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Mike Cottle
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David Michael Cottle (Mike)

Associate Professor (Lecturer), Music Technology and Composition

DMA University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
MM Brigham Young University
BM Utah State University

Email
Phone: 801-718-5296
Office: Sorenson Legacy Foundation Music Technology Studio, 100 #McKay Music Library
Faculty Page


Biography

Mike Cottle is director of the experimental music studios at the University of Utah where he teaches music technology, audio engineering, and computer assisted composition and sound design using Sibelius, Amadeus ProVCV RackMax/MSPLogic Pro, and SuperCollider (an object-oriented virtual modular synthesis language).  He has received awards for innovation in music theory instruction and grades AP exams for ETS. Since the 90's Dr. Cottle's compositional work has been exclusively algorithmic, aleatoric, and generative, typically coded experiments for computer playback that are, by design, too complex for human performance. He is also an active sound engineer, recording over 300 art music concerts and recitals each year, including The Utah Symphony and Utah Opera, MOTUS, recitals and ensembles at the University of Utah School of Music, Utah Arts FestivalSinfonia Salt Lake, The Gifted SchoolUtah Chamber ArtistsNOVABYU ChoirsSalt Lake Choral ArtistsNaxosCentaurSEAMUS (2008), and Performance Today. His innovative recording system at the music school has revolutionized how faculty and students work. He has an international cult following through publications that include Beyond MIDI (MIT Press, 1997), SuperCollider, The Book (MIT Press, 2011—co-contributing editor), and Computer Music with Examples in SuperCollider and Logic Pro, (Lulu, 2012). Dr. Cottle served as Career-Line representative in the Senate, College of Fine Arts, Executive Council, is active with Technology Venture Commercialization, is a Lassonde advisor, Honors faculty member and Entrepreneurial Faculty Scholar.

Sanity checks: Folk dancing and instruction (American Contra and English Country), tele ski (mostly Alta), classic sci-fi, horror and cult cinema, British humor, bikes (KLX 250, Specialized Turbo-Levo), Ute sports, ranch skills, problem solving, XKCD, NYT crosswords (cheating past Thursday), and time travel (so far only forward, contiguous, at normal speeds).

Your mileage may vary.

Courses Taught

  • Music Technology I (MUSC 3250)
  • Music Technology II (MUSC 3252)
  • Intro to Music Technology (MUSC 1340)
  • The Way Music Works (Honors 4473)
  • Programming Sound Effects and Music (EAE 4900)
Last Updated: 8/14/24