Music Technology Foundations

About

Want to produce and record your own music?

This course will help you do that by showing you how to apply new technologies to your own creative practice, using freeware and browser based apps.

Music Technology Foundations draws on Adelaide's world-class pioneering expertise in making electronic music, to provide a great foundation to a career in music and to enable any learner to use technology in creative ways.

In this course, you'll learn about the core principles of music technology, including sound, audio, MIDI, effects and sequencing.

What you will learn

• How to produce and record your own music
• History, theory and practice of music technology
• Sound, audio, MIDI, effects and sequencing
• Hands-on practice with music-making using contemporary digital tools

Skills you learn

• MIDI
• Music Technology
• Electronic Music

Syllabus

Week 1: Introduction to sound

• Understand what Music Technology is and how it’s evolved throughout history
• Understand how sound waves travel and how sound can be measured and recorded
• Explore the differences between the perception of sound and the physical properties of sound
• Apply techniques and processes to record sounds using common digital recording devices.

Week 2: Digital Audio

• Understand what audio is and the differences between analogue and digital audio
• Understand the basic elements of digital audio: storage media, file formats, bit depth, sample rates and how they affect audio quality
• Explore the use of digital audio editing software to clean up and edit digital audio samples.

Week 3: MIDI - The Musical Instrument Digital Interface

• Understand the Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI), its history and how MIDI is still used today
• Explore how MIDI represents music and the differences between MIDI sequencing and digital audio
• Learn how to create audio loops from sounds produced by a web-based drum machine.

Week 4: Synthesis

• Understand what synthesis is and who the pioneers were responsible for its creation
• Compare and understand the differences of Subtractive, Additive and Modulation Synthesis
• Develop techniques and processes to create new synthesised sounds using a web-based synthesiser.

Week 5: Effects and processing

• Understand how effects and processing can be used to change the qualities and attributes of sound
• Understand how audio effects were inspired by natural sound effects
• Explore the differences between analogue and digital effects
• Experiment with some of the built in effects found in digital audio editing software
• Develop and apply techniques to transform existing sounds into larger segments.

Week 6: Pulling it all together

• Explore a range of methods and techniques used to create different styles of music
• Develop skills to perform multi-tracking using digital audio editing software
• Apply methods and techniques learnt throughout the course to create a 1 – 2 minute audio track.

Auto Summary

Unlock your musical potential with the "Music Technology Foundations" course, expertly designed to introduce you to the exciting world of creative technologies in music. Offered by edX, this foundational course is perfect for aspiring music producers, hobbyists, and anyone interested in the intersection of music and technology. Over 15 engaging sessions, you'll explore essential tools and techniques for music creation, paving the way for a future career in the music industry. Flexible subscription options, including Professional and Starter plans, ensure you can tailor your learning experience to fit your needs. Dive into the dynamic domain of IT and Computer Science with a focus on music technology and start crafting your own unique soundscapes today!