DM-202-01:INTRO TO DIGITAL SOUND PRACTICE
SYLLABUS - Fall '03
Wednesday 4:15-7 in R-16C * 7:30-10 in R-16B
Instructor: Laetitia Sonami
e-mail: laetitia@sonami.net
(San Francisco Art Institute )
DM-202:(Schedule ) * (Assignments) * (Links) * (Events)
Digital sound practices offer an opportunity to explore the paradox between accuracy and abstraction. While the original intent may have been to achieve increasing levels of accuracy in sound representation, a broad realm of unforeseen noises and mutations opened up. The goal of this course is to familiarize students with basic concepts of audio technology and current audio software, basic analog circuits, expose them to the evolution of sound art during this past century as correlated to the evolution of audio technology, raise their awareness of sound and encourage creativity. Students will be asked to create various sound pieces for live performance, installations, film, video or straight recordings. "Sonic inquisitiveness" and " tinkering" a must.
DESCRIPTION:
The class will be divided in two sessions :
4:15 - 7:00 Lab The first session in the lab will be dedicated to learning the basis of digital sound: concepts of signal representation and signal processing and learning current sound software such as SoundEdit 16, Peak, Protools, Metasynth, Soundhack, basics of MAX-MSP, MIDI and sound on the web. Microphones, recording techniques and soldering simple analog circuits will be explained. Students will be required to create short sound pieces with each of these software (some of the lab time will be used to do the assignments.)
7:30-10:00 " Digital Lounge": Presentation of students' sound pieces - Listening and discussing examples of seminal pieces of sound art from the 50's to current days (music concrete, early analog and digital electronic music, sound art installations) . Learning how to solder simple circuits - Presentation from visiting artists.
PREREQUISITES: Familiarity with basic MAC OS functions.
REQUIREMENTS:
Assignments: This class requires personal involvement and learning will be mostly achieved through experimentation and practice. Due to the tight schedule and scope of materials covered, students will be required a minimum of 4 hours of study/research outside of class. All assignments need to be completed to pass the class.
Assignments will be given regularly so that students can apply the various concepts and technologies described in class. Some of the lab time can be used to work on these assignments (but due to the amount of material covered in class, time outside of regular lab time will be necessary). Students present their work in the "Digital Lounge". Collective feedback is strongly encouraged.
Other class related work include:
Mid-semester presentation of a "mini" Rainforest or low-tech electronic jam session (to be decided in class, students will be required to build small resonators and/ or small analog circuits).
Each student will also be asked to present some sound art and/or music that they are interested in and talk about the artists involved and their methods for creating their work. This will happen in the "Digital Lounge".
Short Digital Audio Quiz sometime during the first month of class.
Readings (see further down).
During the second part of the semester students will concentrate on the final project to be presented/performed on Dec. 10 in Lecture Hall.
Attendance: Be there on time! Attendance will be taken at the beginning of each class session (at 4:15 and 7:30). Students need to be present for both sessions (unless special circumstances communicated to instructor prior to class.) Students who cannot attend class regularly will be required to drop early on (also, after two consecutive absences without talking to instructor, you will be asked to drop the class). . Please note that sporadic attendance or repeated tardiness will directly affect the final grades, no matter how creative your work is.
Absence: Please e-mail instructor when absent (with reasons). Student will be responsible to catch up on class topics with other students and should check the assignment page on this web site to make sure they are up to-date.
Readings: A CD reader with articles pertinent to the class will be made available, on loan during the semester. While not all articles will relate to subjects discussed in class, students will be expected to read all articles in the reader to raise their critical awareness of sound art.
Materials: Students will need to buy some material to build the small resonators for the Mini Rainforest project or other simple analog circuits (between $5 and $10)
FINAL PROJECT: Performance and or presentation of a sound piece on Dec. 10 in Lecture Hall. (Collaboration is encouraged). Students need to present a written description of their project by Nov. 12 and discuss it with Laetitia.
FIELD TRIPS: Digital Annex Recording studios (high-end post production facility on Green St - date to be determined.) Naut Humon's Studios / Asphodel Productions (if Naut's time allows). Exploratorium (based on students' interest and it there are any current shows related to sound).
VISITING ARTISTS (still need to confirm):
Kris Bobrowski, sound artist.
David Wessel (talk on psycho-acoustics)
Brenda Hutchinson
Naut Humon giving a report on Ars Electronica'03 prizes
Matmos
and whoever is in town and available...
GRADING: Grading is based on punctuality, attendance and participation in class (40% ), on completing the assignments on time (30 %) and final project (30%).
Office Hours: On Wednesdays before class, by appointment (e-mail Laetitia or call:(510) 532 5666). Please do make appointments if you feel like you are falling behind, or need input on some projects you are working on.