This course explores a wide range of music technologies from historical, philosophical, and practical hands-on perspectives with the goal of inspiring students’ critical and creative understanding of music. Music technologies are broadly defined as any tools for playing music (whether for composing, performing, recording, or broadcasting music) and the manifold ways these tools both enable and limit creative musical possibilities for composers, performers, and listeners. Topics of study include the physics of sound and psychoacoustics; case studies on compositional techniques such as musique concrète and electronic synthesis; studio mixing, recording and production techniques; and digital sampling and editing software. Coursework includes readings, research papers, and creative projects; students will also learn to use Max/MSP and Ableton Live to demonstrate principles of acoustics, signal processing, and synthesis. This course is required for Lang Contemporary Music majors/minors.

This course explores a wide range of music technologies from historical, philosophical, and practical hands-on perspectives with the goal of inspiring students’ critical and creative understanding of music. Music technologies are broadly defined as any tools for playing music (whether for composing, performing, recording, or broadcasting music) and the manifold ways these tools both enable and limit creative musical possibilities for composers, performers, and listeners. Topics of study include the physics of sound and psychoacoustics; case studies on compositional techniques such as musique concrète and electronic synthesis; studio mixing, recording and production techniques; and digital sampling and editing software. Coursework includes readings, research papers, and creative projects; students will also learn to use Max/MSP and Ableton Live to demonstrate principles of acoustics, signal processing, and synthesis. This course is required for Lang Contemporary Music majors/minors.