A bit off topic, but I have been trying to teach myself mathematics
applicable to different music topics - especially tuning, composition
and now synthesis but generally I'm using different formulas that I
don't fully understand and don't have the knowledge to expand on.  Does
anyone have any suggestions as to what branch(es) of mathematics would
be most beneficial for me to go back to square one with.  Calculus has
been suggested, does this seem appropriate?  I'll likely try and audit a
first year course in the appropriate subject.  Or, what are some of your
individual backgrounds in mathematics, electronics, etc that have been
helpful to you?

Thanks for your time, sorry for the diversion.
Paul Ruston.  

>-----Original Message-----
>From:	Sean Costello [SMTP:costello@seanet.com]
>Sent:	June 23, 1998 5:58 AM
>To:	herremar@pilot.msu.edu
>Cc:	csound@noether.ex.ac.uk
>Subject:	Re: re_books
>
>herremar@pilot.msu.edu wrote:
>> 
>> >Moore's book (Elements of Computer Music, see previous mail) seems to
>> >be out of print. I'm trying myself to find a copy for our library.
>> >Perhaps we should start nagging Prentice Hall for a reprint?
>> 
>> it was the bookstore at either uc san diego or at stanford that told me
>> they had this in stock.  my local retailers have given me the impression
>> that they could order it.  i'm hesitating only because soft cover is
>>$64.00.
>
>I know the Stanford bookstore had a copy last time I was there.  $64.00
>is a lot, but I believe that the book is printed on demand, which would
>explain the price.  As far as the original posting, this is THE book
>that fulfills that description: in-depth descriptions of most of the
>major digital synthesis techniques, heavy on the mathematical details,
>with C code provided for most of the techniques described.  Not a good
>book for beginners, but a good book to work up to - I'm still working on
>learning the math necessary to really appreciate the book.
>
>As far as other books, Dodge and Jerse's "Computer Music" is an
>excellent first book - good balance of introduction to techniques and
>technical description.
>
>Sean Costello
>

If you can find the list archive (I can never remember where it is) there
was a pretty good discussion about a year ago on what math to take. To
summarize: Most Csounding can be done with algebra and analytic geometry.
To understand the foundations of signal processing and maybe derive your
own formulas you need calculus through calculus of complex variables and
ordinary differential equations. To fully understand physical modelling you
need partial differential equations. To answer a PARTICULAR question
without studying all of the math, post a question to the list. A few of
your responses will say in essence "any idiot can do this." A few will be
way over your head, and a few will explain things in terms you can use.

At 1:59 PM -0400 6/23/98, Ruston, Paul wrote:
>A bit off topic, but I have been trying to teach myself mathematics
>applicable to different music topics - especially tuning, composition
>and now synthesis but generally I'm using different formulas that I
>don't fully understand and don't have the knowledge to expand on.  Does
>anyone have any suggestions as to what branch(es) of mathematics would
>be most beneficial for me to go back to square one with.  Calculus has
>been suggested, does this seem appropriate?  I'll likely try and audit a
>first year course in the appropriate subject.  Or, what are some of your
>individual backgrounds in mathematics, electronics, etc that have been
>helpful to you?

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Erik Spjut (rhymes with cute) - Acting Director,The Center for Design Education
and/or Associate Professor of Engineering
Harvey Mudd College, Claremont, CA 91711  USA
Erik_Spjut@hmc.edu      Ph & Voice mail (909) 607-3890      Fax (909) 621-8967