musc 114 - course schedule


* please note- as new materials are added, the contents of this schedule will change throughout the semester. All significant changes will be announced in class.
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1

aug 31

course introduction / syllabus overview
listening session / tech intro
answer questionnaire - email questionnaire to me by 9/4

2

sept 5/7

monday - no class

wednesday
electronic music before 1945 + sound basics
read: Braun, Introduction pg 9-26, from Music and Technology in the Twentieth Century
read: Holmes, Electronic and Experimental Music (EEM) preface + chapter 1
read: Introduction to Computer Music - online text: chapter 1, section 1-8
listen / watch: listening module 1
browse: Laetitia Sonami + Shawn Greenlee

3

sept 12/14

monday
electronic music in Europe + basic acoustics
read: EEM chapter 2
read: Introduction to Computer Music - online text: chapter 1, section 9-12
listen: listening module 2
browse: Luc Ferrari + Radiohead - check out some of the remixes under 'dead air space'
do: start thinking about your found sound / collage project
tech: field recording demo - Tascam DR-05

wednesday
electronic music in the US + the ear and hearing
read: EEM chapter 3
read: Introduction to Computer Music - online text: chapter 1, section 13-17
listen: listening module 3
browse: Laurie Anderson + Stephen Vitiello
tech: more field recording - good info+ links from quiet american

4

sept 19/21

monday - bring in audio files from your field recordings
electronic music in Japan + noise / music + digital audio
read: EEM chapter 4
read: the beauty of noise: an interview with Masami Akita of Merzbow
read: Introduction to Computer Music - online text: chapter 5, section 1-8
browse: Merzbow + interesting article on Yasunao Tone
tech: software intro (check out software links on resource page) + file types

wednesday
current directions in experimental music
read: Toop, the Generation Game: Experimental Music and Digital Culture (in Audio Culture)
listen: listening module 4
browse: Marclay + Reich + Dunn
test prep: please review your notes, chapter summaries, key terms and milestones, as well as the assigned readings from the Introduction to Computer Music site and the Toop article
you may also find these book resources useful: EEM student resources
tech: basic audio editing

5

sept 26/28

monday - test 1
tech: more editing + basic mixing

wednesday
tape composition + electronic music fundamentals
read: EEM chapter 5
listen: listening module 5
browse: the Beatles (wiki article about their techniques) + Beck
tech: sound editing and processing
project 1 - work in progress in-class review

6

oct 3/5

monday
early synths
read: EEM chapter 6
listen: listening module 6
browse: Charles Cohen - here or here + Richard Devine - interviewed in EM magazine
tech: mixing and render our of reaper + soundcloud upload
sign up for a free Soundcloud account here
please email your Soundcould URL to me by sunday oct 2nd at noon
(this is the URL of your public profile, something like Soundcloud.com/your user name)
test 1 corrections / write up - email to me by sunday oct 2nd at noon
*please bring your original tests to class

wednesday - project 1 due
listen to projects in class - your project should be uploaded to your soundcloud site
tech: intro to synthesis (time permitting)
prior to our next class, please post Soundcloud comments for at least two projects

7

oct 10/12

monday
principles of analog synthesis and voltage control
read: EEM chapter 7
listen: listening module 7
browse: Wendy Carlos + Amon Tobin
tech: synthesis + virtual instruments

wednesday
more synthesis
read: EEM chapter 8 (chapter 9 optional)
listen: listening module 8
tech: MIDI basics + virtual instruments

8

oct 17/19

monday - test 2
tech: basic sequencing

wednesday
library research tutorial
library resources info is here - thanks Lisa !
read: paper guidelines
tech: more sysnthesis and virtual instruments

9

oct 24/26

monday
early computer music
read: EEM chapter 10
listen: listening module 10
browse: Barry Truax + Laurie Spiegel
discuss: paper ideas
tech: demo soundhack + spear

wednesday
the microprocessor revolution
read: EEM chapter 11
listen: listening module 11
browse: Oval + Max/MSP + the Hub
tech: Max/MSP demo + as needed for projects

10

oct 31/nov 2

monday - paper proposal due - please see paper guidelines
principles of computer music
read: EEM chapter 12 (chapter 13 optional)
listen: please review / continue listening to modules 10 + 11
tech: more midi and synthesis + review - mix and export

wednesday - test 3
project 2 - work in progress due: posted on soundcloud

11

nov 7/9

monday
process, minimalism and ambient music
read: EEM pg 360-368 + 397-405
read: Eno, Ambient Music (in Audio Culture) + Reich, Music as a Gradual Process
read - optional - Sherburne, Digital Discipline (in Audio Culture)
listen: listening module is here
tech: tech for projects

wednesday - project 2 due
listen to projects in class
Please post comments to soundcloud site by 11/14

12

nov 14/16

monday
rock, pop and turntables
read: EMM chapter 16
listen: listening module
tech: studio hardware - mixers + microphones

wednesday
turntables, DJ's and beats
read: Shapiro, Intro and timeline (from Modulations)
read: Neill, Breakthrough Beats (in Audio Culture)
watch: Modulations - we will watch some of this in class
browse: DJ Spooky + Squarepusher mini-documentary
tech: speakers and critical listening

13

nov 21/23

monday please email a short paper update *include at least four solid references
paper / project check in
in-class work session: please plan to work on either your final project or your paper
tech: as need for final projects - email with specific requests

wednesday - no class

14

nov 28/30

monday
sampling and appropriation
read: Oswald, Bettered by the Borrower (in Audio Culture)
read (optional) Prelinger, Remarks on Appropriation Art
listen: listening module
browse: Oswald + Girl Talk + Danger Mouse Grey Album

wednesday
please email a short reflection / respone to the Cascone article by Wednesday at Noon
broken music and glitch
read: Cascone, the Aesthetics of Failure
Read (optional): Marclay / Tone, Record, CD, Analog, Digital (in Audio Culture)
listen: listening to broken music
tech: as needed for projects

15

dec 5/7

monday - paper due - please double check the paper guidelines
technology and live performance
watch: check out these performance videos
tech: performance instruments demo

wednesday final project - graded work in progress - uploaded to soundcloud
final project work session
work in progress feedback

16

dec 12/14

monday
where to from here?
discuss: the future of music / technology

wednesday - final projects due