Friday 10 May 2013

Introduction to Digital Sound Design

Introduction to Digital Sound Design

Sounds and music are embedded in almost every aspect of daily life. This course will provide an overview of the fundamental principles of sound and the factors that determine our audio perception. It will also explore techniques of recording, mixing, processing, synthesis, sampling, analysis, and editing of digital audio.


About the Course

Sound has always been a significant part of human experience. It shapes and transforms our everyday world.  Sounds and music are embedded in almost every aspect of daily life, from communication and artistic expression to commerce, politics, and our social and cultural identities.
This course will provide an overview of the fundamental principles of sound and the factors that determine our audio perception. It will explore techniques of recording, mixing, processing, synthesis, sampling, analysis, and editing of digital audio using freely distributed audio production software for both PC and Mac. Students will also learn an array of sound design and editing techniques for use in film and web-based media, art installations, soundscape creations, or live and internet music performances.

Course Syllabus

Week 1: The Nature of Sound
  • Sound
    • Sound Waves
    • Six Perceptual Attributes of Auditory Events
      • Pitch, Loudness and Intensity, Timbre, Perceived Duration, Spatial Location, Reverberant Environment
    • Representing Sound in Electrical and Digital Domains, Digital Filters
  • Music perception and meaning
    • Music and Cognition, Motion and Sensation, Music and Emotion
    • Music, Language, Syntax
  • Music and the Environment
    • The Soundscape, Animal Sounds
Week 2: Music Technology I
  • Recording
    • Microphones, Digital File Formats, Sampling
  • Analysis
    • Spectral and Fourier Analysis, Analysis-Resynthesis
  • Processing
    • Ring and Amplitude Modulation, Mixing and Delays, Filters and Distortion
    • Time Stretching, Pitch Shifting, AutoTune, Spatialization
Week 3: Music Technology II
  • Synthesis
    • Sound Synthesis
      • Wavetable, Frequency Modulation, Granular Synthesis
    • Physical Modeling
Week 4: Music Technology III
  • Interaction and Networks
    • Laptop Ensembles, Mobile Music, Music Information Retrieval
  • Composition
    • Roles for Computers in Composition, Algorithmic Composition
    • Sonification, Data-Driven Composition
  • Sound and Film
    • Sound and Image, Sound and Narrative

Recommended Background

No background is required; all are welcome!

Suggested Readings

The course is designed to be self-contained.  However, links to original source material, such as articles and papers in conferences and journals, will be provided. 

Course Format

The class will consist of lecture videos of 10 to 15 minutes each. There will also be reading and listening assignments, digital audio recording and design assignments, and exams.

FAQ

  • Will I get a certificate for this course? Yes. Students who successfully complete the class will receive a certificate signed by the instructor.
  • What resources will I need for this class? You need access to a Windows or Mac computer with a built-in microphone. All software used in this course can be downloaded for free and is available for both PC and Mac.



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