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Moog Class Guide
Moog Class Guide
Moog Class Guide
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OTHER READINGS (optionalall available in the library): Appleton, Jon H. and Ronald C.
Perera, eds. The development and practice of electronic music (chapter by Joel Chadabe).
Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, 1975. ISBN 0132076055; Strange, Allen. Electronic music;
systems, techniques, and controls, 1st ed. Dubuque: W. C. Brown Co.,1972. ISBN 069703612X;
Chadabe, Joel. Electronic Sound. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall, 1997. ISBN
0133032310.
You will need about 1-5 CD-Rs and possibly 1 type II audio cassette.
Course description: Introduction to the techniques and theory of electro-acoustic music,
musique concrte, and basic recording techniques. Introduction to acoustics, the operation of
standard analog electronic audio modules, and a survey of the compositional and artistic
developments of the last 50 years. Hands-on experience in electronic music composition,
recording, multitracking, signal processing, mixing, and creation of short compositions and
studies using these resources.
Learning: In this class you will be expected to learn the Moog III P synthesizer and the
principles of hearing, basic acoustics, voltage controlled oscillators, voltage controlled filters,
voltage controlled amplifiers, amplitude and frequency modulation, DC control using the
keyboard and sequencer, multi-track recording, and mixing. You will also learn electronic music
composition.
You will demonstrate the skills you have acquired by presenting seven brief exercises and
two major compositions (projects) during this course. These exercises and works will all be
presented and discussed in class and will be evaluated both technically and compositionally by
the instructor and students in the class. You will be expected to use the basic vocabulary
learned and to communicate effectively when discussing your own and others works.
Students are assessed on their comprehension of the technology and techniques taught and
on their compositional skills as demonstrated by the seven required exercises, their contribution
to the class composition, and two large scale pieces that they create, which are all presented to
the class. They are also assessed on their ability to discuss their own and others works, and by
their attitude and behavior in class and labs.
If you must miss a class, please email or call me ahead of time to let me know and to let me
know the reason or let met know afterwards, as otherwise I will count this as an unexcused
absence. Since this class meets only once per week attendance is required unless you are sick
or have a compelling excuse. LABS ARE REQUIRED AND GRADED. Projects are due on time. If
you are unable to complete a project on time, please let me know why, and be sure to turn in
your late project as soon as lateness affects the grade for the project. You must complete all
assignments (there are 7 exercises, one 5 minute track for the class piece, and 2 major
projects). The last day of class is the last day to turn in projects, and the last project must be in
on time. If you fall behind or your projects and class projects or class or lab attendance is poor
you will receive a deficiency notice. Please seek help from me, the TA for the class, or other TAs
if you are having difficulty. We are here to help you.
If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, please
contact Services for Students with Disabilities in the Cowell Building immediately.
430-2130
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Behavior Standard Violation as defined by the Mills Student Handbook, which can result in
disciplinary action by the College.
Food and drinks (with the exception of sealed/closed water bottles) are not allowed
in this wing of the Music building.
Please do not eat in or around the studios or in this wing of the building or throw
food away in this wing of the building.
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Working in teams is encouraged, although each student is responsible for presenting their own
individual work. Students also work collaboratively on a class project in which each student
contributes individual work, and they will work in teams to mix all of their works together to
form a new composition. I
For Music MajorsProgram Goals
1) Understand music within a broad cultural, political, social, and intellectual context.
Students will come to recognize and acknowledge the pervasiveness of electronic music in and
across cultures and how their approaches to the medium are influenced by their conditioning. I
2) Possess a knowledge of and openness to a diversity of musical styles.
Students will explore different approaches to composing electronic music and broaden their
knowledge of and openness to the diverse possibilities within this medium. I
4) Have a thorough grasp of music theory and history.
Students will demonstrate their understanding of the fundamentals of acoustics and basic
electronic music theory by analyzing works by their peers and established electronic music
composers. I
5) For performers: to demonstrate technical mastery of her instrument or discipline, and a
comprehensive knowledge of its styles and repertoire, past and present, and to have learned
and developed improvisation skills in addition to studying the standard repertory.
For composers: to demonstrate the ability to write music, technical skills in the use of
electronic and recording media, and an understanding of how to use these skills for creative
ends. (For performers and composers) possess skills with improvisation as well as a standard
repertory and technical skills in electronic music, computer music, and recording engineering.
Students will demonstrate the ability to conceptualize, problem solve, plan out, and realize
their technical and artistic visions. I P D
Students are assessed on their comprehension of the technology and techniques taught and
on their compositional skills as demonstrated by the seven required exercises, their contribution
to the class composition, and two large scale pieces that they create, which are all presented to
the class. They are also assessed on their ability to discuss their own and others works, and by
their attitude and behavior in class and labs.
Definition of Mills Semester Course Credit. A typical academic course usually meets for 150 minutes
per week for 14 weeks, and requires a minimum of 9 hours of outside work per week.
College policy on Incompletes: students qualify for incomplete grades only if they have completed 2/3
of the total coursework and are responding to unforeseen circumstances. In this class, students must
complete all work except the final exam to qualify for consideration of an incomplete. Students who have
not completed substantial coursework should not assume that they will be "given" an incomplete at the
end of the semester.
Policy on Academic Integrity: Students shall honestly prepare assignments and take examinations and
submit them at the time and in the manner specified by the instructor. The content of all submitted
examinations and assignments is assumed to represent the students own work unless otherwise specified
(e.g., group projects).
Plagiarism is a serious breach of academic trust. For purposes of the Mills College Honor Code,
plagiarism is defined as intentionally or knowingly using someone elses ideas, words, and/or thoughts
without properly crediting the source. All work for which a source is not cited is presumed to be that of the
writer.
If the Academic Integrity Standards described above are violated, the instructor will decide on an
appropriate response that may include the assignment of extra work, lowering grades on a particular
assignment, failure of the course, and/or the report of the incident to the Provost and Dean of the Faculty
for further sanction.