Undergraduate Course: Musical Applications of Fourier Theory and Digital Signal Processing (MUSI10055)
Course Outline
| School | Edinburgh College of Art |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This course aims to describe the mathematical underpinnings of Fourier theory, and digital signal processing, especially with regard to music and audio applications. The emphasis is on algebraic work, and on practical computation for sound analysis and synthesis. |
| Course description |
Not entered
|
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
Students MUST have passed:
Linear Algebra and Several Variable Calculus (PHYS08042) AND
Dynamics and Vector Calculus (PHYS08043)
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | Similar courses may also be considered as prerequisites; however, you will require approval by the Course Organiser and should contact them prior to enrolling in the course.
"This course does not require any additional costs to be met by the student.
However, some students may prefer to own and use their own laptop computer for writing and other computer-based activities (Mac or Windows, according to personal preference, e.g., Macbook Air/Pro, Dell XPS) and wired closed back headphones (e.g., Audio-Technica M40x/M50x, Beyerdynamic DT770). However, this is not a compulsory requirement, and it is possible to complete the course without incurring such additional costs."
|
| Additional Costs | This course does not require any additional costs to be met by the student.
However, some students may prefer to own and use their own laptop computer for writing and other computer-based activities (Mac or Windows, according to personal preference, e.g., Macbook Air/Pro, Dell XPS) and wired closed back headphones (e.g., Audio-Technica M40x/M50x, Beyerdynamic DT770). However, this is not a compulsory requirement, and it is possible to complete the course without incurring such additional costs. |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | Visiting students should have at least three semesters in Mathematics courses. We will only consider University/College level courses.
|
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Academic year 2026/27, Available to all students (SV1)
|
Quota: 25 |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 33,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
163 )
|
| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
|
| Additional Information (Assessment) |
This course has 3 components of assessment:
1. DSP & Programming Quiz (in-person). 60 minutes, 20% of course mark, mid-semester. A supervised written test carried out during class time. Access to the internet and to generative-AI tools is not permitted; printed course notes and textbooks are allowed. As this is an in-person assessment, extensions and late submissions are not permitted. Standard University arrangements for individual Schedules of Adjustment apply. Individually assessed. Assesses LO1, LO2, LO4.
2. Audio DSP Project. Code submission plus individual code viva (approximately 10 minutes), 40% of course mark; code submitted late-semester, code vivas follow. An extended audio DSP programming project to a prescribed remit with an open-ended list of possible extensions. Individually assessed. Assesses LO2, LO3, LO5.
3. DSP & Programming Class Exam (in-person). 90 minutes, 40% of course mark, late-semester. A supervised written test carried out during class time. Access to the internet and to generative-AI tools is not permitted; printed course notes and textbooks are allowed. As this is an in-person assessment, extensions and late submissions are not permitted. Standard University arrangements for individual Schedules of Adjustment apply. Individually assessed. Assesses LO1, LO3, LO4, LO5.
Resubmission Information
The resubmission arrangements for this course are as follows:
- The resubmission task for the DSP & Programming Quiz is an equivalent supervised written test, 20%, at the next available sitting.
- The resubmission task for the Audio DSP Project is a revised submission to the original project brief (including code viva), 40%.
- The resubmission task for the DSP and Programming Class Exam is a resit supervised written testexamination, 90 minutes, 40%, in the next available diet.
Students will receive further resubmission information as per University regulations as necessary. |
| Feedback |
Formative Feedback:
Regular non-assessed practice problem sets accompany the lecture notes, with worked solutions discussed in class and tutorials. Weekly Matlab tutorial exercises (in the first half of the course) receive individual verbal feedback from tutors during timetabled lab sessions, and directly prepare students for the Audio DSP Project and DSP and Programming Class Exam; practice test material is provided in advance. Ahead of the project deadline, tutorial slots include drop-in clinics offering formative guidance on work in progress.
Summative Feedback:
Marks and written feedback on the DSP and Programming Quiz are returned in time to feed forward into the Audio DSP Project and DSP and Programming Class Exam preparation. Feedback on the Audio DSP Project is delivered principally in person as part of the individual code viva, with a brief written record provided afterwards.
Summative feedback will be provided according to University regulations. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- A thorough and detailed technical and mathematical understanding of Fourier Theory with regard to audio signal processing.
- The ability to program audio processing and DSP code in the Matlab language
- The ability to design and program specialised signal processing operations, such as the phase vocoder, and various audio effects including flangers, chorusers and artificial reverberation.
- An increased facility with various mathematical concepts, including complex number representations, trigonometry, inner product descriptions, orthogonality as well as some linear algebra.
- An understanding of, and the ability to program digital filter structures.
|
Additional Information
| Course URL |
http://www.music.ed.ac.uk |
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Additional Class Delivery Information |
2 hour lecture per week and 1 hour tutorial per week. |
| Keywords | MAF music technology fourier theory digital signal processing acoustics |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Michael Newton
Tel:
Email: Michael.Newton@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Laura Duff
Tel:
Email: lduff4@ed.ac.uk |
|
|
University Homepage