Time Schedule:
Stylianos Manousakis
DXARTS 490
Seattle Campus
Taught by UW faculty and visiting artists, engineers, scientists, and humanities scholars.
Class description
This course is primarily meant as a continuation of the DXARTS 461-2 Digital Sound courses, with the main focus being on real-time applications as well providing a more in-depth knowledge of the SuperCollider programming language.
The course is project-oriented: each participant will design, create and present a real-time art-project, a large part of which must be implemented in SuperCollider. While the main focus of the course is on sound-related applications, it is possible for students to incorporate or concentrate on other media modalities with a time-based component. As such, possible projects include music compositions with live-electronics, Digital Musical Instruments, digitally augmented acoustic instruments, but also installations and multimedia projects that take advantage of the broad algorithmic and interactive capabilities of SuperCollider.
Student learning goals
• Learn how to use the computer for real-time audio or multimedia applications and create a real-time art-project
• Develop a deeper understanding of real-time algorithmic techniques and interactivity strategies
• Learn how to interface digital processes with: hardware devices (such as MIDI devices, computer peripherals, game controllers, micro-controllers and sensors); other computers both locally (LAN) and remotely (through the internet); acoustic instruments and physical spaces (through audio feature analysis)
• Learn how to interface SuperCollider with other software such as PureData, Max/MSP/Jitter, Processing, Arduino, Quartz Composer, etc, through the Open Sound Control protocol
• Delve deeper into the SuperCollider language, and learn how to develop your own extensions (Classes, Quarks)
• Learn how to create Graphic User Interfaces (GUI) and animated graphics in SuperCollider
General method of instruction
The class will consist of three main sections: Theory / Development / Practice; as such, it will be composed of theory, lab and studio sessions. This will provide participants with the theoretical framework, the practical skills and a platform to experiment and test the validity of their concepts and the success of their project, all in a synchronized pace throughout the duration of the course.
Recommended preparation
This course is meant as a continuation of the Digital Sound series offered at DXARTS (461-2-3), but with the focus being on real-time applications. Therefore, prerequisites are: - DXARTS 462 (not 463) OR - experience with working with SuperCollider OR - experience in programming and audio/media applications Students that have not attended DXARTS 462, please contact the instructor, Stelios Manousakis, (steliosm [at] uw [dot] edu) before registering.
Class assignments and grading
This is a project-based course. By the end of the course, each participant will have designed, created and realized a real-time music/art project of his/her choice.
Students will be graded according the success and scope of their final project, but also on their participation in class and ability to satisfy intermediate milestone deadlines.
