Postgraduate Course: Postgraduate Musical Applications of Fourier Theory and Digital Signal Processing (MUSI11034)
Course Outline
| School | Edinburgh College of Art |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
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
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | "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 | None |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Academic year 2026/27, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: 25 |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Please contact the School directly for a breakdown of Learning and Teaching Activities |
| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| 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:
- Demonstrate a technical understanding of Fourier anaylsis, especially as applied to discrete time audio signals, as well as an understanding of the functioning of various audio effects, including chorus, flanging, and phasors.
- Evidence an understanding of the short time Fourier transformation, and phase vocoder based time stretching and pitch shifting algorithms, at the algebraic and programming levels.
- Demonstrate an understanding of simple digital filter structures as used in audio applications and an understanding of discrete inner product spaces, and the concept of signal orthogonality.
- Evidence an understanding of the underpinnings and implications of the audio sampling theorem and have gained facility in the Matlab programming language.
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Michael Newton
Tel:
Email: Michael.Newton@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Laura Duff
Tel:
Email: lduff4@ed.ac.uk |
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