MUH (0196) 245 - Sound Studies

Credits: 3.00

Students will study music technology through historical and cultural lenses in experimental and popular music from the 19th century to the present. Through original research and creative hands-on projects (including instrument construction), students will examine the evolution of audio technologies from their beginnings to the present.

Distribution Requirement Arts

Free Note: Students will need headphones, earbuds, or an external speaker of any kind for their work in this class.

Course Learning Goals:

Students will develop a critical understanding of the recent history of music technology, including performances/events, repertoires, technologies, and artists.
Students will develop listening skills with attention to qualitative and quantitative attributes of sound, sound organization, and the sound production process. These skills are to be applied while listening to existing recordings and during the creation of individual and group compositions/improvisation sessions.
Students will critically evaluate claims of aesthetic and technological advancement, quality, and promise. These conclusions will help to inform each student as they navigate their own personal creative output.
Students will develop creativity and hands-on experience with select contemporary music technologies including composing short “postcard” pieces for hand built instruments as well as improvisational performance practices.