Comp685B Computer Music

Recommended Books: Computer Music by Charles Dodge & T. Jerse, Schirmer Books, 2nd Edition, 1997.Computer Music by Charles Dodge & T. Jerse, Schirmer Books, 2nd Edition, The Computer Music Tutorial by Curtis RoadsThe Computer Music Tutorial by Curtis Roads Cooking with Csound Part 1: Woodwind and Brass Recipes by Andrew Horner and Lydia Ayers, A-R Editions, 2002Cooking with Csound Part 1: Woodwind and Brass Recipes by Andrew Horner and Lydia Ayers, A-R Editions, 2002

Computer Music An interdisciplinary field including –Music –Computer Science –Electrical Engineering (signal processing) –Physics (musical acoustics) –Psychology (psychoacoustics, music perception)

Computer Music Areas (possible Projects & Presentations) Signal Processing –Sound Analysis and Resynthesis –Physical Modeling of Musical Instruments –Musical Effects –3D Spatialization –Audio Coding and Compression –Audio Signal Separation –Music Signal Pitch Detection AI –Machine Recognition of Audio and Music –Musical Instrument Recognition –Music Perception and Cognition –Psychoacoustics –AI and Music

Computer Music Areas (possible Projects & Presentations) Software –Music Visualization –Music Composition Systems and Tools –Music Programming Languages –Algorithmic Composition –Music Notation and Printing –Music on the Internet –Music in Computer Games –Sound Effects in Computer Games –Computer Music and Digital Art Database –Music Information Retrieval –Musical Informatics –Music Databases

Computer Music Areas (possible Projects & Presentations) Computer Engineering –Audio Hardware –Music Performance Interfaces (new musical instruments) –Interactive Performance Systems –Real Time Performance Systems –Music Workstations –Soundcards –Music Synthesizers –Music and Audio on Mobile Phones –Wireless Audio Systems –Music Networks –MIDI

Computer Music Areas (possible Projects & Presentations) Theory/Science –Music Data Structures and Representation –Musical Tuning and Intonation –Music Grammars –Musical Acoustics –Acoustics of Musical Instruments and the Voice You are welcome to propose your own topic that includes music and technology

Who Makes Computer Music? The 4-person model for computer music: 1. RESEARCHER/ PROGRAMMER COMPUTER 2. COMPOSER 4. LISTENER SCORE MUSIC 3. PERFORMER

Brief Overview of Computer Music History

Computer Music History Pre-history –Harmonium (1900) –Electric organ –Musak (background music in shops) 1930’s –Ondes Martenot –Theremin

Computer Music History Ondes Martenot –An early electroacoustic instrument developed by Maurice Martenot –Includes: 2 oscillators 3 loudspeakers An oscillating Chinese gong A spring reverb unit and sympathetic strings) A small keyboard which provides vibrato and a wide range of sliding tones. –[6] Example: Olivier Messaien, Oraison (1937)

Computer Music History Theremin Theremin Real-time instrumentReal-time instrument Radio antennas used to control pitch and amplitudeRadio antennas used to control pitch and amplitude Difficult to control, but sounded voice- like in the hands of an expertDifficult to control, but sounded voice- like in the hands of an expert

Computer Music History 1940’s WWII –Tape recorder –Computers –Radio 1950’s –RCA Synthesizer –Speech processing Bell Labs LPC

Soundtrack to Forbidden Planet Soundtrack to Forbidden Planet by Louis and Bebe Barron Computer Music History

1960’s Analog Synthesizers –Arp 2500 & 2600 –Famous pop musicians started using synthesizers Who Emerson, Lake, Power - ELP –Monophonic 1970’s Fancier Analog Synthesizers –Moog, Buchla, Korg –Polyphonic [2-3 voices] –Wendy Carlos - Switched On Bach –Software synthesis VAX780 Computer MITStanford

Computer Music History Buchla synthesizer –Manipulate sounds by turning knobs –Synthesizer didn't have memory, so everything had to be recorded on analog tape –It took a long time to set up the patch chords before hearing any sound

Computer Music History 1980’s Digital Synthesizer –Yamaha DX – 7 –FM synthesis –MIDI – communication protocol for synthesizers –Polyphonic [8-16 voices] –Software synthesis –Computers: Macs & PC with soundcards 1990’s Soundcards –Sampling synthesis –Polyphonic [32-64 voices]

Computer Music Now Software synthesis on computers Hardware –Synthesizers –Soundcards –Portable devices CDs, DAT tapes, and minidisks for storing soundfiles Interactive body synthesizers Interactive body synthesizers

What Can a Computer Do? Synthesize sounds –[7] Synthesized sounds can resemble familiar sounds or they can sound artificial Transform one sound into another, such as [8] a horn into an oboeTransform one sound into another, such as [8] a horn into an oboe

What Can a Computer Do? Create the space where sounds move around more easily than human performers –[9] Spatialization of opening bassoon solo in Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring

What Can a Computer Do? [10] Sample sounds pasted on a surface Process sampled sounds using effectsProcess sampled sounds using effects [11] Transposition[11] Transposition [12] Time stretching[12] Time stretching [13] Echo[13] Echo [14] Ring modulation[14] Ring modulation in a musical [15] collage A picture made with materials and objects...A picture made with materials and objects...

Synthesizing Sounds Csound –A computer music language Makes a soundfile by compiling a score and orchestra file The result is large binary file which the computer plays as a "soundfile" –similar to playing a CD –.wav file

Making a Soundfile from Csound

A Simple Csound Orchestra ;simple.orc; name of orchestra ;CODE on left; COMMENTS on right sr=22050; sampling rate kr=2205; control rate ksmps=10; samples/control per. nchnls=1; 1 channel playback instr 1; beginning of instr. iamp=p4; maximum amplitude ifreq=p5; frequency in Hertz iwave=1; use wavetable 1 asigosciliiamp, ifreq, iwave ; generate signal outasig; output signal endin; end of instrument

[16] A Simple Csound Score ;simple.sco- use with simple.orc; name of score ;function table for waveform for sinewave oscillator f ;p1p2p3p4p5 ;startdurampHertz i ; note statement e; end of score

Many Ways to Process Sounds Time stretching –Stretch and compress sounds Make them longer or shorter than their original durations –Requires running a sound analysis program on the sample which may leave the file full of pops and clicks Some files require considerable "clean-up" work Too much fixing may change the sound dramatically, resulting in either a nice feature or a disaster

Many Ways to Process Sounds Controlling timbre (quality of sound) –[19] Leaving the pops and crackling in the stretched sound made a professional singer sound like a witch –[20] Transposing the pitch of a witch up and down produces glottal clicks and chattering sounds

Examples of Instrument Modeling Projects [25] voices — composition program by Chui Lok Sum Rod, Chan Ka Lok Carl and Leung Kin Lung Lone (0:50) [26] voices — Bach, Jesus Bleibet Meine Freude — class project by Chan Yu Hong, Yeung Kwun and Chow Tsz Ho (2:20) [27] voices — Vivaldi, Laudamus te — class project by Lo Hoi Yee, Janice and Chan Wai Yi (1:30) [28] voices — Palestrina, Sanctus — class project by Leung Chun Fai, Kevin and Wong Chung Ling, Iris (2:03)

Examples of Instrument Modeling Projects [29] French horn — Richard Strauss, Til Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks (:09) [2] French horn — Richard Strauss, Ein Heldenleben (:29) [5] Chinese Dizi — Liuban (:32) Andrew Horner