EcoAcoustics: ListeningtoPlace

3 Credits · Level: Undergraduate

This experiential course investigates the interconnections between sound ecology, environmental field recording, and experimental music practice. Students will explore how acoustic ecosystems shape our understanding of place while developing creative approaches to sound documentation and composition. The course combines historical study of experimental music - from musique concrète through John Cage, David Tudor, and contemporary sound artists - with an introduction to the emerging field of sound ecology. Students will engage with R. Murray Schafer's foundational work on acoustic environments while examining current research in sound preservation and acoustic habitat protection. Through hands-on workshops, students will master field recording techniques, sound manipulation methods, and composition approaches. Regular recording expeditions and listening sessions will develop critical awareness of both natural and human-made soundscapes. Technical sessions will cover professional recording equipment, acoustic measurement tools, and both analog and digital sound processing. The course culminates in a final sound piece demonstrating engagement with sound ecological principles while exploring experimental music approaches. This work will be accompanied by documentation of recording sites, methodology, and creative process. No prior musical training is required, though students should be prepared to engage with both technical and conceptual aspects of sound ecology and experimental practice.