Theater and Dance 268 - Aural Matter: Introduction to Sound Design

What is the role of sound and music in a live performance setting ? What are the different ways we can produce sound and reproduce it to achieve the effects we desire? How can we cultivate our own awareness of sound in our everyday lives towards a greater appreciation of its use in sound art, theatre, music, and dance? This course will probe these questions while working towards developing core skills in the fundamentals of audio production, field recording, speaker design and multichannel surround playback. Students will produce a series of short projects which aim to develop skills in both listening and in production of sound  from practical and performance perspectives. Special consideration will be given to programs such as Ableton Live, Max Msp, and Qlab which are used in real world approaches in acoustic space design, sound playback and the technical rehearsal process. 

How to handle overenrollment: THDA and Music Majors and those with prior coursework in THDA or Music given priority

Students who enroll in this course will likely encounter and be expected to engage in the following intellectual skills, modes of learning, and assessment: This course will involve regular attendance and class participation, class discussion, reading, and possible viewing and writing assignments. Additional assignments may include work with peers outside of class, field work and artistic assignments, as applicable. Attendance at performances outside of class may also be required.