Stanford Root

Schedule

Stanford Root

Schedule

MUSIC 128A

Body, Brain, Machine: Research in Music Performance (MUSIC 428)

UNITS:1-3
GRADING:Letter (ABCD/NP)
LEVEL:Undergrad
GER:WAY-AQR, WAY-EDP

How do bodies, brains, instruments, technologies, and social structures shape what musicians can do? This practicum introduces students to interdisciplinary research on musical performance, human ability, learning, accessibility, biomechanics, neuroscience, ergonomics, technology, and education. Students contribute to active research projects through literature review, study design, motion capture, MIDI analysis, physiological measurement, qualitative observation, prototyping, documentation, and research communication. The course examines musical performance as both an artistic practice and a research site, asking how physical, neural, technological, and social differences affect training, access, and power.

Syllabus for selected term:
View Autumn 2026 Syllabus

Sections

3 Terms
Seminar 1Open
ID: 12539
0 / 18 enrolled
DAYS:TBD
TIME:TBD
LOCATION:TBD
INSTRUCTOR:
Wright, Matt, Schumann, Elizabeth
units

MUSIC 128A: Body, Brain, Machine: Research in Music Performance (MUSIC 428)

1-3 units · Letter (ABCD/NP) · GER: WAY-AQR, WAY-EDP

How do bodies, brains, instruments, technologies, and social structures shape what musicians can do? This practicum introduces students to interdisciplinary research on musical performance, human ability, learning, accessibility, biomechanics, neuroscience, ergonomics, technology, and education. Students contribute to active research projects through literature review, study design, motion capture, MIDI analysis, physiological measurement, qualitative observation, prototyping, documentation, and research communication. The course examines musical performance as both an artistic practice and a research site, asking how physical, neural, technological, and social differences affect training, access, and power.

Offered in Autumn 2026, Winter 2027, Spring 2027 at Stanford University.

Autumn 2026 sections

  • Seminar — TBA TBA — Wright, Matt, Schumann, Elizabeth (Undergrad)

Winter 2027 sections

  • Seminar — TBA TBA — Schumann, Elizabeth (Undergrad)

Spring 2027 sections

  • Seminar — TBA TBA — Schumann, Elizabeth (Undergrad)

More MUSIC courses

  • MUSIC 125: First Individual Undergraduate Projects in Composition I
  • MUSIC 126A: Thoroughbass Accompaniment
  • MUSIC 127A: Instrumentation and Orchestration
  • MUSIC 127B: Advanced Orchestration
  • MUSIC 127C: Band Arranging
  • MUSIC 128: Stanford Laptop Orchestra: Composition, Coding, and Performance (CS 170)
  • MUSIC 128Z: Stanford Laptop Orchestra: Composition, Coding, and Performance
  • MUSIC 129K: Advanced Keyboard Musicianship
  • MUSIC 130B: Elementary Instrumental Conducting
  • MUSIC 130C: Elementary Choral Conducting
  • MUSIC 132: Music Education: Then, Now, and Then Again (EDUC 132)
  • MUSIC 136: Intermediate Conducting: Music Since 1900

All MUSIC courses · All departments