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21M.383 | Spring 2023 | Undergraduate, Graduate

# Computational Music Theory and Analysis

### Class 3

Asynchronous Material

We will switch back to our first real topic to encourage us to think of ways that we might represent pitch and duration and how our choices of representation affect what sorts of manipulations, queries, or art we might be able to make given our choices. The first task is considering the consequences of pitch not being a fundamental computational structure in any general-purpose programming language.

Video 3a: Introduction to Pitch Representation

Consider some ways you might go about representing pitch. Now let’s go into a little bit more depth on pitch representation through this video on the pros and cons of certain formats and the stakeholders:

Video 3b: Pitch Representation: Pros, Cons, and Stakeholders

Discussion: Describe three ways you might represent pitch for a computer. Give some stakeholders that might be helpful for one and not for others, as well as tradeoffs of one vs. another. Can you—in just ten minutes—come up with one that is perfect?

Some Simple Pitch Representations

### Problem Sets

How Problem Sets Will Work

Problem Set 1: Pitch Representation and Manipulation

## Course Info

##### Instructor

- Prof. Michael Scott Asato Cuthbert

##### Departments

- Music and Theater Arts

##### As Taught In

Spring 2023

##### Level

Undergraduate
Graduate

##### Topics

- Fine Arts
  - Music
    - Music History
    - Music Theory
- Mathematics
  - Computation
  - Mathematical Analysis
  - Probability and Statistics

##### Learning Resource Types

notes Lecture Notes
theaters Lecture Videos
theaters Other Video
assignment Multiple Assignment Types
grading Exams
Editable Files

Browse Resources

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