Humanities

MUSI2094 Introduction to Music Technology

This module discusses the fundamentals of Music technology– analogue and digital audio, MIDI, system components (sequencers, digital audio workstations, synthesizers, samplers, processors, etc); chronological review of electronic music and audio technology; practical MIDI sequencing.

Co-ordinator:  Dr Andy Fisher

Module Details

Title: Introduction to Music Technology
Code: MUSI2094
Year: 2
Semester: 1

CATS points: 15 ECTS points: 7.5
Level: Undergraduate
Co-ordinator(s):

Pre-requisites and / or co-requisites

There is a quota of 40 places on this module. If the module oversubscribes there will be a ballot to allocate places.
This course is the pre-requisite module for MUSI 2015 Studio Techniques 1

To introduce students to the fundamentals of electronic music technologies; to enable students to gain an understanding of the historical development of electronic music technology; to enable students to gain practical experience of music composition and editing software.

This module has a mixtue of a basic theoretical and practical basis. Students begin covering the basic theoretical issues and historical trends before moving on to cover more practical elements, such as MIDI and Logic.

Study time allocation

Contact hours: 2
Private study hours: 10
Total study time: 12 hours

Teaching and learning methods

One two-hour lecture-demonstration per week; towards the end of the course there are practical sessions in the Music computer cluster.

Resources and reading list

  • John M Eargle, Music, sound, and technology
  • Martin Russ, Sound synthesis and sampling
  • Francis Rumsey, Sound and recording : an introduction
  • Students who are thinking of studying music technology might also look at recent issues of various magazines in the field, including Computer Music, Mix, and Sound on Sound. The last-named of these also has an internet archive, which includes important articles from back issues.

Assessment methods

  • One written assignment (25%)
  • One exam (25%)
  • One MIDI sequencing assignment (50%)