In this practical, project-based book, music students, educators, and coders receive the necessary tools to engage with real-world experiences in computation and creativity using the programming language Scratch. Designed to teach students the fundamental concepts of computational thinking through interactive music, sound, and media, projects vary in complexity and encourage readers to make music through playing and creating music. This book introduces readers to concepts in computational thinking and coding alongside parallel concepts in music, creative sound, and interaction. The book begins with a gentle introduction to the Scratch 3.0 programming environment through hands-on projects using a computer keyboard and mouse to make music and control sounds, creating original sounds, and performing them as an instrument. The next chapters introduce programming musical sequences, melodies, and structures, and assembling them into a virtual band that can be performed live or automated through algorithms. The final chapters explore computational thinking and music in the contexts of making games with sound effects, teaching the computer to generate music using algorithms and rules, interacting with music using live video, finishing with a chapter on musical live coding, where readers will create and manipulate computer code to perform, improvise, and create original music live.

Teach Your Students How to Use Computing to Explore Powerful and Creative Ideas In the twenty-first century, computers have become indispensable in music making, distribution, performance, and consumption. Making Music with Computers: Creative Programming in Python introduces important concepts and skills necessary to generate music with computers. It interweaves computing pedagogy with musical concepts and creative activities, showing students how to integrate the creativity and design of the arts with the mathematical rigor and formality of computer science. The book provides an introduction to creative software development in the Python programming language. It uses innovative music-creation activities to illustrate introductory computer programming concepts, including data types, algorithms, operators, iteration, lists, functions, and classes. The authors also cover GUIs, event-driven programming, big data, sonification, MIDI programming, client'server programming, recursion, fractals, and complex system dynamics. Requiring minimal musical or programming experience, the text is designed for courses in introductory computer science and computing in the arts. It helps students learn computer programming in a creative context and understand how to build computer music applications. Also suitable for self-study, the book shows musicians and digital music enthusiasts how to write music software and create algorithmic music compositions. Web ResourceA supplementary website (http://jythonMusic.org) provides a music library and other software resources used in the text. The music library is an extension of the jMusic library and incorporates other cross-platform programming tools. The website also offers example course and associated media resources.

Teach Your Students How to Use Computing to Explore Powerful and Creative Ideas

In the twenty-first century, computers have become indispensable in music making, distribution, performance, and consumption. Making Music with Computers: Creative Programming in Python introduces important concepts and skills necessary to generate music with computers. It interweaves computing pedagogy with musical concepts and creative activities, showing students how to integrate the creativity and design of the arts with the mathematical rigor and formality of computer science.

The book provides an introduction to creative software development in the Python programming language. It uses innovative music-creation activities to illustrate introductory computer programming concepts, including data types, algorithms, operators, iteration, lists, functions, and classes. The authors also cover GUIs, event-driven programming, big data, sonification, MIDI programming, client server programming, recursion, fractals, and complex system dynamics.

Requiring minimal musical or programming experience, the text is designed for courses in introductory computer science and computing in the arts. It helps students learn computer programming in a creative context and understand how to build computer music applications. Also suitable for self-study, the book shows musicians and digital music enthusiasts how to write music software and create algorithmic music compositions.

Web Resource
A supplementary website (http: //jythonMusic.org) provides a music library and other software resources used in the text. The music library is an extension of the jMusic library and incorporates other cross-platform programming tools. The website also offers example course and associated media resources."

In this practical, project-based book, music students, educators, and coders receive the necessary tools to engage with real-world experiences in computation and creativity using the programming language Scratch. Designed to teach students the fundamental concepts of computational thinking through interactive music, sound, and media, projects vary in complexity and encourage readers to make music through playing and creating music. This book introduces readers to concepts in computational thinking and coding alongside parallel concepts in music, creative sound, and interaction. The book begins with a gentle introduction to the Scratch 3.0 programming environment through hands-on projects using a computer keyboard and mouse to make music and control sounds, creating original sounds, and performing them as an instrument. The next chapters introduce programming musical sequences, melodies, and structures, and assembling them into a virtual band that can be performed live or automated through algorithms. The final chapters explore computational thinking and music in the contexts of making games with sound effects, teaching the computer to generate music using algorithms and rules, interacting with music using live video, finishing with a chapter on musical live coding, where readers will create and manipulate computer code to perform, improvise, and create original music live.