Assignments and Projects

This page describes the musical design report assignments and sonic system project, and includes links to samples of student work.

Musical Design Reports

During the term, each student will produce three (3) musical design reports. This report is an original sonic sketch or musical work, lasting from two to five minutes, realized in notation, MIDI, digital audio, or code, and based on approaches, techniques, and/or models presented for each assignment. The sonic submission must be accompanied by written commentary (around 300 words, or about 1 double-spaced page in a 12 point serif font with one inch margins) consisting of at least the following components.

A discussion of personal, musical, and/or aesthetic motivations.
Commentary on how the techniques and/or tools shape and/or control the music versus how intuitive and/or aesthetic choices shape and/or control the music.
An evaluation of the aesthetic quality of the results and a description of how the work might be improved and/or expanded.

For each report, a group of students will be selected to present and discuss their results.

Sample Student Work

Design Report 1 sample: AthenaCL generation and manipulation

Design Report 2 sample: Ethiopian krar-inspired, Markov chain generated

Design Report 3 sample: Cat sounds source, PD generated

Sonic System Project and Presentation

This project includes the creation of an original sonic system that functions as either a generative instrument with or without a performance interface or as a static or dynamic musical work employing techniques and/or tools of algorithmic composition. This project can be created with mechanical and/or acoustic tools, electrical circuits, creative extensions of conventional musical instruments and processors, or original software designs in any language or system. Students will present and demonstrate their system to the class and provide a written report describing their approach.

The project report is a written assignment (around 800 words, or about 3 double-spaced pages excluding citations and bibliography in a 12 point serif font with one inch margins) consisting of at least the following components.

A discussion of personal, musical, and/or aesthetic motivations.
An analysis of the system’s main components, interface, and/or sound production techniques.
Comparisons to related historical or contemporary music technologies.
An evaluation of the aesthetic quality of the results and a description of how the system might be improved and/or expanded.

Students must prepare and deliver a ten minute aural presentation on their sonic system. The presentation should include main points from the project report. Additionally, students must demonstrate the sonic possibilities of the system, treated in isolation and/or in the context of other sound sources and/or music.

Two weeks prior to the project’s final due date, students must bring to class and submit a working prototype or minimal implementation of their sonic system, and be prepared to demonstrate and discuss their goals and plans as they approach completion.