Topics in Interactive Media (376-0-24)
Topic
Digital Musical Instrument Design
Instructors
Stephan Michael Moore
Bryan A. Pardo
Meeting Info
Meets in Non-General PurposeRm: Tues 10:00AM - 1:50PM
Overview of class
Digital Musical Instrument Design approaches Human Computer Interaction through the lens of artistic creation in sound. Its perspective sits at the intersection of design, engineering, musicianship, and the sonic arts. This course will introduce students to fundamentals of creating their own musical instruments using highly-accessible modern technologies in hardware and software. We will explore the influence and feedback between the tool (e.g. an instrument), the tool user (a musician/producer), the creative output (the music), as well as the audience. Along the way, we will learn about user interaction design, physical computing (using arduino), sensor technology, signal creation and interpretation (using Max or PureData), and musical expression. Students will create a new musical instrument by the end of the course and the final project will involve a performance using their instrument.
Registration Requirements
Registration is by instructor permission only. Students who wish to enroll should fill out the course's pre-enrollment survey. Any questions should be directed to the instructor, Stephan Moore, at stephan@northwestern.edu. The survey will close at midnight on February 12, 2023, and all students will be informed of their enrollment status by the end of February 13.
Link for pre-enrollment survey:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeCeXTDlnV1tvKxOsHlRX0l-2L4mo0jdQ1qx54QWfsIUDp59Q/viewform
Learning Objectives
At the end of this course, the student will be able to:
Analyze and critique the design of musical instruments
Design and construct basic sensor circuits for musical interaction
Write code for the Arduino platform that can interpret and transmit data from sensor circuits
Create interactive audio programs (in the Max platform) that map sensor data onto sound outputs
Refine instrument designs to create specific sonic outcomes
Evaluation Method
Attendance and class participation are crucial to this class, and are therefore a significant part of the grade. In additional to a final project and final performance, there will be a smaller presentation and incremental assignments.
Class Materials (Required)
All required materials will be provided including sensors, microcontrollers, and software, but students wishing to incorporate particular sensors may wish to incur modest additional material costs, which should not exceed $50 in any case. All texts and other documentary resources will be provided via Canvas.