Computers And Music Computers - 1612 Words

Computers and Music Computers and Music James C. Compton Sunset Primary School, West Linn, Oregon August 20, 2006 Most people think of computers as mundane tools for completing daily tasks. But they are also a central part of exciting new technologies for artists including musicians. As computers improve and become faster and more powerful, they are becoming as integral to a musician’s work as any instrument. Over the years, musicians have struggled to use the computer as an integrated tool, as working with audio places huge demands on the machine. This often resulted in problems such as latency, a time delay from pressing a note on the keyboard to hearing the sound. This can be quite frustrating during†¦show more content†¦The use of this technology in the classroom has allowed students to play a song and see it instantly displayed on the screen. With the new wireless MIDI, students can interact with the computer via a keyboard from anywhere in the classroom. Today, there are also MIDI technologies for guitars, violins, saxophones, and even trumpets. A common problem for musicia ns today is choosing the right audio interface. There are PCI cards and stand-alone boxes available. One has to choose between USB or firewire ports, and how many inputs and outputs will be needed. For use with a high quality condenser microphone, the device should have built in 48-volt phantom power. Another choice are the depth and sample rates available for recording quality. CD quality is 16 bit at 44.1kHz , but much higher rates are possible. Certain interfaces are fine for single track recording, but others might work better to record several instruments at the same time (Walker, 2004). Professional musicians use the computer for a variety of applications. They use the mobility of the laptop to compose songs on the road in hotel rooms and on tour buses. They use the desktop machines at home to record all or part of a CD, saving costs substantially. Computers are used live on stage to run backing audio tracks, light cues, and multimedia shows, among other uses. Musical notation is easy on the computer and it is now possible to print