PAT 204/504: Creative Coding (Fall 2024)

   
Instructor Hao-Wen Dong (ude.hcimu@gnodwh)
Room Music 378 (Music Tech Lab)
Days & times 10:30am–12pm, Mondays & Wednesdays
Office hours By appointment

[Gradescope] [Canvas] [Material (enrolled students only)]


Description

An introduction to principles and practices of computer programming for musical applications. Students learn visual, procedural, and object-oriented programming in general-purpose and music-specific languages. Projects address important musical programming concepts including algorithmic composition, real-time interaction, and audio buffer processing. Emphasis is on creative and artistic uses of code.


Objectives


Schedule

Week Date Lecture Assignment Project  
1 Aug 26 Introduction      
    Processing Programming      
  Aug 28  ├ Programming Basics Homework 1    
2 Sep 2  ├ No Class (Labor Day)  └ due on Sep 6    
  Sep 4  ├ Randomness & Keyboard Controls Homework 2    
3 Sep 9  ├ Loops & Recursion  └ due on Sep 13    
  Sep 11  ├ Data Types & Arrays Homework 3    
4 Sep 16  ├ Objects  └ due on Sep 23    
  Sep 18  ├ Lists & Data I/O Midterm assignment    
5 Sep 23  ├ Images & Videos  │    
  Sep 25  ├ Transformations & 3D Graphics  │    
6 Sep 30  ├ Motion & Physics  │    
  Oct 2  ├ Midterm Assignment Discussions  │    
7 Oct 7  ├ Midterm Showcase & Review  └ due on Oct 7    
  Oct 9  └ Midterm Review      
8 Oct 14 No Class (Fall Study Break)      
    MAX Programming      
  Oct 16  ├ Intro to MAX      
9 Oct 21  ├ MAX/MSP Basics      
  Oct 23  ├ MAX/MSP Basics II Homework 4    
10 Oct 28  ├ Additive, AM & FM Synthesis  │    
  Oct 30  ├ Polyphony  └ due on Nov 4    
11 Nov 4  ├ Filters Homework 5    
  Nov 6  ├ Drum Machines  │    
12 Nov 11  ├ No Class (Travel)  │    
  Nov 13  ├ No Class (Travel)  │    
13 Nov 18  ├ Recording, Panning & Balancing  │    
  Nov 20  ├ Sampling & Delay  └ due on Nov 22    
14 Nov 25  ├ Networking & Open Sound Control     Proposal
  Nov 27  ├ No Class (Thanksgiving)      
15 Dec 2  └ Case Studies      
  Dec 4 Review & Discussions      
16 Dec 9 Project presentation   Presentation & final report  

Grading

All grading will be handled via Gradescope, including assignment submission and regrade requests.

Homework 30% Midterm assignment 20%
 ├ Homework 1 5% Project 50%
 ├ Homework 2 5%  ├ Proposal 10%
 ├ Homework 3 5%  ├ Presentation 20%
 ├ Homework 4 5%  └ Final report 20%
 └ Homework 5 10%    

The final grading scale is as follows.

                   
A+ >96 B+ 87–89 C+ 77–79 D+ 67–69 F <60
A 93–96 B 83–86 C 73–76 D 63–66    
A− 90–92 B− 80–82 C− 70–72 D− 60–62    

Homework & Assignments

Assignment Content Out Due on
Homework 1 Bouncing “Hello, World!” Aug 28 Sep 6
Homework 2 Paddle Ball Game Sep 4 Sep 13
Homework 3 Spectrum Visualizer Sep 14 Sep 23
Midterm assignment Build Your Own Music Visualizer Sep 20 Oct 7
Homework 4 MIDI Keyboard Oct 26 Nov 6
Homework 5 Polyphonic FM Synthesizer Oct 31 Nov 18

Project

  Due on
Proposal Nov 25
Presentation Dec 9
Final report Dec 15

Resources


Reading

There is no required reading. Here is some good optional reading:


Policies

Attendance

Course Recordings

Generative AI Usage

Plagiarism & Academic Misconduct

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities/Disability Statement

The University of Michigan recognizes disability as an integral part of diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive and equitable educational environment for students with disabilities. Students who are experiencing a disability-related barrier should contact Services for Students with Disabilities ((734) 763-3000 or ssdoffice@umich.edu). For students who are connected with SSD, accommodation requests can be made in Accommodate. If you have any questions or concerns please contact your SSD Coordinator or visit SSD’s Current Student webpage. SSD considers aspects of the course design, course learning objects and the individual academic and course barriers experienced by the student. Further conversation with SSD, instructors, and the student may be warranted to ensure an accessible course experience.

Sexual Misconduct Policy

Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, which includes sexual misconduct — including harassment, domestic and dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. We understand that sexual violence can undermine students’ academic success and we encourage anyone dealing with sexual misconduct to talk to someone about their experience, so they can get the support they need. Confidential support and academic advocacy can be found with the Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center (SAPAC) on their 24-hour crisis line at (734) 936-3333. Alleged violations can be non-confidentially reported to the Office for Institutional Equity (OIE).

Mental Health and Well-Being

Students may experience stressors that can impact both their academic experience and their personal well-being. These may include academic pressure and challenges associated with relationships, mental health, alcohol or other drugs, identities, finances, etc. If you are experiencing concerns, seeking help is a courageous thing to do for yourself and those who care about you. If the source of your stressors is academic, please contact me so that we can find solutions together. For personal concerns, U-M offers many resources, some of which are listed at Resources for Students on the Well-being Collective website. You can also search for additional resources on that website.


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