Computer Music Workshop: Sound Synthesis and Algorithmic Composition with Nyquist and Audacity Introduction Summer 2008 Workshop Summer 2008 Faculty Registration for Workshop and Housing Frequently Asked Questions International Student Information Campus Resources Contact Information In Brief Carnegie Mellon's School of Music, in collaboration with faculty from the School of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering Department, is offering a one-week intensive workshop on Sound Synthesis and Algorithmic Composition from June 1-7, 2008. We expect 10 to 20 attendees with a wide variety of ages and backgrounds. Attendees should be comfortable using computers but do not need prior expertise in computer music, and instruction will emphasize hands-on learning. Please read on for more information. Introduction Computing has changed the face of music. Nearly all music we hear is composed, generated, processed, stored, or delivered using computers. Computers have had a profound effect on musical thinking. Sound synthesis offers us the ability to design and create sounds with unlimited control and precision. Algorithmic composition brings new compositional methods that emphasize high-level design, the development of formal procedures, and incremental refinement. Computer Music at Carnegie Mellon Carnegie Mellon University has been at the forefront of computer music research and systems building since the early 1980's. The Computer Music Project, led by Roger B. Dannenberg, has introduced many innovations, including computer accompaniment technology used by SmartMusic, the advanced programming language and environment Nyquist, and the popular audio editor Audacity. The Nyquist Language Nyquist is a sound synthesis and composition language. It includes a large library of sound synthesis functions, a powerful representation for sounds and control signals, and many libraries implementing various synthesis techniques and digital audio effects. Nyquist uses a high-level scripting language that serves to define instruments, create scores, and perform algorithmic composition. Originally based on Lisp and functional programming, Nyquist now offers a new command-oriented language, SAL, as an alternative to programmers more familiar with non-Lisp languages. Workshop attendees will learn both the underlying principles and practical knowledge of how to use Nyquist to make music. The Audacity Audio Editor Audacity is a simple-to-use, free audio editor that originated in the Computer Music Project at Carnegie Mellon. Audacity includes a plug-in facility that allows users to extend Audacity with signal processing functions written in Nyquist. The workshop will use Audacity to "see" and edit sound and to illustrate various principles of digital audio. We will also learn how to write new plug-ins for Audacity. Return to top of page