Spring Term
Mondays
2:50 PM to 6:10 PM

• Subtractive Synthesis
• Perceptions
• Hardware v Software
• Basic Logic Synths
• ES-1
• ES-2
• SubTractor
• Amplitude Envelopes
• Modulation
• The NN-19
• Multilayer Sampling
• The Malstöm
• FM Synthesis
• Delay Beats
• 071 Projects
• P2 Brandenburg
• Ambient Music Project

• Project 2: Create an ambient composition in which the sense of tempo is suspended. Your piece may encourage contemplative thought, or be strongly connected to a particular emotion, location or time. At the time this project was assigned, we were investigating the SubTractor synth in Reason, but you may incorporate other types of synthesis. Keep the emphasis on interesting sound design and flowing textures.
• Project 3: Compose a piece of music in any style/genre using only found sounds we collected around campus. Given that the sounds are from WAV files, you will need to use the Reason instruments that let you import these files: ReDrum, NN-19 and NN-XT (and possibly Dr:Rex in combination with ReCycle). You will find the NN-XT particularly useful in creating basslines, pads and melody textures due to its ability to loop a portion of the soundfile (for sustain).
• Project 4: Compose a piece in any style or genre using any of the techniques explored in class. You could compose a second ambient or found-sounds project, or simply use this as an opportunity to create a piece of your choice. In this project, I am looking for you to demonstrate your ability to create interesting and unusual sounds using various types of synthesis techniques. Don't forget to use audio processing to create new sounds and textures as well. You are welcome to use drum and sampler-based instruments as a starting point for creative sound design, but please do not fill your piece with stock patches from these instruments. Wow me.