General Points re: EAMT 203 Tutorial Outline My Consult the class web page for documents, assignment explanations, course notes, and other info pertaining to the EAMT 203 tutorials: The tutorial schedule as well as portfolio guidelines are already posted there, and the Powerpoint presentations I use in class will soon be as well. Help is given in tutorials for two major assignments in the lecture portion of the course Listening assignment Concert report assignment These assignments are marked by the lecture professor For the tutorial grade, participation in the form of in-class playing & discussion of work and in-class presentations is vital, as is attendance.

Technical / Software Dimension of EAMT 203 Acknowledge that experience in sound editing & sound montage software is more and more common No particular software editor, sequencer, etc. is therefore absolutely required in the course HOWEVER, for those who do not have access to their own audio editing & montage software, and to facilitate communication between students & professor in composition techniques workshops, basic instruction is given in Peak and Soundmaker (advanced audio editor-processors) as well as Deck (audio montage editor) to provide useful & necessary tools for composition and consultations (Weeks 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 and 9 in MacLab). Who has laptops with audio software? Please bring them to the techniques labs, along with headphones. Technical assistance is available all year on an ad hoc basis from the Music Department’s studio assistant, Colin de la Plante. Contact him to set up a time, preferably in small groups, at: [Review syllabus]

20kHz 5kHz 1kHz 500Hz 200Hz 20Hz 10kHz Sonogram height shows frequency of spectral elements: Sonogram colors show intensity of spectral elements: SoftestLoudest Sonogram L-R axis shows time placement of spectral elements: Musical example: excerpts from Debussy, Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune Spectrum 1 Analysis: sonogram/spectrograms

Sonogram colors show intensity of spectral elements: SoftestLoudest EA example Spectrum analysis (sonogram/spectrograms) 20kHz 5kHz 1kHz 500Hz 200Hz 20Hz 10kHz 2

Everyone should have their own (or have access to) Sonogram/Spectrogram software: FREE option: Sonic Visualizer (cross-platform; download from Spectrum analysis (sonogram/spectrograms)

Everyone must have their own (or have access to) Sonogram/Spectrogram software: FREE option: Sonic Visualizer (cross-platform; download from sonicvisualizer.com Small learning curve - only learn necessary commands / menus, e.g.: Spectrum analysis (sonogram/spectrograms) Other options: - [MAC] Amadeus II or Amadeus PRO -includes audio editor (PRO is multitrack) as well as sonogram analysis; as little as $30 U.S. -[PC] several shareware, freeware and inexpensive possibilities; -input search words ‘spectral analysis software’ or ‘spectrogram software’

The vertical axis of an oscillogram represents the amplitude or force of the pressure wave Lower amplitude (softer) parts of the sound Higher amplitude (louder) parts of the sound The horizontal axis of an oscillogram represents the timeline over which the pressure wave plays out (Beginning / earlier part of sound)(End / later part of sound) Amplitude and loudness

In amplitude terms, around -1 dB In amplitude terms, around -12 dB In terms of loudness, difference sounds a bit less dramatic Musical example: excerpts from Ravel, Boléro 3 EA example: 4

Certain sounds, like the notes produced by musical instruments, have what is referred to as pitch Pitches are more neatly organized compared to other sounds, consisting of stable frequencies that reinforce one another because of being mathematically related in a simple way. Again, a zoomed-out oscillogram does not tell us whether a sound is pitched or unpitched: Sound A Sound B All we know is that the first sound has sharp attack, and then a consistent decay… …and that the second sound has several peaks before decaying Frequency - pitched & unpitched sounds

But a look at the sonograms for the two sounds immediately reveals which is a stable, organized pitch, and which isn’t: Sonogram A:Sonogram B: Fundamental frequency Harmonic multiples of the fundamental Thick clusters of partials not reinforcing any particular frequency Frequency - pitched & unpitched sounds