WILLIAMPATERSONUNIVERSITY

COLLEGEOFARTSANDCOMMUNICATION
COMMUNICATIONDEPARTMENT

COMM233SoundasaMedium::MatthewKyleRowlandSpring2016

DESCRIPTIONOFCOURSE:
Thiscourseexploressoundasalanguageandasanartform.Throughinterdisciplinary
examplesthiscourseexaminesaudioaestheticsandtheroleoforganizedsoundin
contemporaryculture.Inthiscoursestudentsareintroducedtothetechniquesand
terminologyofexperimentalmusic,soundartandsounddesign.Thisclasswillconsistof
closelisteningsessions,discussionsandtheanalysisofworkbymajorsoundartists
anddesigners.

COURSEPREREQUISITE:
NoPrerequisite.

COURSEOBJECTIVES:
Studentswilllearnavarietyofaudiorecordingtechniqueswhileusingstateoftheart
hardwareandsoftware.Throughlecturesandinclassdemonstrationstheywillhowto
createandcommunicatesoundasamediumthroughvariousmediarelateddisciplines
foundinsoundanddesign.Inadditiontodevelopingatechnicalunderstandingwewill
alsoobservethehistoryofrecordedsoundthroughlecturesandlisteningsessions
highlightinghistoricallysignificantworks/artists.

STUDENTLEARNINGOUTCOMES:
Uponsuccessfulcompletionofthiscourse,studentswillbeableto:

Identifymodesofcreativeaudioproduction

Identifymajorartistandtheoristincreativeexperimentalmusic,soundartandsound
design.

Studentswillbeabletocriticallyanalyzeanddiscussrecordedsound.
TOPICALOUTLINEOFCOURSECONTENT:

EarlySoundRecording
EdouardLeonScottDeMartinvilleandThePhonoautogramNPR,NewYorkTimes
andFirstSound.org

ArchivalCylinderRecordingsThomasEdison

DefiningSoundandMusicafterRecordings
BattleofManassasThomasBethune

TheFutureofMusic,CredoJohnCage

CharlieParkerwithStringsCharlieParker

ImprovisedMusicAfter1950:AfrologicalandEurological
PerspectivesGeorgeLewis

ExcerptsfromJazzKenBurns

JohnCage:IHaveNothingtoSayandIamSayingItPBSAmericanMasters

TheCryofJazz(Film)EdBland

TheArtofNoise(Essay)LuigiRussolo

TheArtofSounds:PierreHenry(Film)EricDamonandFranckMallet

RailroadStudyandSymphonyforaManAlonePierreSchaffer

CreativeRadioProduction
SoundEffectsforRadioRobertMott

HollywoodandRadioMicheleHilmes

IConfessAlfredHitchcock,CBSRadio
ExcerptsfromTheLifeofRiley,AmosandAndy
andMiltonBerle

Kindred(AudioDramaProduction)OctaviaButler,SciFiChannel

ExcerptsfromThisAmericanLife

ExcerptsfromRadioLab

StudioExperimentationGoesMainstream
ForbiddenPlanet(Film/ElectronicFilmScore)LouisandBebeBarron

SpaceisthePlaceSunRa

LesPaulandMaryFord

SoothingSoundsforBabyRaymondScott

AlchemistofSoundBBCRadiophonicWorkshop

1960sStudioTechniquesandPopularMusic:JimiHendrix,Charles
StepneyandElectricMud,TheBeatles,StevieWonder,andMotown

JamaicanDubTechniquesKingTubbyandPrinceJammy

LocationSoundR.MurraySchaferandLucFerrari

HiTechSoul(Film)KevinSaunderson,JaunAtkinsDerrickMay

DJGrandWizardTheodore

PublicEnemy

SoundArt,Film/TelevisionandNewMediaSoundDesign
SoundSculpture,BillFontana
SoundWalks,JanetCardiff

FilmSoundTerminology

TheConversation(Film)FrancisFordCoppolaandWalterMurch

StarWars(film)GeorgeLucasandBenBurtt

ExcerptsfromKingKong(Film)PeterJackson,MikeHopkins
EthanVanderRyn

ThePoliticsofSoundinNewsBroadcast
SoundDesigninPoliticalCampaigns

DJSpookyRebirthofaNation,ErrataErratum

YaHeardOnlineSoundArtExhibition

ErikLoyer,GeWangandSmuleMobileMusicApps

GUIDELINES/SUGGESTIONSFORTEACHINGMETHODSAND

STUDENTLEARNINGACTIVITIES:

Thecoursefocusesoncriticallisteningskills.Studentswilllistenandrespondtolong
formrecordingsinclass.Theywillalsobeexpectedtowriteaninformedresponsetothe
recordingsandfilmsplayedinclass.Theclassalsorequiresstudentstoengagewith
interviewsandessaysaboutsoundandmusic.

Theclassincludes:
Lectures
GroupDiscussion
AudioListeningSessions
FilmScreenings
GUIDELINES/SUGGESTIONSFORMETHODSOFSTUDENT
ASSESSMENT(STUDENTLEARNINGOUTCOMES):

Allgradesforthisclasswillbebasedontwoexams,classparticipation,audio
compilation,andthejournalentries.

20%Weeklyjournalwriting
30%ClassParticipation
40%Exams
20%AudioCompilation/Essay