Spatial Composition: Approaching Multidimensional Sound (Virtual Course)
Schedule
Mondays, November 4th, 11th, 18th, and 25th
1:30pm - 3:30pm EDT (NY time) // 6:30pm - 8:30pm GMT (London time)
Description
Open to artists of all practices and levels of expertise, this four-week course will cover various creative, commercial, and technical approaches to working with multidimensional sound for a range of interdisciplinary practices. This will include, but not be limited to, working with sound installations, soundscape compositions, musical performance and production, audiovisual works, virtual reality environments, game sound design, and immersive media technologies.
Participants will explore:
✣ The fundamentals of immersive soundscapes and spatial audio practices.
✣ Practical applications of Ambisonics, binaural, and Atmos tools.
✣ Techniques for constructing immersive soundscapes with a focus on space, place, and time.
✣ Compositional soundstaging, including convolution reverbs.
✣ Live spatial performance techniques using various instruments, controllers, and mapping.
✣ Developing multimedia spatial audio practices for interactive technologies, virtual reality, and game design.
The course will involve hands-on exercises, such as constructing immersive soundscapes, upmixing stereo projects for ambisonic environments, and experimenting with practical soundstaging. Each week, participants will have an opportunity to receive critical feedback on their work.
Experience with digital music production tools and Ableton Live is recommended.
This course will take place virtually via Zoom. All sessions will be recorded and made available to participants.
Please note: ticket registration closes 30 minutes prior to event start time.
Syllabus
Week 1: Introducing Immersive Soundscapes
✣ Group Introductions
✣ Exploring Musical Geographies & Spatial Audio Practices
✣ Practical Introduction to Ambisonics: Envelop for Live & Binaural Listening
✣ Immersive Soundscape Composition: Space, Place & Time
Week 2: Compositional Soundstaging
✣ Feedback & Reflections on Sound Exercise I
✣ Approaches to Soundstaging: Musical Forms, Impossible Environments & Convolution Reverbs
✣ Dolby Atmos & Immersive Media Consumption
Week 3: Performance Techniques
✣ Feedback & Reflections on Sound Exercise II
✣ Exploring Live Spatial Performance: Instruments, Controllers, and Mapping Techniques
✣ Spatialization as Musical Expression
Week 4: Multimedia Practices
✣ Feedback & Reflections on Sound Exercise III
✣ Developing Multimedia Spatial Audio Practices: Interactive Technologies, Audiovisual Works, Virtual Reality/Game Design
✣ Creative Industry Applications
Hardware & Software Requirements
✣ Ableton Live Suite (Free Trial for 30 days, please download it the first day of class)
✣ Envelop for Live (free download)
✣ Latest Zoom update
✣ Headphones or studio monitors
✣ A second screen/monitor is encouraged
Please email us at hi@soundial.org with any questions about the equipment list.