Postgraduate Programme and Module Handbook 2022-2023 (archived)

Module MUSI43815: Computer Music

Department: Music

MUSI43815: Computer Music

Type	Open	Level	4	Credits	15	Availability	Available in 2022/23

Prerequisites

None

Corequisites

None

Excluded Combination of Modules

None

Aims

To instil a critical understanding of the history and the current research frontier of computer music
To develop programming skills particular to computer music tasks through a series of practical workshops
To inculcate contextually aware evaluation of students’ own research projects

Content

This module treats the exciting and rapidly developing field of computer music, engaging with the research frontier, from new creative music systems to music information retrieval. Learning contexts may include live computer music, interactive music software, sound synthesis, audio analysis, audio FX, network and online music, algorithmic music, music AI, and computational corpus studies. Research in historical computer music will inform treatment of present day creative computing and data science topics. Students will develop computer music programming skills across a range of platforms, such as SuperCollider, javascript Web Audio API, and python, with a view to a final programming led project engaging with the research frontier.

Learning Outcomes

Subject-specific Knowledge:

Familiarity with a range of theories and techniques in computer music, as well as the perspective and critical understanding required to apply them to an individual project
Knowledge of historical and contemporary computer music repertoire and research

Subject-specific Skills:

Students will develop computer music programming skills and their awareness of the potential of music software
Advanced competence in engaging with musical materials in digital formats (e.g. audio recordings, musical programming code, music data representations)
Ability to run corpus based studies in computer music, treating larger databases of audio recordings or other music data files
Compositional skill in computer music will be developed in line with students’ own particular project needs, where this may include aspects of generative and interactive music
An advanced ability to engage critically with theories and methodologies pertinent to the academic study of computer music

Key Skills:

The module will facilitate development of those techniques most appropriate for the articulation of each student's project idea
Through programming workshops and an independent research project students will develop transferable research skills

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

Lectures will demonstrate the conceptual and theoretical foundations of computer music, and outline the contemporary research frontier
Workshops provide chance to develop practical programming skills in particular computer music case studies relating to lecture content.
Group tutorials push students to plan for their individual projects with peer and module leader discussion and feedback
Weekly drop-in surgery hours give students the chance to pose personalized questions on both theory and practice.
The summative assignment project is designed to test engagement with the computer music research frontier through a contextual critical commentary and associated program code

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Activity	Number	Frequency	Duration	Total/Hours
Lecture	8	2 per week (term 2, weeks 16-19)	1 hour	8
Workshops	8	2 per week (term 2, weeks 16-19)	2 hours	16
Group tutorials	2	Twice (term 2, week 17 & 19)	1 hour	2
Surgeries	4	1 per week (term 2, weeks 16-19)	1	4
Reading/preparation				120
TOTAL				150

Summative Assessment

Component: Project		Component Weighting: 100%
Element	Length / duration	Element Weighting	Resit Opportunity
Computer music program with critical commentary (and documented output when appropriate)	The program must demonstrate capability at engaging with computer music research (no set size can be specified); commentary of 1500 words; documentation of the operation of the program can also be submitted based on project (e.g. audio recording(s), webpage, video of app or novel interface). Note: these elements are evaluated holistically.	100%

Formative Assessment:

The module handbook will outline a series of weekly readings and set listening, which will inform discussion and set formative practicals in the workshops.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University