• Outline
• Summary
• Outcomes

• Assessments
• Reading/Listening List
• VLE
• Project/Task Summary
• Workshop and Tutorial Times

• Help with VLE
• Statement on Plagiarism
• How To Ask Questions The Smart Way

• Resources you might Need
• Listings, organisations, festivals, competitions, broadcasts...

The purpose of this module is to give students an outlet for further exploration of synthesis and music programming and other advanced techniques than is possible at earlier levels. Whilst powerful synthesis techniques are available as 'presets' in much commercial software, this module will enable students to understand the underlying principles behind such techniques and will facilitate the creation of sounds not easily obtained or understood using commercial software. The module will be taught using appropriate real-time processing software (such as SuperCollider and MaxMSP/Jitter), and will investigate in detail such techniques as microsound, waveshaping, waveset analysis, advanced FM synthesis, concatenative synthesis, sonification and sophisticated algorithmic techniques. Assessment is via a portfolio of guided tasks and final performance/exhibition, supported by a written critical evaluation.

1. - Specialised issues of sound synthesis and their application to music;
2. - The principles and issues surrounding sonification;
3. - An overview of aspects of music perception;
4. - Exploring common synthesis techniques using different software;

1. - Demonstrate a comprehensive and detailed knowledge of programming environments, including a variety of distinct paradigms, methods and techniques;
2. - Understand and gain autonomy in specialised issues of software manipulation of sound, such as synthesis, sonification, algorithmic manipulation and perception;
3. - Analyse novel musical/technical ideas and techniques, transforming and synthesising these ideas towards given and self-created purposes;
4. - Critically evaluate their own methods and conclusions and other practitioners in the field, including musical outputs and use these evaluations in further examples of musical composition.

Three Projects

Each project representing one aspect of the course: Microsound, Algorithmic/Generative techniques and Sonification. The projects will focus on emphasising salient points of the topics being covered. Projects will be demonstrated and assessed during specified classes.

Unless otherwise stated in the portfolio, all projects will be marked at 33.33% of the whole. Students have the option of weighting two projects at 25% each, one project at 50% should they wish, and must make absolutely clear which submissions this applies to, otherwise the 33.33% rule will apply.

Project One: Microsound
Investigating one of the aspects of microsound synthesis covered in the course, for instance, micromontage.

Project Two: Algorithmic/Generative Composition
An example of an algorithmic or generative composition

Project Three: Sonification
Create an interesting example of sonification using one of the methods covered during the course, or developing and investigating one of your own.

Added Value

Guidelines are provided to help you complete the projects. In general, successful and strict adherence to the guidelines will give you a pass mark. In order to achieve higher grades you need to creatively investigate and enhance the projects with your own ideas modulated by the tutor's advice.

Presentations

Presentations are not positively marked, but you will be penalised if you cannot make a presentation when required to do so. You will be asked to research and prepare a topic for brief presentation and discussion. You'll be expected to produce evidence from peer-assessed journals.

Submission

The deadline for final submission of all material is Monday 19th December 2016.

One assignment should be weighted at 50% of the whole module. You must specify which assigment this should be. The others will therefore be weighted at 25%. If no assignment is so specified, all assignments will be weighted at 33.3%.
The final deadline for final submission of all material is Monday 19th December 2016.

Preparation
- Revise CMP Material

Aims and Outcomes
- feel clear about course structure
- feel confident about using VLE
- Contributes to outcomes 1-4

Focus
- Things to do first:
- collect email
(include 'acmc' in subject area of any email sent)
- Assessments
Introduction to ACMC:
- Dionysius and Apollo
1. Microsound
2. Algorithmic/Generative Composition
3. Sonification

Microsound 1 (Introductory):
Investigate various techniques 
sometimes labelled together as
'Microsound' and some others...
- Waveshaping [5.8MB]
- Impulses [646KB]

Follow-up
- Task 1

Task 1
 - Microsound
Investigate various techniques 
sometimes labelled together as
'Microsound' and some others...

Due: beginning of
class in w4i
Weighting: 25/33/50%

task summary | VLE

Preparation

- investigate waveshaping
- MaxMSP Documentation:
-- TutorialsandTopics.pdf 1-10

Aims and Outcomes
- ...
- Contributes to outcomes 1,3,4

Focus
Microsound 2:
FFT/Vocoding
- In Supercollider, see ATS and Vocode and Vocoder UGens
(Josh Parmenter)
(http://www.create.ucsb.edu/pipermail/
sc-users/2004-May/010681.html)
- Vocoding Resources [11.5MB]

- Vocoding: SoundHack and Spear

- Pickover's ESP Experiment

Follow-up
- tasks

Task 1
 - Microsound
Investigate various techniques 
sometimes labelled together as
'Microsound' and some others...

Due: beginning of
class in w4i
Weighting: 25/33/50%

task summary | VLE

Preparation
- Investigate 'Concatenative Synthesis'

Aims and Outcomes
- ...

- Contributes to outcomes 1,3,4

Focus
Microsound 3:
- Concatenative Synthesis/Montage
-- Metasynth
-- CataRT
-- Meapsoft
-- iTunes Signature Maker
-- Chris Hipgrave's mangler
-- Plunderphonics
-- Telephony

Follow-up
- Tasks

Task 1
 - Microsound
 Continued

Due: beginning of
class in w4i
Weighting: 25/33/50%

task summary | VLE

Microsound 4:
- Synthesis
- Synthesis: Grainlet, Particle, Trainlet, Glisson...

task summary | VLE

Preparation
- Search for 'Algorithmic Composition' in:
Google, Scholar, Books, Image, Video,
University Library

Aims and Outcomes
- Tutorials

- Contributes to outcomes 1-4

Focus
Algorithmic/Generative Composition 1:
Using functions to create an
algorithmic/generative composition 
- What is it?  Why is it?
- How do we deal with it?
- The Copenhagen Interpretation
- IXI
- Game of Life (jit.conway, etc.)
- Algorithmic Presentation

Follow-up
- Consider your performance

Task 2
 - Algorithmic Composition
Using functions to create an
algorithmic/generative composition 

- Algorithmic Presentation

task summary | VLE

t2: beginning of
class in w8i

t2: 25/33/50%

...

Preparation

- Search for 'Music perception' in:
Google, Scholar, Books, Image, Video,
University Library
- ...

Aims and Outcomes
- Music Perception

- Contributes to outcomes 1,3,4,5

Focus
Algorithmic/Generative Composition 2:
Using functions to create an
algorithmic/generative composition 

- Cottle, Chapters 25+
- SuperCollider Help - Streams and Patterns

- Algorithmic Presentation
- Algorithmic 2 Materials

Follow-up
- Tasks

Task 2
 - Algorithmic Composition
...continued

- ...

Preparation
n/a

Aims and Outcomes
- Tutorials

- Contributes to outcomes 1,2,3,4,5

Focus
Independent Study Week - Tutorials

Follow-up
- Work on tasks

Tutorials

Preparation
- Search for 'Algorithmic Techniques' in:
Google, Scholar, Books, Image, Video,
University Library


Aims and Outcomes
- Algorithmic/Generative Composition 

- Contributes to outcomes 1,3,4,5

Focus
Algorithmic/Generative Composition 3:
- L-Systems (jit.linden)
- Links with Sonification

Follow-up
- Tasks

Task 2
 - Algorithmic Composition
...continued





task summary | VLE

t3: beginning of
class in w8i

t3: 25/33/50%

- ...

Preparation
- Search for 'Sonification ' in:
Google, Scholar, Books, Image, Video,
University Library


Aims and Outcomes
Introduction to other ways of doing things: 
oranges are not the only fruit...

- Contributes to outcomes 1,3,4

Focus
- Sonification 1
Create an interesting example of sonification

Follow-up
- Work on tasks

Task 3
 - Sonification
Create an interesting example of sonification

task summary | VLE

t3: with final submission

t3: 25/33/50%

...

Sonification 2
Summary and overview of all tasks.
Choice and Chance Presentation [800KB, pdf]

Task 3
Sonification
Task 3 deadline: with final submission
Task 3 weighting: 25/33/50%

task summary | VLE

Tutorials

task summary | VLE

Presentation of one project in Hel040.  
Presentations will be chosen at random on the day.  
It may not be possible to include everyone.  
The presentations themselves will not be assessed.  
The deadline for final
submission of all material is
Monday 19th December 2016.

task summary | VLE

1. - Collins, N., Cottle, D. M. and Wilson, S., (eds), (2010). The SuperCollider Book. Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press.
2. - Cope, D. (2005). Computer models of musical creativity. Cambridge, Mass., MIT Press.
3. - Miranda, E. R. (2002) Computer Sound Design: Synthesis Techniques and Programming, Oxford: Focal Press.
4. - Miranda, E. R. and M. M. Wanderley (2006). New digital musical instruments: control and interaction beyond the keyboard. Middleton, Wis., A-R Editions.
5. - Roads, C. (2004) Microsound, Cambridge & London: MIT
6. - Rowe, R. (2004) Machine Musicianship, Cambridge & London: MIT
7. - Taube, H. (2004) Notes from the Metalevel: Introduction to Algorithmic Music Composition (Studies on New Music Research), London & New York: Taylor & Francis
8. - Computer Music Journal
9. - Organised Sound