Computer Music II: Sound Art

03 February 2009

shows we saw; switches; oscillators

• look & listen: quick discussion of the shows you went to for last week's assignment

• tools and techniques: switches
  • prefab
  • metal to metal
  • the great dangling bolt switch

• hands on: oscillators

  What's an oscillator? I propose: noise + filter + feedback* = oscillator
  noise = a source of energy, an impulse
  filter = a physical constraint of some sort
  feedback* = a way to recycle some of the initial energy. feedback is optional, but is essential if you want the oscillation to continue indefinitely.

  • physical oscillators
    • pendulum * * *
    • vibrating plates * *
    • rubber bands and strings
  • electro-mechanical oscillators
  • the world's simplest electronic oscillator (from Nick Collins's Handmade Electronic Music)

• Assignment
  • create an oscillator. due next week (Feb 10th).