Please check announcements in class and on Piazza/Canvas 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 17 – Introduction to Nyquist and SAL (1.3-1.9)
Project 0 (Setup) – due Wednesday, January 18 by 11:59PM Eastern
Thursday, January 19 – Principles of Sound and Sampling, Intro to Audacity (1.1-1.2)
Project 1 (Audacity and Nyquist) – due Monday, January 23 by 11:59PM Eastern
Week 2: Basics of Synthesis
Tuesday, January 24 – Unit Generators, Piece-wise Functions (2.1-2.5)
Thursday, January 26 – Programming Scores (2.6-2.7 , 4.5-4.8)
Week 3: Sampling Theory
Tuesday, January 31 – Frequency vs. Time, Fourier Analysis (3.1-3.2)
Thursday, February 2 – Sampling issues: Aliasing, Negative Frequencies, Quantization (3.3-3.7)
Project 2 (Envelopes) due Monday, February 6 by 11:59PM Eastern
Week 4: Synthesis by Modulation, Spectral Analysis
Tuesday, February 7 – Amplitude and Frequency Modulation (3.8-3.9, 4.1-4.3)
Thursday, February 9 – Behaviors, FFT, Spectral Centroid (4.4-4.9, 5.1-5.2)
Week 5: Intro to Algorithmic Composition
Tuesday, February 14 – Patterns, Algorithmic Composition (5.3-5.7)
Thursday, February 16 – EXAM 1
Project 3 (FM Synthesis, Spectral Centroid) due Monday, February 20 by 11:59PM Eastern
Week 6: Granular Synthesis, Sampling
Tuesday, February 21 – Mastering Nyquist, Granular Synthesis (6.1-6.2)
Thursday, February 23 – Sampling Techniques (7.1)
Week 7: Filters, Spectral Processing
Tuesday, February 28 – Filters (7.2)
Thursday, March 2 – FFT Analysis and Reconstruction, Spectral Modeling (8.1-8.2)
Project 4 (Granular Synthesis) due Monday, March 13 by 11:59PM Eastern (Note: first day back after Spring Break)
SPRING BREAK (no classes): Monday, March 6 – Friday, March 10
Week 8: Vocal and Spectral Models
Tuesday, March 14 – Source-Filter Models, LPC (9.1-9.2)
Thursday, March 16 – Vocal Synthesis (9.3-9.8)
Week 9: Physical Models
Tuesday, March 21 – Mass-Spring Models, Karplus-Strong Algorithm (11.1-11.3)
Thursday, March 23 – Waveguide and Guitar Models (11.4-11.11)
Project 5 (Sampling, Spectral Processing) due Monday, March 27 by 11:59PM Eastern
Week 10: Acoustics and Perception
Tuesday, March 28 – Acoustics and Perception (10.1-10.2)
Thursday, March 30 – EXAM 2
Week 11: Acoustics and Perceptions (cont’d), Synthesis Techniques
Tuesday, April 4 – Echo, Reverberation and Panning (10.3)
Thursday, April 6 – Advanced Synthesis Techniques (12.1-12.4)
Project 6 (Physical Models) due Monday, April 10 by 11:59PM Eastern
Week 12: Audio Compression
Tuesday, April 11 – Compression Principles, MP3, LPC (13.1-13.5)
Thursday, April 13 – NO CLASS [Spring Carnival]
Week 13: MIDI, Future Directions in Computer Music
Tuesday, April 18 – MIDI (13.7)
Thursday, April 20 – Music Processing and Analysis (14.1-14.5)
Project 7 (Computer Music Composition) due Monday, April 24 by 11:59PM Eastern (NO LATE DAYS ALLOWED)
Week 14: Project Presentations
Tuesday, April 25 – Guest Lecture (TBA)
Thursday, April 27 – 15-622 Project Presentations
Friday, April 28 – 15-322/622 Concert (Afternoon/Evening Sessions)* – special class meeting – Times TBA
Week 15
Monday, May 8, 8:30AM – FINAL EXAM (90 minutes)
(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. Early final exams will not be accommodated. Planning for travel on May 10 or later should be safe to do since finals will be done by May 9th.)