Music 250a | Spring 2021
Physical Interaction Design for Music
Romain Michon and Douglas McCausland (TA)
Course Information
Class: Mon+Wed 09:00-10:20am
Labs/Office Hours: Online TBD (twice a week)
Location: Online
Required Textbook: Ge Wang. Artful Design: Technology in Search of the
Sublime. Stanford University Press, 2018. (Buy it Here)
Prerequisite: prior programming experience
Course Summary
This lab and project-based course explores how we can physically interact with real-time electronic sound in the prospect of making musical interfaces and instruments. Students learn to use sensors, circuits, embedded computers, communication protocols, sound processing, and digital fabrication (3D printing). Advanced topics include real-time media, embedded systems for audio, haptics, sound synthesis using physical model analogs, and Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) theory and practice. Course culminates in musical performance with or exhibition of completed design projects. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Music 250a will happen online this year. Kits containing sensors, electronics, embedded systems, a 3D printer, and various tools (e.g., soldering iron, etc.) will be shipped to students taking this class.
Topics include:
- Sound synthesis (i.e., waveshape, additive, subtractive, AM, FM, sample-based, granular, physical modeling, etc.)
- Sound processing/audio effects (i.e., modulation, flanging, phasing, chorus, echo, reverb, pitch shift, vocoder, wah/filtering, etc.)
- The Faust programming language
- Microcontrollers programming
- Embedded systems for real-time audio DSP (i.e., bare-metal audio systems for ultra-low latency, etc.)
- Fundamentals of electronics, sensors, and prototyping
- Computer Assisted Design (CAD) and digital fabrication (3D printing)
- Digital lutherie and musical interface design
- Haptics
Assignments
There will be assignments every week until week 6 after which students will be able to focus on final projects. Assignments are due the following week on Wednesday before class. Late days are not allowed.
Grading
- Assignments: 50%
- Final project: 50%
Course Material and Videos
Course material and videos will be posted in the "Lectures" section of this website (accessible in the navigation bar on the top of this page).
Zoom Meetings and Discussions
Zoom meetings corresponding to each class will be posted on Canvas. Class discussions outside of Zoom Meetings will happen on Canvas as well. If you have questions throughout the quarter, please ask them on Canvas.