INART 258: Assignments

INART 258: Fundamentals of MIDI and Digital Audio

See Schedule page for due dates.

Lab 1 | Lab 2 | Lab 3 | Lab 4 | Lab 5
Lab 6 | Lab 7 | Lab 8 | Lab 9 | Lab 10

Recording Assignment
Digital Audio Assignment
MIDI Assignment

Click here for Digital Debriefing topics

Lab 1: Audio Surgery

Option One:

Go to the page movieclips.html.
Use QuickTime to save them at CD-quality audio (44.1 sampling rate, 16 bit). (Go to File -> Export. From the top pulldown menu, choose either Sound to Wave or Sound to AIFF. Click Options and set Rate and Sample Size accordingly.)
Create a new mono file in Audacity (or any other audio editing program) that consists of extracts copied from the files you downloaded.

The file should consist of four complete, grammatically correct sentences.
No excerpt may be longer than three words.
The second and third sentences should be "Personally, I'm fascinated with the truth. I'm thinking that the freedoms we whistle at together oblige us to handle the chocolate donut with our shoes."
Create the first and the fourth sentence.
Combine the sentences into a single audio file.
Export your file as a WAVE or AIFF file.

Create as smooth and natural a flow as possible. Use editing functions to give the file a consistent sound (adjust the amplitudes appropriately, use fade-ins and fade-outs for smooth transitions, paste them to overlap previously pasted audio, etc.). Avoid clipping. Use the pitch shift to speed up and slow down words so that the sentence flows as naturally as possible.

Option Two:

Create a CD for your music history or music theory professor for use in class. Ask your theory or history instructor is s/he has any vinyl recordings that s/he's like excerpted for use in class demonstrations. Create a CD of at least seven excerpts. Fade them in and out smoothly; balance the volume among the tracks.

To submit the lab, create a folder titled "[your name] Lab 1." The folder should contain your audio file (AIFF or WAVE format). Submit your lab on a CD-ROM.

Lab 2: Audio in Logic Express

Create a multi-track etude in Logic Express.
Use at least five sound files. They may be downloaded from the Web (use the "Materials" link for some suggested sites) or imported from CD.
Use QuickTime, Audacity or Sound Studio to convert the files to AIFF or WAVE format, 44100 sampling rate, 16 bits.
In Logic Express, create a piece at least 30 seconds in length using your sound files. Create at least three audio tracks. Use the editing functions described in the tutorial to modify at least one of your files by slicing and dicing. Add at least one volume envelope and one pan envelope.

The class handout, describing how to import audio files into Logic Express, may be downloaded by OPTION-CLICKing here.

If you are using excerpts from CDs, create the excerpts in Audacity or Sound Studio before bringing the clips into Logic Express. Otherwise, LE will require the entire CD track, and your project size will be needlessly bloated.

NOTE: After you complete your work at a given machine, it is strongly recommended that you check your work by copying it from your disc to another lab machine and running it. Errors due to missing files are all too common, and this is the way to make sure that your submission is intact.

As insurance, you can go to File -> Project -> Consolidate to make sure that everything is where it should be. To submit the lab, create a Logic Express project folder titled "[your name] Lab 2." Be sure the project folder contains your Logic Express file and an Audio Files folder (which contains the project's audio files). If you Save As Project as described in the lab instructions, the project folder will be created automatically. Submit your lab on a CD-ROM.

Lab 3: Audio Cleanup

Download the file piano.aif.
Create a Logic Express project and import this file into it, as in Lab 2.
The project should only have one audio track, with this file as its contents. Follow the directions on the handout. Using the 31-band graphic EQ, do your best to improve the sound of the file. Eliminate as much noise as possible without losing the character of the piano.
Save your project in a folder titled "[your name] Lab 3." Be sure the project folder contains your Logic Express file and an Audio Files folder (which contains the project's audio files). If you Save As Project as described in the lab instructions, the project folder will be created automatically. Submit it on a CD-ROM.

Lab 4: Resonant Filters and Bussing

Create a multi-track project in Logic Express using Bus Tracks, Sends, and resonant filters.
Follow the directions on the Lab 4 Handout.

Your sequence should be at least thirty seconds in length, have at least four audio tracks (discrete audio channels in Logic Express), five audio clips (short sound files distributed among your audio tracks), and use at least one of the effects listed on the handout with an automation envelope.

Bounce your project to a stereo AIFF or WAVE file as described on the handout. This file will be burned to an audio CD.

NOTE: After you complete your work at a given machine, it is strongly recommended that you check your work by copying it from your disc to another lab machine and running it. Errors due to missing files are common, and this is the way to make sure that your submission is intact.

As insurance, you can go to File -> Project -> Consolidate to make sure that everything is where it should be.

Submit the following:

A CD-ROM containing:
- Your Logic Express project folder titled [your_name]Lab4. This must contain your Logic Express file and the project's audio files.
An audio CD of your project (burned from the AIFF file)

Be sure the project folder contains your Logic Express file and an Audio Files folder (which contains the project's audio files). If you Save As Project as described in the lab instructions, the project folder will be created automatically.

Submit your lab so that the components are consolidated -- an envelope or a ziploc bag will do the trick.

Lab 5: Effects and Bussing

Follow the same steps as Lab 4 to create a multi-track etude employing a variety of effects. Use sends, busses, and automation envelopes to create pleasing blends of "wet" and "dry" audio. Your sequence should be at least thirty seconds in length, have at least four audio tracks, five audio clips, and use at least one new effect with an automation envelope.

To avoid clipping, check the Audio Output Stereo track. This provides overall volume control for all of your tracks. Use this to raise or lower everything at once to control volume levels. Click its automation tab to view it on the Arrange Window (the same procedure descibed for Lab 4 with Aux tracks). Submissions that have extensive clipping will be docked.

Create an AIFF bounce, as in Lab 4, and burn this file to an audio CD.

NOTE: After you complete your work at a given machine, it is strongly recommended that you check your work by copying it from your disc to another lab machine and running it. Errors due to missing files are common, and this is the way to make sure that your submission is intact.

As insurance, you can go to File -> Project -> Consolidate to make sure that everything is where it should be.

Submit the following:

A CD-ROM containing:
- Your Logic Express project folder titled [your_name]Lab5. This must contain your Logic Express file and the project's audio files.
An audio CD of your project (burned from the AIFF file)

Submit your lab so that the components are consolidated -- an envelope or a ziploc bag will do the trick.

Lab 6: Convolution

Follow the steps shown in class and outlined on the handout to convolve two audio files. Expect to have to try a number of audio files before getting a satisfactory result. Keep at it until you have an audio file that you want to use for your Assignment One project. There is no length requirement for this lab.

To submit the lab, create a folder titled "[your name] Lab 6." The folder should contain a SoundHack document of the convolved sound plus your two source sounds. Submit the lab on a CD-ROM.

Lab 7: MIDI Editing and Recording

Download a MIDI file from an Internet site. See the Materials page for suggested sites, or type "MIDI files" into a search engine.

Open the file in Logic Express.
The file will appear as a series of Software Instrument tracks. Follow the handout for step-by-step instructions.
Do some editing on at least one track.
Check the mixer to make sure the file doesn't clip. Sometimes high velocity levels cause Logic's softsynths to clip. Adjust volume levels or velocities to prevent this. Create a new track and record some material from the W7 keyboard.
Refer to the handout on working with the W7. Save the Logic Express file onto a CD-ROM.

Create a folder called [your name]-Lab 7.
The folder should include:
o the Logic Express file,
o a text file documenting where you got the MIDI file and what changes you made to it.

Lab 8: Movie Soundtrack

Using one of the two silent video clips provided, create a soundtrack for it by loading it into Logic Express (Options > Movies > Open Movie, as described in the User Manual). Your soundtrack should have at least one audio track and two software instrument tracks that employ the EXS24 sample player, plus have at least one "hit point" (audio matching a visual event).

chaplinlights.mov
chaplintimes.mov

To submit the lab, create a Logic Express project folder titled "[your name] Lab 8." The folder should contain your Logic Express file, your audio files, and your movie file. Save your project to a CD-ROM.

Lab 9: MIDI Bach Invention

Using the Bach chorale and the handouts distributed in class, enter the soprano line of the chorale in Logic Express via Step Entry.
Save the file as a Standard MIDI file, and open it in Sibelius (or any other notation program).
In Sibelius, enter the remaining three voices. Add at least one dynamic, articulation, and crescendo or decrescendo mark for each voice.

Lab 10: Part Extraction

Using the instructions handed out in class, save the chorale you created in Lab 8 as a conductor's score with four staff systems.
Extract parts from the conductor's score.

To submit labs 9-10:
Create a folder titled "[yourname]Lab8-9" on a CD-ROM.
The folder should contain eight files:

your Logic Express file containing a track with the soprano part;
a standard MIDI file saved from the Logic Express file;
a Sibelius file of the four-part chorale;
a conductor's score of the chorale with each voice in a separate staff system;
PDF files of the conductor's score, plus four part files for the soprano, alto, tenor, and bass parts.
[NOTE: to create PDF files on Macintosh, from any application go to FILE -> PRINT. At the dialog box, click and hold on the PDF button and select PDF -> Save as PDF.]

Students who use another notation program may simply print out their files and submit hard copies of them.

Recording project

OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate familiarity with stereo recording and production AND provide a service to the School of Music by recording two School of Music events. Students may work in groups of two to record each event.
Click here for guidelines on the recording assignment.

Digital Audio project

OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate a mastery of digital audio manipulation.

In Logic Express, create an audio collage consisting of a variety of source files.
Click here for guidelines on the audio collage project.

Option Two:
Please feel free to suggest alternate forms of this assignment, provided they meet its objective.

MIDI project

OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate a mastery of realizing MIDI editing and production.

Option One:
Create an original composition as a MIDI sequence. Alternatively, create a unique MIDI arrangement of a series of downloaded compositions.
Click here for guidelines on the MIDI sequence option.

Option Two:
Create a fully notated arrangement for an ensemble. This may be an original composition or a new arrangement of another work.
Click here for guidelines on the notation option.

Option Three:
Please feel free to suggest alternate forms of this assignment, provided they meet its objective.