University of Akron School of Music - Electronic Music Course Syllabus


ELECTRONIC MUSIC:  7500:353:001


FALL Semester 2007
MWF 2:15 - 3:05 p.m. GH: 361A  -  Electronic Music Facility
Professor:  Dr. Resanovic; Office - 388 GH; Phone (330) 972-6592;  e-mail: nr2@uakron.edu


Required Materials: 1)      "Electronic Music Handbook" (N. Resanovic) - available at the copy room on the ground floor.   The cost is @$7.00 and you may have to wait a few minutes for them to run it off.  The pages are not bound so you might consider requesting two sided copying to cut down on the bulk, and buying a folder into which to place the materials.
   
                                2)      Two CD-R (Recordable CD's)

                                     COURSE OUTLINE              LAB ASSIGNMENTS (TBA)                         
   
Week 1: 8/27-8/31    Introduction; Equipment; Physics
    of sound, Patch-Bay, Mixing Board.             

Week 2: 9/5-7    Physics of Sound, Patch-Bay,
    Mixing Board (continued).     
                            
Week 3: 9/10-14       Multi-Track Tape Recording &
    Tape Signal Processing Techniques;
    Fundamentals of Electricity   

Week 4: 9/17-21     Signal Processors I: Reverb; Delay;
    Phase; Flanging
       
Week 5: 9/24-28    Signal Processors II: Equalization;     Begin Project #1 (TBA)
    Dynamic Processors; Tape noise
    reduction systems
               
Week 6: 10/1-5    Control room acoustics.
    Transducers I: Microphones and
    Microphone technique
       
Week 7: 10/8-12     Transducers II: Loudspeakers
    and Loadspeaker loading

    MID-TERM EXAM 
         
Week 8: 10/15-19    Overview of MIDI set-up;
    Digital performer sequencing           

Week 9: 10/22-26     Sequencing (continued)
    Introduction to Hard Disk
    Recording and Editing                Project #1 due.
                       
Week 10: 10/29-11/2    Project 1 performances            Begin Project #2 (TBA)
    K2500 sampling, sample editing and   
    Multi-sampling


Week 11: 11/5-9     Introduction to Analog Synthesis Techniques
    and modular voltage-controlled synthesizers.   

Week 12: 11/12-16    Introduction to Digital Synthesis Techniques:
    Algorithmic FM synthesis and DSP.
     
Week 13: 11/19-21     Digital Synthesis Techniques (Continued)
    THANKSGIVING BREAK   
   
Week 14: 11/26-11/30    Understanding Magnetic Recording.        Project #2 Due.
    Understanding Digital Audio and MIDI.
   
Week 15: 12/3-7      Project #2  performances
    Comprehensive review.
   
Finals Week: 12/10-14    FINAL EXAM (Comprehensive)
_________________________________________________________________

Course Description: The theory of electronically generated sound and the
    practice of electronic music composition.  Emphasis
    is on developing a practical understanding of digital
    and analog synthesis in a multi-track MIDI recording
    studio.

Course Objectives:    
    1.     Familiarization with the basic equipment of an
            electronic music studio.         
    2.    Understanding the techniques of tape recording,
            editing, mixing, voltage controlled synthesis,
            and digital synthesis through experimental and
            creative application.
    3.     An introduction to the physical properties and
            behaviour of sound.
    4.     An introduction to the music compositional process.
    5.     The acquisition of an entire vocabulary of technical
            terminology describing electronic music and audio
            engineering in general.

Grading:                   
    Two Individual Projects (25% each)...................................    50%
    Mid-Term Exam ..........................................................    15%
    Final Exam................................................................    25%
    Attendance/Class Participation .........................................    10%
       
Grading Scale:          
    94-100  A         80-82  B-            67-69  D+
    90-93  A-           77-79  C+            63-66  D
    87-89  B+          73-76  C              60-62  D-
    83-86  B-            70-72  C-            Below 60  F

    The preceding outline will be followed as closely as possible.  Each student will be assigned two hours of lab time per week beginning at the fifth week of the semester and ending the fourteenth week of the semester.  A lab assistant will be available on a limited basis.  
University Policy:   
Students whose names who do not appear of the class list will not be permitted to participate (take exams or receive credit) without first showing proof of registration by no later than September 7.

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