SuperCollider for the Creative Musician: A Practical Guide (Creating Technology for Music)

SuperCollider, an open-source, cross-platform software program for real-time sound synthesis and algorithmic composition, was created by James McCartney in 1996 and has evolved to become a powerful tool for music composition and research. Written by composer and sound artist Eli Fieldsteel, who has almost two decades' experience of using SuperCollider for a variety of creative audio projects, SuperCollider for the Creative Musician is a comprehensive tutorial and reference guide for students, composers, and practitioners seeking a structured educational tour through this unique and flexible software.

The book begins with platform-specific fundamentals, explores a large family of creative techniques, and then guides the reader through the nuances of assembling, navigating, and performing large-scale projects. Key topics include synthesis, sampling, sequencing, signal processing, external control, and graphical user interface design. Written with both beginners and intermediate practitioners in mind, this book is an invaluable resource for sound creators whose background falls anywhere on the spectrum between musician and computer programmer, and who seek to add new and innovative code-based techniques to their skill set. The companion website has an extensive collection of detailed code examples, which can be downloaded for exploration, experimentation, and hands-on learning.

Eli Fieldsteel is a composer and sound artist specializing in electro-acoustic music and audio programming. His work combines music technology with performance practices, focusing on human-computer improvisation, interactivity, and sensor-driven music. He has collaborated with dancers, choreographers, lighting designers, architects, and video artists, resulting in a variety of unique instruments, works, and site-specific installations.

Eli holds a DMA in Music Composition from The University of Texas at Austin, as well as music degrees from The University of North Texas and Brown University. He is currently Associate Professor and Director of the Experimental Music Studios at the University of Illinois.