Courses in Music Engineering

Courses in Music Engineering are given by several different departments. Below are short descriptions of some of the courses, listed by department. Course descriptions are subject to change.

Not all of these courses contribute to the Music Engineering minor. To view the requirements for the minor click here. For more detailed information on courses, go to the individual course or department websites.

Introduction

ME/ES 62 / Music 197—Introduction to Music Engineering. Prof. Fox
This interdisciplinary course follows the path of sound from creation, through propagation, to reception. Through demonstrations, discussion, and interactive projects, students survey the science, engineering, and technology involved in musical instruments and music production. How do acoustic and electronic musical instruments function? How does sound behave in enclosed spaces and why?  How does one capture, manipulate and reproduce sound? And how do our ears and brains intervene on the receiving end? Open to all interested students.
The course is required for students in the Electronic and Acoustic Instrument Design emphases, and is an elective for students in the Sound Recording and Production emphasis.

Music

The "core" Music courses in Music Engineering are Music 61, 140, 141, and 142.

Music 61—Computer Tools for Musicians. Prof. Lehrman and other faculty
Using computer technology to compose, arrange, synthesize, transcribe, orchestrate, mix, and publish music. Tools to be covered include Kontakt, Sibelius, Reason, and Digital Performer. Students will complete several creative projects using music hardware and software.
Prerequisites: Music performance and/or composition experience, ability to read music, facility at the keyboard, familiarity with the Macintosh operating system. Limited to 12. Permission of instructor required.

Music 140—Music Recording and Production. Profs. Lefkowitz and Fox (fall semester only)
Theory and techniques for recording, editing, and producing acoustic music. Topics include acoustics, audio perception, physics and electronics of transducers, analog and digital audio principles, stereo and multitrack recording, mixing, virtual instruments, and synchronization. Students will develop the technical and listening skills to understand and evaluate the aesthetics of recorded sound.
Prerequisites: Ability to play an instrument, musical literacy, Math 5 or 11 or equivalent, Physics 1 and 2 or equivalent, or permission of instructor. Limited to 12. Permission of department required.

Music 142/ES 65—Music Recording and Production with Electronics. Prof. Fox (fall semester only).
Co-meets with Music 140, with an extra weekly session covering audio electronics theory, equipment design, and advanced technical topics.
Registration in this section is required for the Sound Recording & Production emphasis of the Music Engineering minor.
Prerequisites: the same as Music 140, with the addition of ES3, ME 30, or equivalent electronics course as a pre- or co-requisite.

Music 141—Electronic Musical Instrument Design. Prof. Lehrman (co-listed as Engineering Science 95me) (fall semester only)
Non-standard electronic musical instruments or "controllers," incorporating sensors that respond to touch, position, movement, finger pressure, wind pressure, and other human factors, and their translation to Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) data. Designing and building original systems using common materials and object-oriented music-specific programming languages and software-based synthesis. Students will complete several creative projects using music hardware and software.
Prerequisites: Experience in one or more of the following: electronic music, electronic prototyping, mechanical engineering with CNC, computer programming. Limited to 12. Permission of instructor required.
Full details are on the course website.

Music 90—Electronic Music Ensemble. Prof. Lehrman (spring semester only)
Ensemble members perform existing and original repertoire using electronic instruments such as wind, hand, and game controllers; percussion pads, MIDI guitars, and keyboards; and new instruments designed by ensemble members and students in Music 63/ES 95me (Electronic Musical Instrument Design). Extensive use of computer-based synthesis and performance. Semester will culminate in a public concert.
Required: ability to read and write music, proficiency on a musical instrument. Preferred: experience in musical improvisation, knowledge of MIDI and synthesizer programming. Limited to 8. Permission of instructor required. Past performances of the ensemble are viewable on YouTube.

Music 58—Music, Technology and Digital Culture. Prof. Auner
Study of the interactions between music, technology, and culture in popular and concert music since World War I. Issues of production, distribution, and reception, involving such topics as the impact of radio on composition in the 1920s, recording technologies, electric guitar as cultural icon, synthesizers and the rise of electronic music, digital sampling, hip-hop and DJ culture, the MP3 phenomenon, cross-cultural borrowings, gender and technology, the internet, interactivity, and new models of consumption. Does not count toward the Music major or Music Engineering minor.

Other music courses applicable to the program and the Minor are:
Music 5—Introduction to Music Theory & Musicianship. Department faculty
Music 11—Sound & Structure, with Ear-Training Lab. Department faculty
Music 14—Introduction to Songwritingand Arranging. Prof. McCann
Music 15—Introduction to Theory and Analysis of Popular Music. Department faculty
Music 17—Composition for Film. Prof. Roustom
Music 64—Origins of Electronic Music. Prof. Lehrman. Summer online and Fall semesters.
Music 70-86—Instrumental Ensembles. Department faculty
Music 101—Jazz Theory. Prof. Smith
Music 102—Jazz Improvisation. Prof. Smith
Music 103—Jazz Arranging and Composition. Prof. Smith
Music 116—Advanced Musicianship. Prof. McLaughlin
Music 118—Contemporary Composition. Prof. McDonald

Mechanical Engineering

The "core" Mechanical Engineering courses are Engineering Science 73/ME 45, Engineering Science 95me, Mechanical Engineering 73, Mechanical Engineering 126, and Mechanical Engineering 122.

ES 73/ME 45—Musical Instrument Design and Manufacture. Prof. Rogers (not every year)
Review of the underlying engineering and the basic fabrication of musical instruments, including an introduction to musical acoustics, computer-based simulation tools, laboratory measurement, and manufacturing. The bulk of the class is dedicated to designing, simulating, building, and testing of an instrument.

Engineering Science 95me—Electronic Musical Instrument Design. Prof. Lehrman (cross-listing of Music 141, above) (fall semester only) website

Engineering Science 65—Music Recording and Production with Audio Electronics. Prof. Fox (cross-listing of Music 142, above) (fall semester only)

Mechanical Engineering 126—Acoustics
Wave propagation in fluids and solid structures; sound sources and sound radiation by vibrating structures; fluid-structure interaction; sound transmission and attenuation; laboratory and field measurements; design criteria and methods.
Prerequisite: Math 51.

Mechanical Engineering 193—Architectural Acoustics
The physical theories and practical applications of room acoustics, auralization (acoustical simulation), and sound isolation design, with a focus on case studies from professional practice. Throughout the course, students will draw from the disciplines of engineering, physics, music, and psychology, to correlate quantifiable acoustical characteristics with perceptual experience. Department permission required.

Electrical Engineering

The "core" Electrical Engineering courses are EN1-02, ES 3, ME 30, BME 10, EE 20, and EE 21.

Introductory Engineering EN 1-02—Music and the Art of Engineering (spring semester only)
Definitions of circuit elements, fundamental laws, selected network theorems, controlled sources, introduction to the

Engineering Science 3—Introduction to Electrical Systems w/Lab (spring semester only)
Definitions of circuit elements, fundamental laws, selected network theorems, controlled sources, introduction to the oscilloscope, energy and power, natural response and complete response of first order circuits, steady state sinusoidal behavior, algebra of complex numbers, phasors, impedance, average and reactive power, introduction to analog and digital systems, frequency response and filters, measurements and instrumentation, introduction to computer applications for circuit analysis and design. Associated laboratory project work.

Mechanical Engineering 30—Electronics & Controls I
Analysis and design of circuits using ideal voltage and current sources, resistors, capacitors, and inductors. Actuators such as electric motors, solenoids, and heaters. Amplifiers. Microcontrollers. Sampling sensors and driving actuators. Applications of proportional-integral-derivative control. Hardware implementation. Use of oscilloscopes to test and debug circuits. Printed circuit board (PCB) design. Sophomore standing. Prerequisite: MATH 51.

Biomedical Engineering 10—Electrical Circuits and Biomedical Applications
Fundamentals of electrical circuits, resistors, basic laws, methods of analysis, and network theorems. Capacitors, inductors, and impedance. Transient and steady-state sinusoidal analysis of electrical circuits. Laplace and Fourier analysis. Frequency response of circuits and transfer function. Basic concepts of amplifiers and operational amplifiers. Biomedical applications of electrical circuit concepts and methods. Prerequisite: MATH 34

Electrical Engineering 20—Introduction to Circuits and Electronics
Definitions of circuit elements, fundamental laws, selected network theorems, controlled sources, energy and power, response of first order circuits, operational amplifiers, semiconductor materials and doping, diodes, MOS field effect transistors, MOS logic circuits, oscilloscope, measurements and instrumentation, computer-aided circuit analysis and design. Associated laboratory project work. Recommendations: MATH 34.

Electrical Engineering 21—Electronics I w/Lab (fall semester only)
Complex numbers; sinusoidal steady-state circuits and phasors; impedances; frequency response of linear circuits and Bode plots; characteristics of the non-ideal operational amplifier; amplifiers and active filters using the operational amplifier; advanced topics in junction diodes; junction capacitance; diode small signal models; photodetectors and LEDs; analysis and design of diode circuits; MOSFET device operation and small-signal models; analysis and design of transistor amplifiers; basic MOS amplifier configurations. Associated laboratory work..
Prerequisite: ES 3 or Electrical Engineering 20.

Computer Science

COMP 150-ISW—Musical Applications for the iPad. Profs. Chow and Lehrman (no longer offered)

School of the Museum of Fine Arts (SMFA)

Many courses at the SMFA are applicable to the Music Engineering program. The curriculum at the SMFA changes regularly, so students are urged to consult the current Bulletin and talk with their advisors.

Some representative courses include:

Guitar & Dulcimer: Design and Construction
This course is designed to develop fine woodworking skills and give a solid foundation for building your own stringed musical instrument. You will start by designing and building a uniquely American instrument: the Appalachian, or mountain dulcimer. This beautiful instrument is relatively easy to both build and play. Even those with little or no woodworking background will be able to complete a dulcimer. Students who finish in time may start a travel, or "back pack" guitar. This popular instrument is light and easier to make than a full-size guitar. Both projects involve shaping, bending, and joining wood into delicate yet amazingly strong structures-skills that can be applied to a wide range of other fabrications and sculptures. Please note: Completing a dulcimer and a guitar will likely require shop time outside of class.

Sonic Forms
Addresses acoustic and sonic possibilities of three-dimensional space while also considering sound as an independent sculptural medium. Approaching sound from a variety of disciplinary angles — visual art, architecture, performance, digital imaging, and music — the course will address the use of sound in a variety of media whilst encouraging students to create new modes of experiencing and engaging with the aural realm through three dimensional objects and/or space.

Installation
Advanced students focus on the completion of projects. Video installation, light installation, sound installation, and performative installation are included. Discussions focus on the politics of display and the "Museum as Muse." The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, is a teaching tool, with students participating in the design and installation of exhibitions. This is a full-year course.

Site-Specific Performance
This course will take place in different locations within and beyond the school. Students will examine how aspects of a site can be used to generate performances that are unique to that location. We will consider the history of the site, work with materials found at the site, and consider how the physical layout influences the way both audience and artist bodies move through the space. Students will be expected to complete a class exercises in response to each site, as well as create a final performance at a location of their own choosing.

History of Sonic Art
How do we define sound, noise, silence, and music? How can we hear these elements critically and use them in our own work with an awareness of their social and political functions? This course will explore developments in sound art from the early-20th century to the present, to cultivate a critical ear for listening and creating. We will examine work by artists who have blurred traditional boundaries of music, science, design, fine arts, and philosophy, and read critical writings in music history, cultural studies, sound and media theory. Themes we will explore in detail include: musique concrete; the invention of new instruments; sound in relation to voice, language, and the body; acoustic ecology and field recordings; sound and architecture (real and virtual spaces); remixing and DJ culture; digital interfaces, web-based instruments, and net art.