Computer Music

Abstract

This chapter covers algorithms, technologies, computer languages, and systems for computer music. Computer music involves the application of computers and other digital/electronic technologies to music composition, performance, theory, history, and perception. The field combines digital signal processing, computational algorithms, computer languages, hardware and software systems, acoustics, psychoacoustics (low-level perception of sounds from the raw acoustic signal), and music cognition (higher-level perception of musical style, form, emotion, etc.). Although most people would think that analog synthesizers and electronic music substantially predate the use of computers in music, many experiments and complete computer music systems were being constructed and used as early as the 1950s. Because of this rich legacy, and the large number of researchers working on digital audio (primarily in speech research laboratories), there are a large number of algorithms for synthesizing sound using computers. Thus, a significant emphasis in this chapter will be placed on digital sound synthesis and processing, first providing an overview of the representation of audio in digital systems, then covering most of the popular algorithms for digital analysis and synthesis of sound.