MUS 26 Electronic Music Synthesis

This course investigates sound synthesis, the foundation of electronic music. We will learn

how to create sound through manipulation of the basic building blocks of tone, noise, and filters. Examples are drawn from a wide range of music, from medieval chant and early counterpoint through modern instrumental, vocal, and electronic music. Topics include:sound objects, simple and complex tone oscillators, sequences, motives, sonic transformations. Students will be assigned weekly reading, listening, and sonic composition exercises, using both open source and commercial music production tools.