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Performance, composition, & programming with live electronics - MUS00118H

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  • Department: Music
  • Module co-ordinator: Prof. Martin Suckling
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: H
  • Academic year of delivery: 2023-24

Module summary

Exploration and creation of music for instrument(s) / voice(s) and live electronics. For composers, performers, programmers – and people who combine these roles!

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Semester 2 2023-24

Module aims

Live electronics, once something of a novelty requiring specialist hardware, is now within easy reach of non-specialists and their laptops; increasingly it is a standard feature of contemporary music events and features heavily amongst the new generation of solo performer-composer artists (e.g. Olly Coates, Zoe Martlew, Kerry Andrew, Nadia Sirota, Owen Pallett, Pekka Kuusisto etc.) 

In this module we will:

  • explore the use of live electronics in recent repertoire
  • investigate how a variety of live electronic techniques work
  • create new music using these techniques

The basis for working with live electronics will be Federico Reuben's Radicals system, which runs in the open source Supercollider environment.  No prior experience with programming is assumed – Federico's environment is designed to be accessible to the novice – but there will be plenty of scope for getting your coding hands dirty for those who wish to.

Each week we will take a different topic, examine an example from the repertoire, unpick how the live electronics work, and workshop your own group creative responses to these techniques.  You will therefore be expected to collaborate with your peers and contribute as performer, composer and programmer as your skills and interests allow.

Provisional topics (these may change in advance of the module):

  • spectral techniques
  • spatial techniques
  • time based techniques 
  • nonstandard effects
  • machine listening

This module will be taught jointly by Federico Reuben and Martin Suckling

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the taught part of the project all students should:

  1. have developed an understanding of the main techniques and applications of live electronics in performance, composition and/or programming
  2. have good familiarity with the repertoire of contemporary music with live electronics
  3. be able to utilise live electronics tools and techniques in practice and demonstrate competence in the creation and realisation of aesthetically developed musical/sonic materials
  4. understand the potential of using interactive and real-time computer systems to aid and augment musical performance and composition
  5. have practical experience on how acoustic instruments and sources can be digitally processed and how human performers can interact with computers to generate creative and cohesive musical results

In addition, in their independent work, third year students should demonstrate learning outcomes C1-12.

Assessment

Task Length % of module mark
Oral presentation/seminar/exam
Commentary		 N/A 10
Practical
Practical work		 N/A 90

Special assessment rules

None

Additional assessment information

Students will collaborate on the production of new pieces for live electronics and solo instrument / voice / small ensemble, which will be performed at the start of summer term (date tbc).  A commentary will lay out the issues tackled, the design process and the individual student's contribution to the group. Students will be able to undertake a combination of performance, composition and programming roles, and these should be clearly defined in the commentary. The possibilities for the work undertaken will depend on interests / skills of the students taking the module.  The nature of the assessed work submitted will be decided through discussion with the module tutors. 

Reassessment

Task Length % of module mark
Oral presentation/seminar/exam
Commentary		 N/A 10
Practical
Practical work		 N/A 90

Module feedback

Report form with marks to student no later than 20 working days from submission of assessment.

Indicative reading

TBC


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University is constantly exploring ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary by the University. Where appropriate, the University will notify and consult with affected students in advance about any changes that are required in line with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.