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Intro to Electronic Music: MUSI 51 

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Intro to Electronic Music Assignment 5

Assignments: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Final Project
(Note: Assignment deadlines will be updated each quarter as they are announced in class.)

Description

Modify existing instruments (or create your own from scratch) by altering settings on the ES1 and/or EFM1 Logic plugin synths and save them in your folder for possible use in future Logic projects.

Format

You must follow this format. Read it carefully!
  • Use 5 tracks in Logic, with each assigned to a different Logic Basics instrument.
  • Select the same plugin synth - ES1 Subtractive Synth or EFM1 FM Synthesizer - on all five tracks or split the tracks among the two of them. (e.g. - two ES1 and three EFM1 tracks) If in doubt, I urge you to use the ES 1 since it is a bit more intuitive than the EFM 1.
  • Manually edit the plugin synth on each successive track, modifying parameters as desired to obtain "interesting" sounds. Save each sound in a folder in your portion of the hard drive.
  • Save the edited plug-in synth sounds in a folder inside your folder on your computer. (Good practice might be to name the folder after the instrument you are using - e.g. "ES1 Sounds")
  • I will ask you to tell me a bit about your sounds on the due date. What knobs, switches, faders did you adjust to create them and in what way do you make/change these settings? STRONGLY RECOMMENDED: Keep some notes about this for yourself - and you may consult the notes when you play back your sounds.
  • Record a short musical example using at least four of your five plugin instruments. Maximum length 60 seconds. No minimum length requirement. You may augment your piece with additional tracks using other sounds.
  • Label your project file as follows: "yourname #5." Save it in your folder on the hard disk. Don't forget to keep a backup on your own disk.

Assignment Goals

Experiment with manual controls on the ES1 and/or EFM1 instrument and create five instruments resulting from sound editing using these controls.

Optionally - create a short musical example using sounds you devised.

Grading

You will be graded on technical aspects of the assignment - but I do not expect you really understand all of the details of how the edited plugin synths work at this point; that is a focus of the intermediate class.

The assignment will not be graded on its musical merits. This is especially try if you opt to not make the optional musical tracks using your sounds, in which case you can simply click on a track and demonstrate the sound you created. However, imagination can't hurt! The assignment description is intentionally vague so that there is room for you to exercise your imagination. Try to come up with an interesting piece within the guidelines of this project.

Due Date

Monday, November 16 at START of period for MW class - with up to 30 minutes work time during period.
Friday, November 18 - last hour of class for the Friday class. (subject to change)
(see calendar for approximate date)

A late penalty of 1 letter grade per class session is applied to assignments which are handed in late.

For Intro to Electronic Music: Projects must be saved on your classroom computer before the deadline. You will also need to store a backup copy of your work, using one of the methods we discuss in class.

Your grade will be affected if your project does not follow the format outlined above. If your project is nowhere close to following the format, I will ask you to re-do it and hand in the "fixed" version when you finish.

If you have questions or problems on the assignment please let me know right away - in class or by email, or telephone at 864-8511.

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Assignments: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Final Project
(Note: Assignment deadlines will be updated each quarter as they are announced in class.)

Last update: Friday, February 4, 2011 at 12:56:09 PM
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