Synthesis Theory I

with Craig Stuart Sapp
Peabody Institute, Johns Hopkins University
Fall 2002

Class Times:
Tuesdays 1430-1550
Thursdays 1400-1520

Location:
Conservatory 314

Textbook (see also Recommended Readings)
Curtis Roads, 1996. The Computer Music Tutorial. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press. ($28-65 at Amazon; $65 at Barnes & Noble)

Topics (Syllabus) (Assignments)
  • Sinewaves and Additive Synthesis
  • Soundfiles and Digital Recording
  • Wavetable Synthesis
  • Subtractive Synthesis and Linear Filtering
  • Physical Modeling Synthesis
  • Non-Linear Synthesis

Grading Policy
  • 15% take home mid-term exam
  • 20% final exam
  • 10% participation
  • 50% Assignments

Lab Resources

A Fourier spectrum showing both phase and amplitude (rotating to give a sense of the third dimension).