Schedule
The semester is a living entity that will be shaped by our experiences in class. What follows is a plan only and not set in stone. Please check this website weekly for updates.
January 16: “What did you
hear?”
Course introduction and overview; questionnaire; paperwork; uberstudent
sign-up; wiki demonstration
January 18: What Is Sound? What Is Digital Audio?
Reading Due: Alten, “Physics and Psychophysics of Sound;” audio
file formats, etc.
Lecture; server and Mac OS introduction; recorder demonstration.
January 23: Learning to Listen
Überstudents: Mike, Kurtis, Zach
Reading Due: Wrightson,
Chion, “The Three Listening Modes” (e-reserves)
Written Homework: Daily Sound Journal
January 25: Introduction to field recording
Reading Due: Alten, “Microphones” and “Staged Productions” (excerpt,
e-reserves)
Technical Homework: Five minutes of “good” soundscape recording,
with notes. Due Jan. 30
January 30: Sound effects recording
Demo: sampling individual sounds
Technical Homework: Select 2-3 top
sound samples recorded during class. Due Feb 1.
Project 1 Assigned: “Aural Pictures”
February 1: ProTools 1
Reading Due: Kao and Towne, “A Beginner’s
Guide to ProTools”
NOTE: You MUST print this out!!!
February 2-5: Watch Elephant (Gus Van Sant,
2003)
Screening February 2, 4:30 PM, COMM 1032
Written Homework: Reaction paper to Elephant.
February 6: Sound in the Arts/Sound as Art
Reading Due: Khan, “The Sound of Music” (e-reserves), Russolo, “Art
of Noises”
Überstudents: Logan, Matt
In-class workday
Equipment Quiz
February 8: Project One Critique
Written Homework: What would you do differently if you could do the
first project over again?
February 13: Watch Playtime (Jacques Tati, 1967)
Written Homework: Playtime reaction
paper
February 15: Sound for Screen
Guest Presentation: Dr. Susan Felleman
Professor Kanouse at the College Art Association conference
February 20: Sound-Image-Experience
Reading Due: Chion, “Audiovisual Analysis” and “Lines
and Points,” Thibaud, “The Sonic Composition of the City” (e-reserves)
Überstudents: Roger, Chris
Paper Assigned, CP 470 students ONLY
Final Cut Demo, MCMA 361 students ONLY
February 22: ProTools 2
Reading Due: Pittman, “Stand
Ups and Voiceovers",
Collins, “Recording Audio” (e-reserves)
Project 2 Assigned: Audiovisual Dissonance
Technical Homework: Record a vocal
track direct to computer, use plug-ins and add sampled or recorded sound.
Due Feb. 27
February 27: Watch Eraserhead (David Lynch, 1976)
Technical Homework: Video of simple human
action with replace and strongly contrasting sound. Due March 8.
March 1: ProTools 3
Reading Due: Collins, “Mixing” and “Appendix 2” (e-reserves)
March 6: Midterm Exam
Written Homework: Critically reflect on your performance in class to
date. What have you excelled at? In what areas might you improve in the
second half of the semester? Come up with a concrete plan or steps to
take to improve process or product for the remaining half of the semester.
March 8: No class—midterm meetings this week
March 20: Project 2 Critique
March 22: The Sound of Culture/The Culture of Sound
Reading Due: Moore, “Sectarian Sound and Cultural Identity in Northern
Ireland,” Sharma, “The Sounds of Alterity,” Deloria, “The
Hills are Alive…with the Sound of Indian” (e-reserves)
Überstudents: Robyn, Drew
Technical Homework: Replace sound from provided clip with
foley effects that undercut, complicate, or comment on the racial or ethnic
stereotypes produced by the original sounds. Due April 10.
March 27: Foley/Soundstage demo with Prof. Jay Needham
Reading Due: Yewdall, “Foley: The Art of Footsteps, Props, and Cloth
Movement” (e-reserves)
March 29: Continuity and Juxtaposition
Guest Presentation: Dr. Jyotsna Kapur
CP 470 Audiovisual Analysis paper due
April 3: Instead of Vision
Readings Due: Arnheim, “In Praise of Blindness” (e-reserves);
Dyson, “A Philosophonics of Space”
Überstudents: Payton, Jeeves
Project 3 Assigned “The Subordinate Eye”
April 5: Watch A Man Escaped (Robert Bresson, 1956), La
Jette (Chris Marker,
1962)
Written Homework: Reaction to one of the pieces screened in class
April 10: Project 3 concepts due and workshopped
April 12: Soundtrack Pro 1
April 17: Soundtrack Pro 2
April 19: Guest Presentation: Dr. Deborah Tudor
Technology, Creativity, and Sound Cinema
April 24: Copyrights and Copywrongs
Readings Due: Lessig, “Property” and “Us, Now,” Miller, “Rhythm
Science,“ The Nation, “The National Entertainment State,” (e-reserves),
Negativland “Fair
Use"
Überstudents: Jason, Aaron, Sean
Written Homework: What is your opinion of copyright law? Why do you
hold that opinion? How do you, as a creator, navigate the complicated terrain
of copyright, appropriation, fair use and outright stealing?
April 26: Watch Sonic Outlaws (Craig Baldwin, 1995)
May 1: Work-in-Progress critique/sound journals due
May 3: In-class workday/course evaluations
Final Critique: May 10, 7:50-9:50 AM
Image: Still from Eraserhead, David Lynch, 1977