4.8
stars
59 ratings

Pedro Lasch +3 more instructors

6,224 already enrolled

Offered By

Duke University

Berlin University of the Arts

Art of the MOOC: Experiments with Sound

Duke University

About this Course

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Students of this course may try their hand at their own sound interventions and musical compositions, or simply focus on learning more about diverse musical traditions, sonic experimentation, and acoustic phenomena in everyday life. Designed by artist and Duke professor, Pedro Lasch, and UdK composer Mathias Hinke, this course is also co-taught by scholar and musician Jace Clayton (DJ Rupture) and curator Candice Hopkins (Documenta 14). The lectures link major artistic developments of recent decades to wider ideas about sound in specific social and spatial contexts.
Also included are guest presentations from key thinkers and practitioners, like: Christopher DeLaurenti, Jen Delos Reyes, Tina Haver Currin, Quran Karriem, Christina Kubisch, Thomas Kusitzky, Scott Lindroth, Mark Anthony Neal, Bill Seaman, and John Supko. As the ‘ART of the MOOC’ title implies, learners and participants are encouraged to treat the MOOC itself as a public art medium. This happens mostly through the course’s optional practical components, local project productions, global exchanges, and critical feedback. While no prior sound production or musical experience is required, projects also offer challenging options for advanced learners. 

For other course offerings or language versions in this series, just search 'ART of the MOOC' in the Coursera catalog.

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Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

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Beginner Level

Approx. 10 hours to complete

English

Subtitles: English

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Beginner Level

Approx. 10 hours to complete

English

Subtitles: English

Instructors

Instructor rating

4.85/5 (15 Ratings)

Offered by

Duke University

Duke University has about 13,000 undergraduate and graduate students and a world-class faculty helping to expand the frontiers of knowledge. The university has a strong commitment to applying knowledge in service to society, both near its North Carolina campus and around the world.

Berlin University of the Arts

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Week

Week 1

1 hour to complete

Introduction & Analytical Concepts

This module introduces the four co-teachers of the course (Lasch, Clayton, Hinke, Hopkins), along with five analytical concepts that we will use throughout its sections and projects: Frequency, Perspective, Material Frame, Time Frame, and Concurrency. These concepts are designed to encompass a wide range of acoustic phenomena within spatial and social experience.

1 hour to complete

2 videos (Total 15 min), 2 readings, 1 quiz

Week

Week 2

2 hours to complete

Elements of Sound and Social Practices

This lesson expands on specific terms or ‘sound elements’ that include tuning, resonance, silence, improvisation, rhythm, synchronization, duration, and timbre. It also addresses traditional tools in sound production, from musical instruments to sampling, auto-tunes, and other more recent technologies. The module concludes by exploring the role of sound in specific non-musical social settings and practices, such as clapping, fan culture, sports, traffic jams, mass demonstrations, and more.

2 hours to complete

10 videos (Total 110 min)

10 videos

Archeoacoustics, Resonant Frequencies & Silence9m

Silenced Voices, Improvisation & Instruments12m

Timbre, Rhythm & Synchronization8m

Duration, Streaming & the Studio as Instrument9m

Demonstrations & Fan Culture13m

The Sound of Athletes & Traffic10m

Social Conventions & Sound Rules9m

Air Horn Orchestra with Tina Haver Currin9m

Bands & Socially Engaged Art with Jen Delos Reyes12m

Sound Art & Protest Recordings with Christopher DeLaurenti15m

1 practice exercise

Elements of Sound and Social Practices30m

Week

Week 3

1 hour to complete

Project: Playing with Sound Rules

The practical component of this section is optional, asking learners to choose a space with specific ‘sound rules’ and change or alter these rules through actual experimentation.

1 hour to complete

1 video (Total 1 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

Week

Week 4

2 hours to complete

NOTATION, HOW MUSIC TRAVELS & PUBLIC SPACE

This lesson begins by focusing on the relationship between experimental practices and scores or notation systems. It also examines how sound has been used and understood by artists in specific urban contexts, such as ports, train stations, and airports, as well as rural settings, including forests, gardens, and the wider landscape. We conclude with an examination of how sound and music travel, be it through the populations who produce it, or the objects and digital files that are used to record and share it.

2 hours to complete

8 videos (Total 85 min)

Week

Week 5

1 hour to complete

Project: Erase the Sound of a Space

The practical component is optional, inviting learners to ‘erase a sound in space’ through a range of possible strategies.

1 hour to complete

1 video (Total 2 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

Week

Week 6

2 hours to complete

LISTENING AS PRACTICE, GLOBAL FORMS & THE SOUND OF THE NET

This lesson provides an overview of the methods and ideas from different schools of listening. It also presents a critical examination of the term ‘world music’ and how it has evolved in relation to economic and cultural globalization. With this global perspective in mind, the concluding portions of our lectures are dedicated to acoustic experience and musical experimentation on the net, the radio, cellular networks, and various social media, including all of the glitches, accidents, and failures we associate with these platforms.

2 hours to complete

8 videos (Total 98 min)

8 videos

Deep Listening, Open Ears & Decolonial Thought10m

Anthropocene & Listening Case Studies13m

Global Forms13m

Sound of the Net, Plunderphonics & Brain Opera12m

Social Media, GPS, Sonic Bikes & ASMR13m

Black Culture & Global Music with Mark Anthony Neal11m

Collaboration & Generative Aesthetics with Bill Seaman & John Supko15m

"Endings" Project & Interactive Compositions with Quran Karriem8m

1 practice exercise

Listening as Practice, Global Forms, & the Sound of the Net30m

Week

Week 7

1 hour to complete

Project: Experiment with Failure

The practical component of this module is optional, asking learners to produce their own experiment with media and technical failure.

1 hour to complete

1 video (Total 4 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

Week

Week 8

1 hour to complete

Open Project

This module is optional and only for those who wish to put what they learned from the course into one final project that is more open and ambitious in scale. Two options are given for this, one being your most ambitious project, and the other based on the creation and use of your own musical instruments.

1 hour to complete

1 video (Total 2 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

Reviews

4.8

23 reviews

5 stars
81.66%
4 stars
13.33%
3 stars
3.33%
2 stars
1.66%

TOP REVIEWS FROM ART OF THE MOOC: EXPERIMENTS WITH SOUND

by HHAug 27, 2019

This has been the best course so far that I have came across online.

by GGNov 20, 2019

A very well put together overview of experimental sound techniques and case studies

by JHMay 31, 2020

Amazing course with ample examples and very well organised guest presentations.

by SMJan 30, 2019

Very Good Course I would encourage every Musician to take this course. It is very informative and broadens one knowledge in Global World Music Perspective

View all reviews

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.
Can I take this course for free?
You can access all videos, readings, and discussions, free of charge. You can also submit assignments and earn a grade for free. If you want to earn a Course Certificate, you can purchase the course for $49 or apply for Financial Aid.
Will I receive a transcript from Duke University for completing this course?
No. Completion of a Coursera course does not earn you academic credit from Duke; therefore, Duke is not able to provide you with a university transcript. However, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.

More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.

Art of the MOOC: Experiments with Sound

Art of the MOOC: Experiments with Sound

About this Course

Instructors

Pedro Lasch

Candice Hopkins

Jace Clayton

Mathias Hinke

Offered by

Duke University

Berlin University of the Arts

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Week 1

Introduction & Analytical Concepts

Week 2

Elements of Sound and Social Practices

Week 3

Project: Playing with Sound Rules

Week 4

NOTATION, HOW MUSIC TRAVELS & PUBLIC SPACE

Week 5

Project: Erase the Sound of a Space

Week 6

LISTENING AS PRACTICE, GLOBAL FORMS & THE SOUND OF THE NET

Week 7

Project: Experiment with Failure

Week 8

Open Project

Reviews

TOP REVIEWS FROM ART OF THE MOOC: EXPERIMENTS WITH SOUND

Frequently Asked Questions

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Art of the MOOC: Experiments with Sound

Art of the MOOC: Experiments with Sound

About this Course

Instructors

Pedro Lasch

Candice Hopkins

Jace Clayton

Mathias Hinke

Offered by

Duke University

Berlin University of the Arts

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Week 1

Introduction & Analytical Concepts

Week 2

Elements of Sound and Social Practices

Week 3

Project: Playing with Sound Rules

Week 4

NOTATION, HOW MUSIC TRAVELS & PUBLIC SPACE

Week 5

Project: Erase the Sound of a Space

Week 6

LISTENING AS PRACTICE, GLOBAL FORMS & THE SOUND OF THE NET

Week 7

Project: Experiment with Failure

Week 8

Open Project

Reviews

TOP REVIEWS FROM ART OF THE MOOC: EXPERIMENTS WITH SOUND

Frequently Asked Questions

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Start or advance your career

Browse popular topics

Popular courses and articles

Earn a degree or certificate online

Coursera

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