School of Creative Arts

AUTUMN SEMESTER

In the first semester, students must participate in the Sonic Arts seminar series, and can then choose one of the two remaining elective modules.

Sonic Arts

This course offers a survey of the sonic arts in its many historical, incipient and evolving forms: the art of noises, musique concrete, ambient music, sound sculpture and installation, conceptual sound and performance art, interactive, multimedia, and networked sound. We will explore this history through listening, readings and creative work, developing critical and practical tools for considering sound both within and outside of the frameworks of contemporary music history and analysis. This module introduces the field of Sonic Arts through a series of structured seminars and creative projects.

Staff involved: Professor Pedro Rebelo, Dr Franziska Schroeder

Signals, Sounds and Senses

This module consists of three related components that together provide the students with a solid foundation in the technological tools needed for exploring the Sonic Arts. The first component focuses on synthesis and processing of sound, introducing basic concepts such as sampling, modulation synthesis, additive synthesis, digital filters and artificial reverb. The second component builds upon this theoretical basis, forming a practical introduction to sound synthesis and processing techniques. The final component of the module gradually moves towards practical acoustics, introducing concepts and methods of measurement and evaluation from both physical and psychoacoustic perspectives.

Staff involved: Dr Eric Lyon

SPRING SEMESTER

In the spring semester, students choose any two of the following five modules.

Spatial Audio

This module focuses the techniques and applications of spatial audio. This area is fundamentally interdisciplinary and integrates aspects of perception, digital signal processing and applied audio. Topics include directional hearing (physics and psychoacoustics), 3D headphone and loudspeaker techniques, 3D sound rendering including environmental sound, spatial cognition, and space in electroacoustic music composition.

Staff involved: Dr Gary Kendall, Dr Stéphanie Bertet

Independent Study

This module will explore specific aspects of music technology, for example practices in interaction and sound design, technical or computer-based projects related to the discipline. The choice of topic will be agreed with the supervisor and will be directly related to the chosen field of focus for the second semester of the MA programme.

Staff involved: Dr Stéphanie Bertet 

Composition

Students taking this module compose an extended composition using any of the electroacoustic resources at SARC. Seminars will explore technical and compositional issues as they arise during the compositional process. There are no criteria governing the style of the music composed though students are expected to make a full and experimental use of resources chosen.

Staff involved: Dr Eric Lyon

Performance

This module is aimed at advanced performers who wish to focus on a specific performance project (in any genre) under the guidance of a module convener and, where appropriate, staff supervisor with related experience. Staff supervision is assigned in Semester 1 following the submission of a portfolio of past performance work and a project proposal (by the deadline of 28 October 2011). In Semester 2 students attend weekly platforms, submit a 4,000-word critical learning journal, and give a public performance or lecture-performance. The final performance should demonstrate technical and interpretive abilities that approach professional standards. This module is open to all Music MA and Sonic Arts MA students who are advanced performers and who have met the minimum threshold and entry requirements.

Final performances and the submission of a learning journal will take place during the assessment period (May-June).

Staff involved: Dr Franziska Schroeder

Computational Acoustics

In this module, students do a project in the field of computational acoustics. They will acquire knowledge and understanding of a particular method or range of methods used in this field by studying the literature and implementing one or more specific models. At the start of the module, an individual topic, that relates to their general interest in the MA course, is agreed with the lecturer. Topics may vary widely but have in common that it involves both acoustics (of rooms, musical instruments, sound objects), the numerical modelling thereof, and its application to audio and music. They include, but are not limited to: finite difference modelling of acoustic spaces; physics-based sound synthesis of musical instruments or other vibrating systems; modelling and analysis of multi-channel sound production; parameter estimation for physical models from audio; and real-time implementation of physical models. Students pursue the study individually, with supervision through weekly meetings and, where applicable, by interaction with PhD students.

Staff involved: Dr Maarten van Walstijn

This module is an introduction to the analysis and design of the human-technology interface focusing on applications of the interface in the creative arts.  It explores the boundaries between how technology knows and interacts (sensors and displays) and how the artist knows and interacts (senses and gestures). Students will gain an understanding of the broad field of interaction design as well as key aspects of the interface itself: sensors, signals, and systems. These skills will then be applied in the creation of a live performance system, an interactive installation or an interaction framework. 

SUMMER SEMESTER

The MA Summer semester comprises a dissertation, project or portfolio. There are both practical and theoretical aspects to all works. These include technical development, creative work and theoretical research. For projects with a practical component students are expected to write a 6000 dissertation which demonstrates critical and reflective analysis of the chosen topic. The scope of  extended dissertations in the field of theoretical research can be agreed with the supervisor. The topic and scope of the project is agreed with a member of staff during the spring semester.

The summer semester is structured around meetings with project supervisors. Students are expected to keep residency in Belfast throughout the Summer.