Teaching Computer Sciences to Arts & Humanities Students

Abstract

 The authors describe a conversational teaching class that divides stages in a progressive fashion. The main issue is mixing the arts with a computer program entitled Abelton.  Hopefully, the arts can be part of STEM where the computer is a component that increases the quality of the art form.

 Introduction

The literature suggests that Arts and Humanities students may have mixed feelings about incorporating their work with computer technology.1/ The authors illustrate a teaching program that may help the students mix their talents with computer science.

Description

Ableton 2/is a digital audio work station that allows an individual to quickly create audio loops and arranges them to mix together.  

The components include drums, base, vocals, synthesizers, loops, and audio samples.  All the loops are sync’d to a lead tempo and maintain their pitch.

Thus, it compares life instrumentation to computer instrumentation. Or, in computer terms, this is a way to say that it is moving analog to digital. Generally, once a student has learned this program they usually want to incorporate this into their projects. However, hesitant they may have been they usually feel that they can grow and improve in their area.

It takes one course to introduce to freshman how to complete the above talent.  The teaching is generally conversational and may be compared to art class where each works on their own project, but also they are helping others. This is not a three hour lecture where students passively take notes.

So, the course is divided into 10 or 12 classes of 3 hours each. Thus the following:

Class 1/ Sample loops are introduced to be placed in one’s composition.

Class 2/ there is an introduction to “MIDI” which means MUSICAL, INSTRUMENTAL, DIGITAL, INTERFACE.

Class 3/ Generative methods randomize music are structured into algorithms. This produces variation in the music.

Class 4/ One learns to add “sweeteners” or effects on the audio.

Class 5/ Song arrangement harkens back to music that is pre-computerized. Here one places introduction, verse, chorus, verse, bridge, verse, chorus, and outro.

Class 6/ Synthesizers are ways to create sound with oscillators, amplifiers, fillers, and envelopes.

Class 7/ It is now time to mix the audio to video if the two are required to be together. This makes some sounds more prominent than others and there is the use of knob modifiers to make the variations.

Class 8/ One song can be made into many variations. This is called the REMIX PHASE.

Class 9/ This is the mix down phase. You have chosen among the remixes the final copy.

Class 10/ There is a performance to both professor and fellow students. Comments follow. It is called performance preparation.

Class 11/ For the performance, lighting can be extremely important. Thus, it is taught.

Class 12/ Performance may need review and repair. Professor and audience may make comments. Rehearsal is placed here.

Class 13/ This is the important time to play to a real audience. It is called performance preparation.

You have completed the class. The rest is history.

Conclusion:

If you recall learning how to deal with a computer, this is similar. The completion is based on your interest and abilities along with the help of the instructor and classmates. The authors repeat that this is a freshman class. One of the authors really enhanced his life by starting a website. It now has 24,000 essays by cut/ paste or original material.

This article is totally drawn from the curriculum and the explanation to author 1 to author 2. The Ableton program is available in numerous outlets.

References cited

1/ Miao (4/13/2018) How do science and arts students think? Medium, medium.com/miaoacadeny-blog.

2/https.www.ableton.com

3/ Ibid. 1/

Jason Joel Snell, M.A. Professor at New York University, New York, New York.

Joel Charles Snell M.A. (Ret.) from Kirkwood College, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

See joelsnell.com/