DMST 3550 | Calendar

CALENDAR
unit overviews & weekly guide
jump to unit 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

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| UNIT 1 | Sampling, Sound Editing & Digital Processing
jump to Unit 1 assignment details

>>Week 1 | introduction to digital audio; sampling; sound file basics; and work session
monday march 27, 5pm-8:50pm

introductions | review website, calendar, policies | lab regulations to be turned in to Naomi Marshall

a brief history of electronic and digital audio, both in compositional contexts and narrative film contexts | tools and techniques | review electronic music timeline | web-based audio resources.

introductory mixology: intent and ramifications | sampling techniques and issues in the age of digital copying and file sharing | sound sculpture & sample-based works: critical/theoretical contexts and motives | the computer-as-studio (featuring Negativland vs U2)

listening session: selections of sound sculpture composition (Toony People, Opho, McDonna, Deck the House, Mash-ups, Psy-Phy Neutrino Flux, Burroughs/Van Sant) | viewing session: variety of clips from Iara Lee's exploration of electronic music, Modulations

if time, hands-on session: ripping and burning disks, grabbing files, recording webcasts | file formats and conversion. exploration of sound file processing; very basic introduction to Sound Forge 8.0 and Batch Converter 5.0

READING ASSIGNMENT: Negativland: Fair Use

optional reading: DJ Danger Mouse and The Grey Album Legal Battle

WRITING ASSIGNMENT: write a 1-page response paper to the readings

due |
reading response paper 1

discussion of reading responses | in-class listening session (Sonic Youth, Senor Coconut, PTV3, GvS & WsB, Ted Sturgeon & Multicast, Wendy Carlos, Vladimir Ussachevsky, Alvin Lucier, Terry Riley) | viewing session: Walter Murch's film sound effects scorings of THX-1138 and
The Conversation

software demonstrations | hands-on practice session

READING ASSIGNMENT: online readings (see below)
sound art | musique concrete (history | theory and practice) | sound collage | tape music

optional readings: Karlheinz Stockhausen | more Stockhausen | Terry Riley | Riley's Music for the Gift

WRITING ASSIGNMENT: write a 1-page response paper to the readings

>>Week 3 | work session; sound sculpture auditions
monday april 10, 5pm-8:50pm

due |
reading response paper 2; sound sculpture

brief reading discussion | first half of class work on sound sculptures | second half of class audition and discussion of completed 2-5 minute sound sculptures; this work will be turned in at the end of the class session to be graded.

viewing session: TBD, possibly semgents from Theremin

please prepare a 2-5 minute track using only processed samples and field recordings. Submit a .wav file (16 bit, 44.1k). We'll listen to each track and discuss conceptualization and production. Unit 1 assignment details

READING ASSIGNMENT: Holmes: Introduction, Ch. 1 (5-12), Ch. 2 (13-17);

optional reading: Holmes: Ch. 3 (31-42), Holmes: Ch. 5 (77-112)

WRITING ASSIGNMENT: no response paper for this reading!

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| UNIT 2 | Loop-based Multitrack Mixing and Sequencing
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introduction of looping in music | in-class listening session (Art Of Noise, Steve Reich, Fripp & Eno, Cabaret Voltaire) |
viewing session: Better Living Through Circuitry and Moby's five-minute track-building

overcoming the loop (variations, one-shots) | loop-based Music and Multitrack Mixing | in-class listening session (We, Monolake)

introduction to Sonic Foundry's ACID Pro 4.0

Loop Resources |
Sonic Foundry/Sony Loop Libraries | Looper's Delight

READING ASSIGNMENT: Ch. 11 (259-72); Ch. 12 (273-279); Acid5 Help Index

optional reading:
Holmes Ch. 6 (113-146)
online reading (see below)
dub | turntablism | techno / electronica | post-techno | DNTEL / Postal Service

WRITING ASSIGNMENT: write a 1-page response paper to the readings

>>Week 5 | work session; seed01 auditions
monday april 24, 5pm-8:50pm

due |
reading response paper 3; seed01

work first half of class on seed01 remixes; followed by class auditions and discussion of your 2-5 minute seed.01 (sculpture remix); this work will be turned in at the end of class to be graded

please prepare a 2-5 minute track using pieces sampled entirely from another student's sound sculpture. Submit a .wav file (16 bit, 44.1k). We'll listen to each track and discuss conceptualization and production.

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| UNIT 3 | Software Synthesis
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in-class listening session (Wendy Carlos, Best of Moog, Tangerine Dream, Bowie/Eno, Giorgio Moroder, Kraftwerk, Depeche Mode, Wire,/WIR, Derrick May, Jeff Mills, Marshall Jefferson, PTV, Phuture, Coil, 4Voice, Dice Man, Beaumont Hannant, Spacetime Continuum, Ian Pooley)

READING ASSIGNMENT: Holmes: Ch. 7 (147-160), Ch. 8 (161-186); online reading (see below)
120 Years of Electronic Music | Native Instruments Absynth3

WRITING ASSIGNMENT: write a 1-page response paper to the readings

>>Week 7 | software synthesis continued; work session
monday may 8, 5pm-8:50pm

due |
reading response paper 4

in-class listening session (Boards Of Canada, Pierre Henry/Michel Colombier, Fatboy Slim, Coil, Jan Jelenik, Pole, Frost, DNTEL, Postal Service, Colin Newman, Fischerspooner, Miss Kittin & The Hacker)

READING ASSIGNMENT: Holmes: Ch. 10; online reading (see below)
shareware & freeware & warez | Wired's Story of CCRMA

WRITING ASSIGNMENT: write a 1-page response paper to the readings - last response paper, woo-hoo!

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| UNIT 4 | Auditions; Multitrack FX Processing, Mixdowns, and Mastering in the Virtual Studio
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>>week 8 | softsynth auditions; techniques and strategies for psychedelia & atmospheric audio | space rock | post-rock | post-techno
monday may 15, 5pm-8:50pm

due |
reading response paper 5; softsynth assignment

class auditions and discussion of your 3-5 minute softsynth track; this work will be turned in and graded with the final portfolio | advanced multitrack editing and sequencing | MIDI | VST plugins and VSTi | live multitrack processing | studio & mixing console as instrument

special guest speaker: David Fodel discusses MIDI

viewing session (Pink Floyd's Pompeii, Ronnie Cramer's The Salmon Chair)

WRITING ASSIGNMENT: no further response papers!

>>Week 9 | mastering files; seedtrack auditions; folder of mystery assignment
monday may 22, 5pm-8:50pm

due |
seed02 or seed03 assignment (or both for extra credit)

techniques for mastering and finalizing sound files for multi-platform distribution | MP3s | compact disc production | work session; class auditions and discussion of your 2-5 minute seed.02 or seed.03 (seed remix); this work will be turned in and graded with the final portfolio

please prepare a 2-5 minute track using pieces sampled partly from another student's seed.01 or seed.02 track. Submit a .wav file (16 bit, 44.1k). We'll listen to each track and discuss conceptualization and production.

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| UNIT 5 | Distribution and Application
jump to Unit 5 assignment details

>>week 10 | digital audio distribution; digital audio applications; folder of mystery auditions
monday may 29, 5pm-8:50pm

due |
folder of mystery assignment

final project review: making the portfolio web site | quick overview of web-based audio multimedia and projects | example student sites () | making the finished CD product | quick overview of completed physical CD products from prior students

in-class work session for final audio assignment | class auditions and discussion of your 2-5 minute Folder Of Mystery track; a polished version of this work will be turned in and graded with the final portfolio

please prepare a 3-5 minute track using the elements placed in your own "Folder Of Mystery", to be completed during available class time. Submit a .wav file (16 bit, 44.1k) to the instructor's station. We'll listen to each track and discuss conceptualization and production.

ASSIGNMENTS
detailed information on specific projects

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| UNIT 1 | Sampling, Sound Editing and Digital Processing

Solo Project 1 | Sound Sculpture

opportunities |
) begin building your library of sound sources
) modify and edit sound sources with SoundForge
) combine component sources into your first non-linear mix

guidelines |
) recommended: use SoundForge to create 3-5 minutes of original sound beds, atmospheres and audio clips
) recommended: create at least ten original sound events between 3-15 seconds each

) use SoundForge only to combine material from your library into a 2-5 minute sound sculpture

end results |
) a working local library of at least 20 samples of reprocessed material, plus more unprocessed sources

) sound sculpture: first mixed file, 2-5 minutes long, made in SoundForge from your sound beds and event clips; please add 3 seconds of silence at the beginning and ending of your file; the finished master file should be saved in .wav format (stereo, 16 bit, 44.1k); save the file with this file-naming scheme, "sculpture_lastname_title.wav" and copy to the folder on the instructor's station in room SH434.

DUE |
monday april 10, 2006 | class audition and discussion of your "sound sculpture" track

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| UNIT 2 | Loop-based Multitrack Mixing and Sequencing (seed01)
| UNIT 4 | Multitrack Editing, Mixdown, and Mastering (seed02)

Collaborative Project 1 | The Serial Seed Tracks

opportunities |
) begin building your library of loops
) modify and mix loops and other sound sources with Acid Pro
) create a sequenced, multitrack mix
) apply effects and virtual instruments in real-time within a multitrack environment
) use the computer network to collaborate on an ongoing audio project

guidelines |
) your sound sculpture will serve as a "seed" track for another student
) you will be assigned a track from someone else in class (the files are in the "seed00 checkout" folder on the instructor's station)

rules for seed01 |
) you will be assigned another student's "Sound Sculpture" file by the instructor
) working only with material (loops and/or extended sections) derived from the source file, use Acid Pro to arrange a musical variation (including melodic elements, harmonies, beats) of the original sound sculpture
) save a copy of this file in the instructor's "seed01" folder

rules for seed02 |
) you will be assigned another student's "SoftSynth" file by the instructor
) remix material from this "SoftSynth" file (assigned to you by the instructor) using at least 2 recognizable elements from the original file, and at least 5 elements derived in some way from the original "SoftSynth" track; incorporate new elements derived from your own sample libraries, from new field recordings, or from newly-created softsynth elements
) save a copy of this file into the "seed02" folder on the instructor's station

rules for seed03 |
) repeat instructions from seed02 for > seed03 (if desired for extra credit)
) remix material from a "seed01" or "seed02" file (assigned to you by the instructor) using at least two recognizable elements and at least 5 files derived in some way from the original track; incorporate new material derived from your sample libraries, from new field recordings, or from newly-created softsynth elements
) save a copy of this file in the "seed03" folder

end results |
) seed01-03: finished files should be 2-5 min., saved in .wav format (stereo, 16 bit, 44.1k); please add 2 seconds of silence at the beginning and ending of your file; save files with this file-naming scheme: "seed#_yourname_priorname_newtrackname.wav"

due |
monday april 24, 2006 | class audition and discussion of your "seed01" track

due |
monday may 22, 2006 | class audition and discussion of at least one of your other seed tracks ("seed02" or "seed03")

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| UNIT 3 | Software Synthesis

Solo Project 2 | Softsynth composition

opportunities |
) experiment with software synthesis, advanced sampling, and possibly databending techniques
) explore digital signal aesthetics and processes

guidelines |
) use any: software synthesizers, samplers, plug-ins, and/or databending to generate original sound content
) combine files in either SoundForge or the multitrack environment of Acid Pro into a single 3-5 minute track

end results |
) a working local library of about 20 of your own sound files generated through the various forms of digital synthesis
) softsynth work: 3-5 minutes of an original work using material created with at least two of the software synthesizers, plug-ins, and wares introduced in this unit; the finished file should be saved in .wav format (stereo, 16 bit, 44.1k); please add 2 seconds of silence at the beginning and ending of your file; save files as "softsynth_lastname_title.wav"

due |
monday may 15, 2005 | class presentation of your "softsynth" track

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| UNIT 5 | Distribution and Application

Collaborative Project 2 | The Folder of Mystery

opportunities |
) collaborate on audio game to generate material for class compilation
) reinforce previous skills while exploring possibilities of new processes and concepts

guidelines |
) each of you will have a "folder of mystery" on the instructor's computer in SH434
) use the network to drop one of your own samples (no longer than one minute) into each student's "folder of mystery"
) you may pass the same file to every folder or distribute different files each time

) contribute to guideline forms for each person in class

) once everyone has swapped files and rule forms, open up your "folder of mystery"
) use the contents of the folder and your set of guidelines to make your mix

) feel free to edit and process files as much as you wish, but DO NOT add any new material from your own library of sounds and samples.

end results |
) track of mystery: 3-5 minute .wav file (stereo, 16 bit, 44.1k); save files as "fom_lastname_trackname"

due |
monday may 29, 2006 | class collaborative "Folder of Mystery" track production, possible audition

FINAL PROJECTS DUE |
wednesday june 7, 2006, by 7pm | turn in link to portfolio website, or packaged CD