Course Overview - 220b: Winter 2007

Description

This is the second course in the 220 series. It covers sound synthesis techniques not covered in detail last quarter (see 220a), algorithmic composition techniques, spatialization and some psychoacoustics. The course uses the SuperCollider 3 synthesis and algorithmic composition environment running on the Linux operating system.

Evaluation consists of assignments and a final project. Each assignment builds on the knowledge of the previous ones, and the final outcome is a final project which can be a short computer music composition or a research project in areas related to the topics of the course. The project should be implemented in SuperCollider and has to be able to run in the Linux environment. A proposal for the final project will be due (and required) at around the middle of the quarter, see the calendar below for details. This project is going to be presented on Thursday March 15th (before the Finals Week).

Main topics that will be covered

Synthesis:

  • Modulation Synthesis
  • Digital Filters and Substractive Synthesis
  • Analysis and Resynthesis
  • Granular Synthesis
  • Physical Modeling
  • Reverberation and Spatialization

Algorithms:

  • Patterns and Serialism
  • Markov Chains
  • Random Processes
  • State Machines and Cellular Automata
  • Chaos, Recursion and Fractals
  • Tuning

Time and Location

Music 220b meets Tuesdays and Thursdays 10:15am to 11:45am. Winter quarter only, in the Knoll Classroom. The course can only be taken for 4 (four) units.

Web resources (this page)

http://ccrma.stanford.edu/courses/220b