Sound Environments
IMA 780.81
Wednesdays 5:30PM -8:30PM
Film and Media Department Hunter College, New York
Fall 2008
Instructor: Andrea Polli, apolli@hunter.cuny.edu 212.772.5589

COURSE DESCRIPTION:  How does one define music, sound, noise, and silence? What are the social and political functions of these elements and how can they be used in media works? Sound Environments is a production course in which students explore contemporary issues and techniques of sonic media. Students will experiment with designing linear and non-linear sound and creating interactive sound installations. The course will explore developments in contemporary sonic media, and students will read critical writings in music history, cultural studies, sound and media theory. Themes explored in detail will include: invented instruments; voice, language, and the body; acoustic ecology and urban noise; sound and architecture (real and virtual spaces); sampling, remixing,and DJ culture; digital interfaces, web-based instruments, and internet art. This workshop counts toward the CHANNELS cluster.

PREREQUISITE: Graduate standing, IMA 760 Tools and Techniques of Integrated Media. Students should have a working knowledge of Mac operating systems.  The use and mastery of software based tools is encouraged in this course, but the choice of tools will be dependent on the nature of your project.  Audacity and Max/MSP will be the main authoring programs discussed in this course. 

OBJECTIVES
Students will:

• Record, edit, and mix sound projects
• Be able to work independently and/or collaboratively on sound projects
• Create linear and/or interactive sound projects using object-based sound programming
• Develop proposals for substantial sound projects
• Complete or prototype one or more substantial sound project
• Identify significant critical texts related to sound and articulate critical positions with regard to sound

REQUIRED TEXTS AND MATERIALS:

• Audio Culture Christopher Cox and Daniel Warner, Continuum Press 2004
• At least one USB flash drive, ipod, or other storage device
• CDRs and DVDs as needed for projects
• A notebook to take notes in and reference 
• Additional readings and books: As provided by instructor
• Time outside of class to work! 

GRADING POLICIES:
A professional attitude and approach toward all aspects of this course is expected. Specifically; class starts on time, and class attendance and participation are mandatory.  Un-excused absences and un-excused lateness will adversely effect your grade. Excused  and un-excused absences are at the discretion of the instructor. Please contact the instructor prior to class if you will be late or absent. The fourth absence- for any reason- constitutes a failing grade.  (Two late arrivals = 1 absence) 

Assignments are expected on time ( late assignments will be graded down 1 grade per week late). Make-ups: If a student finds they will not be able to hand in a midterm or final on the scheduled day, it is the student's responsibility to notify me prior to that day. Under no circumstances will I accept the work if I have not been notified and arrangements made prior to that day.   Grades are based on a system of personal growth within the following criteria; time and effort, interpretation of the assignment, aesthetics and technical expertise,  critique participation and  professional presentations.

Hunter College regards acts of academic dishonesty (e.g., plagiarism, cheating on examinations, obtaining unfair advantage, and falsification of records and official documents) as serious offenses against the values of intellectual honesty. The college is committed to enforcing the CUNY Policy on Academic Integrity and will pursue cases of academic dishonesty according to the Hunter College Academic Integrity Procedures.

GRADING SCALE
100 - 90 = A
90 - 80 = B
80 - 70 = C
70 - 60 = D
60 and below = F

PARTICIPATION: Lecture must be interactive. To this end, I encourage an open atmosphere where back-and-forth communication is the norm. Students are free to speak up when they need clarification or wish to make observations. Always let me know if you are having difficulties mastering a technique presented in class and I will help you. Plus, you will be expected to work several hours outside of class time each week. You will not be able to finish your assignments during class! 

SPECIAL NOTE: Some of the course reading will be on-line and you wil be expected to use the internet as a research tool.  In addition, you MUST have an email account by the second week of class!  Some class correspondence may happen via email, there are several free services available, ask me if you need assistance getting email. 

This syllabus is subject to change

COURSE BIBLIOGRAPHY AND RESOURCE MATERIALS:

Web Resources: find this page:http://www.andreapolli.com follow the 'teaching ' links on the left. Find my class resources here: http://fmfaculty.hunter.cuny.edu/faculty/pollia/Public/sound_environments/

Articles and Print Resources:

• Kim Cascone 'The Aesthetics of Failure'
• Roger Dean 'NoiseSpeech'
• Luigi Russolo 'The Art of Noises'
• Torben Sanglid 'The Aesthetics of Noise'
• Faubion Bowers and Daniel Kunin 'The Electronics of Music'
• Rick Altman 'The Sound of Sound'
• The Audible Past Sterne, Jonathan Duke U. Press, 2003
• Village Bells Corbin, Alan Columbia U. Press, 1998
• Sound States Morris, Adalaide U. of North Carolina Press, 1998
• The Soundscape Schafer, R. Murray Destiny Books, 1993
• When Music Resists Meaning Brun, Herbert Wesleyan U. Press, 2004
• Bernhard Leitner: Geometry of Sound Pichler, Catrin Hatje Cantz Publishers, 1997
• Real Sound Synthesis for Interactive Applications by Perry Cook
• A Digital Signal Processing Primer by Ken Steiglitz
• Microsound by Curtis Roads
• The Age of Intelligent Machines. Kurzweil, Raymond (ed.)  Cambridge: MIT Press, 1992
• The Age of Spiritual Machines : When Computers Exceed Human Intelligence. Kurzweil, Raymond.  New York: Viking, 1999
• The Network Nation: Human Communication Via Computer. Hiltz, Starr Roxanne and Murray Turoff.  Cambridge: MIT Press, 1993
• The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction Walter Benjamin 
• The Society of the Spectacle Guy-Ernest Debord
• Smart Mobs: The Next Social Revolution Howard Rheingold

COURSE OUTLINE
These are suggested topics and are subject to change

Aug 27
Introduction

• Review class syllabus/schedule
• Listening: Hildegard Westerkamp 'Transformations'
• Documentary sound: The World Soundscape Project, Phonography, Acoustic Ecology

Reading:

• Audio Culture, Part I Theories. Cpts 1-7 pages 5-39

Sept 3

• Listening: Yuko Nexus6 'Bit Diary'
• Reading Discussion
• Recording and editing
• Binaural microphones/Field recording
• Soundwalk recording
• Distributing your work:
  • Producing for radio PRX http://www.prx.org/articles/504 and http://wiki.prx.org/display/HELP/encode+and+upload
  • Producing for Transom/Atlantic Public Media http://www.transom.org/about/submit_agrmnt.html
• Discuss MIDTERM - 10 to 20 minute radio piece for Giant Ear))) free103point9.org and the Ear to the Earth Citizen Sound event AND 2-minute sound portrait (excerpt of longer work) in the format of Pulse of the Planet http://www.pulseplanet.com/

Reading:

• Audio Culture, Part I Theories. Cpts 8-11 pages 40-64
• HOMEWORK 1: Develop an initial 3-5 page typed project proposal for your MIDTERM proposal DUE Sept 17th - TWO WEEKS - MIDTERM completed sound project due Oct 15th

Sept 10

• Listening: Merzbow '1930'
• Introduction to Max - basics (object box, message box, number box, bang, metro, sliders, dials, speedlim, operators, signs, random, select, gate, switch, Ggate, Gswitch, soute, trigger, pack, unpack, loadbang, editing patches and getting help in Max)
• Reading Discussion

Reading:

• Audio Culture, Part II Modes of Listening. Cpts 12-15 pages 65-87

Sept 17 MEET AT EYEBEAM

• Listening: Francisco Lopez
• Presentations HOMEWORK 1, Midterm proposals
• Reading Discussion

Reading:

• Audio Culture, Part II Modes of Listening. Cpts 16-20 pages 88-112

Sept 24

• NO FORMAL CLASS MEETING
• Work independently on midterm

Reading:

• Audio Culture, Part III Music in the Age of Electronic (Re)production. Cpts 21-25 pages 113-164

October 1st - PROPOSED CLASS MEETING DESPITE HOLIDAY

• Listening: Pauline Oliveros 'Deep Listening' http://www.epitonic.com/artists/paulineoliverosstuartdempsterandpanaiotis.html
• Introduction to Max/MSP - signal processing (cycle~, amplifier, line~, dac~, ezdac~, sfplay~, start/stop messages, simple wave, complex wave, phasor~ and noise~ objects, send, receive, clocker, counter, line, tempo, pipe, delay, patchers/subpatchers)
• Reading discussion
• In-class work on MIDTERM

Oct 8 NO CLASS MEETING - HOLIDAY

• HOMEWORK: complete MIDTERM and Review and Experiment with Max/MSP - signal processing

Oct 15 MEET AT JUDSON CHURCH for EAR TO THE EARTH/CITIZEN SOUND

• Meet and prep for event 5:30
• Soundwalks 6-7
• Group discussion/critique with NYU class 7-8
• Guest performances 8PM

Reading:

• Audio Culture, Part IV The Open Work. Cpts 26-31 pages 165-206

FINAL PROJECT ASSIGNMENT - Completed Final Project, 3- 5 page project description,ONE WORK IN PROGRESS PRESENTATION SHOWING SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS REQUIRED in addition to final presentation. Draft of 3-5 page project description and discussion of final project idea DUE OCT 29 TWO WEEKS

Oct 22 MEET AT EYEBEAM

• Listening: Alvin Lucier 'Clocker'
• MIDTERM CRITIQUE
• Reading discussion

Reading:

• Audio Culture, Part V Experimental Musics. Cpts 32-36 pages 207-250

Oct 29 MEET AT EYEBEAM

• Listening: George Lewis 'Voyager' and Phil Niblock 'Early Winter'
• Reading discussion
• FINAL PROJECT IDEA PRESENTATIONS

Reading:

• Audio Culture, Part VI Improvised Musics. Cpts 37-40 pages 251-286

Nov 5

• Listening: Christian Marclay 'Records' and Ben Neill 'Goldbug'
• Max/MSP - filters (reson~, loreson~, comb~, biquad~, filtergraph~)
• Reading discussion
• Work in Progress Presentations
• In-class work on final

Reading:

• Audio Culture, Part VII Minimalisms. Cpts 41-46 pages 287-328

Nov 12

• Reading discussion
• Work in Progress Presentations
• In-class work on final

Reading:

• Audio Culture, Part VIII DJ Culture. Cpts 47-52 pages 329-364

Nov 19

• Reading discussion
• Work in Progress Presentations
• In-class work on final

Nov 26

• NO FORMAL CLASS MEETING
• Work independently on final project

Reading:

• Audio Culture, Part IX Electronic Music and Electronica. Cpts 53-57 pages 365-398

Dec 3

• Reading discussion
• Work in Progress Presentations
• In-class work on final

Dec 10
FINAL PROJECT CRITIQUES

Dec 17-23
GRADUATE CRITIQUE WEEK AND THESIS SHOWS! Attend!!