Students select 5 modules from the following list of options. Each module is worth 5 credits. Students must also complete a preliminary research phase for the Semester 2 research project = 5 credits.
Courses must have a minimum of 5 students to continue. Courses will be discontinued if this requirement is not met.
** This subject is strongly recommended for those wishing to take Composition for Mixed Media.
The aim of this course is to expand upon the composition skills studied in year one, focusing on both practical and artistic concerns within the field of contemporary music. Importance is placed on such issues as sound design, aesthetics and compositional approaches. These are supplemented by examples using scores and recordings pertaining to the issues raised in class. A number of concepts are given particular attention such as the use of spatialisation, gestural content, pitch content and approaches to the contact between electronic and acoustic areas. Additional skills in scoring for electroacoustic works are investigated, various practical approaches to electronic music in a live context are considered, and the creation of realisation tracks are explored.
This subject seeks to engage students with Composition for new media, exploiting a variety of technological tools. It features discussions, with examples, on concepts and issues native to new media, e.g. taste, new structures made possible by emerging technology; questions of cultural musical hierarchies attached to harmony and rhythm in 'high art' and 'popular culture' etc.
This module builds on the introductory course from the Diploma year with a focus on more sophisticated implementations of signal processing concepts for installation and performance situations. A significant practical aspect uses the Arduino development kit and the Processing IDE to realise an audiovisual environment suitable for creative artistic purposes.
This subject assumes fluency in the Max/MSP environment and is an extension of the course taught in the diploma year. The objective of the programme od topics introduced is to introduce students to techniques and ideas using Max/MSP across a variety of disciplines, including MIDI problem solving, synthesis and instrument design, signal processing, creating reactive graphics, working with and building VST plugins, building stand-alone software applications.
The goal of this course is to examine aspects relating to the philosophy of music, and the current thrust of psychoacoustics and cognitive science as they relate to music. A number of seminal texts relating to music, mind and meaning are analysed and a critical survey of current music cognition contributions is provided. Aesthetic theory as evidenced in the visual arts – paint, film and photographic - is examined and comparisons are drawn with musical aesthetic contributions in the context of the goals of cognitive science.
This course builds upon the skills developed at Diploma level, improving aural awareness, musicianship and theoretical knowledge through practical music exercises. Particular emphasis is placed upon memorisation, part-singing and stylistic knowledge.
This subject seeks to encourage the integration of cinematic, video and music aesthetics, and to enable participants to come to a greater awareness of filmmaking principles (camera, lighting, sound design, music, effects and keying) through analysis of works from a wide number of genres and techniques. The course focuses on the common areas between cinematic, video filmmaking techniques and music language. These common areas have been defined as themes that can be explored and examined with both cinematic filmmaking techniques and music.
The course will aim to advance the student's knowledge of audio theory, production skills and sound engineering. Lectures deal with more complex areas of sound reproduction and related aesthetics through a technical syllabus.
There will be an emphasis on practical work through the module.
Topics include:
Stereo microphone techniques
Room acoustics and measurement techniques for Sound engineers Studio optimization for mixing and mastering Live sound system design and engineering
The aim of this course is to give the student a complete understanding of all relevant aspects of current spatial audio technology, with a particular emphasis on surround sound recording and reproduction. This course allows future audio engineers/composers to clearly determine which spatialization schemes and techniques work best for a given application and environment, as well as motivating further innovation and artistic in the field.
By the end of the course, the student will have a thorough knowledge of all relevant spatial audio systems including: spatial audio psychoacoustics; surround sound recording techniques; mixing and mastering for Dolby and DTS discrete; spatial audio production in Cubase and Reaper; Ambisonics; binaural recording and reproduction; spatial impulse response rendering; wave field synthesis theory and applications.
Last updated: Sep 09 2011