# Computer Music Tutorial by Curtis Roads

5 Hacker News commenters recommended Computer Music Tutorial by Curtis Roads and 1 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 4 of 13 months.

**Verdict:** Recommended as the best general reference on computer music and a good source for academic and serious composers.

## Why people recommend it

- Best general reference on computer music (1 comments): "The Computer Music Tutorial is a great book and the best geberal reference" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48103706))
- Good for academic and serious composers (1 comments): "is a good source for the academic/research institutions/serious composers part of the picture" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46146147))
- Available from local libraries (1 comments): "get a copy of Curtis Roads' Computer Music Tutorial from the local library" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48631038))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [Introduction to Computer Music by Nick Collins](https://hackerapproved.com/p/introduction-to-computer-music.md): 5 recommend
- [Tuning, Timbre, Spectrum, Scale by William Sethares](https://hackerapproved.com/p/tuning-timbre-spectrum-scale.md): 3 recommend
- [Music Theory for the 21st-Century Classroom](https://hackerapproved.com/p/music-theory-for-the-21st-century-classroom.md): 3 recommend

## Where to get it

- [See price on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/0262044919?tag=hackerapprove-20) (affiliate link)
- [Bookshop.org](https://bookshop.org/a/130825/9780262044912) (affiliate link)

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "Computer Music Tutorial by Curtis Roads", https://hackerapproved.com/p/computer-music-tutorial/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).