Play with Sound

Name: Play With Sound: Manual for Electronic Musicians
Author: Tommaso Rosati

Manual for Electronic Musicians and Other Sound Explorers offers a thorough introduction to music technology by centering on curiosity and creativity in the exploration of the fundamentals of sound.

This book covers topics regarding audio software, acoustical principles, electroacoustic systems, audio processing, sound synthesis, and communication protocols.

Here you will find additional digital resources. You can find the book in every store, online and offline.

Foreword p. 4

This section outlines representative ways electronic musicians use technologies to record, process, and generate music. We discuss basic concepts such as sound synthesis and sound processing, both in real-time and non-real time.

• Music and Computer – Introduction

Slide

• Music Analysis

Slide

Acoustics & Psychoacoustics p. 18

In these chapters, we give an overview of the physics of sound with all its characteristics. We clarify the concepts of Frequency, Amplitude, and Phase of a wave and then discuss timbre.

• Sound 1 – Wave and Period

Slide

Sound Wave

Wavelength

• Sound 2 – Frequency

Slide

Sound Wave

• Sound 3 – Amplitude

Slide

Sound Wave

• Sound 4 – Phase

Slide

Sound Wave

PHASE

• Sound 5 – Timbre

Slide

SPECTRUM

ADSR

Sounds Examples

ZIP

Electroacoustic Systems p. 45

This section provides an overview of electroacoustic systems, including signal flow and all associated devices such as microphones, mixers, pickups, speakers, and cables.

• Electroacoustic Systems – Analog

Slide

• Microphones and Pickup

Slide

Polar Pattern

• Electroacoustic Systems – Digital

Slide

• Sampling and Quantization

Slide

Communication Protocols p. 92

We address the main communication protocols that drive electronic instruments or effects: MIDI and OSC.

• MIDI and OSC

Slide

Sound Processing p. 103

In this section, we discuss sound processing algorithms and techniques: filters, delay, dynamic processors, distortion, reverb, and spatialization.

• Filters

Slide

Interactive

• Delay

Slide

Interactive

• Dynamic Processors

Slide

• Distortion

Slide

Interactive

• Reverb

Slide

• Spatialization

Slide

Sound Synthesis p. 163

We illustrate techniques and algorithms of various sound synthesis methods: additive, subtractive, modulation, phase distortion, waveshaping, wavetable, physical modeling, granular, and sample synthesis.

• Sound Synthesis

Slide

ADSR

LFO

SUBTRACTIVE SYNTHESIS

RM-AM

KARPLUS-STRONG

Creative Etudes

The book contains 79 creative exercises designed to help you explore electronic music concepts through hands-on practice. Each exercise is connected to specific topics covered in the chapters and encourages experimentation and creativity.

Use the random exercise generator to discover new challenges, filter by topic, and get inspired with creative themes!

Try Exercises

SURPRISE ME!

synthesis recording MIDI filter

Composition / Production

Several electroacoustic composition techniques are described in this section. (Note: This material is in Italian only)

• Composizione Elettroacustica

Slide

• Sequenza Mixata e Mashup

Slide

• Composizione Algoritmica

Slide

• Paesaggio Sonoro

Slide

Electronic Music History

We look at the history of electroacoustic music, from the first recording devices up to digital music and spectralism. (Note: This material is in Italian only)

• Storia 0 – I primi passi

Slide

• Storia 1 – Parigi

Slide

• Storia 2 – Colonia

Slide

• Storia 3 – Milano

Slide

• Storia 4 – USA, UK, Canada

Slide

• Storia 5 – Computer Music

Slide

• Storia 6 – Elettronica POP

Slide

Video and Multimedia

In this section we look at the main approaches of how sound and video are merged together in multimedia design. (Note: Italian only)

• Audiovision / Audiovisione

Slide

Software

Audacity

Record and edit audio. FREE and open source.

REAPER

DAW (Digital Audio Workstation). FREE to evaluate.

Pure Data

Visual programming language. FREE and open source.

Max

Visual object programming by Cycling 74.

Spear

Analysis/resynthesis audio processor. FREE.

Musescore

Music notation software. FREE.

PLUGIN

Reaper plugins

EFFECTS

Bit Crushing
Resampler Distortion
Ping Pong delay

INSTRUMENTS

Drums
Additive synth
Subtractive synth
FM synth
Granular synth

DOWNLOAD REAPER PLUGINS

*The authors have no relationship with the companies that own these programs.

Bibliography

Pierre Schaeffer – Treatise on Musical Objects (1966) – University of California Press, 2017
R. Murray Schäfer – The Soundscape: Our Sonic Environment – Inner Traditions, 1993
Curtis Roads – The Computer Music Tutorial – MIT Press, 1995
Alex Ross – The Rest Is Noise – Picador, 2008
Andrea Cremaschi, Francesco Giomi – Rumore bianco – Zanichelli, 2008
Iannis Xenakis – Music and Architecture – Pendragon Press, 2008
Enrico Cosimi – Manuale di musica elettronica – Tecniche Nuove, 2011
Leonello Tarabella – Musica Informatica – Maggioli, 2014
Dennis DeSantis – Making Music – Ableton AG, 2015
Alessandro Cipriani, Maurizio Giri – Electronic Music and Sound Design Vol.1 & 2 – ConTempoNet, 2019-2020
Mark Fell – Structure and Synthesis – Urbanomic, 2021
Tommaso Rosati – Suono Elettronico – Volontè&Co. 2023

Play with Sound

Foreword p. 4

Acoustics & Psychoacoustics p. 18

Electroacoustic Systems p. 45

Communication Protocols p. 92

Sound Processing p. 103

Sound Synthesis p. 163

Creative Etudes

✦ BONUS CONTENT ✦

Composition / Production

Electronic Music History

Video and Multimedia

Software

Audacity

REAPER

Pure Data

Max

Spear

Musescore

PLUGIN

EFFECTS

INSTRUMENTS

Bibliography