Abstract:        TOWARD A MUSIC DEPARTMENT COMPUTER CENTER
	
		 Leland Smith, Professor of Music

	In the last decade use has been made of digital computers  in

many  aspects  of  music.   While the more scientific applications of

computer technology to the  fields  of  acoustical  study  and  sound

generation  and  perception  have  become  fairly well known there is

likewise a great potential for the use of the computer in many  areas

of  music  education  and scholarship.  With the advent of relatively

inexpensive mini-computer systems which today  can  do  most  of  the

tasks  formerly  given  to  large-scale multi-million dollar computer

centers it has become  economically  feasible  for  university  music

departments to have their own, dedicated computer facilities.

	Stanford is in a unique position to assume leadership in such

endeavors thanks to the great amount of technical know-how present on

campus as well  as  the  considerable  success  already  achieved  by

members of the Department of Music in computer oriented research.  In

order to make the fruits of this labor readily available to the  main

body  of  music students and faculty at Stanford it will be necessary

to develop a separate center, based upon  an  expanded  mini-computer

system,  which  will  eventually  be  able  to  service  a  number of

terminals to  be  used  for  computer  assisted  instruction  in  ear

training  and music theory as well as work in musical composition and

other musical fields.  It is safe to  predict  that  virtually  every

student  in  progressive  university  music departments of the future

will become involved with computers in the educational process.

	This  proposal is for support to make a detailed appraisal of

the  equipment  and  funding  needs  for  the  esptablishment  of   a

Department of Music computer center at Stanford.

Proposal  for  a  Preliminary  Survey  for  the  Establishment  of  a
         Department of Music Computer Center at Stanford

		Leland Smith, Professor of Music


	Over the past few years members of the  Department  of  Music

have  been engaged in several projects involving the use of computers

in sound synthesis, machine assisted instruction,  musical  graphics,

musical  analysis  and  the  special  problems  of  music cataloguing

procedures.  Some of this work has been supported by small grants but

the  greater  part of the work by far has been done with no financial

backing, the researchers being unbudgeted "guests"  of  the  Stanford

Artificial  Intelligence Project.  The research done under this loose

arrangement has exceeded in quantity, quality and  invention  similar 

work done in most of these fields at any other location.

	While  the  pioneering  days in this field are far from over,

there are at this time a number of fully tested programs  running  on

the PDP-10 of the Artificial Intelligence Project which could be used

by a large portion of the Department of Music's students and faculty.

Since it is not the role of the Artificial  Intelligence  Project  to

service  general  computing  needs  of  the university and the campus

computation center is ill-equipped for most types of computing in the

musical  field,  it  would  seem that the time is ripe to establish a

complete, separate  computer   center,   based   upon   an   extended

mini-computer system, for the Department of Music.

	It is the purpose of this proposal to obtain the funds needed

to make a realistic assessment of the minimum  requirements  for  the

development  of  such a center as well as to engage a small number of

researchers whose task it  would  be  to  run tests  of  our  current

software under conditions  simulating  a smaller computer system.  It

would also be advantageous to support some work on the development of

special  hardware that will be able to speed the computation of sound

samples on any system.

	The  primary  role  of  the  principal researcher would be to

produce a document that would be  the  main  body  of  a  large-scale

proposal  for  the  Department of Music computer center.  It is hoped

that this larger proposal will be able to cover the  initial  two  to

five  years  of  activity of such a center.  The funds needed at this

moment are for full support for the summer quarter of 1974.  Work  on

this  project will be done without support, except for travel monies,

up to the end of the 1974 Spring quarter.

	It is essential that funds be available  for  three  or  four 

trips to  research  centers where pertinent work is proceeding.  (E.g.

Carnegie-Mellon  University  is  one  of  the  main  centers for work 

utilising mini-computers.  Close contact with their progress would be 

very  helpful.)   Additionally, at least  one  full-time  salary  for 

two quarters' technical and engineering  help  should  be  available.

This  could  be  set  up  as  a  fund for consulting fees for several

individuals  or  as  a group of specific part-time positions.   Since

it  is  somewhat  difficult to predict the particular areas where the

technical  help  may be needed the the consulting fund is perhaps the

best arrangement.

	Investigation into equipment  needs  has  centered  thus  far

on  the  D.E.C.  PDP-11-45  computer.   This  particular  machine has

developed a good reputation for reliability and its  adaptability  to

musical tasks seems to be excellent.  Another, very compelling reason

for centering attention on this machine is that there are many people

on  campus  with  considerable  experience  in  dealing  with  D.E.C.

equipment.  The choice of peripheral equipment, disk units,  graphics

displays,  etc.  will  present  greater  problems since there is very

rapid change in this highly competitive area.

	A  rough  estimate,  at  this  time, of the hardware costs is

about $100,000 for the first year and $10,000  to  $50,000  for  each

succeeding  year  of  the  first  five  years.  These costs after the

establishment of the basic system would go  for  the  development  of

special sound generating hardware, devices to extend the scope of the

computerized instruction system and to  improve  the  music  graphics

system.



	In  view  of  the  great  number  of  useful  tasks which the

computer can perform in the field of music it is inevitable that  its

use   will   become   widespread   in  this  area.   With  Stanford's

acknowledged leadership in computer research and  the  past  progress

made  here  in  musical  applications  it  seems only natural that we

should lead the way in the development of computer centers  that  can

fit  the  academic  needs  and budgetary limitations of college music

departments.   The  funding of this survey would be a necessary first

step  toward  the  creation  of  this  unique  center  whose value to

scholarly, pedagogical and creative aspects of music will  surely  be

greater than we can presently imagine.


	BUDGET

	Principal researcher: Leland Smith
	full time, Summer quarter(1/5 of 18,800). . . . . . . . . . .$3,760.

	Research assistant(s):
	equal to one full time position for 6 months . . . . . . . . $6,000.
								    _______
								     $9,760.
						  Benefits (17%)     $1,659.20

	Special purpose hardware (as needed) . . . . . . . . . . . . $2,000.

	Travel (3 trips to east coast and points between). . . . . . $1,500.
								     ______
							     Total  $14,919.20