Listening with your Eyes: Creating Music Visualizations

Spring 2019 Tuesdays 3:10-4:00pm
Music Computer Lab (056 Music Hall)
Instructor: Dr. Christopher Hopkins 
In-lab office hours: M/W 2:00-2:30 pm (Music Computer Lab)

Course Description and Outcomes

In this honors seminar you will develop a knowledge of the elements of music and their organization, using a method of translating these into the shapes, colors, textures, and motions of animated computer graphics.  You will create moving pictures that represent how elements of musical sound change their values and relations to each other, with the goal to refine your intuitive experience of the emotive effect of music by coordinating aural with visual observations.

You need not be already acquainted with techniques of computer animation or otherwise a practicing musician to succeed in this seminar—all the programming modules will be provided to you to use in hands-on labs with expert assistance. If you do have prior and substantial computer programming experience, especially using Javascript, you will have the option to participate in a form that includes greater access to the visualization methods themselves.

Required Storage Media 

Lab computers are wiped clean each night after the lab closes.  All your personal files for assignments must be stored on your own media (portable hard drive, thumb drive) or copied to your own Cloud space (such as CyBox).

Evaluation and Grading

As befits honors seminars substantive participation will be the primary general criterion for passing the seminar.  To achieve substantive participation you must complete several in-class projects.  It is implicit that attendance during regularly scheduled meetings is required for completion of in-class projects and therefore is required for obtaining the passing grade.

Course Policies

Required Computer Platform and Software

Because in-class discussions and presentations need to be based on a common vocabulary and consistency in the examination of practical techniques, you may not substitute alternate software or programming languages for assignments, projects, and presentations. 

Although the regularly scheduled course meetings should supply time to complete assignments, you may enhance projects using the designated course software in other facilities, including your own computer systems, but you must be able to demonstrate and discuss every aspect of your projects using the software, computers, and keyboards provided in the music computer lab—each project must be open to examination of its constructive details and must be generated live during the presentation (not as only the rendered movie).  

All technical problems related to transfer of files from systems outside the resources designated for the course (056 Music Hall, Canvas, and Cybox) are your own full responsibility.  Neither the instructor nor the lab support staff are required to solve problems related to students' personal computers, storage devices, or aternative cloud services.

Completion of Coursework 

Unexcused late work will not be accepted. All projects must be presented to the seminar during regular meetings on the dates due. You may not defer the presentation of your projects except as arranged prior to their date due, and within the context of a documented excused absence. 

If a valid documented excuse exists for the failure to present the final project as scheduled, the instructor will determine the method of compensation in calculating the grade for the course.

Grades of Incomplete (I) will be granted only in accordance with university policy and that of the Honors program.

Uniform University Policies

Academic Dishonesty

The class will follow Iowa State University’s policy on academic dishonesty.  Anyone suspected of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Students Office.

Accessibility Statement

Iowa State University is committed to assuring that all educational activities are free from discrimination and harassment based on disability status. Students requesting accommodations for a documented disability are required to meet with staff in Student Accessibility Services (SAS) to establish eligibility and learn about related processes.  Eligible students will be provided with a Notification Letter for each course and reasonable accommodations will be arranged after timely delivery of the Notification Letter to the instructor.  Students are encouraged to deliver Notification Letters as early in the semester as possible.  SAS, a unit in the Dean of Students Office, is located in room 1076, Student Services Building or online at www.sas.dso.iastate.edu.  Contact SAS by email at accessibility@iastate.edu or by phone at 515-294-7220 for additional information.

Dead Week

This class follows the Iowa State University Dead Week policy as noted in section 10.6.4 of the Faculty Handbook.

Discrimination and Harassment

Iowa State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, ethnicity, religion, national origin, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, sex, marital status, disability, or status as a U.S. Veteran. Inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies may be directed to Office of Equal Opportunity, 3410 Beardshear Hall, 515 Morrill Road, Ames, Iowa 50011, Tel. 515-294-7612,  Hotline 515-294-1222, email eooffice@iastate.edu

Religious Accommodation