Educational Goals

The purpose of the software on the CD-ROM is to teach electroacoustic music, that is, music that falls outside of the note paradigm. Music viewed (or listened to) as organized sound allows the listener to focus on aspects other than those prevalent in instrumental writing. The tools are simple to use but suited for advanced work as well, and encourage a learning process that is radically different from that found in traditional work with sequencers, samplers and synthesizers.

Since Norway is a relatively small country, it has also been important to cultivate a culture technology in the national language.

CD-ROM with Music Tools for the Educational System

The software developed by NoTAM is built on a model of non-linear teaching, based on student learning by means of personal investigation and creative activity. We did not want a specific emphasis on the necessity of theoretical knowledge, but we wanted a quite comprehensive collection of material to be available when and if students wanted it. We wanted the tools to look good when compared to game technology, with individual tools that were easy to use, self-instructional and integrated into a package that was easy to understand and intuitively accessible. These decisions were made out of concern for both students and teachers. It was also important to limit the number of choices that the students could make to not confuse creative impulse with tools that were too complicated.

This CD-ROM project is targeted for students from eleven to sixteen years of age, although the material relevant for students at higher levels as well.

DSP Contents

DSP programs written specifically for this CD-ROM include:

• Mixer with cassette player-type controls and breakpoint curves for amplitude and panoration.
• Sound Editor with the possibility of hard disk recording through the soundcard’s input.
• Synthesis (Additive, FM, Plucked String, Buzz, Noise), Granulation, Time Stretch, Scratch, Sieve, Spectrum Shift, Algorithmic Composition, Delay (including Doppler), Harmonizer, Filter (Highpass, Lowpass, Bandpass and Bandstop), Reverb, Ring Modulation, Chorus (including Flanger)

Tutorial texts written especially for this CD-ROM have the following titles: