CCRMA CCRMA Workshops 1998

* Intensive Audio Digital Signal Processing

This weekend-length workshop is specifically designed for engineers or developers working with audio who are interested in deepening their background in digital audio theory. The workshop covers the implementation of the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) in digital signal processing, focusing on practical spectrum analysis, sound synthesis with spectral models, and signal processing using the FFT.

The course begins with a review of Fourier theory, including a discussion of important Fourier Transform properties. The Short-Time Fourier Transform (STFT) of time-varying audio signals is then presented. Various analysis windows are discussed along with their application in audio spectrum analysis and filter design. Both interpretations of the STFT, as either an overlap-add or a filterbank summation procedure, will be addressed. Applications of the STFT for time/frequency analysis, spectral modification, spectrum analysis trade-offs, as well as time-varying modifications will be studied. Specific topics will include various analysis and synthesis techniques such as the channel and phase vocoders, as well as Spectral Modeling Synthesis (SMS).

An introduction to physical modeling of musical instruments will be presented and real-time examples using Perry Cook's C++ Synthesis Toolkit will be made available to the participants. Depending upon the interests of the participants, additional topics for the course will include wavelets and psychoacoustic audio data compression.

* Sound Synthesis and Digital Signal Processing Using CLM (Common Lisp Music)

This is a fast-paced workshop in sound synthesis techniques and digital audio effects, and their implementation in the CLM (Common Lisp Music) environment. We will design software instruments that implement additive, subtractive, FM, sampling, wavetable, granular, spectral, and physical modeling synthesis as well as digital-effects algorithms such as phasing, flanging, chorus, distortion, and reverberation. Introductory signal processing and perception topics will be included.

New real-time CLM capabilities will also be covered in the workshop. This will include real-time instrument and GUI (Graphical User Interface) design, as well as the use of MIDI controllers.

Common Lisp Music (CLM) is a public domain sound design language written on top of Common Lisp, currently running in Macintosh PowerPCs and several UNIX environments including SGI, Sun, NeXT and PC's running Linux. A daily Common Lisp lab will teach basic Lisp programming skills during the workshop.

Familiarity with computers and programming languages is helpful but programming proficiency is not required.

* Introduction to Computer-Based Composition

This course introduces basic principles and techniques of computer-based composition, and covers such topics as chance composition, musical automata, pattern languages, sonification, and fractal design. Sound synthesis used in the course material will include MIDI and Common Lisp Music. The course will be taught using the Common Music environment on Mac and Linux workstations.

The workshop will be divided into morning lectures and afternoon lab times. During the lab hours the students will gain hands-on experience working through projects and examples first presented in the morning lecture. All source code and documents from the workshop are free to take. Participation in the Sound Synthesis and Digital Signal Processing Using CLM (Common Lisp Music) workshop or familiarity with Lisp or some other programming language is necessary for taking the workshop.

* Digital Signal Processing for Audio: Spectral and Physical Models

This course will cover analysis and synthesis of musical signals based on spectral and physical models. The course will be organized into morning lectures covering theoretical aspects of the models, and afternoon labs. The morning lectures will present topics such as Fourier theory, spectrum analysis, the phase vocoder, digital waveguides, digital filter theory, pitch detection, linear predictive coding (LPC), and various other aspects of signal processing of interest in musical applications.

The afternoon labs will be hands-on sessions using SMS and the Synthesis Toolkit in C++, and other software systems and utilities. Familiarity with engineering, mathematics, physics, and programming is a plus, but the lectures and labs will be geared to a musical audience with basic experience in math and science. Most of the programs used in the workshop will be available to take.

Annual Summer Concert

The annual concert of new music by CCRMA composers will take place during the Summer Workshops. It will be held on the Stanford campus on July 23, 1998.

Additional Information

Housing costs are not included in the course fee. Campus housing is available for the summer workshops through the Stanford University Conference Office. Information on lodgings in Stanford/Palo Alto vicinity will be sent to all workshop participants. No academic credit is offered for participation in the workshops.

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Created and maintained by Gary P. Scavone