Undergraduate Course: Algorithmic Composition (MUSI10087)

Course Outline
School	Edinburgh College of Art	College	College of Humanities and Social Science
Credit level (Normal year taken)	SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate)	Availability	Not available to visiting students
SCQF Credits	20	ECTS Credits	10
Summary	Flexibility and the ability to combine various approaches, integrating the results of one system into another environment is the key to creative and constantly developing work in this field. Experience in real-time audio programming in Max/MSP is thus compared and contrasted with non-real time systems, in particular concentrating on the benefits of such and where and when to apply these non real-time techniques.
Course description	Flexibility and the ability to combine various approaches, integrating the results of one system into another environment is the key to creative and constantly developing work in this field. Experience in real-time audio programming in Max/MSP is thus compared and contrasted with non-real time systems, in particular concentrating on the benefits of such and where and when to apply these non real-time techniques. As well as gaining experience programming in these environments (which may include Common Lisp Music, Common Music, Common Music Notation, Supercollider, CMusic, CSound, CMix etc.) students will be exposed to general-purpose, text-based programming paradigms and their use in generating compositional structure. This experience of algorithmic composition will then be combined with synthesis/signal processing or in the generation of musical scores. The whole is aimed at enriching the composer's compositional palette, enabling them to assess different approaches and thus choose appropriate tools for future projects. Seminars will develop the contextual and aesthetic background to computer music and take the form of discussion of set reading and listening.

Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites	Students MUST have passed: Music 2D: Theory and Practice of Music Technology (MUSI08053)	Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations		Other requirements	None

Course Delivery Information

Academic year 2015/16, Not available to visiting students (SS1)		Quota: None
Course Start	Semester 2
Timetable	Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info)	Total Hours: 200 ( Lecture Hours 22, Seminar/Tutorial Hours 10, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 164 )
Assessment (Further Info)	Written Exam 0 %, Coursework 100 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Feedback	Written feedback will be provided via the electronic submission system. Students will be notified by class email lists once the provisional mark and feedback are available to view.
No Exam Information

Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to: demonstrate insights into algorithmic composition systems and the benefits of such in the top-down planning of musical processes demonstrate a practical understanding of computer programming paradigms and their relation to and potential generation of compositional structure demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of the advantages of non-real time computer music systems and when to use them instead of real-time environments demonstrate an insight into the history, theory, repertoire, and aesthetics of computer music.