MUA 2021 –Electronic Music Composition                          FA 2005
Tuesday and Friday from 12:10 – 1:25 PM, Room 108, Music Building

A study of Electronic Music Composition using the personal computer. Software programs studied from a practical and theoretical point of view include MacCsound, MAX/MSP, Reason, Live Ableton, ProTools and Digital Performer 4. Students will integrate the studio synthesizer (Motif 8, a multi-channel sequencer, sampler, and music production station) in composition projects, and study various aspects of sound synthesis and diffusion. Significant works from the repertoire will be studied.

Textbooks: (readings to be completed by date on syllabus):  Computer Music: Synthesis, Composition, and Performance by Charles Dodge and Thomas Jerse.
Schirmer Thomson Learning (ISBN 0-02-864682-7)
Course Requirements: (1) Quiz; (2) Midterm; (3) Final Exam (4, 5, 6) Three projects. The final project includes a written description (1-2 pages).

At this point, all electronic music composition is essentially done with computer. We could even name the course computer music. In the fall semester we will create a Musique Concrete piece, using recorded sounds. We will create a software synthesizer using Max/msp. The final project is a short composition which utilizes various techniques and tools we study of the course of the semester.

General topics for the Fall: Additive and subtractive synthesis, Frequency and Amplitude modulation synthesis, Envelopes, and algorithmic compostion.