Communities Assignment
MUSC 228 History of Electronic Music
updated January 21, 2020
Introduction
You will identify, evaluate, select, and imagine how you might most effectively engage with
regional, national, and global communities related to course topics.
Work alone. Find your own answers. Submit your answers via the corresponding
eCampus Assignment.
Goals
• Serves the Learning Outcomes: Engage with regional, national, and global electronic
music communities; Social, cultural, and global competence; and Preparing to engage
in lifelong learning.
• Partially satisfies the Core Objective of Social Responsibility (ability to engage effectively in regional, national, and global communities.)
Definitions
Use the following definitions for the purpose of this assignment.
[Electronic music] community A named, organized group of people centered on a
common interest in electronic music, with opportunities for you to both benefit
and contribute information, products, services, or experiences to advance electronic
music in some way. It must be identifiable by a World Wide Web site
(e.g., http://performancestudies.tamu.edu). This includes print/music/internet publications, clubs, schools, and groups that produce live events such as presentations,
concerts, or workshops. A single performing act (e.g., one band) with closed membership does not count as a “community” for this assignment, but an open collective
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of performers would. A community that is open to many styles of music including
electronic music does not count here, because it would not be significantly different
if electronic music were excluded: it must be centered on electronic music.
Electronic Music Music that uses electronics as a significant aesthetic element in its
identity, not simply pop music that includes synthesizer players, hip hop that uses
turntablists as a supporting—rather than main—feature, or other forms of music that
use electronics as a utility for sound reinforcement (e.g., amplifiers, public address
(PA) systems). Ask yourself: if the electronic elements were replaced with acoustic
ones, would the music be classified differently? would it take on a completely different
meaning? would it be impossible? — A “yes” answer to any of these questions
suggests that electronics do play a significant role, and it may be fair to call this a
kind of electronic music. Also, compare the music in question to the music covered
in the textbook and in class.
Benefit [from an electronic music community] Actively advance your own goals relating to electronic music such as gaining knowledge, discovering new music, developing skills, or making friends with common interests. This excludes financial gains
from employment or royalties, etc.—keep your benefits relevant to course topics, even
if you are just imagining that you are interested in it.
Contribute [to an electronic music community] Actively advance this community in
pursuit of its goals, e.g., by providing content, performing an official or unofficial service role (e.g., the treasurer or a frequent commenter), or by otherwise promoting
healthy involvement. If you are not a musician or an expert on a relevant topic,
you could still contribute through logistical support, e.g., administration, marketing,
technical support, staff, or by otherwise facilitating community activity. Imagine
someone you care about has created an electronic music community, and you want to
use whatever skills you do have so you can help. This excludes financial contributions
like donations, purchases, etc.
International Headquartered outside USA, holds events outside USA, primarily uses a
language other than English or your native language, evidence (that you state in your
explanation) suggests at least 30% of contributors are from outside USA
National Primarily inside USA but: headquartered outside Texas, primarily holds events
outside Texas, evidence (that you state in your explanation) suggests at least 30% of
contributors are from outside Texas.
Regional Primarily holds events inside Texas, evidence (that you state in your explanation) suggests at least 50% of contributors are from inside Texas. You may imagine
having a home state other than Texas if you prefer.
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Questions
Prepare brief, focused responses to each of the following prompts in a word processor. Refer
to items in the Resources section (pages 4–8) or use your own research to find responses
that best address course topics, meet your interests, and satisfy the prompts. You won’t be
required to actually join any of the communities you describe here; just seek what would
best suit your interests, etc. out of the options you find.
Engaging with International Communities
1. What is the name of the INTERNATIONAL community for electronic music that
BEST fits your interests?
(i.e., name of the organization, festival, school, publication, discussion forum, etc.)
2. What is the website address of this community?
(e.g., http://performancestudies.tamu.edu)
3. What does this community primarily do?
(e.g., creates what products?, provides what services?, or conducts what activities?)
4. What term describes a role or function you might be interested in taking to contribute to the organization?
(e.g., president, treasurer, webmaster, marketing, editor, author, instructor, presenter, performer, music producer, event coordinator, audio technician, computer
technician)
5. Briefly explain what makes this community best fit your interests.
(One sentence.)
Engaging with National Communities
6. What is the name of the NATIONAL community for electronic music that BEST fits
your interests? (i.e., name of the organization, festival, school, publication, discussion
forum, etc.)
7. What is the website address of this community?
(e.g., http://performancestudies.tamu.edu)
8. What does this community primarily do?
(e.g., creates what products?, provides what services?, or conducts what activities?)
9. What term describes a role or function you might be interested in taking to contribute to the organization?
(e.g., president, treasurer, webmaster, marketing, editor, author, instructor, presenter, performer, music producer, event coordinator, audio technician, computer
technician)
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10. Briefly explain what makes this community best fit your interests.
(One sentence.)
Engaging with Regional Communities
11. What is the name of the REGIONAL community for electronic music that BEST fits
your interests? (i.e., name of the organization, festival, school, publication, discussion
forum, etc.)
12. What is the website address of this community?
(e.g., http://performancestudies.tamu.edu)
13. What does this community primarily do?
(e.g., creates what products?, provides what services?, or conducts what activities?)
14. What term describes a role or function you might be interested in taking to contribute to the organization?
(e.g., president, treasurer, webmaster, marketing, editor, author, instructor, presenter, performer, music producer, event coordinator, audio technician, computer
technician)
15. Briefly explain what makes this community best fit your interests.
(One sentence.)
Resources
Use any of the following resources or your own research to find responses that best suit
your interests.
In the Course Textbook
• Ch. 4 The Post-War Sonic Boom: pp. 50, 59, 61
• Ch. 6 Into the Mainstream: pp. 79
• Ch. 7 Synth Pop: pp. 94–95, 97
• Ch. 8 Electronic Dance Music: pp. 102–104, 106–107, 109, 112
• Ch. 9 Continuing the Classical: pp. 121–124, 131
• Ch. 10 Experimental Electronica: pp. 141, 143
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• Ch. 12 Further Connections: pp. 168–169, 174
• Ch. 13 Live Electronic Music: pp. 185, 190
• Ch. 14 Conclusions: pp. 193
Organizations
—International Organizations
• Algorave—https://algorave.com/
• Australasian Computer Music Association—http://acma.asn.au/
• Generative Art International Conference—http://www.generativeart.com/
• International Community for Auditory Display—http://icad.org/
• International Computer Music Conference—http://www.computermusic.org/
• International Society for Improvised Music—http://www.improvisedmusic.org/
• International Society for Music Information Retrieval—http://www.ismir.net/
• Musical Metacreation—http://musicalmetacreation.org/
• New Interfaces for Musical Expression—http://www.nime.org/
• New West Electronic Arts & Music Organization—http://nweamo.org/
• Sound and Music Computing—http://smcnetwork.org/
• Wikipedia listing of electronic music festivals—https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Category:Electronic_music_festivals_by_country
• Wikipedia listing of new media art festivals—https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Category:New_media_art_festivals
—National Organizations
• Electronic Music Midwest—http://www.emmfestival.org/
• Society for Electroacoustic Music in the United States—
• Wikipedia listing—https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Electronic_music_
festivals_in_the_United_States
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—Regional Organizations
• Electric LaTex (search for the most recent festival by year, usually each fall)—
https://www.google.com/search?q=”electric+latex”+music+festival+texas+louisiana+
university
—Try Your Own Web Searches
• Clubs—may include TAMU, Texas, USA, or international scope
• Facebook groups—may include TAMU, Texas, USA, or international scope
Publications
—International Publications
• Computer Music Journal—http://www.computermusicjournal.org/
• Dancecult: Journal of Electronic Dance Music Culture—
https://dj.dancecult.net/index.php/dancecult
• Future Music (UK)—http://www.musicradar.com/futuremusic
• Sound On Sound—http://www.soundonsound.com/
• The Wire—http://www.thewire.co.uk/
—National Publications
• Electronic Musician—http://www.emusician.com/
• Keyboard Magazine—http://www.keyboardmag.com/
Schools and Workshops
—International Schools and Workshops
• Department of Music and Media Production, Royal College of Music in Stockholm,
Sweden—http://www.kmh.se/369
• Institut de Recherche et Coordination Acoustique/Musique (Institute for Research
and Coordination in Acoustics/Music)—https://www.ircam.fr/
• Institute of Sonology, Royal Conservatoire, The Hague, The Netherlands—
http://www.koncon.nl/en/departments-study-programmes/sonology/
• Sonic Arts Research Centre, Queen’s University Belfast, Northern Ireland—
http://www.sarc.qub.ac.uk/
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—National Schools and Workshops
• Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics, Stanford University—
https://ccrma.stanford.edu/
• Center for New Music and Audio Technologies, UC Berkeley—
http://cnmat.berkeley.edu/
• Department of Sound, School of the Art Institute of Chicago—
http://www.saic.edu/academics/departments/sound/
• Digital Interactive Sound & Intermedia Studio, Virginia Tech—
http://disis.music.vt.edu/
• Electronic Production and Design, Berklee College of Music—
https://www.berklee.edu/electronic-production-design
• Experimental Music & Digital Media—http://wp.music.lsu.edu/emdm/
• Georgia Tech Center for Music Technology—http://www.gtcmt.gatech.edu/
• MuE: Music + Engineering, University of Miami—http://mue.music.miami.edu/
• Multimedia & Electronic Music Experiments, Brown University—https://www.brown.
edu/academics/music/graduate/computer-music-multimedia-meme
• Music Production, Full Sail University—
https://www.fullsail.edu/degrees/music-production-bachelor
• Music Technology, New York University—http://steinhardt.nyu.edu/music/technology
—Regional Schools and Workshops
• Center for Experimental Music and Intermedia, University of North Texas—
https://cemi.music.unt.edu/
• Rice Electroacoustic Music Labs, Rive University—http://music.rice.edu/composer/
remlabs.shtml
• UT Electronic Music Studios, University of Texas—
https://ems.music.utexas.edu/
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—Try web searches for more
• Degree programs—
https://www.google.com/search?q=computer+music+degree+program
• Summer programs—
https://www.google.com/search?q=computer+music+summer+program
• Workshops—https://www.google.com/search?q=computer+music+workshop
Submission
Open the Communities Assignment at http://ecampus.tamu.edu, and paste the answers
you prepared from the word processor into the eCampus Assignment, and follow the instructions there to submit the assignment by the due date listed. Optionally, upload a
PDF, plain or rich text, or Microsoft Word file containing your answers. See the following
examples.
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