Dr. Christopher Frye

MUSIC 263
INTRODUCTION TO MUSIC TECHNOLOGY
COURSE OUTLINE

1. History (part 1)
   1. . Early experiments with electronic sounds
      • Edison Phonograph(1880)
      • Cahill Telharmonium (1906)
      • Theramin (1920)
      • Trautonium (1930)
   2. Electronic organs, etc.
      • Hammond (1935)
      • Ondes Martenot (1928)
   3. Musique Concrete and tape techniques (1950s)
      • Experiments with optical sound tracks for film
      • Pierre Scheaffer/Pierre Henry-Paris
      • Otto Luening, and Vladimir Ussachevsky/Milton Babbit and Roger Sessions-Columbia-Princeton
   4. Vacuum tube technology and the development of transistor technology (1960s)
2. Physical properties of sound
   1. Sound wave
      • Sine, sawtooth, triangle and square waves
      • Frequency
      • Amplitude
      • Timbre/Overtones
3. Basic audio production
   1. Amplifiers, preamplifiers, mixers, and speakers
   2. Phonographs
   3. CD Players
   4. Tape recorders
      • Reel to reel
      • Cassette
      • DAT recorders
   5. Microphones
      • Impedance
      • Microphone types and applications
   6. Cables and connectors
4. History (part 2)
   1. The beginning of synthesizers
      • RCA Electronic synthesizer
      • Commercial synthesizers (1960s)
      • Technology explosion and the invention of the microchip (1970s)
   2. Modular synthesizers
      • Moog
      • Oberheim
      • Buchla
      • Arp
   3. Electronic music and popular music of the 1970s
5. Multitrack recording and mixing
   1. Recording/Playback and Synchronization
   2. Noise reduction, gates, exciters, etc.
   3. Multitrack Digital Recorders
6. History (Part 3)
   1. Digital technology and synthesizers (1980s)
      • Polyphonic Keyboards
      • Programmable Synths
      • FM synthesis and other types of digital synthesis
   2. Computers and synthesizers
      • MIDI
      • Computer software development
      • The Tapeless recording studio/Workstations
        • New England Digital Synclavier
        • Fairlight Computer Instrument
7. Digital vs. Analog Synthesizers
   1. Analog and digital synthesis
   2. Arp 2600-Analog
   3. Yamaha DX 7-Digital
   4. Sampling
      • Emu Emulator (1982)
      • Sampling Rate/resolution
      • Looping
8. Computers and MIDI
   1. Computer platforms
   2. Design and set up a computer/MIDI station
   3. MIDI interfaces
   4. Software
   5. Alternative controllers
      • Yamaha WX7 MIDI wind controller
      • Akai Electronic wind and valve instruments
      • DrumKat MIDI percussion controller
      • Max Mathew's Radio Baton
      • Buchla Lightning
9. MIDI applications
   1. Sequencing and processing
      • Micrologic AV
      • MOTU Performer/Digital Performer
      • Standard MIDI files
      • OMS/FreeMIDI
      • Max/MSP
   2. Notation
      • Sibelius
      • Finale
      • Overture, etc.
   3. Music Theory and Aural Skills Drill applications
      • Practica Musica
      • Macgamut
      • Listen
10. Multimedia and Authoring
    1. CD ROM players
    2. Voyager CD ROMs
    3. Authoring using Apple's HyperCard
       • HyperMidi
       • ClipCreator
    4. Avid Cinema/iMovie
       • sound and video
       • Quicktime instruments
    5. Web/Internet topics
       • Internet/Intranet, LANs, etc.
       • HTML, Java
       • sound, graphics, etc.
       • Using HTML editors (Claris Homepage, Microsoft Frontpage)
11. Digital sound recording and processing
    1. ProTools
    2. SoundDesigner
    3. DSP applications
       • Soundhack
       • Lemur
       • Grain Generator Granulation
       • Metasynth
       • Csound
    
    

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