Electroacoustic Music Composition (MUS4203)
Baylor University MUS4203 Spring 2026 course syllabus and online course-guide.
Instructor
Course Description
Literature study, composition, and performance of fixed and interactive electroacoustic music.
Students who do well in MUS4203 may move on to MUS4V09 (Adv,. EA Music Comp.) in order to work on a significant electroacoustic music project of their choice in the style of an independent study.
When
MW 2:30am-3:20pm
Where
Marrs McLean Science Building Room 330
Required Attendance Outside of Scheduled Class Time
none
Grading
Engage and take risks with technology. Search and be curious.
Projects
Analog Synthesis (hardware + Logic Pro)
musique concréte (Logic Pro)
Algorithmic, Generative, and Multi-channel Techniques (Max)
Advanced Physical Computing (Arduino + Max)
Interactive Electronics (Max)
Electronic Ensemble
Scale:
A = 96-100
A- = 90-95
B+ = 87-89
B = 83-86
B- = 80-82
C+ = 77-79
C = 73-76
C- = 70-72 (this is failing for a music major)
F = 0-69
Defining Electroacoustic Music
New York City Electronic Music Festival (NYCEMF) definition:
Electroacoustic music is music whose sound incorporates electronic tools and instruments, including software, in its production or performance. Electroacoustic music often seeks to explore all the sonic possibilities of new technologies, and it includes both works performed live on stage and works created in the studio and played back in concert ...
Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the United States (SEAMUS) definition:
Electro-Acoustic music is a term used to describe those musics which are dependent on electronic technology for their creation and/or performance.
Composing Electroacoustic Music
Baylor Composition Area's ultimate mission is to help students develop their creative abilities to uniquely compose the music of the future (rather than just "learn the trade of composing"). MUS4203 begins with projects focusing on typical pedagogical electroacoustic works (a musique concréte piece, an interactive piece using Max, etc.) in order for students to develop timeless audio editing and manipulation techniques. By the time students take MUS4V09, they should be creating works that move the electroacoustic music world forward (rather than "treading water" in the known pool of electroacoustic possibilities).
Course Topics:
The following indicates the topics covered. Each topic has supplemental reading material that changes yearly in order to stay current.
History of Electronic Music (mediums and aesthetic foundations)
Digital Audio (how it works … how filters work at a sample level)
musique concréte (how to manipulate recorded sounds)
minute project for speakers alone (fixed media)
Audio Synthesis
minute project for fixed media and live musician
Interactive Music (introduction to Max)
minute project for computer (Max) and live musician
Extending inputs and outputs with microcontrollers (and a deeper look into computer hardware and software)
minute project for Arduino
Video art and film scoring with electroacoustic music
minute project for moving image and electroacoustic music (all fixed media)
Projects given only to graduate students:
minute project for live generated computer music (generative music)
minute project for interactive video art (Jitter) and live musician
Course Objective
Principal Objective = by the end of this course, you will be able to compose electroacoustic music.
Additionally, by the end of this course, you will be able to:
List various forms of electroacoustic music along with historical examples.
Perform basic electroacoustic music analysis.
Identify and describe foundational/basic digital signal processing (DSP) tools.
Creatively manipulate recorded sounds to fit your compositional objectives using DSP tools.
Develop code to use in live electroacoustic music performance.
Create an original electronic music complete with edited score(s) and parts (if applicable).
Course Materials
Resources (patches, readings, etc.): MUS4203 Spring 2026 Box Folder
Max by Cycling '74 (you'll get a license to use for the semester from the instructor)
Online Course Guide = https://benjohansen.gitbook.io/eacomp/
books (available online through the Baylor Library)
Attendance
The following is straight from the School of Music Undergraduate Handbook:
School of Music policy requires that to earn credit in a course a student must be officially enrolled by the end of the second full week of the semester and attend at least 75% of all class meetings. Faculty members may establish additional attendance requirements as outlined in course syllabi. Any student who is not present for at least 75% of the scheduled class sessions for any course will automatically receive a grade of “F” in the course. Any University-related activity necessitating an absence from class will count as an absence when determining whether a student has attended the required 75% of class meetings.
Missing 20min of any portion of a class meeting during the official class meeting time, will result in a 1/2 absence (for example, leaving a class meeting 20min early).
Attendance is not calculated in your grade, but you must attend at least 75% of class meetings in order to be eligible pass the course.
Course Resources, Policies, & Statements
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