EMUSIC-L Digest Volume 53, Issue 05 This issue's topics: Computer Music Grad. Programs (4 messages) Only for McGill and U of Mich students quad n texts (was something completely different) Teachers (2 messages) U/M plug Your EMUSIC-L Digest moderator is Joe McMahon . You may subscribe to EMUSIC-L by sending mail to listserv@american.edu with the line "SUB EMUSIC-L your name" as the text. The EMUSIC-L archive is a service of SunSite (sunsite.unc.edu) at the University of North Carolina. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Date: Sun, 20 Jun 1993 13:41:56 -0600 From: Mike Bishop Subject: Re: Computer Music Grad. Programs tim, You might check out CCRMA (Stanford's program). I would be surprised if they did not have a degree at the graduate level. It is the home of John Chowning, the inventor of FM synthesis. I don't know if it is more musically oriented or technically oriented but I have visited and it looks more technically. I am sorry, but I am short on details. Hope it helps, -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Michael Bishop | "If you have an apple and I have an apple and | | | we exchange these apples, then you and I will | | mbishop@linfield.edu | still each have one apple. But if you have an | | | idea and I have an idea and we exchange these | | Linfield College | ideas, then each of us will have two ideas." | | McMinnville Oregon | - attributed to George Bernard Shaw | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- On Sun, 20 Jun 1993, TIM wrote: > Dear Readers, > > I am requesting help in my search for the perfect graduate program in > computer music. > > Here's my situation. Presently I am a undergraduate Computer Science major > at DePauw University. While I have a strong interest in music as a hobby, > I have little formal training in this area. I enjoy 4-track recording my own > compositions (guitars and keyboards). > > In my research of computer-music graduate programs, I have only found programs > which require applicants to have a music degree. However, I am looking for a > program that would be suitable for a Computer Science graduate. > > Does anyone know of such a program? > > Thanks. Tim Harrison > HARRISON@DEPAUW.BITNET ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 20 Jun 1993 15:36:28 -0500 From: TIM Subject: Computer Music Grad. Programs Dear Readers, I am requesting help in my search for the perfect graduate program in computer music. Here's my situation. Presently I am a undergraduate Computer Science major at DePauw University. While I have a strong interest in music as a hobby, I have little formal training in this area. I enjoy 4-track recording my own compositions (guitars and keyboards). In my research of computer-music graduate programs, I have only found programs which require applicants to have a music degree. However, I am looking for a program that would be suitable for a Computer Science graduate. Does anyone know of such a program? Thanks. Tim Harrison HARRISON@DEPAUW.BITNET ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 21 Jun 1993 09:06:47 -0400 From: idealord Subject: Re: Computer Music Grad. Programs > > Dear Readers, > > I am requesting help in my search for the perfect graduate program in > computer music. > > Here's my situation. Presently I am a undergraduate Computer Science major > at DePauw University. While I have a strong interest in music as a hobby, > I have little formal training in this area. I enjoy 4-track recording my own > compositions (guitars and keyboards). > > In my research of computer-music graduate programs, I have only found programs > which require applicants to have a music degree. However, I am looking for a > program that would be suitable for a Computer Science graduate. > > Does anyone know of such a program? > > Thanks. Tim Harrison > HARRISON@DEPAUW.BITNET > Good Luck! I doubt if there exists such a program. Maybe you should look at DSP intensive schools - get into an engineering department - NOT!!! All the computer music departments I know about are for composers - musicians - not for the new class of musically illiterate MIDI hobbyists. Not trying to be dissonant (I save that for my music) just honest. Maybe you should go to a trade school - like those schools advertised in the back of EM - NOT!!!. You should ask yourself - what kind of role in the computer music world do I want to play? If you want to be a programmer for OpCode - Stanford, MIT, heavy computer/science schools should be your top choice. If you want to be a composer, UM Ann Arbor; a real music school with a strong computer music department should be considered. Sometimes grad schools will let you make up your missing requirements while you attend graduate level courses. You've got to make up your mind about music in general - is it a hobby or is it my main reason for being. If it's a hobby continue your computer science degrees so you can get a real job. There are a zillion Stanford/Mills graduates all fighting for a few crummy MIDI programming jobs or teaching jobs. Support yourself programming so you can pursue your hobby in style! The computer music world is never going to be big enough to support all the graduates these schools are putting out. And there are a zillion people who want to get into the pop/computer music world who will never make it, of course, too; not enough jobs... Talk to the grad students where you're considering going. Don't believe the brochures, the hype. Schools which were strong until very recently, Mills, for example, have been gutted recently by staff turnover and are now approaching lameness. The grad department won't tell you this. Hope this helps - all IMHO of course... Jeff Harrington idealord@dorsai.dorsai.org ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 21 Jun 1993 08:59:00 EST From: Robert Depin Subject: Computer Music Grad. Programs >In my research of computer-music graduate programs, I have only found programs >which require applicants to have a music degree. However, I am looking for a >program that would be suitable for a Computer Science graduate. >Does anyone know of such a program? Tim, You might want to look into MIT, they offer a PhD. in media sciences with I believe a concentration in computer Music. I don't know what the under- gradute requirement is however. On the other hand, I'm pretty sure that Stan- fords CCRMA facility is/or was part of the music department, but again, I'm unaware of the undergradute requirements. Bob ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 6 Jun 1993 11:46:45 -0600 From: Mike Bishop Subject: Only for McGill and U of Mich students Hello people, I have been offered admission to both the University of Michigan and McGill university. I would be in the Music Technology program or the Honours in Computer applications program (respectively) and I wanted some input on either of the two programs. My dilemma is, Michigan is *very* expensive and McGill is reasonably priced. My main concern though, is which offers the program more suited to me? As a career, I would like to program MIDI software for the Macintosh and I would like to experiment with Digital Signal Processing and analysis. All this and composing on the side. At this point, the prgram that I am looking for is more technical oriented than musically oriented. Please assist me if you can. I have one week to decide so now is the time to show your school spirit. Any information would be helpful (faculty, *equipment*, Focus of program, size of program, etc...) Thanks *very* much, Mike Bishop mbishop@linfield.edu ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 7 Jun 1993 09:27:11 EDT From: ronin Subject: quad n texts (was something completely different) speaking of which, a brief note... oh, but before i mention that, let me just ask... what texts did/do you use in emusic classes? i brought up alan strange cuz it's the one i've been using for years, and just haven't been able to find anything else with that depth of application. is there anything i should know about? but just that brief note... a student of mine recently performed a mix using the qsound system, and i must say it is astonishing. he didn't warn me about it, and just played the tape for the class. i was sitting in the studio's sweet spot and all of a sudden, seemingly for no reason at all, i was hearing things behind me. when you're in what you know is a stereo environment, this can be completely disorienting, and even continues to be fun once you've gotten used to it. even more impressive was that all the other listeners in the room said they perceived the effect as well, even in poor listening positions, which is pretty remarkable considering the lousy acoustics of our control room. actually, i've got a question about this system as well, just in case anyone here knows anything about it... the mix i heard was done entirely through the qsound box. that is, the penultimate stereo signal was passed through it directly before dat. apparently different frequency bands are differentially affected, so it's actually a pretty broad and dynamic sound even when applied to the entire program. the question is whether it can be applied to a sub mix, and survive further diddling. could i for instance play a synth through it, record the 'q-stereo' effect on two tracks of a multitrack deck, play another synth through it and manipulate the location effects differently, recording this new q-stereo effect on two more tracks, then mix the tracks with hard panning and get two lines of sound undergoing independent motion? or would the phasing effects interfere with each other? any ideas? -----------< Cognitive Dissonance is a 20th Century Art Form >----------- Eric Harnden (Ronin) or The American University Physics Dept. 4400 Mass. Ave. NW, Washington, DC, 20016-8058 (202) 885-2748 (with Voice Mail) ---------------------< Join the Cognitive Dissidents >------------------- ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 2 Jun 1993 13:44:39 CET From: Jacek Latanowicz Subject: Re: Teachers On Wed, 26 May 1993 06:52:43 GMT Matt Thallmayer said: >I had an experience with a music teacher that was sort of the inverse >of the situation other people have posted. >My final piece was in three sections. The first was based on a twelve-tone >row. I used the four forms each on it's own track of the 4-track recorder. >I retuned the synth on each track so that none of them were in tune and >played each at a different tempo. The second section was based on the >19 to the octave microtonal scale with an annoying ad lib over an ostinato. >The third part was annoying sound effects over alternating grandmother >and pyramid chords with two or three false endings. I think he quit soon >after. > >Mathias I see you like to do crazy stuff such as retuning sounds. I did the same and came into a conclusion that people are just acustomed to 12 semitone scale. I made some sick tricks like changing 50 cents beetwen keys into 20, 30, etc. After playing for few minutes it didn't seem to be false. Human brain is adjusted to percept tones and their harmonics but it's easy to change them making more crazy. The only problem with other scales is resonance. When there are 2 tones with small difference of frequency they fall into a resonance beetwen them. When I use 'Normal' scale, almost alwys I retune sounds from -20 to +20 cents making music strange and wild. Even doing some normal pieces it's niec to slightly retune sounds so they seem more rich. Jack L. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Jack Latanowicz tel/fax Pl-(0-61) 798-202 ul.Porzeczkowa 27 jack%plpuam11.bitnet@searn.sunet.se 61-306 Poznan P O L A N D "sooner or later everything has it's end..." ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 4 Jun 1993 04:43:10 GMT From: Matt Thallmayer Subject: Re: Teachers Jacek Latanowicz (JACK@PLPUAM11.BITNET) wrote: : On Wed, 26 May 1993 06:52:43 GMT Matt Thallmayer said: : >I had an experience with a music teacher that was sort of the inverse : >of the situation other people have posted. : >My final piece was in three sections. The first was based on a twelve-tone : >row. I used the four forms each on it's own track of the 4-track recorder. : >I retuned the synth on each track so that none of them were in tune and : >played each at a different tempo. The second section was based on the : >19 to the octave microtonal scale with an annoying ad lib over an ostinato. : >The third part was annoying sound effects over alternating grandmother : >and pyramid chords with two or three false endings. I think he quit soon : >after. : > : >Mathias : I see you like to do crazy stuff such as retuning sounds. I did the same : and came into a conclusion that people are just acustomed to 12 semitone : scale. I made some sick tricks like changing 50 cents beetwen keys into 20, : 30, etc. After playing for few minutes it didn't seem to be false. Human : brain is adjusted to percept tones and their harmonics but it's easy to : change them making more crazy. The only problem with other scales is resonance. : When there are 2 tones with small difference of frequency they fall into a : resonance beetwen them. : When I use 'Normal' scale, almost alwys I retune sounds from -20 to +20 : cents making music strange and wild. Even doing some normal pieces it's : niec to slightly retune sounds so they seem more rich. : Jack L. : ------------------------------------------------------------------------ : Jack Latanowicz tel/fax Pl-(0-61) 798-202 : ul.Porzeczkowa 27 jack%plpuam11.bitnet@searn.sunet.se : 61-306 Poznan : P O L A N D "sooner or later everything has it's end..." : ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Are you familiar with Wendy Carlos' "Beauty In The Beast"? On this album of all original compostions she uses artificial tunings called Alpha and Beta, a Super-Just scale she calls the Harmonic scale ("which continues past the 5th harmonic (of just) all the way to the (prime) 19th" and which uses 144 notes per octave), and gamelan and African tunings. When I first heard the album it did seem very strange but now I hardly notice the altered tunings. Also, in an interview (I think it was in Keyboard), she talks about the possibility of using an additive synthesizer to re-arrange the harmonics so that they fall in line with the new tunings. Of course, that would be a tremendous undertaking. Someday, I would love to explore alternative tunings, but, right now, I don't have the time, money or equipment. Mathias ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 7 Jun 1993 12:16:15 -0500 From: "David C. Bloom" Subject: Re: U/M plug > > I have been offered admission to both the University of Michigan > and McGill university. I would be in the Music Technology program or the > Honours in Computer applications program (respectively) and I wanted some > input on either of the two programs. My dilemma is, Michigan is *very* > expensive and McGill is reasonably priced. My main concern though, is > which offers the program more suited to me? Mike__ Congrats on both your acceptances. I can't attest to the value of the McGill letter, but your U/M admission is a terrific opportunity. Yeah, we all groan about tuition, but you get what you pay for. The U/M education is superior in so many respects, I can't begin to fix a price on it. This is especially true if you avail yourself of the breadth of resources U/M offers - unrestricted - to all its students. Me: I studied digital signal processing on my way to getting a U/M BSE, and continued on to get an MSE in systems. I transferred from Oberlin. U/M's EECS program continues to be a leader - I believe it's ranked 6th in the nation, behind the usual suspects [MIT, et al] - and MIT relies on its Boston brethren for a music department. U/M's music technology program was discussed at length in this list several flamewars ago, so I won't dwell on the dwealt-upon. U/M has a superior faculty, excellent labs and resources [equipment, practise rooms, libraries], and it has the singular advantage of being located in Ann Arbor. Grad school doesn't mean you have to postpone your life [unless you're going for a PhD], so location _is_ important - more so than sports, for some [:->]. > As a career, I would like to program MIDI software for the > Macintosh and I would like to experiment with Digital Signal Processing > and analysis. All this and composing on the side. At this point, the > prgram that I am looking for is more technical oriented than musically > oriented. U/M has been a leader in Mac apps since the first Mac was introduced - in a campus ceremony with Jobs, the Woz, et al. MacTCP was written there, along with many other goodies. Since you're a techy, you should dig the campus computing environment, which is rich [several _thousand_ Macs, as many PCs, UNIX maximus, etc.], well-networked [the Internet operations center is located there] and totally available to students. The local music scene is quite diverse. I hear the comp. department's ok. > Please assist me if you can. I have one week to decide so now is > the time to show your school spirit. Any information would be helpful > (faculty, *equipment*, Focus of program, size of program, etc...) Is size important [:->]? I don't know specifics, but most U/M grad programs are small, narrow niches. There were less than twenty in my MSE class. The research opportunities are there for those who are motivated enough to seek them out. Actually, Mike, it all comes down to how motivated you are. If you're interested in pursuing software development and signal processing, yagotta be. So I guess U/M's for you. Hitch up to A2, and I'd be happy to show you around. __David <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> <> david c. bloom <> <> <> open networks engineering, inc. <> "The first false assumption <> <> 777 e. eisenhower pkwy, ste 650 <> that underlies the scheduling <> <> ann arbor, michigan 48108 <> of systems programming <> <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> is that all will go well." <> <> net dcb@one.com <> \ \ <> __Frederick P. Brooks Jr. <> <> vox 313.996.9900 <> 0-0 <> The Mythical Man-Month <> <> fax 313.996.9908 <> . <> <> <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> ------------------------------ End of the EMUSIC-L Digest ******************************