Music 61 — Computer Tools for Musicians
COURSE DESCRIPTION AND REQUIREMENTS
Instructor: Paul D. Lehrman

• Required texts —(readings are not optional)
Course Pack (at Gnomon Copy on Boston Ave.)
Lehrman and Tully, What Is MIDI? (downloadable)
Software and Hardware manuals and other readings as assigned

• Grade calculation:
Class Participation/attendance: 20%
Class Assignments: 30%
Mid Term Exam: 20%
Final Project: 30%

• Assignments
All assignments are to be completed by each student alone. You may consult with your classmates or lab personnel on technical problems, but all work you hand in or play in class must be your own.

• Midterm Exam
The Midterm will cover material presented in class as well as reading assignments. It will be take-home, and open-book.

• Final Project
Every student will be required to do a final project, which will incorporate as much of the material and techniques covered in the course as possible.
Initial proposals for each student’s project will be due on the date specified. The projects themselves will be presented during finals week. The grade for the final project will be based on inventiveness, artistic quality, and mastery of the technology.

• Attendance
You are expected to be in class on time. Attendance will be recorded and incorporated into the grading of the course. If you have a conflict that will prevent you from attending a class, please discuss it with me as far ahead of time as possible. If you are ill, or if you are going to be late, please let me know (by phone or e-mail), or else tell another member of the class, and make sure he or she tells me.

If You’re Not Going To Show Up, Don't Hang Up The Rest Of The Class Waiting For You!

You are responsible for any information presented during a missed class. If you know you are going to miss a class, and you have an assignment due that day, you must arrange with me or another student to present the material: you must make your file available, along with instructions explaining how it should be presented, and its major points of interest. If you don‘t do this, your grade for that assignment will be zero.

• Equipment and Software
Access to the lab is by using your ID card. The lab will be available during non-class hours any time that the Granoff Music Centre is open and there is not another class in the lab.
Do not use any programs or equipment that we have not covered in class (unless you really know what you are doing).
Make sure all the equipment at each station is reset to its nominal settings, so that other students don't have problems. Quit all programs, make sure they have quit, and log out. If you use any other equipment, make sure it is returned to its proper place when you leave.
If something in the lab is broken, please e-mail the instructor ASAP, or notify Peter Atkinson, one of the student tech staff, or the office. If something needs immediate attention, go to the music office and ask them to contact me.
The door to the lab is to be kept closed and locked at all times. Do not prop it open. Do not invite friends into the lab. Work to make the lab as secure as possible. We don't want to lose any equipment!

• Reading and Manuals
You will be assigned readings in several software and hardware manuals. Some of these are in PDF format on the lab server, the course Web site, and/or on individual machines. Others are in paper format. Manuals in paper format must be read in the lab and may not be removed. Return them to the correct file cabinet when you are done.

• Backing Up Files
Make sure all of your computer files are backed up to a flash or portable drive, and you should also use your personal folder on the server. Do not assume that any files left on a local disk (i.e., on a particular computer) will be there the next time you come in. Do not leave any files on the Mac Desktop—they will definitely be erased.

• Consulting and office hours
My office is across the hall, room 246. My office hour is Monday 3-4 pm, but check ahead of time to make sure I will be in. The best way to reach me is by e-mail at paul.lehrman@tufts.edu.
I will be happy to meet with you at other times, by appointment, for consulting and questions about the course work, your assignments, or other relevant topics.

• What will be covered in this course:

Basic physics of music Basic audio electronics Digital audio theory Synthesis and sampling theory The MIDI language MIDI sequencing and editing Arranging and orchestrating with MIDI Recording audio into a computer

Editing audio digitally Combining MIDI and recorded audio Making a finished audio CD Working with notation-based music software Scanning printed music into a computer Interactive composition and performance Music and sound for visual media Putting audio on the Web