Computer music

Politis Dionisios

Περιγραφή

The focus of this course gives students the opportunity, notwithstanding the Musicality they bear, to become knowledgeable, thoroughly educated, and ultimately, skillful in the rapidly evolving sector of Musical Information technology. Computer Music is the melting point of many scientific fields, as is Psychoacoustics and Physiology from the space of Medicine, Computer Law, Electracoustic Technology, Multimedia, Information Theory, and Mathematics. In many cases, Computer Music is the spearhead of evolving agendas for Human Computer Interaction, for the electronic Mass Media industry, and of course, for Internet technology.

Keywords: Music Interfaces, MIDI, Programming Languages for Music, Production and Dissemination of Music, mainly via the Internet and the “Cloud”, Use of Mobile Device Interfaces for Music Production and Listening

CC - Αναφορά - Παρόμοια Διανομή
Ομάδα στόχος

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

Περιεχόμενο μαθήματος

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.

Μαθησιακοί στόχοι

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.

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

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.
Μέθοδοι αξιολόγησης
  • 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.
Προαπαιτούμενα

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.

Βιβλιογραφία

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 1st 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”, 9th 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.
Instructors

Insrtuctor: Dionysios Politis, Ass. Professor

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

 

Ενότητες

Video Lesson that explains in brief what are the key elements for the subject domain of Computer Music.

Keywords: What is Computer Music about (video lesson)

Perspective students are introduced to the Department’s facilities. They are informed about the use of computer labs and their regulatory status, in case they do not possess a PC or a laptop. A blended learning trajectory is proposed to them, since some topics will be covered with self study, while others demand some integration with the Greek speaking class.  The perspective student has to come up with a project, which, upon completion will be presented either in class or at the instructor’s office.

Keywords: Preliminary course

In this lesson, the acoustic properties of sound waves are presented. Sound waves are characterized mainly by their time series representation, their vibration width, and their spectrum. From these, their frequency content may be derived, their fundamental frequency may be determined, and their harmonic frequencies that reveal the resonating band winds may be designated.

The English speaking students are incorporated with the Greek speaking class. They study the physical properties of sound waves and participate in laboratory exercises linked with the acoustic detection of tones and characteristic frequencies.

Keywords: Physical Properties of Sound Waves laboratory (video lesson), Tones, Frequencies, Harmonics, Spectral Characteristics of Sounds

In this video lesson a presentation of the ear and the listening apparatus is performed. Students are induced with a primer on psychoacoustics that  reveal how the brain receives the acoustic triggers by nerve fibers that are highly tuned into specific frequency ranges. Also, the way that intensity and frequency are transformed by electorheologic fields to loudness and pitch is explained.

Again, the English speaking students are incorporated with the Greek speaking class, or they may visit the instructor’s office. In this lesson, they dip into the ear, the hearing mechanism, they way that the synapses of the acoustic nerve mingle with inner ear structures. They are also given some psychoacoustic information on how the brain conceives loudness and pitch.

Keywords: Ear, Hearing Mechanism, Acoustic Nerve, Psychoacoustics (video lesson), Acoustic Nerve, Brain, Perception, Loudness, Pitch

This lesson explains how music cognition is related with the structure of music in its taxonomy and cerebral interpretation. The discrimination of instruments, pitches and harmonics for musical sounds leads to the creation of semantics and semiotics for the various scales used in music composition. Scales, Intervals, Alterations, Note Durations, Rhythmic content, Dynamics and Rests, are some of the axes for developing music activity through the centuries.

Once more, the English speaking students are incorporated with the Greek speaking class, or they may visit the instructor’s office. In this laboratory lesson, they are introduced with the software and hardware that is used for manipulating computer oriented musical composition. They are also shown how computer plug-ins manipulate musical synthesis and performance.

Keywords: Scales, Intervals, Alterations, Rhythm, Note Durations and Rests  (video lesson), Music Taxonomy in practice: The Roads of Music

During this phase, the learner is self instructed and self paced in his learning characteristics. He uses the video lessons that are available through the VLE and learning material disposable at the Department’s Library. Online sources are also used. As a result,  he has all the material available to proceed with his project.

Keywords: Appendices: Computer Music Research Projects (video learning objects)

As the learners move forward to completing this course, the final assessment stage commences. Usually learners are entangled in some sort of written or oral (preferred for Erasmus students) exam. Additionally, they present their final project’s outcomes, they deposit the deliverables, and answer questions from both the instructor and the rest of their classmates. The reaction of their  peers is essential, since it gives clues for the impact of their project within the learning community.

Keywords: Assessment: Project presentation (in public) and submission of the Deliverables

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