CTC Department information sessions

October 2024

SOUND�BFA

RHODE ISLAND SCHOOL OF DESIGN

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A colleague once accused him of dehumanising music. “No,” he responded. “I’m humanising computers.”

- John Chowning in an interview for The Guardian, October 9, 2024

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[link]

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Sound as an academic discipline encompasses a range of fields including the creative practices of sound-based works, the study of sound in both built and natural environments, the science of auditory processing, sound design for fixed and interactive media, and the discourse of audio culture.

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As a discipline at RISD, Sound is a bridge between Departments, containing three subfields:

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• Sonic Arts
• Sound Design
• Sound Studies

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As a BFA program in the CTC Department, Sound has an emphasis on human computer interaction and computational approaches to creating audiocentric works.

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Sound: Academic discipline

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Graduates are able to:

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• Design for human computer interaction with an emphasis on auditory display, sound-based interactions, and new interfaces for musical expression.

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• Construct and compose sound-based works using digital audio workstations, modular synthesizers, DIY electronics, custom software, and embedded programming platforms.

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• Author code in audio programming languages for sound synthesis and signal processing to create custom instruments, interfaces, installations, compositions, performances, and sound art.

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• Demonstrate critical listening and analysis skills for creative, technical and social applications.

Sound: Program learning outcomes

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RHODE ISLAND SCHOOL OF DESIGN

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Graduates are able to:

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• Situate sound-based artists, designers, and works within broader socio-political, historical, and cultural contexts.

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• Bridge sonic arts and sound design disciplines with other fields and conduct individual and collaborative research projects.

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• Engage with international platforms for sharing sound-based practice, research and scholarship through speaking, writing, exhibition, performance, documentation, and other forms of exposition.

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Sound: Program learning outcomes

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• Embedding Sound within the CTC Department emphasizes a focus on emerging technologies that will benefit future practitioners, and promotes interdisciplinary encounters and collaborations.

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• There are numerous career paths for a graduate with a Sound degree who are likely to find employment in industries such as software, gaming, XR/VR, film, television, radio, podcasting, advertising, music, performing arts (theater, dance), architectural acoustics, or product/industrial design in roles such as computer programmer, composer, musician, artist, designer, engineer, editor, recordist, developer, director, producer, or researcher.

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• The degree program will also prepare students continuing on to graduate studies or who wish to pursue a freelance career as a sound artist.

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Sound: Career paths

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• The efforts to establish a sound-focused facility at RISD began over ten years ago.

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• In 2018, this work came to fruition with the opening of the Spatial Audio Studio, a purpose-built, acoustically treated room at the 15 West Mezzanine, featuring a leading edge, 25.4 ambisonic loudspeaker array.

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• In 2021-22, the space was reconceived as the base for a distinct academic unit, the Studio for Research in Sound and Technology (SRST), stemming from demonstrated capacity to fulfill an expanded mission for education, research, and event production.

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Sound: Facilities / resources

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RHODE ISLAND SCHOOL OF DESIGN

SPATIAL

AUDIO

STUDIO

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SERGE

MODULAR

SYNTH

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image from iko.sonible.com

IKO

3D

SPEAKER

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WAVE

FIELD

SYNTHESIS

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WAVE

FIELD

SYNTHESIS

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WAVE

FIELD

SYNTHESIS

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• Roving Spatial Audio System, a portable 10’ multichannel cube configuration

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• Software licenses provided for coursework, including MaxMSP and Ableton Live

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• WhisperRoom sound isolation booth

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• Expressive E Osmose synthesizer

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• GRP A4 analog synthesizer

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• Growing checkout equipment inventory including microphones, recorders, MIDI controllers…

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• Electronics prototyping equipment

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• Retro analog signal generators and magnetic tape machines

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Sound: Facilities / resources

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IMAGE GOES HERE

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RHODE ISLAND SCHOOL OF DESIGN

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51 Departmental credits, inclusive of:

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• CTC core studios (5 courses, 15 credits)
• Sound program sequence (7 courses, 21 credits)
• Departmental electives (3 courses, 9 credits)
• Degree project (1 course, 6 credits)

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Remaining credits for a total of 120 are:

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• Non Major Studio Electives (4 courses, 12 credits)
• Liberal Arts (13 courses, 39 credits)
• EFS First-Year studios (6 courses, 18 credits)

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Wintersession for Sophomore, Junior, and Senior years is optional. It can be used to earn credits through internships, electives, and Liberal Arts courses.

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Sound: 120 credits

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The Sound program sequence consists of the following course categories. Within the Major credit requirements, this sequence is complemented by the CTC shared core courses and Departmental studio electives, within which additional Sound offerings will be available.

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• 1 spatial audio course
• 1 audio programming language course
• 1 theory/philosophy of sound course
• 1 history of sound course
• 1 sound synthesis / signal processing course
• 1 special topics course
• 1 advanced composition course

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This amounts to a 7-course sequence (21 credits).

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Sound: Course sequence

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Current courses* fulfilling sound sequence requirement:

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• Spatial Audio: Envelopment & Immersion

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• Programming Sound: Performance Systems

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• A Hands-On History of Electronic Music

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• Modular Synthesis Studio

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• Sound Synthesis: Analog / Digital Hybrids

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• Sonic Practices

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• Organized Sound

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• HPSS Sound Seminar

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* Majors have priority registration, after which non-majors can fill available slots provided they meet any listed prerequisites.

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Sound: Course sequence

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Additional current courses offered as Sound electives:

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• Sonic Mapping: Narratives, Soundscapes & Archives

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• Sound Design: Spaces

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• Environmental Sound: Using Built & Natural Settings in Music Composition

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• Of Sound and Vision

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Sound Majors take a total of 7 electives:

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• 3 from within the CTC Department

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• 4 as Non Major Studio Electives (NMSE)

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Sound: Course electives

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CTC Core Studios begin with computational fundamentals, progressively open for individual exploration, culminating in a comprehensive Degree Project.

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CTC Core Studios are required of all CTC students in each of its BFA programs and are taken each semester, sophomore through senior year.

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CTC: Shared core requirements

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Sound degree requirements: Sophomore year example

* Select from tagged courses offered by the HPSS Department

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Sound degree requirements: Junior year example

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Sound degree requirements: Senior year example

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Sound degree requirements

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SOUND faculty in Academic Year 2024-25:

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• Shawn Greenlee, Professor
• Michael Demps, Assistant Professor
• Maralie Armstrong-Rial, Critic
• Mark Cetilia, Critic
• Alex Chechile, Research Fellow & Critic
• Will Johnson, Critic
• Chris Mayes-Wright, Critic

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Affiliations with Studio and Liberal Arts

faculty from other departments are planned.

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Sound: Faculty

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Examples in recent years:

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• Phill Niblock
• Yasunao Tone
• Suzanne Thorpe
• Victoria Shen
• Katherine Liberovskaya
• Camille Norment
• Byron Westbrook
• Romain Michon
• Derek Holzer
• Stephen Vitello
• Olivia Block
• Bonnie Jones
• Raven Chacon
• Maria Chavez
• Lesley Flanigan
• Ben Casey (Ableton)

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Sound: Visiting artists / researchers

Yasunao Tone at RISD, April 3, 2019

Performing AI Deviation v.1 and v.3

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November 12, 7pm

John Chowning

Artist talk and multichannel audio performance

20 Washington Place Auditorium

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November 14, noon

Ash Fure

Artist talk sponsored by Digital + Media

CIT, 4th Floor

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April 3 - 5

Residual Noise 2025

Three days of concerts and panel discussions

Locations at Brown University and RISD

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Sound: Upcoming events

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Listening from a few SOUND courses available on SoundCloud and Bandcamp:

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https://soundcloud.com/risd-sound

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https://risdsound.bandcamp.com

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December 6, 7pm

Spatial Audio class concert

15 West Mezzanine (Room 10/11)

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Sound: Student work

RHODE ISLAND SCHOOL OF DESIGN

RHODE ISLAND SCHOOL OF DESIGN

Shawn Greenlee

Professor, Division of Experimental & Foundation Studies

Department Head, Digital + Media

Faculty Lead, Studio for Research in Sound & Technology

sgreenle@risd.edu

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sound.risd.edu [link]

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Thank you

RHODE ISLAND SCHOOL OF DESIGN

RHODE ISLAND SCHOOL OF DESIGN