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Sound Arts 1: The Nature and Control of Sound (SNDA 1310)
Total Credits:
3
Lecture Credits:
3
Description:
This course introduces you the technical and aesthetic principles of working creatively with sound. You will learn sound's relationship with its three worlds: acoustic, analog and digital. You will begin by exploring the physics of sound and studying the behavior of waves. You will also be introduced to listening skills and compositional form. These concepts will be applied to your own creative work, primarily in the analog world. This will carry to the analog world with transducers, signal paths and analog recording. The course will conclude with an introduction to digital theory, preparing you for Sound Arts 1320.
Topical Outline:
1. The specific approach and goals of the Sound Arts Program
2. Essential concepts of wave mechanics and acoustics
3. Essential concepts of electricity, magnetism, and transducers
4. Multitrack analog recording and creative tape manipulation
5. Introduction to binary numbers and MIDI sequencing
6. Introductory concepts of compositional form and critical listening
Learning Outcomes:
1. Apply the fundamental principles of controlling sound in the acoustic and analog domains, to create short but meaningful finished works
2. Demonstrate a beginning understanding of the nature of MIDI and common sequencing operations
3. Discriminate between the fundamental physical properties of sound (frequency, amplitude, phase)– both intellectually and aurally– and how they are represented in the acoustic and analog domains
4. Begin to discover their sound imagination and develop an artistic voice
5. Demonstrate an understanding of the fundamental principles for working in the acoustic and analog domains; both intellectually, and through hands-on lab work with pedagogically-focused tools
6. Solve simple analog signal path problems, using basic troubleshooting tools and logic (audio meters, patchbays, block diagrams, etc.)
Prerequisites:
Placement into
MATH 0070