MU611 / MU 376 Software Sound Synthesis

Csound Manual

Manual for Csound 5

Csound Program

You can download Csound 5 from sourceforge
[On Windows, download the latest version of the software installer and run it; it will install all components that you would need for running Csound]

Lecture Slides

1. Introduction
   An introduction to digital signals.
2. Basics
   Basic aspects of software synthesis and csound.
3. Instruments
   Computer instruments, unit generators and basic opcodes.
4. Modulation, noise and sampled-sound
   AM, Ring Modulation, vibrato, noise generators and soundfile input.
5. Additive
   Techniques: additive synthesis.
6. Subtractive
   Techniques: filters and subtractive synthesis.
7. FM
   Techniques: frequency and phase modulation.
8. Waveshaping
   Techniques: waveshaping and distortion.
9. Granular
   Techniques: granular and formant synthesis.
10. Physical
    An introduction to physical models.

Background Texts

• Tips
  on command-line usage.
• Basic
  csound function-table generators (GENs).
• Value converters
  in csound.
• Additive synthesis
  csound code examples.
• Envelope
  generators in csound.
• Subtractive synthesis
  csound code examples.
• The channel vocoder:
  a commented csound code example.
• Double-carrier FM
  and other examples.
• Simple FM:
  Chowning's examples.
• MIDI in csound
• AM and sampled-sound
• Vowel & formant synthesis
  csound code examples.
• Synchronous granular synthesis
  csound code examples.

Past Exam papers (MU611)

• 2006
• 2005

Sounds

Soundfiles for use in exercises and tutorials (right-click and choose 'save target as' to download these files).

• viola, C3 (pch: 8.00)
• piano, C2 (pch: 7.00)
• flute, C3 (pch: 8.00)
• bassoon, C2 (pch: 7.00)
• harpsichord, C2 (pch: 7.00)
• xylophone, C3 (pch: 7.00)