Musicians and the Internet

Course Syllabus by Dr. Steven G. Estrella

Description:

This course will introduce you to the many ways that the Internet benefits performers, composers, music teachers, and other musicians. During this course, you will learn about current developments in Web audio and how to create both linear and interactive audio content for delivery on the Internet.

Course Web Site

http://www.makepages.com

Topics:

Web Audio - click for complete list of topics
- The History of Audio on the Web
- The Current State of Audio on the Web

Webcasts, e-Commerce, e-Learning
Music Education

Copyright Issues
- Original Content, Royalty-Free Loops, and Mixer Kits
- Licensing Content
Review of the Science of Sound
Designing Linear Audio for the Web
Designing Interactive Audio for the Web

Final Project Criteria and Ideas - two final projects are required
- Create a Web page featuring linear audio. Here are some ideas.
  - An audio lecture with music background
  - A Web page containing clips from your band's CD
  - A Web page that demonstrates notated music examples using Web audio.
- Create a Web page featuring interactive audio. Here are some ideas.
  - Virtual Musical Instrument playable by visitors with the computer keyboard.
  - A 4-track mixer with pan, mute, and volume controls for each track.
  - An interactive improvisation environment using triggered samples.
  - A drill or tutorial to help students learn a music skill.

Procedures

The content for this course will be found at http://www.makepages.com in the Members-Only section. There you can download PDF files, lectures, software tutorials, and lessons in Web development. Dr. Estrella will post weekly assignments and self-grading diagnostic quizzes to help you evaluate your knowledge.

We can use video conferencing for ocassional face to face chats through either Skype or AIM compatible chat applications. If you wish to video conference with me, please have access to a Webcam for your Mac or PC. USB web cameras sell for as little as $50 and often contain built-in microphones. Dr. Estrella uses the built-in iSight camera on his MacBook Pro laptop. Here are some other options but feel free to choose any camera and microphone that fits your budget.

Fire-i firewire video camera ($99) with a Logitech USB microphone ($30)
Apple's iSight firewire camera with built-in microphone ($150)
Logitech QuickCam Pro 5000 with built-in microphone ($79) is a good choice for an inexpensive USB camera.

Evaluation

I expect you will be motivated to achieve in this course. The content is just plain fun and can make a real difference in your career. Your final grade will be based on participation, timely completion of weekly assignments, and the quality of your final projects. The key to doing well in an online course is to keep up with the weekly assignments and ask me for assistance if you are having trouble.

Proper Citation of Internet Resources

Many of your assignments will require that you cite Internet resources. Sometimes a list of Web citations is called a Webliography. Please review the following resource to learn how to properly cite Internet resources.

General Form for Electronic Resources. (2008) Retrieved January 14, 2008, from the American Psychological Association Web site: http://www.apastyle.org/elecref.html

Assignments

Read The History of Audio on the Web found in the Web Audio section of MakePages.com. You will need your user name and password that you received from Dr. Estrella the first week of classes. Take the self-grading quiz to be sure you have absorbed the content.
Read all the articles in The Current State of Audio on the Web. These articles are found in the Web Audio section of MakePages.com. Take the self-grading quiz to be sure you have absorbed the content.
Read the article on Copyright in the Web Audio section of MakePages.com. Take the self-grading quiz to be sure you have absorbed the content.
Read the article on The Science of Sound in the Web Audio section of MakePages.com. Take the self-grading quiz to be sure you have absorbed the content.
This week's assignment is multi-part.
1. Read the article in the Web Audio section on Techniques for Adding Media to Web Pages.
2. Complete the short Web development assignment at your new home page location (see recent e-mail from Dr. Estrella).
3. Begin learning XHTML using the tutorials at MakePages.com.
Complete as many of the XHTML lessons as you can this week but be sure to complete at least the first 5. The faster you develop some basic Web development skills, the sooner you can add audio to your pages. Post your completed lessons to your Web space (contact Dr. Estrella for details on obtaining Web space).
Complete the remaining XHTML lessons. Post your completed lessons to your Web space.
Complete all the CSS lessons found on MakePages.com and post them to your Web space. Lessons 2-4 require you to actually create pages. Lessons 1, 5, and 6 are for reference only.
Create three Web pages. In the first, add a link to an MP3 file of your choice. On the second, embed the MP3 file using QuickTime. On the third, embed the MP3 file using Flash and the Shearspire MP3 Player. Model Web pages will be provided to assist you in this assignment.
Create a proposal for your final linear audio project. Schedule time to discuss your ideas with Dr. Estrella.
Download and install the 30-day free trial version of Flash Professional. You will use this program to create interactive audio content for the remainder of the class. Create a new document using Flash and then choose Help from the Help menu to run through the tutorials labeled "Getting Started."
Complete the "Creating a Flash Piano" tutorial in the Flash section of MakePages.com. Post your completed assignment to your Web space.
Create a proposal for your final interactive audio project. Schedule time to discuss your ideas with Dr. Estrella.
Final linear audio project is due.
Final interactive audio project is due.
A final quiz on terms and concepts will be posted and must be completed online.