Resources
Communications
Readings
Software
Learning Resources
Videos
Audio
Other Readings
Assignments for the upcoming class session are posted on the Canvas Assignments page for this class.
Discussion outside of class will take place on the Canvas Discussions page that has been created for this class. The professor will post additional lessons or insights on this page. Students are strongly encouraged to use this page liberally to a) ask questions of the entire class, b) answer questions of others whenever possible, c) post announcements of their recent findings, programs, and insights. Please check this page daily.
There is a class email address, which addresses all registered students and the professor and the TA. You can use this address when you want to provide a message of general interest to the entire class that you need everyone to receive as soon as possible.
Students can make an appointment for additional office hours if needed. Speak with the professor before or after class or contact him by email to schedule a meeting.
The teaching assistant for the class is Jordan Watson. You can consult him for answers to your questions, and for help in understanding concepts presented in class or in the readings. You can reach him by email.
Students are also encouraged to maintain their own website or blog, which is specifically to devoted to this class (i.e., not a general personal site), in order to share resources, insights, and programming work related to this class. Provide a link to that site on your own personal description page, accessible via the People page for this class.
For sharing programming code and other related files, a GitHub site Links to an external site. has been established for this class. Students are encouraged to use this site for file sharing and collaboration, and/or to create and share their own sites.
Algorithmic composition – A collection of essays on algorithmic composition, with sonic, musical, and visual examples in Max, by Christopher Dobrian
Audio file formats Links to an external site. – “Creating AIFF Audio Formatted Files” [and WAVE files] by Paul Bourke
Audio Queue Services Programming Guide Links to an external site. – Apple’s model for audio programming in MacOS and iOS
Computer Music Journal – Professional journal of technical topics in computer music
Core Audio Links to an external site. – Audio programming API for MacOS and iOS
Core Audio APIs Links to an external site. – Audio programming API for Windows
“Cross-Domain Mapping”, Chapter 2 of Conceptualizing Music: Cognitive Structure, Theory, and Analysis, by Lawrence M. Zbikowski, pp. 63-95. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002. [Scroll down to the Table of Contents and click on “Chapter Two Cross-Domain Mapping”.]
David Cope – Website of writings, compositions, and software by computer music composition professor.
Digital Audio – An introduction by Christopher Dobrian
Don Norman Links to an external site. – Expert on user interface design
Event Priority in Max (Scheduler vs. Queue) Links to an external site. – Article by Cycling ’74 programmer Joshua Clayton
The Experience and Perception of Time Links to an external site. – in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Introduction to Digital Filters (with Audio Applications) Links to an external site. – Complete online textbook by Julius O. Smith
Java Documentation Links to an external site. – The official documentation for Java 8 Standard Edition
The Java Tutorials: Sound Links to an external site. – Explanation of how audio and MIDI are handled in Java
Leonardo Journal – Journal of technological and media arts
Leonardo Music Journal – Journal of technological music
Linear interpolation Links to an external site. – Wikipedia entry
Max Documentation Links to an external site. – Web version of the Max Reference Documentation that comes with the Max application
A Method for Computer Characterization of ‘Gesture’ in Musical Improvisation – Description of a computer cognition research project, by Christopher Dobrian
MIDI – An introductory essay by Christopher Dobrian
MIDI file format Links to an external site. – Standard MIDI File (SMF) specification 1.1
MSP Tutorials Links to an external site. – Web version of the MSP Tutorials that come with the Max application
Music and Computers – A Theoretical and Historical Approach Links to an external site. – Online textbook/course by Phil Burk, Larry Polansky, and others
Ocarina: Designing the iPhone’s Magic Flute Links to an external site. – Article by programmer Ge Wang
120 Years of Electronic Music Links to an external site. – An online history
Programming New Realtime DSP Possibilities with MSP – Article by Christopher Dobrian
Reactable – An innovative computer music instrument with a Maxlike interface
Rudiments of Max – Excerpt from an old version of the Max documentation
Sound Waves and Music Links to an external site. – Tutorial on the physics of sound
Start Developing iOS Apps Today Links to an external site. – Apple tutorials on basics of iOS programming
Stevens’ power law Links to an external site. – Wikipedia entry
Strategies for Continuous Pitch and Amplitude Tracking in Realtime Interactive Improvisation Software – Article by Christopher Dobrian
The Theory and Technique of Electronic Music Links to an external site. – Complete online textbook by Miller Puckette
Tutorials on MIDI Links to an external site. – Provided by the MIDI Manufacturers Association
W3C: Web Audio API Links to an external site. – Specification for the Web Audio API
Web Audio API Links to an external site. – Online version of an O'Reilly e-book by Boris Smus
Weber-Fechner law Links to an external site. – Wikipedia entry
Android Developer Tools Links to an external site. – Includes Eclipse, the ADT plugin, and the Android SDK
Audacity Links to an external site. – Free open-source cross-platform audio editing application
ChucK Links to an external site. – A free audio/music programming language optimized for live coding
Csound Links to an external site. – A free programming language for audio and music synthesis
CsoundPad Links to an external site. – A free implementation of Csound for iPad by Jason Timm
Drum Kit Links to an external site. – An online “drumming” program by Ron Winter
Eclipse Links to an external site. – Integrated Development Environment for various programming languages
Gibber Links to an external site. – Web Audio API-based environment for writing music and graphics code in JavaScript
JavaScript – Object-oriented web-based programming language
Max Links to an external site. – Object-based graphical multimedia programming environment
MuLab Links to an external site. – Free open-source cross-platform digital audio workstation application
NetBeans Links to an external site. – A free IDE for Java and other programming languages
Notepad++ Links to an external site. (Windows) – Free text editor with automatic formatting for programming
Ohm Studio Links to an external site. – A free digital audio workstation application for online collaboration
Pd Links to an external site. – PureData open-source object-based audio programming environment similar to Max
PortAudio Links to an external site. – Cross-platform open-source C library for audio I/O programming
REV Links to an external site. – A software instrument that focuses on the use of reversed sound sources
RGB MusicLab – An application that converts image documents into music algorithmically
SuperCollider Links to an external site. – A programming language for realtime audio/music synthesis
SynthPond – An algorithmic composition application for iPhone and iPod Touch
TextWrangler Links to an external site. (Mac OS) – Free text editor with automatic formatting for programming
Web Audio API Links to an external site. – Audio programming in HTML 5
Web Audio Demos Links to an external site. – Collection of Web Apps using the Web Audio API, with source code
Web Audio API Demos Links to an external site. – Another collection of Web Apps using the Web Audio API, with source code
Whitney Music Box – A software realization of phase relationships between geometry, time, and musical tone, by Jim Bumgardner
Xcode Links to an external site. – Swift IDE for Mac OS and iOS programming
App Inventor Links to an external site. – Object-based environment for Android application development
Chrome Music Lab Links to an external site. — Diverse Web Audio apps for music, with some source code
Code Academy Links to an external site. – Beginner course in JavaScript programming
Codelab – A collection of various Max resources
Codelab.fr – Discussion forum of Max for francophones
Computer Music Programming – Examples in Max programming by Christopher Dobrian
Cycling ’74 User Forum – Discussion of Max/MSP/Jitter
EarLevel Engineering – Nigel Redmon posts a blog of well made and comprehensible tutorials on many topics of digital audio
JavaScript Links to an external site. – Reference for the JavaScript language
JavaScript Guide Links to an external site. – Mozilla Developer Network lessons on JavaScript programming
JavaScript Tutorial Links to an external site. – W3Schools lessons on JavaScript programming
Khan Academy Links to an external site. – Online beginner course in JavaScript and Processing programming
Tutorials for Max/MSP/Jitter – Collection of tutorials written by electronic music professor Peter Elsea
Web Audio API Links to an external site. – Audio programming in HTML 5
Akihiko Matsumoto Links to an external site. – Artistic works made in Max by Akihiko Matsumoto
Batchelor Max Tutorials – Tutorial videos on Max by Peter Batchelor
Baz Max/MSP Tutorial – A set of video tutorials demonstrating various audio and video techniques in Max/MSP/Jitter
Bicycle Built for Two
Links to an external site.
– Audio recording of an early example of digital sound synthesis, by Max Mathews
Drum Kit Links to an external site. – A drum sample player programmed in Flash by Ron Winter
Eclipse and Java for Total Beginners Links to an external site. – Free video tutorial in the form of 16 lessons
Fanfare – An interactive musical Flash animation by Aude Picault and realized by Zanorg
Gesture Follower Links to an external site. – Research project by the team on Realtime Musical Interactions at IRCAM
Light Music
– A gestural music/video performance by Thierry De Mey and Jean Geoffroy
MCMMax – Examples of mapping motion capture data directly to musical information by Christopher Dobrian
Rhythmicon Links to an external site. – Demonstration of 1931 electric rhythm generator and some other subsequent rhythm machines
6 pianos – An algorithmic improvisation done in Max/MSP by Maurizio Giri
SLABS (Links to an external site.) – A music controller developed by professor David Wessel at UC Berkeley, which sends multiple streams of signal data from pressure- and location-sensitive touchpads to Max
The Sound of Sorting
Links to an external site. – 15 sorting algorithms visualized and sonified in 6 minutes by Timo Bingmann
Tesla coil music
Links to an external site. – "In the Hall of the Mountain King" played on musical Tesla coils
Theremin
Links to an external site. - Classic performance on one of the first and most extraordinary electronic instruments by its foremost virtuosa, Clara Rockmore
Umezaki video tutorials – Professor Kojiro Umezaki explains certain Max objects on his YouTube channel
Electronic Music Links to an external site. – A sonic history of classic works of electronic music
Electronic Music History in 476 Tracks Links to an external site. – A collection of historical works of electronic music
Freesound.org Links to an external site. – A website providing thousands of royalty-free sound samples
Women Making Electronic Music Links to an external site. – Seven hours of electronic music by women composers
Cipriani, Alessandro, and Giri, Maurizio. Electronic Music and Sound Design – Theory and Practice with Max/MSP. Rome: Contemponet, 2010.
Cope, David. The algorithmic composer. Madison, WI: A-R Editions, 2000.
Cope, David. Computer models of musical creativity. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2005.
Cope, David. Computers and musical style. Madison, WI: A-R Editions, 1991.
Cope, David. Experiments in musical intelligence. Madison, WI: A-R Editions, 1996.
Dodge, Charles and Thomas A. Jerse. Computer Music: Synthesis, Composition, and Performance, 2nd ed. New York: Schirmer Books, 1997.
Harries, Dan. The new media book. London: BFI Publications, 2002.
Kahn, Douglas. Noise, water, meat : a history of sound in the arts. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 1999.
Loy, Gareth. Musimathics, v. 1 and 2. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press, 2006.
Manovich, Lev. The language of new media. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2001.
Manzo, V.J. Max/MSP/Jitter for Music “A Practical Guide to Developing Interactive Music Systems for Education and More”. New York: Oxford University Press, 2011.
Miranda, Eduardo Reck. Composing music with computers. Oxford; Boston: Focal Press, 2001.
Miranda, Eduardo Reck. Computer sound synthesis for the electronic musician. Oxford; Boston: Focal Press, 1998.
Miranda, Eduardo Reck. Computer sound design: synthesis techniques and programming. Oxford; Boston: Focal Press, 2002.
Miranda, Eduardo Reck. New digital musical instruments: control and interaction beyond the keyboard. Middleton, WI: A-R Editions, 2006.
Miranda, Eduardo Reck. A-life for music: music and computer models of living systems. Middleton, WI: A-R Editions, 2011.
Moore, F. Richard. Elements of Computer Music. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1990.
Norman, Donald. The Design of Everyday Things. UCI Langson Library ANTPAC listing with a link to online edition of the book, available with UCI login.
Ornstein, Robert. "The Problem of Temporal Experience". On the Experience of Time. Chapter 1, pp. 15-24. Westview Press, 1997 (originally published in 1969).
Puckette, Miller. "Interprocess Communication and Timing in Real-time Computer Music Performance Links to an external site.". Proceedings of the International Computer Music Conference, pp. 43-46. San Francisco: ICMA, 1986.
Puckette, Miller. The Theory and Technique of Electronic Music (Links to an external site.). Singapore: World Scientific Publishing Co., 2007. Also published online at the above link.
Roads, Curtis, et al. The Computer Music Tutorial, Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press, 1996. The single greatest concentration of computer music information.
Rowe, Robert. Interactive Music Systems. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 1993.
Rowe, Robert. Machine Musicianship. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2001.
Schank, Roger C. and Robert P. Abelson. Scripts, plans, goals, and understanding : an inquiry into human knowledge structures. Hillsdale, N.J.: L. Erlbaum Associates, 1977.
Wardrip-Fruin, Noah and Montfort, Nick. New media reader. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2003.
Zbikowski, Lawrence M. Conceptualizing Music: Cognitive Structure, Theory, and Analysis. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002.
This page was last modified on March 23, 2016
by Christopher Dobrian
dobrian@uci.edu