Courses at the Eastman Computer Music Center

Our philosophy at Eastman is that computer music is not a distinct discipline unto itself. Rather, we believe that computer applications in music are by nature interdisciplinary, and can extend the capabilities of musicians in many areas and in many (sometimes unforseen) ways. Thus, we do not offer a separate degree major in digital audio technology. Instead, the School seeks to attract students of outstanding potential and achievement in compositional, performance, scholarly and pedagogical areas, and to encourage students within all of these areas to apply and share their talents within the introductory through advanced level instructional, creative and technical resources offered by the Center and by other computer-based facilities within the School and the University. Current course and degree requirement offerings supported by the Center are listed below. In addition to this listing, additional, related course offerings and facilities are provided by the Eastman JCM (Jazz and Contemporary Media) department, the Technology and Music Production (TMP) department, and the Music Technology Lab administered by the Music Theory Department.

Current Course Offerings

(2 semesters, 4 credit hours) Principles of digital (and analog) recording, editing, signal processing (sound manipulation), sound analysis, multi-tracking, mixing, synchronization and mastering; sound synthesis techniques; hardware and software synthesizer and sampler design; fundamentals of MIDI; MIDI and audio sequencing; interactive MIDI performance and compositional techniques; performance interfaces; music notation software; the repertoire of computer and electronic music. Class lecture/demonstrations are supplemented by weekly labs and culminate in student projects.

• Syllabus for CMP 225, (semester I), Fall 2008, Previous semester
• Syllabus for CMP 226, (semester II), Spring 2009, Current semester

(2 semesters, 4 credit hours) An intensive survey of advanced software-based techniques of digital recording, editing, synthesis, analysis and resynthesis, signal processing, mixing, spatial localization, ambience and movement, and current developments in the field. Class lecture/demonstrations are supplemented by weekly labs and culminate in student compositional projects. Pre-requisite: CMP 225-6 or equivalent.

• Syllabus for CMP 421, (semester I), Fall 2008, Previous semester
• Syllabus for CMP 422, (semester II), Spring 2009, Current semester

This seminar-level course, offered in alternate years, is co-sponsored and administered by the Eastman Computer Music Center, the School of Film and Animation of the Rochester Institute of Technology, and the Graduate Department of Dance at SUNY Brockport.

Lecture/demonstrations held alternately at all three schools during the first six weeks of the course are designed to provide all students with a practical working knowledge of current and experimental performance and production techniques in film and video, contemporary art music, dance and related arts. Lecture topics additionally include technical and aesthetic issues involved in combinations or these artistic media, and a critical survey of selected innovative multimedia works. During the second half of the course, students work jointly and individually, under faculty advisement, on creative or research projects involving combinations of image, movement and sound.

Additional areas of study supported by the Center

(2-4 credit hours) Experienced users wishing to pursue special topics or projects in computer music applications can register during any semester for directed independent study under the supervision of the director of the Center or of another Eastman or University of Rochester faculty member. Registration is subject to approval by the director of the Center and by the student's departmental chair or faculty.

Beyond their work in the introductory (225-6) and/or advanced (421-2) courses listed above, many composition majors continue to employ the resources of the Center within advanced compositional work supervised by members of the Eastman Composition Department faculty.

The Eastman PhD degree requires proficiency in two foreign languages. An option available to composition PhD majors, however, is to substitute a programming or research project in some aspect of computer music resources, under the supervision of the director of the Center or of another faculty member, for the second language requirement.

Many Masters and Doctoral degree theses undertaken by composition majors and by students from various other departments employ the resources of the Center.