Chapter 1- Erica

Chapter 1- Erica

Music has broadened my academic interests in ways I could never have imagined, inspiring me to delve into seemingly “unrelated” subjects such as mathematics, biology, computer science, and visual art. Thus, I am deeply interested in the interdisciplinary nature of the "Digital Sound and Music" course, particularly in further investigating the parallels between the arts and math/science.

However, this course’s interdisciplinary nature also had me feeling a little worried. Since the students participating in this course next year will be coming from a myriad of interests and skill levels, I wondered whether or not the textbook would be able to effectively begin students at a common "square one.” How exactly would the textbook begin in creating a comprehensive “Digital Sound and Music” vocabulary without intimidating and overwhelming those who believe themselves to be less tech-savvy? Likewise, how would the textbook’s discussion of Music Theory concepts manage include those lacking a strong music background?

However, the nature of the textbook's Chapter 1 put all my worries to rest. Chapter 1 effectively and clearly explains basic computer concepts, focusing on setting up and operating a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW.) Chapter 1 not only explained how to set up and organize this workstation, but also provided reasoning behind the set up. Since the text begins by defining the difference between analog and digital, any student should feel confident that the concepts in the book, while foreign and/or daunting, are certainly within reach. I especially liked the passage that read “This book is aimed at a broad spectrum of readers who approach sound from various directions. Our hope is to help reinforce the interdisciplinary connections and to enable our readers to explore sound from the perspective and at the depth they choose.” This should encourage any student, regardless of their academic background.

I was a little bit confused as to why the “live performance setup” diagram was included in this chapter. Even though its setup is similar to that of a DAW, I did not think that the diagram added much to this chapter.

I found the discussion of the different types of microphones to be a particularly well-written, informative section. A few of my music professors have tried to explain the inner workings of a microphone to me with limited success. However, the textbook left me feeling like I had a solid basic understanding- a wonderful feeling for someone who is relatively new to the world of Digital Sound and Music! Also, even though much of my own DAW set up was already done for me, I felt that I could have managed the set up independently after several very careful readings of the text.