Project 7: Composition

No Late Days; due April 22 on Google Forms!

Project 7 due Monday, April 22, 2024 by 11:59PM Eastern

NO LATE DAYS ALLOWED – HANDIN VIA Google Forms

Concert dates: TBA, some time in Week 14

Description

Project 7 will be an ambitious computer music composition that you create by combining techniques we have explored during the semester. Your goal is to create a composition that is technically ambitious (combining at least four major techniques in Nyquist), and is a compelling listening experience (visit Jesse Stiles’ Spotify playlist for inspiration). As always, you may optionally use DAWs such as FL Studio, Ableton, Logic, etc. to mix, edit, master, etc. — but we expect you to focus your work on Nyquist programming techniques covered in the course. Your piece may, of course, be created using Nyquist alone.

Your composition will be presented at one of the final ICM concerts (TBA). Please limit your piece to 2-channel audio for this semester.

Assessment will based on:

  1. Completeness – Audio requirements are fulfilled, code, slides, and text are included according to specifications below.
  2. Code – Code is included and compiles.
  3. Composition quality – Your piece should demonstrate effort exploring musical and technical possibilities and should present an interesting listening experience.
  4. Mixing – The various sounds created for your piece should be mixed with intentionality. You should control the amplitude of all sounds over time so that they are balanced and the listeners’ attention is focused to aspects of the music which you wish to highlight. Your piece should contain no common mixing errors such as clipping or clicks. If you wish to include these types of sounds intentionally for artistic effect please explain this in your program notes and explain your reasoning for why this decision was made.
  5. Significant use of Nyquist – Your piece must include at least four major techniques explored in the course, for example: granular synthesis, FM synthesis, spectral processing, pattern generation, physical models, sampling/looping, etc. In your report, you will document where each technique is used and how it is used.

Audio Requirements

Submit your audio file as andrewid_p7_comp.wav. (For example, acarnegi_p7_comp.wav .) It must adhere to these requirements:

  • Stereo file
  • WAV format
  • 16 bits, 44.1 kHz
  • No clipping
  • Must be normalized
  • Must not contain long periods of silence
  • 90-120 seconds long

If you compose a longer piece and feel that cutting it down to 120 seconds significantly reduces its quality, you may also submit an extended version, which will be taken into consideration in grading.

Slide

In andrewid_p7_slide.pdf, submit a slide, in the form of a one-page landscape PDF, to be projected while your piece is played. You should include an image in the slide that relates to your music and include the title of your piece, your name, and any additional text you wish. The image can come from anywhere, and does not need to be original work. Your complete program notes will be printed in the program, so you do not need a lot of text on the slide. Hopefully, the slide will add an engaging visual aspect to the concert, so please strive for an aesthetic, artistic presentation.

If you wish to create “live visuals” to accompany your piece rather than a slide that would be a great addition. For example, you can have a slide sequence/presentation that auto-advances while we play your composition. If you do this, please make a note for us so we can test your slides before the concert.

Questions

Include the answers to the following questions in andrewid_p7_answers.txt:

  1. What is your motivation in this work? Give a short summary.
  2. What special efforts did you make in composing this piece?
  3. What mixing techniques you use in this work? Try to be concise.
  4. What Nyquist programming techniques did you use in this work? For each technique, briefly describe how it works in your program code.
  5. Do you have any additional comments for the graders?
  6. Do you give permission for your piece to be made available online?

Program notes

You should also submit the following in andrewid_p7_notes.txt:

  • On the first line: the title of your composition.
  • On the second line: the name by which you would like to appear in the program.
  • After that: your program notes. You may use LaTeX syntax if you want to include any formatting. Keep your notes to a maximum of 200 words.

SUBMISSION VIA GOOGLE FORMS, NOT ATUTOR

  • SUBMIT HERE: https://forms.gle/U766Ei8ScbYrLTkt6 . Must submit under your CMU Andrew Google Drive account. 100MB maximum. You may revise your submission up until the deadline. You may need to press “Submit a new response” instead of “Edit response” - we will grade the file with the latest timestamp before the submission deadline. Contact us if there are any issues with file upload.

Please create a zip file named andrewid_p7.zip containing the following files (at the top level, not inside an extra directory except for the composition source files):

  • Your composition sound file: andrewid_p7_comp.wav
  • Your composition source files: in the folder andrewid_p7_source
  • Your slide(s): andrewid_p7_slide.pdf
  • Answers to the above questions: andrewid_p7_answers.txt
  • Program notes: andrewid_p7_notes.txt

Rubric

Total of 20 points

(4 pts) Audio Requirements

  • Does the final audio file meet the requirements as specified in the assignment? 1 point each: stereo/wav/16-bit/44.1kHz, clipping free and normalized, no long periods of silence, between 60-120 seconds.
    • 4 to >3.0 pts: All Requirements met
    • 3 to >2.0 pts: 3 Requirements Met
    • 2 to >1.0 pts: 2 Requirements Met
    • 1 to >0.0 pts: 1 Requirement Met
    • 0 pts: No requirements met/No sound file

(1 pt) Slide

  • Does the submission include a slide that is suitable for use in the final concert with the relevant information included?
    • 1 pts: Full Marks
    • 0 pts: No Marks

(1 pt) Q1: Motivation

  • Does the response indicate what the motivation was that led to the composition? What is the theme or goal that drove the creative process?
    • 1 pts: Full Marks
    • 0 pts: No Marks

(1 pt) Q2: Special Efforts/Challenges

  • Does the response indicate what special work needed to be done in order to realize the composition? What challenges did the composer face when creating the composition?
    • 1 pts: Full Marks
    • 0 pts: No Marks

(1 pt) Q3: Mixing Techniques

  • Does the response concisely describe how mixing was used to build or enhance the final composition?
    • 1 pts: Full Marks
    • 0 pts: No Marks

(4 pts) Q4: Nyquist techniques

  • Does the response include a concise explanation of each Nyquist technique used? (1 point per technique)
    • 4 pts: At Least 4 Techniques Explained Well
    • 3 pts: 3 Techniques Explained Well
    • 2 pts: 2 Techniques Explained Well
    • 1 pts: 1 Technique Explained Well
    • 0 pts: No answer/No techniques explained correctly

(1 pt) Program Notes

  • Did the submission include interesting program notes that can be included in the program? Did the notes say something about how the composition was created, either through mixing and/or Nyquist elements?
    • 1 pts: Program Notes Submitted
    • 0 pts: No Program Notes

(1 pt) File Submission: Correct Format and Names

  • Did the submission have files named correctly and archived in the zip file correctly?
    • 1 pts: Full Marks
    • 0 pts: No Marks

(2 pts) Uniqueness of Nyquist Implementations

  • How unique or creative are the Nyquist implementations as compared to examples done in class? Are the Nyquist techniques very small modifications of class examples, or did the submission include unique variants or experimentations starting from the initial examples?
    • 2 pts: Techniques are Very Unique and/or Complex
    • 1 pts: Techniques Show Some Development but stick close to Class Examples
    • 0 pts: Examples Replicate Course Examples

(2 pts) Overall Creativity

  • What is the overall impact of the final composition, as a whole? Does the composition evoke a reaction from the audience or connect well with the intended meaning from the composer?
    • 2 pts: Composition Has Impact/Evokes A Response
    • 1 pts: Composition relates to overall motivation but does not evoke a strong reaction
    • 0 pts: Composition is Uninspiring

(2 pts) Concert Attendance

  • Did the student attend at least one concert?
    • 2 pts: Yes
    • 0 pts: No