Computer music

Computer Science students or students focusing on scientific fields that involve Acoustics, Music and Psychoacoustics – Neurotology.

In specific, the following topics are examined:

Introduction to musical sound and music theory.  The Acoustics and psychoacoustics of music.  Technology and instrumentation of digital sound. Programming music system and devices. Musical interfaces and the MIDI protocol. Producing music via computer simulations. Physical  modeling and real time computer music systems. Music and artificial intelligence. Music  programming  languages. Algorithmic synthesis and composition. Haptic and special music interfaces.

This course presents in a scholarly manner the interfacing technologies and the programming languages of the rapidly developing sector of Computer Music, which is set on the verge of the Science (of Computers) and the Art (of Music).

For the first time the average user has been allocated so many networked resources, accompanied by specialized multimedia applications, that alter the Musical Human Computer Interaction to a cluster of multifacet modules and interfaces enabling the hearing, composition, processing, production and dissemination of music all over the world.

In specific, the following topics are examined:

Introduction to musical sound and music theory. The Acoustics and psychoacoustics of music. Technology and instrumentation of digital sound. Programming music system and devices. Musical interfaces and the MIDI protocol. Producing music via computer simulations. Physical modeling and real time computer music systems. Music and artificial intelligence. Music programming languages. Algorithmic synthesis and composition. Haptic and special music interfaces.

• E. Miranda, Computer Sound Design – Synthesis Techniques and Programming, Focal Press – Elsevier, UK, 2006.   

This course applies a hybrid, blended learning model in a 70% - 30% ratio.

70% of the course material is presented in the form of ex-cathedra teaching in classes and in the laboratory. The attendants are required to present bibliographical essays (at least 3) and demonstrate a project, based on programming languages ​​and techniques for rapid prototyping.

30% of the teaching is offered  via electronic media and includes:

• Video Lessons
• Electronic Tests (at least 2) using AUTh's VLE (MOODLE this year) @ http://elearning.auth.gr
• Electronic Submission of exercises and/or assignments
• Participation in the Fora and Wikis that AUTh offers over the Internet.

• e-Tests: 2, they count for 10% of the final mark each. They are compulsory.
• Projects: They are compulsory. They are presented in class and later on submitted via the VLE.
• Extra Project on voluntary basis: For those who want to dip into Computer Music aiming to develop their  BS thesis on this scientific area.

The knowledge of Higher Mathematics and Human Computer Interactions is helpful, though it is not mandatory. The same goes for the prior knowledge of music theory or the capability to perform with  music instruments or sing.

Main Textbook

• Roads, The Computer Music Tutorial – MIT Press, 1996 (Available in our Library)

Bibliography for extra study

1. E. Miranda, Computer Sound Design – Synthesis Techniques and Programming, Focal Press – Elsevier, UK, 2006. 
2. J. Aikin (Ed.), SOFTWARE SYNTHESIZERS – The Definitive Guide to Virtual Musical Instruments, Backbeat Books, USA, 2003.
3. C. Dodge, T. Jerse, COMPUTER MUSIC – Synthesis, Composition and Performance, 2nd Edition, Schirmer Books, USA, 1997.

Web sources

1. The Computer Music Journal, MIT Press. Πρόσβαση μέσω HEALINK
2. J. Borchers, A Pattern Approach to Interaction Design, (Human Computer Interaction, Computer software – Development), e-Book, John Wiley and Sons, UK, 2001.

Sources available at the Aristotle University Library

1. M. Duckworth, Virtual music: how the Web got wired for sound, Routlege, USA, 2005. (Library of Physics - Informatics)
2. D. Temperley, The cognition of basic musical structures, MIT Press, USA, 2001.
3. J. Escrivan, N. Collins, The Cambridge companion to electronic music, Cambridge-New York, 2007. (Library of the Dept. of Music Studies)

Other on-line open courses, in Greece or abroad

• Αρκετά MOOCS της  COURSERA

Άρθρα

• Politis, D., Stamelos, I. (2001), “Usability of Computer Music Interfaces for Simulation of Alternate Musical Systems”, Proceedings of the 1^st Panhellenic Conference (with International Participation) on Human-Computer Interaction (PC HCI’2001), pp. 385-389 
• Politis, D., Stamelos, I., Margounakis, D. (2009), “Computer Music Interface Evaluation”, Encyclopedia of Information Science and Technology, Publisher: IGI Global, Second ed.
• Cambouropoulos, E., Kaliakatsos-Papakostas, M., Tsougkras, K.,,(2015), “Structural Blending of Harmonic Spaces: a Computational Approach”, 9^th Triennial Conference of the European Society for the Cognitive Science of Music (ESCOM2015), Manchester – UK, 17-22/8/2015.

Films

• Apart from the ones used for this course, there several available in MOOCS offered by MIT and other Universities without charge.

Insrtuctor: Dionysios Politis, Ass. Professor

CV: http://users.auth.gr/~dpolitis