroacoustic Music. Wadsworth, 1994. Strange, Alan. Electronic Music. William C Brown Companay,1983. Williams, David & Webster, Peter. Experiencing Music Technology. Thompson/Schirmer, 1999. Holmes, Thom. Electronic and Experimental Music. Routledge, 2002.

Materials:
Notebook, music manuscript paper, USB Flash Drive, several blank CDRs, blank DVD discs, headphones with 1/8" and 1/4" adapter.

Required Listening:
Listening assignments will be made through out the semester. Tapes and CDs will be on reserve in the music library.

Basic technological competence is a requirement for everyday life in the modern world and this is especially true for musicians. In music, technology takes many forms, including acoustic instrument design, concert hall architecture, sound recording, sampling, MIDI, physical modeling, digital signal processing, algorithmic processes, and many other topics. This course is designed to provide those students with little or no experience in music technology with basic comprehensive knowledge of contemporary electronic media. In class we will explore the uses of technology in the following areas: MIDI composition and musique concréte techniques using Logic Express and ProTools; notation and desktop music publishing with Finale; an introduction to the physics of sound and digital synthesis using SuperCollider. There will also be an ongoing discussion of the history and aesthetics of electronic music.

Attendance: Due to the sensitive nature of the equipment, class attendance is vital to your understanding of how to operate the equipment safely. Each new technique covered in class brings about a new set of problems and procedures. You will be responsible for equipment damaged by negligence or ignorance because you missed instructions that were missed in class.

Assignments: Through out the semester, there will be several short composition and notation assignments, each dealing with techniques learned in class. There will also be three major projects and one final project. The first will be a specific multi-track/multi-timbral sequencing assignment of approximately five    minutes in length. The second will be a notation project demonstrating the student’s mastery of the notation software. The third project will be a musique concréte piece using digital audio. The final project is in lieu of a final exam. (Exact details for the projects will be given when the assignment is made.) It should be tailored to your interests and demonstrate a cumulative knowledge of all techniques discussed throughout the term. All final projects must be approved by the instructor. Late work will not be accepted.

Grading: Your grade will be calculated in the manner below:

 Attendance:                   10%
Studio practice:             10%
Class assignments:       20%
Major project 1:             10%
Major project 2:             10%
Major project 3:             10%
Final Project:                 20%
Quizes                           10%




CAML Lab policies:
   Do not eat, drink, or smoke in the labs.
   Do not leave either lab open and unattended.
   Do not share your code or swipe card with anyone. Outside of monitored open lab              
    hours, never let unauthorized persons into the labs.
   Do not change any wiring or patches except as instructed by a faculty member.
   Do not install or remove any software except as instructed by a faculty member.
   Present a valid CU ID to faculty or student monitors when requested.
   Follow the CAML user priorities, and when requested, give up the workstation you    
            are using to a student whose work has a higher priority:                 
1. College of Music students using assigned ear training  software.          
2. Students working on projects using music-specific software.               
3. Students working on music projects but not using music-specific software.             
4. General word processing.                
5. E-mail, web, etc.
   Be considerate of your neighbors in the lab; loud talking, loud music, or offensive  
            behavior are not permitted.
  Document any equipment or software that is not working in writing; leave this
            information on or next to the malfunctioning equipment, AND:
            email the Director of Music Technology, John Drumheller, to report the problem:
            drumhell@stripe.colorado.edu
  use the ITS web site to report the problem: http://itsweb.colorado.edu:590/labs/
                              Failure to follow these policies will result in the revocation of
                                                 CAML lab privileges.
 




Tentative Course Schedule:

Unit 1: Introduction to the CAML labs and software, historical perspective, basics of sound and analog/digital synthesis terminology, K2000 operations and basic sound design, introduction to MIDI and sequencing using GarageBand and Reason.

Unit 2: Logic Express, ProTools and MIDI sequencing - topics include: data input, editing commands, event list, graphic editor, notation editor, using video.

Unit 3: Finale - topics include: basic object input and page layout, importing MIDI files, exporting EPS (encapsulated post script) files.

Unit 4: Digital Audio - Musique Concréte - topics include: Logic Express and audio sequencing, conversion of audio file formats, processing audio files, ProTools and audio sequencing, preparing files for CD burning.

Unit 5: Digital video and in class work on the final project.

Final Project Presentations: Saturday, December 12th 7:30 pm - 10:00 pm

LEGAL STUFF:
If you qualify for accommodations because of a disability, please submit to
me a letter from Disability Services in a timely manner so that your needs
be addressed. Disability Services determines accommodations based on
documented disabilities. Contact: 303-492-8671, Willard 322, and
http://www.Colorado.EDU/disabilityservices

If you have a temporary medical condition or injury, see guidelines at
http://www.colorado.edu/disabilityservices/go.cgi?select=temporary.html

Disability Services' letters for students with disabilities indicate legally
mandated reasonable accommodations. The syllabus statements and answers to
Frequently Asked Questions can be found at
http://www.colorado.edu/disabilityservices

Campus policy regarding religious observances requires that faculty make
every effort to deal reasonably and fairly with all students who, because of
religious obligations, have conflicts with scheduled exams, assignments or
required attendance.  In this class, please see the instructor if there will be a
conflict with any religious observation and the daily class schedule.
See full details at http://www.colorado.edu/policies/fac_relig.html

Students and faculty each have responsibility for maintaining an appropriate
learning environment. Those who fail to adhere to such behavioral standards
may be subject to discipline. Professional courtesy and sensitivity are
especially important with respect to individuals and topics dealing with
differences of race, culture, religion, politics, sexual orientation,
gender, gender variance, and nationalities.  Class rosters are provided to
the instructor with the student's legal name. I will gladly honor your
request to address you by an alternate name or gender pronoun. Please advise
me of this preference early in the semester so that I may make appropriate
changes to my records.  See policies at
http://www.colorado.edu/policies/classbehavior.html   and at
http://www.colorado.edu/studentaffairs/judicialaffairs/code.html#student_code


The University of Colorado at Boulder policy on Discrimination and
Harassment, the University of Colorado policy on Sexual Harassment and the
University of Colorado policy on Amorous Relationships apply to all
students, staff and faculty.  Any student, staff or faculty member who
believes s/he has been the subject of sexual harassment or discrimination or
harassment based upon race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability,
creed, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status should contact the
Office of Discrimination and Harassment (ODH) at 303-492-2127 or the Office
of Judicial Affairs at 303-492-5550.  Information about the ODH, the above
referenced policies and the campus resources available to assist individuals
regarding discrimination or harassment can be obtained at
http://www.colorado.edu/odh

All students of the University of Colorado at Boulder are responsible for
knowing and adhering to the academic integrity policy of this institution.
Violations of this policy may include: cheating, plagiarism, aid of academic
dishonesty, fabrication, lying, bribery, and threatening behavior.  All
incidents of academic misconduct shall be reported to the Honor Code Council
(honor@colorado.edu; 303-735-2273). Students who are found to be in
violation of the academic integrity policy will be subject to both academic
sanctions from the faculty member and non-academic sanctions (including but
not limited to university probation, suspension, or expulsion). Other
information on the Honor Code can be found at
http://www.colorado.edu/policies/honor.html  and at
http://www.colorado.edu/academics/honorcode/




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