All Courses
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FA19: MEDIA CONSPIRACY 101: 34904
This class explores the creation and maintenance of ideas that are commonly known as “conspiracy theories.” Extensive digital networks of communication have allowed outlandish and false ideas that were formerly held only by small numbers of cranks, kooks, and radical fringes to find wider audiences. As these ideas have begun to affect what happens in the mainstream, there is a need to understand how they emerge and are maintained across these communication networks. In this class, we look at a variety of types of conspiracy theories in areas including political conspiracies, pseudo- science, paranormal investigations, UFOs and others. In particular, we look at the media industries that have risen to cater to audiences interested in these ideas. We try to determine whether there are media reforms that can deal with increasing belief in falsehoods. Ultimately, the class is concerned with the nature of collectively held truth in a world where many viewpoints and beliefs are demonstrably inaccurate.
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FA19: INTRO TO MIDI/COMPUTER MUSIC
Introduction to MIDI and Computer Music is designed to teach both music majors and non-music majors the basics of the MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) system, its software, and the instruments commonly used with desktop MIDI workstations, such as synthesizers and digital samplers. Course work includes a series of creative projects and several quizzes. This course is geared for those with little prior technical training. Prerequisites: a basic understanding of rhythmic notation and some previous experience making music (playing an instrument, singing in a choir, writing songs, etc.). The course is normally offered in the fall and spring semesters and during the second 8-week summer session. It is 3 credit hours. Classes meet in room M373 in the Music Library, which holds enough equipment for each student to have hands-on experience during class.
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FA19: COMPUTER MUSIC: DESIGN/PERFORM
Computer Music: Design/Perform is open to those who have received the permission of the instructor. This course is a sequel to Introduction to MIDI and Computer Music, in which students employ MIDI sequencing, audio editing, and synthesizer programming to create short pieces of music. Building on these skills, we now branch out to explore other creative territory. We take everyday sounds — collected by us using portable recorders — and make explicit the musical qualities they possess. We construct our own virtual electronic instruments, learn to play them, and improvise together. We combine our own music with video, either as performance documentation or as an abstract visual counterpart to sound. While doing these things, we deepen our understanding of the theoretical concepts underlying this technology, become more expert in the operation of Reason and other DAWs, and learn some new software, mainly the Max graphical programming environment.