Music 253	Musical Information: An Introduction
Quarter	Winter 2010
Time	W, F 10:00-11:50
Place	Braun Music Center #128 (enter through #129)
Website	http://253.ccarh.org
Instructor	Eleanor Selfridge-Field
Teaching assistant	Craig Sapp
Textbook	Beyond MIDI: The Handbook of Musical Codes (1997).
Supplementary tools	See weblinks at http://253.ccarh.org

Course description and goals

Music 253, a cognate offering in Computer Science and in the Symbolic Systems Program, is the first of a two-quarter sequence. The lecture portion situates software for notation (i.e. graphics), sound (i.e., MIDI), and data analysis (i.e. Humdrum) in the broader context of music representation.

The lab portion enables students to work with 6-8 different kinds of software for notation (web presentation, print presentation), optical recognition of notation, MIDI input and output, and preliminary exploration of analytical tools (pursued in depth in Music 254).

Music 253 provides a practical introduction to software for notation, sound, and analysis. It also provides a foundation for research involving musical data analysis, search/retrieval, translation, and a host of other code-based applications.

Course prerequisites

Music 253 requires the ability of read music and one year of music theory or equivalent experience. Music 253 is a pre-requisite for Music 254.

Course credits

Music 253 can be taken for 2 to 4 credits. The notation, MIDI, and Humdrum portions each count for one credit, as does the take-home final. Those with a special interest in notation or MIDI can elect a two-credit concentration through individualization of assignments. (We don't offer this option in Music 253 for Humdrum, because it is the main focus of the Music 254 lab.)

Assignments

Assignments from previous years are indicated at the class webpage, http://253.ccarh.org. The number and nature of assignments varies with the number of units sought and (on the final) the students home discipline.

Grading basis

Four-credit scenario: class attendance: 25%; weekly assignments: 50%; take-home final: 25%. Three-credit/no final scenario: class attendance: 33%; weekly assignments: 67%. Two-credit/no final scenario: choices negotiable.

Course resources

• Assignments from previous years: [to be reorganized].
• Software tutorials: [to be reorganized].
• Data resources: [to be reorganized].

Assignment/Exam Schedule:

Delivery: Class assignments must be submitted by the start of the class for which they are due (normally 10 a.m.). The final exam is due at 11 p.m. of the assigned date.

Students with disabilities

Students who may need an academic accommodation based on the impact of a disability must initiate the request with the Student Disability Resource Center (SDRC) located within the Office of Accessible Education (OAE). SDRC staff will evaluate the request with required documentation, recommend reasonable accommodations, and prepare an Accommodation Letter for faculty dated in the current quarter in which the request is being made. Students should contact the SDRC as soon as possible since timely notice is needed to coordinate accommodations. The OAE is located at 563 Salvatierra Walk (phone: 723-1066).

Honor Code

In general, we will act and expect you to act according to the Stanford Honor Code.

Contact list

Email: esfield@stanford.edu; craig@ccrma.stanford.edu
Office hours: Wed. 12-1 p.m.

Syllabus (Winter 2010)

Wed. 1/6	Overview of music representation Malinowski's Music Animation Machine Rosetta stone (musical-data codes) ASSIGNMENT #1: Design your own representation system (due 1/13/10)
Fri. 1/8	Music representation and course resources LAB #1: Guido, abc code lab (class) ASSIGNMENT #2: Finish at home; due 1/15/10)
Wed. 1/13	Notation software: input methods Input methods in Finale and Sibelius (intro) ASSIGNMENT #3: Finale homework (due 1/20/10)
Fri. 1/15	LAB #2: Finale (Sibelius) input methods
Wed. 1/20	Discuss Finale homework Optical music recognition: Sharp-Eye Data interchange: MusicXML and Noteflight ASSIGNMENT #4: SharpEye/Finale/MusicXML (due 1/27/10)
Fri. 1/22	LAB #3: Sharp-Eye Load Sharp-Eye data into Finale with MusicXML and post-process.
Wed. 1/27	Discuss SharpEye/Finale/MusicXML homework LAB #4: SCORE input (in-class class assignment) [relates to SCORE 0]
Fri. 1/29	SCORE user interface (using the software) [relates to SCORE 1] LAB #5: SCORE input, 2 ASSIGNMENT #5: SCORE 1 due 2/10/10
Wed. Feb. 3	Overview of music representation and data domains LAB #6: Converting musical data: SCORE to Finale Music copyright and music encoding
Fri. Feb. 5	MuseData introduction (Walter) The Music Encoding Initiative (MEI) (Craig) Data interchange: MuseData > SCORE
Wed. Feb. 10	SCORE parameter files, Part 1 [relates to SCORE 2] ASSIGNMENT #6: SCORE 2 (due 2/26/10) LAB #7: Data interchange: MuseData > Finale
Fri. Feb. 12	SCORE parameter files, Part 2 [relates to SCORE 2]
Wed. Feb. 17	MIDI overview LAB #8: Using a sequencer MIDI and performance MIDI and notation MIDI and analysis
Fri. Feb. 19	Lab #9: Understanding hexidecimal format (in-class assignment) Base-40 system for accurate enharmonic notation Wed. Feb. 24 Decoding MIDI files at the byte level ASSIGNMENT #7: MIDI file parsing (due 3/3/10)
Fri. Feb. 26	Introduction to the Humdrum Toolkit Introduction to Humdrum **kern files
Fri. Mar. 5	Humdrum for analysis (essentials) Lab #10: Encoding and decoding Humdrum files (due 3/10/10)
Wed. Mar. 3	Understanding data domains: Humdrum, notation, and MIDI Overview of Music 254
Wed. Mar 10	Humdrum applications (overview) Humdrum for fun Lab #11: creating music with the Humdrum musical dice game
Fri. Mar 12	Course review Redesign your original representation system Take-home final due: March 19, 2010 Take-home final evaluation criteria: Accuracy and completeness Evidence of comprehension, imagination, etc.