Music Technology 110

An introduction to Electronic Music Production

Course Objectives

This course is an introduction to the production electronic music. Topics covered include operating systems and system software; data structures for computer information; the hardware mechanics of a computer; instructional software for musicians; acoustics; data structures for sampling and MIDI; data structures for laser audio and video; hardware devices for music publishing; music notation software; software for music sequencing; MIDI hardware; software for creating, organizing, and editing sound; hardware for digital sampling and recording.

As a result of completing this course, you will:

Be able to demonstrate the use of operating systems and system software,

Diagram the hardware mechanics of a computer,

Explain the basics of acoustics,

Demonstrate sampling and MIDI

Use software for music sequencing to create music

Use MIDI hardware and software for creating, organizing, and editing sound,

Use hardware for digital sampling and recording to create music

1. Textbook

The textbook that will be used is:

Essentials of Music Technology

Author: Ballora, Mark

ISBN: 0130937479

The textbook is available in the C.O.C Bookstore as well as on the Web.

2. Computer

Since we are learning to use computers to compose and play music it is strongly suggested that you have access to a computer. If you plan to continue in the field you really need to obtain a current PC or Mac for use at home. The computers in the classroom will be available during class.

3. Class Meetings

The class meets twice a week on Mondays and Wednesdays or Tuesdays and Thursdays.

4. Attendance

Attendance will be taken at the beginning of each class session and will be considered in the final grade. If you have any questions about missed classes you can leave me e-mail at doug.forbes@canyons.edu or from the Music Tech webpage at www.canyons.edu/departments/Music/

5. Classroom Behavior

College level behavior is expected. You will be asked to leave, or referred to the Dean of Students, if you engage in any inappropriate behavior during class. Such behavior includes distractive talking, leaving the classroom without asking, or disrupting fellow students in any way. Pagers and cellular telephones are to be turned off during class. If your pager or cell phone disrupts the class you will be asked to leave and not return.

6. Withdrawal from class

By signing up for the course you expressed an interest in computers and music. I can help you further that interest. Before you consider dropping let me know and we can talk, there are always alternatives to quitting.

7. Homework

You will find attached a schedule of reading assignments and lectures. The homework is to do the reading assignment, and complete the assigned music projects.

8. Quizzes

There are approximately 8 quizzes given one every other week. They are taken on ScanTron 882 forms available in the bookstore as well as in Admissions and Records. You must supply your own ScanTron forms. Missed quizzes may not be made up however the lowest quiz score will be discarded so if you miss only one it will not affect your grade negatively. There is a final examination that consists of questions from the 8 quizzes.

9. Grading

Your grade will be determined by the following formula:

Quizzes = 50%

Final = 50%

Lecture Schedule – Music Technology 110

Class Lecture Topic Page

1 Introduction to course. Handout

2 Basic Acoustics video

The Nature of Sound Events 1 - 7

3 Basic Acoustics 2

Refraction and Reflection 7 – 14

4 Music and Acoustics 17 - 32

Properties of Musical Sound Quiz 1

5 Basics of Sound Synthesis 32 - 38

6 Acoustic Factors in Combination 38 - 43

7 Introduction to Computers 44 - 46

8 Representing Numbers 46 – 51

Quiz 2

9 Introduction to MIDI 53 – 63

video

10 Connecting MIDI Instruments 65 – 71

video

11 The MIDI Language 1 72 – 75

Structure of Channel Voice Messages

video

12 The MIDI Language 2 76 – 80

Channel Mode Messages Quiz 3

13 The MIDI Language 3 80 – 86

System-Level Messages

System Common Messages

System Real-Time Messages

System Exclusive Messages

14 Non-keyboard MIDI Instruments 90 - 99

MIDI String Instruments

MIDI Wind Instruments

MIDI Percussion Instruments

15 Modulations 1 video

16 Modulations 2 video

17 Digital Audio Introduction 100 - 104

Digitizing Audio Quiz 4

18 Characteristics of Digital Audio 104 - 114

Sampling Rate of CD Audio and Its Origin

19 Digital Filtering 1 114 - 120

Feedforward vs. Feedback Filters

Lowpass Filters

Highpass Filters Quiz 5

20 Digital Filtering 2 120 - 131

Bandpass and Band-Reject Filters

21 Digital Recording and Playback 131 – 134

Quiz 6

22 Working with Digital Audio 135 - 146

23 Oversampling and Noiseshaping 146 – 152

24 Storage Media 152 - 160

Compact Disc

25 DVD 160 - 169

DVD-Audio

SuperAudioCD Quiz 7

26 Acquiring Audio 169 - 177

Room Acoustics

27 Microphones 178 - 198

5.1 Channel Configurations

28 Treating and Mixing Audio 198 – 211

Effects Processors Quiz 8

29 Mixing 211 - 220

Channels, Phantom Power, Channel Insert

30 Digital Instruments 220 - 234

Samplers

Synthesizers

31 Review for Final

32 Final