Summary
A new course on Computational Music Theory and Analysis, taught by Professor Michael Cuthbert at MIT, aims to explore the intersection of music and technology. The course seeks to answer fundamental questions about how computers perceive music, distinguishing between "hearing" and "listening." Cuthbert emphasizes that while computers can process sound through digital conversion, the deeper understanding of music remains a challenge, prompting inquiries into human experiences with music and its cultural significance.
Throughout the semester, students will tackle six key questions related to music appreciation, such as why people have different musical tastes and what makes music beautiful or emotionally impactful. The course will also delve into the technical aspects of music analysis, utilizing tools like Python and the Music21 toolkit to explore musical scores and characteristics. Cuthbert encourages students to think critically about the representation of music and its implications for both technology and human experience.
The class structure includes a blend of lectures, discussions, and hands-on programming exercises, with an emphasis on collaborative learning. Students will engage in projects that require them to develop their own analytical tools, fostering a deeper understanding of music theory through computational methods. Cuthbert hopes that the course will contribute to a broader understanding of music and its role in society, while also addressing the need for diverse representation in musical analysis.
Show Notes
MIT 21M.383 Computational Music Theory and Analysis Spring 2023Instructor: Michael Scott Asato CuthbertView the complete course: https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/21m-383-computational-music-theory-and-analysis-spring-2023/YouTube Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUl4u3cNGP62vSB2sI0W8lQFKsmS2-A6RUploaded 15-10-25This session covers how computers "hear" music, what is the difference between listening and hearing, and what kind of understanding this entails. Includes a live coding demonstration.License: Creative Commons BY-NC-SAMore information at https://ocw.mit.edu/termsMore courses at https://ocw.mit.eduSupport OCW at http://ow.ly/a1If50zVRlWe encourage constructive comments and discussion on OCW’s YouTube and other social media channels. Personal attacks, hate speech, trolling, and inappropriate comments are not allowed and may be removed.More details at https://ocw.mit.edu/comments. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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