Calendar

Note: this calendar is subject to minor modifications. Please refer to announcements in class and on Piazza for any changes to the schedule.

Readings from the course textbook are shown parenthetically. See the important note about final exams and travel at the end of this page.

Week 1: Introduction to Computer Music

  • Tuesday, January 16 – Introduction to Nyquist and SAL (1.3-1.9)
  • Project 0 (Setup) – due Wednesday, January 17 by 11:59PM Eastern
  • Thursday, January 18 – Principles of Sound and Sampling, Intro to Audacity (1.1-1.2)
  • Project 1 (Audacity and Nyquist) – due Monday, January 22 by 11:59PM Eastern

Week 2: Basics of Synthesis

  • Tuesday, January 23 – Unit Generators, Piece-wise Functions (2.1-2.5)
  • Project 2 (Envelopes and Scores) due Monday, February 5 by 11:59PM Eastern
  • Thursday, January 25 – Programming Scores (2.6-2.7, 4.5-4.8)

Week 3: Sampling Theory

  • Tuesday, January 30 – Frequency vs. Time, Fourier Analysis (3.1-3.2)
  • Thursday, February 1 – Sampling issues: Aliasing, Negative Frequencies, Quantization (3.3-3.7)

Week 4: Synthesis by Modulation, Spectral Analysis

  • Tuesday, February 6 – Amplitude and Frequency Modulation (3.8-3.9, 4.1-4.3)
  • Project 3 (FM Synthesis, Spectral Centroid) due Monday, February 19 by 11:59PM Eastern
  • Thursday, February 8 – Behaviors, FFT, Spectral Centroid (4.4-4.9, 5.1-5.2)

Week 5: Intro to Algorithmic Composition / Symbolic Music Generation

  • Tuesday, February 13 – Patterns, Algorithmic Composition, Music Generation (5.3-5.7)
  • Thursday, February 15 – EXAM 1

Week 6: Granular Synthesis, Sampling

  • Tuesday, February 20 – Mastering Nyquist, Granular Synthesis (6.1-6.2)
  • Project 4 (Granular Synthesis) due Monday, March 11 by 11:59PM Eastern (Note: first day back after Spring Break)
  • Thursday, February 22 – Sampling Techniques (7.1)

Week 7: Filters, Spectral Processing

  • Tuesday, February 27 – Filters (7.2)
  • Thursday, February 29 (Note: Leap day) – FFT Analysis and Reconstruction, Spectral Modeling (8.1-8.2)

SPRING BREAK (no classes): Monday, March 4 – Friday, March 8

Week 8: Vocal and Spectral Models

Week 9: Physical Models / Acoustic Music Generation

  • Tuesday, March 19 – Mass-Spring Models, Karplus-Strong Algorithm, Physical Models (11.1-11.7)
  • Thursday, March 21 – Physical models continued, waveguide model, commuted synthesis, STK (11.3-11.12), more on music generation time permitting

Week 10: Acoustics and Perception

  • Tuesday, March 26 – Effects, Echo, Reverberation and Panning (10.3)
  • Project 6 (Physical Models) due Monday, April 8 by 11:59PM Eastern
  • Thursday, March 28 – EXAM 2

Week 11: Acoustics and Perceptions (cont’d), Synthesis Techniques

  • Tuesday, April 2 – Acoustics and Perception (10.1-10.2)
  • Thursday, April 4 – Advanced Synthesis Techniques (12.1-12.4)

Week 12: Audio Compression

  • Tuesday, April 9 – Compression Principles, MP3, LPC (13.1-13.5)
  • Project 7 (Computer Music Composition) due Monday, April 22 by 11:59PM Eastern (NO LATE DAYS ALLOWED)
  • Thursday, April 11 – NO CLASS [Spring Carnival]

Week 13: MIDI, Future Directions in Computer Music

  • Tuesday, April 16 – MIDI (13.7)
  • Thursday, April 18 – Music Processing and Analysis (14.1-14.5)

Week 14: Project Presentations

  • Tuesday, April 23 – 15-622 Project Presntations
  • Thursday, April 25 – 15-622 Project Presentations
  • Friday, Apr 26, 6-8PM, GHC4401 – 15-322/622 Concert (Afternoon/Evening Sessions) – special class meeting

Week 15

  • Monday, April 29, 5:30-8:30PM – FINAL EXAM (90 minutes), location TBD

IMPORTANT: Do not plan post-semester travel until your final exam schedule is finalized, including dealing with any conflicts or cases where three exams are within 25 hours. You should plan your travel for the day after your last final exam or later. A safe bet is to plan travel for the day after the final exam period is over. Early final exams will not be accommodated.