Introduction to Music Technology
ASSIGNMENTS Spring 1999

ASSIGNMENT #1
FRYE


Basic Audio tools/Recording/Mixing and effects:

This assignment will cover the use of the amplifier, preamp,patch bay, the Alesis 16 channel mixer, Tascam cassette recorder, Ampex 1/2 track recorder and the ART effects processor.

A. Record on Cassette 60 seconds of a sound source of your choice (microphone, guitar, etc.) through the mixer with flat EQ and center pan.

B. Next, record on Cassette 60 seconds of sound source of your choice through mixer and boost the high frequencies and cut the low frequencies with the EQ controls, then pan slowly from left to right.

C. Record on Cassette 60 seconds of sound source of your choice through mixer and cut the high frequencies and boost the low frequencies with the EQ controls, then pan slowly from right to left.

D. Record on the Ampex 30 seconds of a sound of your choice at high speed (15 ips) on the left channel. You will want to mark were you begin recording on the tape with a crayon or grease pencil. Then rewind to your mark and record 60 seconds of the same sound source on the right channel (remember not to record over the left channel!) at slow speed (7 1/2 ips). Follow this with 30 seconds of a different sound source on both channels at 15 ips. Rewind and flip the reels over and play from the end at slow speed. Record onto cassette by switching to tape monitor 1 (cassette) and changing the input control on the preamp to Òtape 2Ó so that the signal from the Ampex is sent into the tape monitor to the cassette. Warning-do not switch the input control to ÒTape 2Ó while the tape 2 monitor switch is in. This will result in a feedback loop that can damage the speakers.

E. Experiment with the ART Multiverb effects processor by changing the preset numbers. The chart above it will let you find the effects and their cooresponding numbers. Remember to control the amount of effects with the Aux. Return for the channel. Record approximately 2 minutes of a sound source with an interesting effect on the Ampex at 7 1/2 ips on both channels panning slowly from left to right and back. Rewind and playback at 15 ips recording onto cassette.

ASSIGNMENT #2



Voltage controlled Analog synthesis using Arp 2600, Multitrack recording using the Tascam 80-8

Section I

A. (1)On cassette, record 30 seconds of a simple lydian melody in the middle register using only a sine wave (this will require a patch chord from sine out of Oscillator 1 to filter input). Make sure the filter output turned up in the final mixer section to the right of the synth.

(2)Next, record 30 seconds of the same (or similar lydian melody) using a triangle wave.

(3)Now record 30 seconds of the same (or similar lydian melody) using a pulse wave. Experiment with changing the pulse width while you are playing.

B. Create a siren by using a low frequency sine wave (LFO) to modulate either a pulse or triangle wave. Record 60 seconds of this and use panning and/or the ART Multiverb to give the sound some depth and motion.

C. (1)Create a patch that uses two oscillators tuned a fifth apart. Record 30 to 60 seconds of a melody that is Asian-influenced. Use effects when recording. (2)Add some noise to the above patch and record 30 to 60 seconds of your favorite TV theme with some Portamento on the keyboard.

Section II

A. Using the microphone plugged into the Alesis mixer and the output of the Alesis mixer plugged into channel one of the Tascam 8-80 recorder, record a dramatic reading of a short (1-2 minute) poem of your choice.
B. Plug the Alesis output into the channel 2 input of the Tascam 8-80 recorder and, using the microphone or keyboards, add some sort of appropriate sound effect to accompany your poem.
C. Repeat the process from letter B on channels 3, 4, etc. until you have a finished sound piece.



Assignment #3

Follow these steps to record the attached rhythm, bass, chord and melody parts using Master Tracks sequencing software.

1. Open the file IMT assignment #3 template on the desktop of the Macintosh 8500. Record the attached two measure drum sequence on tracks 1, 2, and 3 (bass drum on track 1, snare on track 2 and high hat on track 3). Be sure that the Click and Countoff buttons are highlighted in the transport window. Record each track separately by record enabling each track and then recording it. Make sure each track is assigned to MIDI channel 10 and loop them. Feel free to add any addition drum parts on tracks 8+.

2..Click on the program select button for track 4 and a patch selection window will open up. Make sure that General MIDI is selected in the instrument choice window. In this patch selection window choose a bass patch from the several listed by clicking on it. Set track 4 to MIDI channel 1 (if it is not already) and record the attached bass line on track 4 and loop.

3. Choose a chord instrument (i.e. piano, electric piano, guitar, etc.) from the patch selection window as you did in the previous step. Set track 5 to MIDI channel 2 and record the attached chord pattern on track 5 and loop.

4. Choose a melody instrument in the patch selection window. Set track 6 to MIDI channel 3 and record the attached melody starting in measure 9. Do not loop.

5. Go to the EDIT menu, pull down and chooseSelect All from the menu. Then, go to the CHANGE menu and select Quantize. a dialogue box will be presented. Set the quantization resolution to eighth note and leave everything else as it is and press OK.

6. Record a solo (D dorian) on track 7 starting in measure 17 (after the melody). Choose a patch for your solo in the patch selection window. Set track 7 to MIDI channel 4 and record the whole piece to cassette. Experiment with play enabling tracks individually at the beginning so that you are adding each track one or two measures at a time. Fade out at an appropriate time.

Assignment #4



A. Using Finale notation software, notate the attached piece. Make sure that you include dynamics and articulations. Save a copy of your file on your floppy disk. Print out the score with the Apple Stylewriter ink jet printer.

B. Create a Standard MIDI file of the above notation file by choosing Save as... in the file menu of the program and choosing the Standard MIDI File option at the bottom of the dialog box. Open up the SMF in Master Trax sequencer and make a recording of the piece using a percussive patch on the Roland Sound Canvas.

C. Create a song using Band in a Box by first entering the melody of the attached lead sheet (Being Frank) into Master Trax and saving as a Standard MIDI file. Open the standard MIDI file in Band in a Box and save on your disk as Being Frank/(your name). Enter the chords for the song into the program then choose a Jazz Swing style and General MIDI setup in Style and MIDI setup menus. Record the song (one chorus) onto cassette and print out the lead sheet with the printer.

Assignment #5 HTML and webpage design



Follow these step to create a simple Webpage in Claris Home Page.

1. Open up the class_template.htm file on the desktop of the Power Macintosh 8500.

2. Go to Save a copy as ... in the file menu and save the file to your disk as yourname.html-make sure you do not put spaces in your name.

3. Once you have saved your file to your disk close the class_template.htm file (this prevents writing over the template file) and open your file.

4. Follow the steps below to use the editor to add to and change the document. You should be able to change the background, add text, images (either GIF or JPEG files), tables, lists, Quicktime files and create links .

5. You will need to view the file in the browser ( go to the browser button and View in Netscape) to see how your changes will appear on the internet.

6. When you are finished save your work (along with any graphics files) to your floppy disk. Remember, all of your HTML, graphics, and Quicktime files must be in the same folder (directory) or they will not work properly.


To change the background:
Go the Document Settings button and select a background image. You can pick a pre-scanned image in the Claris Home Page folder or scan and create your own.

To add text:

Just type in text on keyboard and highlight to change size, font, color and alignment.

To add images:

Use the image button and select a GIF or JPEG image to insert into page. You can align the image like text.

To add Tables:

Use the table tool to define the parameters of a table (# of columns, # of rows, etc.)

To add lists:

Use one of the list buttons, or choose Ordered list from the heading menu at left. You can choose various types of bullets for the lists.

To add Quicktime files:
You will need to have a Quicktime MIDI, audio or video file ready to import. Once you have a Quicktime file, go to Quicktime file in the Edit menu. You will need to select your Quicktime file that you want to insert from the dialogue box. After doing this you will need to go to Create Plug In in the Edit menu. Remember, the Quicktime file will not operate until you view your webpage in the browser.
To create a Link:

After highlighting a word or image, use the link button to assign a URL to it. If you want to link to another page you can select it in the link button dialogue box. Creating an Anchor is similar to a link except that you are linking to a particular place on a page.

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