MUC7447
Advanced Seminar in Electroacoustic Music

Syllabus - Fall 2005 (preliminary)


Composition and research in advanced topics in computer music.

Required Text:

    (available online via numerous vendors)
    N/A
Material Required:
    (n) recording media for projects
    (1) BS2sx Starter Kit with Board of Education Stock#: 27206 - parallax.com (check with Dr. Sain first - we'll discuss in class)
    (1) Quality soldering iron
    (n) misc. parts for building of sensors (resistors, potentiometers, leds, bend sensors, etc.) - check locally at Radio Shack and Electronics Plus (near Kash'n'Karry on SW 34th Street)

Optional Required:
    (1)Plastic fishing tackle box for your "stuff" (Wal-Mart "Plano" brand is one such tackle box, get size to your needs and desire to carry around)
    (1)Keyspan Serial-USB adaptor (see below - if you need one)

Grading:
    20% Class Participation (see Remember #4)
    20% Listening Presentations
    30% mini projects/compositions
    30% Final Project

Office: Office 304/Lab 147/Studio 340
Office Phone No.: 392-0223 ext.240
Office Hours: see schedule
Contact: Dr. James Paul Sain [email]
Graduate Assistant: Tim Reed [email]
Graduate Assistant: Joo Won Park [email]
Listserv (closed): ufemu-l@lists.ufl.edu

Policies:

1) All listening assignments are selections from the Music Library Listening Area; please plan your time accordingly. A lack of planning on your part does not necessarily constitute an emergency on the part of the library support staff.

2) All exams are comprehensive.

3) Late work is not accepted.

4) Attendance is required at all classes. Should a class be missed, it is the student's responsibility to see the lecture notes from the missed class are obtained from a classmate and any work assigned completed by their return (a class list will be supplied to help facilitate this policy). After three (3) class absences your grade will be lowered one grade increment for each absence after three (ie A to B+, or C to D+). Your grade will be lowered one grade increment for each Unbalanced Connection concert missed.

5) The Electroacoustic Music Studio will be reserved at a posted time for use by each electroacoustic music student. Additional time is possible by sign-up every two weeks. Each studio user has a five minute grace period after which the studio will revert to open use; the open use time will be available on a first come, first served basis.

6) Sign-in/out is required when using either the lab or studio. You must return the studio to the normal condition after each use or your use privileges will be removed.

7) Plan early for your final project...things have a way of happening at the last minute.

8) The requirements, emphasis, and timing of this course may be changed or adjusted to meet the specific needs of the class as determined by the instructor.

9) All students of The University of Florida are expected to conduct themselves in a reasonable and professional manner at all times as described in the Student Honor Code; please refer to The Code for specifics.

10) UF Software Coppyright Policy (12 May 1994): All faculty, staff and students of the University of Florida are required and expected to obey the laws and legal agreements governing software use. Failure to do so can lead to monetary damages and/or criminal penalties for the individual violator. Because such violations are also against the University policies and rules, disciplinary action will be taken as appropriate.

11) UF Counseling Services - Resources are available on-campus for students having personal problems or lacking clear career and academic goals which interfere with their academic performance.

    These resources include:
    1.University Counseling Center, 301 Peabody Hall, 392-1575, personal and career counseling;
    2.Student Mental Health, Student Health Care Center, 392-1171, personal counseling;
    3.Sexual Assault Recovery Services (SARS), Student Health Care Center, 392-1161, sexual assault counseling;
    4.Career Resource Center, Reitz Union, 392-1601, career development assistance and counseling.

12) Students requesting classroom accommodation must first register with the Dean of Students Office in Peabody Hall. The Dean of Students Office will provide documentation to the student who must then provide this documentation to the Instructor when requesting accommodation.

13) My office door is always open; please feel free to drop by to discuss class issues as the need arises.

    Grading Scale:

      A100-94%
      A-93-90%
      B+89-87%
      B86-83%
      B-82-80%
      C+79-77%
      C76-73%
      C-72-70%
      D+69-67%
      D66-63%
      D-62-60%
      E59-0%

Assignments

(look here for assignment handouts as the semester progresses)

Course Outline

    Week 1
    • No Class - Classes started on Wed.

    Week 2

    • Getting Started

    Week 3

    • Lemur Introduction

      Lemur: Manual, Caution, Network & Software Install (download below)
      BASIC Stamp Syntax and Reference Manual: Preface, Introduction, Quick Start, pp. 5-32

    Week 4

      Week Off - Sain at Nong festival in Seoul, Korea

    Week 5

      Lemur:
      BASIC Stamp Syntax and Reference Manual: Using The Basic Stamp Editor, pp. 33-78

    Listening Presentation 1

    Week 6

    mini project/composition 1

    Friday, Sept. 30, 2005 Unbalanced Connection 32, MUB 120 at 7:30 p.m.

    Week 7

      Lemur:
      BASIC Stamp Syntax and Reference Manual:

    Week 8

      Lemur:
      BASIC Stamp Syntax and Reference Manual:

    Week 9

      Guest Lecture - Sain presenting concerts and lectures throughout the United Kingdom

    Week 10

      Guest Lecture - Sain presenting concerts and lectures throughout the United Kingdom

    Friday, Oct. 28, 2005 Unbalanced Connection 33, MUB 120 at 7:30 p.m.

    mini project/composition 2

    Week 11

    • Tea Box Introduction

      Tea Box Manual:
      BASIC Stamp Syntax and Reference Manual:

    Listening Presentation 2

    Appointments for discussion of final project

    Week 12

      Tea Box Manual:
      BASIC Stamp Syntax and Reference Manual:

    Outline for final project due

    Week 13

      Tea Box Manual:
      BASIC Stamp Syntax and Reference Manual:

    microcomposition 3

    Friday, Nov. 18, 2005 Unbalanced Connection 34 - "SEAMUS Electroacoustic Music Month Event," MUB 120 at 7:30 p.m.

    Week 14

      Tea Box Manual:
      BASIC Stamp Syntax and Reference Manual:

    Week 15

    • Review and individual assistance on finishing touches of final project

        Tea Box Manual:
        BASIC Stamp Syntax and Reference Manual:

    Listening Presentation 3

    Week 16

    • Performance and discussion of final projects

        • Tea Box Manual:
        BASIC Stamp Syntax and Reference Manual:

      Electrotap - Tea Box
    Electrotap, makers of the "Tea box" system
      Other Tea Box Resources

    Listening Presentations: Presentation of assigned listening (can contain review material from CD jacket and other sources as appropriate);grade based on content as well as presentation quality to include handouts, excerpts, and multi-media (PowerPoint, etc.). As in previous semesters, the prose should contain a written critique of compositions on the listening list. These typed reports should contain ample and objective prose describing the works on the listening list demonstrating an understanding of the techniques used to produce the work as well as the aesthetic of the composition. Usually a substantive paragraph, or so, should be sufficient.

    mini projects/compositions: These projects are to be handed in on appropriate media and should be of the highest quality in presentation (CD labels, program notes, program book, biography, and parts/score where applicable).

    UNBALANCED CONNECTION CONCERTS: All students are required to participate in the Unbalanced Connection concerts on Sept. 30, 2005, Friday, Oct. 28, 2005 and Friday, Nov. 18, 2005 (SEAMUS EA Month). Students are encouraged to have compositions presentable for performance on one or more of these concerts. All students will be required to set-up (beginning at 4:30p), attend, and tear-down for each of these concerts. The concerts will be held in MUB 120. Please clear your schedules early to avoid a conflict.

    Final Project: Creative work to demonstrate an understanding and application of the principles and aesthetics discussed and experienced during the course of the semester. All final projects will be considered for performance in the Fifteenth Annual Florida Electroacoustic Music Festival in the spring (April 5-8, 2006). These projects will be retained/archived. Do not hand in your only copy.

    Safety Hints: Always keep several back-up copies of your work on multiple disks; if you have a personal Macintosh you may wish to keep one copy on your personal hard-drive. Do not use the labs'/studio's hard-drives as personal storage devices. All drives are regularly cleaned of all unauthorized software, files, and documents. Do not reorganize any software on the platforms in either the Computer Aided Music Instruction Lab (MUB 147) or the Electroacoustic Music Studio (MUB 340). Please sign in and out each time you use the studio or lab.

    Hearing Safety: It is very important that the student of electroacoustic music be aware of the listening environment in which they are working. The studio environment can, if used improperly, subject the listeners ears to unhealthy sound pressure levels. For more information and links to web sites about hearing health click here .

- last update 17 August 2017 -