Daniel Warner

This course introduces students to key concepts in the study of electronica. The course will teach students to think critically about electronica's social, historical, ideological, and technological dimensions. Introductory lectures will examine the musics and establish/introduce critical terminology, musical features, timelines, and analytical frameworks. Specific subgenres such as triphop, house, techno, dub, ambient, trance, dubstep, jungle, and drum 'n' bass will be covered through readings, lectures, documentaries, and listening sessions. Students will be expected to complete weekly reading and listening assignments, in-class presentations, and undertake a small creative or research project. (keywords: electronica, electronic dance music, EDM, electronic music)

This course will focus on the role of electronic and computer technology in shaping musical thought, production, and culture in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Because of the hybrid nature of this work, the term 'electroacoustic music' seems apt. We will engage the musical, technical, and aesthetic issues of electroacoustic music, broadly construed to include the classical avant-garde, electronica, DJ culture, and sound art. Listening examples will be drawn from a broad range of these genres and styles. We will explore key concepts and technologies such as acoustics, psychoacoustics, microphones, synthesizers, sampling, and digital sound editing. We will undertake creative projects (e.g., individual compositions, solo or group electronic improvisations, soundwalks, and listening sessions) that will provide ample opportunities for students to actively explore current music electroacoustic production techniques and their aesthetic implications. Formal knowledge of music is helpful, but not required. (keywords: music, electroacoustic music, electronic music, computer music, sound design)