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'[[Image:Chowning.jpg|thumb|John M. Chowning]] '''John M. Chowning''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|tʃ|aʊ|n|ɪ|ŋ}}; born August 22, 1934 in [[Salem, New Jersey]]) is an [[USA|American]] composer, musician, inventor, and professor best known for his work at [[Stanford University]] and his invention of [[FM synthesis]] while there. ==Contribution== Chowning is known for having discovered the [[Frequency modulation synthesis|FM synthesis]] algorithm in 1967. In FM ([[frequency modulation]]) synthesis, both the [[Carrier wave|carrier frequency]] and the [[modulation]] frequency are within the audio band. In essence, the [[amplitude]] and [[frequency]] of one waveform modulates the frequency of another waveform producing a resultant waveform that can be periodic or non-periodic depending upon the ratio of the two frequencies. Chowning's breakthrough allowed for simple—in terms of process—yet rich sounding [[timbre]]s, which synthesized 'metal striking' or 'bell like' sounds, and which seemed incredibly similar to real percussion. (Chowning was also a skilled percussionist.) He spent six years turning his breakthrough into a system of musical importance and eventually was able to simulate a large number of musical sounds, including the singing voice. In 1974 [[Stanford University]] licensed the discovery to [[Yamaha (manufacturer)|Yamaha]] in [[Japan]] {{harv|Mattis 2001}}, with whom Chowning worked in developing a family of synthesizers and electronic [[organ (music)|organ]]s. This patent was Stanford's most lucrative patent at one time{{Citation needed|reason=I've personally heard this from a Stanford professor at CCRMA, but it is difficult to find|date=February 2014}}, eclipsing many in [[electronics]], [[computer science]], and [[biotechnology]]. The first product to incorporate the FM algorithm was Yamaha's GS1, a digital synthesizer that first shipped in 1981. Some thought it too expensive at the time, Chowning included. Soon after, in 1983, Yamaha made their first commercially successful digital [[Frequency modulation|FM]] [[synthesizer]], the [[Yamaha DX7|DX7]]. Another important aspect of Chowning's work is the simulated motion of sound through physical space. In 1972 he was first able to create the illusion of a continuous 360-degree space using only four speakers, in his composition ''Turenas'' {{harv|Mattis|2001}}. ==Early life== Chowning graduated from [[Wittenberg University]] with a Bachelor of Music in 1959 {{harv|Nelson|2015|loc={{Page needed|date=March 2015}}<!--Presumably this book is more than one page long.-->}}. He studied music composition for two years (1959–61) with [[Nadia Boulanger]] in Paris and received his PhD in 1966 from Stanford, where he studied under Leland Smith. He was the founding director in 1975 of the [[CCRMA|Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics (CCRMA)]] at Stanford University {{harv|Mattis|2001}}. Chowning also worked for a number of years at [[IRCAM]], in [[Paris]]. ==Private life== Chowning married Elisabeth Keller and they had two children, John and Marianne. Both John and Marianne had two children, Jade, Sam, Madeline, and Evan. John's second marriage is to Maureen (Doody) Tiernay and they had one child named James Scott. ==Famous compositions== One of Chowning's most famous pieces is called ''[[Stria (composition)|Stria]]'' (1977). It was commissioned by [[IRCAM]] for the Institute's first major concert series called ''Perspectives of the 20th Century''. His composition was noted for its inharmonic sounds due to his famous FM algorithm and his use of the [[golden ratio|golden mean]] (1.618...) in music. Other famous compositions include ''Turenas'' (1972), which was one of the first electronic compositions to have the illusion of sounds moving in a 360-degree space {{harv|Tyranny|n.d.}}. With ''Phoné'' (1980–1981), he became the first to put FM over voice synthesis {{harv|Anon.|2001}}. ==Compositions== * ''Sabelithe'', 1966, revised 1971 * ''Turenas'', 1972 * ''Stria'', 1977 * ''Phoné'', 1980–1981 * ''Voices'', 2005 ==See also== * [[CCRMA|CCRMA — Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics]] * [[Frequency modulation synthesis]] * [http://www.oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/kt0v19r72c/ John M. Chowning Papers] ==References== * {{wikicite|ref={{harvid|Anon.|2001}}|reference=Anon. 2001. "[https://web.archive.org/web/20070715135156/http://musicweb.koncon.nl/ircam/en/artificial/phone.html Artificial Voice]", translated by Niiki Halpern. Ircam Centre Pompidou archive from 15 July 2007, accessed 26 March 2015).}} *{{wikicite|ref={{harvid|Mattis|2001}}|reference=Mattis, Olivia. 2001. "Chowning, John M(acLeod)". ''The New Grove Dictionary of Music andMusicians'', second edition, edited by [[Stanley Sadie]] and [[John Tyrrell (musicologist)|John Tyrrell]]. London: Macmillan Publishers.}} *{{wikicite|ref={{harvid|Nelson|2015}}|reference=Nelson, Andrew J. 2015. ''The Sound of Innovation: Stanford and the Computer Music Revolution''. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.}} * {{wikicite|ref={{harvid|Tyranny|n.d.}}|reference=Tyranny, "Blue" Gene. n.d.. "[http://www.allmusic.com/album/phone-1980-1981-turenas-1972-stria-1977-sabelithe-1971-mw0000931823 Review: John Chowning: ''Phone'' <nowiki>[</nowiki>''sic''<nowiki>]</nowiki> (1980–1981) / ''Turenas'' (1972) / ''Stria'' (1977)/ ''Sabelithe'' (1971)]". Allmusic website (accessed 26 March 2015).}} ==Further reading== * Baudouin, Olivier, ''Pionniers de la musique numérique'', Sampzon, Delatour, 2012. * John Chowning. Portraits polychromes. P.A. Castanet, É. Gayou, J.C. Risset et al. (eds). Paris: Ina – Michel de Maule, 2005. * Computer Music Journal (The Reconstruction of Stria), Computer Music Journal, Fall 2007, Vol. 31. * Roads, C., [http://www.o-art.org/history/LongDur/Chowning.html “John Chowning on composition”], Composers and the computer. Los Altos CA: Kaufman, pp.&nbsp;18–25, 1985. * Zelli, Bijan. “Interview with John Chowning.” [www.bijanzelli.com/Chowning_Interview_Published.pdf] (April 2010). Montréal: [[Canadian Electroacoustic Community|CEC]]. * Zelli, Bijan. “Reale und virtuelle Räume in der Computermusik: Theorien, Systeme, Analysen.” Unpublished PhD dissertation. Kommunikations- und Geschichtswissenschaft, Technische Universität Berlin, 2001. Available on [http://www.bijanzelli.com/Publications.htm the author’s website], the dissertation includes an analysis of ''Turenas''. {{de icon}} ==External links== * {{BrahmsOnline|863}} * Chaiken, Alison and Ann Arbor. [[:Image:JohnChowning041306 part1.ogg|Interview with John Chowning]] (audio). 13 April 2006. * Portraits Polychromes, [http://www.institut-national-audiovisuel.fr/sites/ina/medias/upload/grm/portraits-polychromes/extraits/chowning/index.html John Chowning], INA (Institut National Audiovisuel). {{Computer music}} {{Authority control|VIAF=56795684}} {{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. --> | NAME = Chowning, John | ALTERNATIVE NAMES = | SHORT DESCRIPTION = American composer | DATE OF BIRTH = August 22, 1934 | PLACE OF BIRTH = | DATE OF DEATH = | PLACE OF DEATH = }} {{DEFAULTSORT:Chowning, John}} [[Category:American classical composers]] [[Category:Experimental composers]] [[Category:1934 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Wittenberg University alumni]] [[Category:20th-century classical composers]] [[Category:Pupils of Nadia Boulanger]]'