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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "DMA 228"
COURSE NAME: "Sound Design in Media Arts"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Spring 2018
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Kwame Phillips
EMAIL: [email protected]
 HOURS: T 9:30-12:15 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES:
OFFICE HOURS: By appointment
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course provides an overview of sound culture and nonlinear audio production with an emphasis on theoretical, historical and practical approaches. In this introductory-level course, students will gain familiarity with the historical trajectory of sound technology and sound art, and get an overview of the theoretical reflections that have accompanied sound artistic creation as well as the basic tools and techniques for nonlinear audio production. The projects devised for the class are aimed at improving listening skills, raise awareness of aural and sonic experience and integrate sound with narrative visual media, so as to allow students to communicate and conceptualize with sound. During the course of the session three fundamental aspects of sound will be addressed: 1)Sound as Sound/Listening/ Field Recordings/ Soundscapes; 2) Sonic Narratives; 3) Sound & Image Relations.
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

Though often overlooked, sound plays a fundamental role in experiences of media and culture. From the mundane sounds of our everyday lives, to the more designed and constructed sounds of popular media, to the more obscure sounds of sound art, sound is fundamental to communication and to our perceptions of the world. This class aims to introduce you to sound culture and sound studies, and to explore “what sound does in the human world and what humans do in the sonic world” (Sterne 2013).

In the course, we will consider the role sound plays in various media through topics such as: soundscapes and the way sounds affect our understanding of space, sound design and how sound and music create narrative, sound art and its manipulation of sound to bring attention to artistic perspective, silence and deafness, noise and glitch, voice and empowerment, listening in an era of digital sound, and technologies of sound production. You will also put these theories into practice through audio assignments such as the creation of mixtapes, an audio essay and other brief soundworks. You will learn the basics of digital audio recording and editing software and both practical skills for creating digital audio projects and theoretical concepts for understanding what it means to think sonically.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

By the end of this course you will have greater general knowledge of the field of sound studies. You will develop critical listening skills and be more attuned (intellectually and sonically) to sound. You will develop basic proficiency in designing sound (recording, monitoring, editing, processing, mixing). You will be exposed to various important sound works. You will learn to use digital audio recording and editing technologies to create your own sound works.

**It is highly recommended that you make use of the Communications Library Study Guide that is found at this link: https://johncabot.libguides.com/communications. It is an introductory guide for communication and media studies, journalism and cinema, and is extraordinarily valuable as a resource.
TEXTBOOK:
Book TitleAuthorPublisherISBN numberLibrary Call NumberCommentsFormatLocal BookstoreOnline Purchase
Audio in MediaStanley R. AltenWadsworth Publishing978-0495572398 Students will not be required to purchase the textbook. Necessary readings will be scanned and uploaded or made available via ebook.    
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
Discussion/ParticipationStudents will be expected to have done all the readings and to attend and contribute in all classes. Students will be required to present their assignments in the course and complete in-class exercises. Students will be required to comment on each others’ work critically. 15
Exercises7 separate short projects25
Audio Essay / PodcastStudents will be required to complete a 5-7 minute audio essay or podcast. This assignment will be reviewed in class. Failure to complete this project will result in automatically failing the course. 20
Final Project (Mixtape)Students will be required to complete an 8-12 minute mixtape project. This assignment will be reviewed in class during the exam period. Failure to complete this project will result in automatically failing the course. 25
OutlinesStudents are required to submit one page outlines for the midterm and final projects.5
Sound JournalStudents will write and record 10 sound journal entries each week that they will upload to Google Drive and discuss weekly in class. 10

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the course
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.
-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
This course requires a significant amount of work to be completed outside of class hours. Students who expect to travel frequently during weekends are strongly advised against registering for this course.
ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.
STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.
SCHEDULE

*Please note. This class will be concentrated on sound, rather than readings. Whilst there are readings, and I recommend that you do them, they will only be specifically required when noted

WEEK 1: INTRO TO SOUND STUDIES / HISTORY OF SOUND REPRODUCTION / SOFTWARE

In-class exercise 1.1: Listening exercises

In-class exercise 1.2: Tuesday morning project

 

For Next Week

Recommended Readings: Alten, Chapter 1 (Sound and Hearing); Alten, Chapter 2 (Acoustics and Psychoacoustics)

 

WEEK 2: LISTENING AND AMBIENCE

In-class exercise 2.1: Sound Journal #1 discussion

In-class exercise 2.2: Tuesday morning project 

In-class exercise 2.3: How old are your ears?

In-class exercise 2.4: Listen blindly / Recording practice

 

For Next Week  

Exercise 1: Take a ride/Listen and describe

Recommended Readings: Alten, Chapter 3 (Microphones); Alten, Chapter 5 (Recording); Alten, Chapter 6 (Synchronization and Transfers) 
Required Reading: The Music of the Environment (Schafer)

 

WEEK 3: SOUND IN SPACE, FIELD RECORDING 

In-class exercise 3.1: Sound Journal #2 discussion  

In-class exercise 3.2: Take a ride review

In-class exercise 3.2: Moving sounds

In-class exercise 3.3: Document your observations and Audition introduction 

 

For Next Week 

Exercise 2: Soundwalking

Required Readings: Soundwalking: creating moving environmental sound narratives (McCartney); Sound Maps in the 21st Century (Kannenberg)

 

WEEK 4: SOUNDSCAPES 

In-class exercise 4.1: Sound Journal #3 discussion 

In-class exercise 4.2: Soundwalking review

In-class exercise 4.3: Audition tutorial 

In-class exercise 4.4: Sound Map preparation

 

For Next Week 

Exercise 3: Sound Map

Recommended Readings: Alten, Chapter 9 (Sound and the Speaking Voice); Alten, Chapter 10 (Voice-Overs and Narration); Alten, Chapter 11 (Dialogue)

 

WEEK 5: VOICE 

In-class exercise 5.1: Sound Journal #4 discussion

In-class exercise 5.2: Audition tutorial 
In-class exercise 5.3: Sound Map review and finalization

In-class exercise 5.4: Onomatopoeia

In-class exercise 5.5: Imitation

 

For Next Week 

Exercise 4: Record a conversation/interview

Recommended Readings: Alten, Chapter 14 (Sound Design); Alten, Chapter 16 (Music Underscoring);
Required Reading: Songbook (Hornby)

 

WEEK 6: SOUND DESIGN AND SOUNDTRACKS

In-class exercise 6.1: Sound Journal #5 discussion

In-class exercise 6.2: Conversation/Interview review

In-class exercise 6.3: Listen to fear

 

For Next Week 

Exercise 5: Playlist to your day

Outline 1: Audio Essay/Podcast topic idea 

Required Reading: Abel and Glass, Radio: An Illustrated Guide

 

WEEK 7: AUDIO ESSAYS AND PODCASTS

In-class exercise 7.1: Sound Journal #6 discussion

In-class exercise 7.2: Playlist review

In-class exercise 7.3: Audio Essay/Podcast discussion

For Next Week 

Recommended Reading: Alten, Chapter 20 (Editing);
Required Reading: Acousmatics (Schaeffer)

 

WEEK 8: SILENCE AND NOISE

In-class exercise 8.1: Sound Journal #7 discussion

In-class exercise 8.2: Sound map of noise (use JCU)

In-class exercise 8.3: Audio Essay/Podcast editing 

 

For Next Week 

Midterm Project: Audio Essay / Podcast

 

WEEK 9: SOUND ART

In-class exercise 9.1: Audio essays/Podcasts presentation and discussion

In-class exercise 9.2: Shape of sounds

 

For Next Week 

Exercise 6: Set a process to music
Recommended Reading: Alten, Chapter 15 (Sound Effects)

 

WEEK 10: FOLEY 

In-class exercise 10.1: Sound Journal #8 discussion
In-class exercise 10.2: Process video review

In-class exercise 10.3: Hypothetical Foley project

 

For Next Week 

Exercise 7: Sound effects / Foley project

Required Readings: Navas, Chapter 3 (Remix[ing] Theory); Literature from guest speaker TBA

 

WEEK 11: REMIX AND SAMPLING 

(Guest lecturer: Charles Burchell)

In-class exercise 11.1: Sound Journal #9 discussion

In-class exercise 11.2: Present Foley work

 

For Next Week 

Outline 2: Final project idea 

 

WEEK 12: MUSIC ONLINE AND MIXTAPES

In-class exercise 12.1: Sound Journal #10 discussion

In-class exercise 12.2: Final project discussion

In-class exercise 12.3: Present final project ideas

 

WEEK 13: MUSIC IN-EAR, BRANDED SOUND

In-class exercise 13.1: New sounds

In-class exercise 13.2: Write a jingle

In-class exercise 13.3: Work on final project

 

WEEK 14: FINAL PROJECT WORKSHOP

 

FINAL PROJECT PRESENTATION IN EXAM WEEK