Why?

With the Soundscape assignment, you worked in recorded time—which is built asynchronously and then replayed synchronously. Now, you will be dealing with real time in a live situation by creating objects that generate sound either through mechanical means, human interaction, or both.

Brief

You will create a sonorous object that is capable of sustaining a one- to three-minute performance through mechanical or human-powered means. No part of your sonorous object should come from something traditionally used in musical instrumentation. The resulting object may be musical in nature, but it should not use any musical instruments or parts. Your sonorous object should be able to noticeably make more than one type of sound, so it may require multiple components or multiple means of activation—for example, one part chimes while another is percussive.

You will bring your object to class to “perform,” and you will also create a one- to three-minute video document of your sound piece. I recommend either recording the sound of the object as it is being activated live to synch with actions happening on screen, or record it for a longer duration, and cut to different views of the object as it is making sounds if it does not need to be synced.

This is meant to be an exploration of the sonic potential of materials. It would be great if this is tied to a concept, but that is not a requirement of the assignment.

You are also required to submit a self-evaluation along with your assignment, so leave enough time to complete the assignment and ruminate on your experience. 10% of your grade is based on your Assessment/Critique—this includes your self-assessment and participating fully in the group critique.

Submission Checklist

Is your object making more than one sound and how are you highlighting that in its activation and documentation? Make sure your video file is saved and submitted in the appropriate format with the appropriate settings. Watch back the entirety of your recording after you export it to make sure it exported correctly. Bring your object to class. Come early if you need to set up. Submit your video documentation via Learning Suite. Be sure to submit your self evaluation with your assignment.

Tips and Considerations

• Consider the resonance of material and experiment with different items until you find the sound(s) you want. Think about metal sheets, rods, springs, strings/wire, and containers; look at stones; experiment with glass sheets, containers, and parts; explore wood of varying sizes and shapes; try out tubes and air; employ rubber, string, or plastic.
• The two different types of sound your piece makes should be noticeably different. Not like rice and small gravel in a tube. That will just become one single sound. You want two distinctly different sounds.
• Are there special means to activate these objects like wetted hands, mallets, motors, vacuums, pebbles, wind, etc.
• Are you looking for quiet or loud sounds, or a combination?
• If your body is in the piece, you are performing, so what will that look like? Consider how you will be in the space and how much of a performance it will be. Will you be wearing a “costume?” Are you going to try to recede into the background and just be an activator of the sound, and not necessarily a performer? What will your gestures and movements be like—large and theatrical, or quiet and small, and how will those impact the sound and the performance?
• Consider audience participation and how that might function. Will they make the piece? Are they creating the sound, or occupying the space uniquely, or creating action in some way? This isn’t required, but could add an interesting dimension.
• Will this object’s sounds be amplified, and how? By electronic means or acoustic resonance? Is it loud enough on it’s own? Can you create acoustic resonance through chambers, discs, and surfaces?
• Are there analogous things out there that can serve as inspiration for your project—wind chimes, wedding cans on a car’s bumper, rain on your car’s roof, a squeaky wheel, etc.?
• Will this be a one-on-one experience that is more intimate, or for larger audiences and space? How might that consideration impact the creation of your object and your recording of it?
• Consider how you might record the audio? Where might you place the microphones? What types of microphones might you use? Are the in-camera microphones suitable, or do you want to use a Tascam, Zoom, or Sony? What about multiple recordings from multiple distances that can be mixed together?
• Think about how you might record the video. What type of lighting you you want? Where will the work be located (indoor, outdoor)? What is in the background? Do you need to show someone interacting with it? Is it performative?
• Consider how sound changes based on environment and time—indoor, outdoor, reverberant spaces, dead spaces, daytime, nighttime, rural, urban, etc.
• Experiment! Ask yourself “what if” questions and try out those ideas with quick prototypes. What if this were larger, smaller, louder, quieter, with more variance and dynamics, different materials, etc.
• Own your decisions. If you want to have a number of motors operating, then get a bunch of motors. Don’t just create a piece with one and talk about how you want it to be bigger or louder. Make these objects well if they need to be made well rather than slapping something together with cardboard and tape (unless your concept calls for it). Don’t just make decisions based on convenience or laziness. Make choices that are informative for the piece.
• Use the instructor! Ask questions. Seek input. Brainstorm with them.

Equipment

Be mindful of the equipment you use, the requisite storage cards, and types of inputs to accommodate different microphones or devices.

Late Policy

You will lose 5 points per day (out of 100) for each 24-hour period your assignment is late. You will also lose points for not participating fully in the group critique.

Grading

Assignment grades will be based on the following:

Conceptual Concerns (40%)

Student demonstrates evidence that they understand and inventively integrate conceptual concerns. The student’s research is evident and ample given the allotted time.

• Excellent: Student demonstrates conversational familiarity with the material—making interesting connections between material.
• Average: Student is able to relate material, but not do much interesting with it.
• Below Average: Student struggles to demonstrate a grasp of the material and shows no facility in connecting ideas or new thinking.

Execution (40%)

When selecting a thesis or POV, the student is able to succinctly and plainly build a case using good storytelling techniques.

This includes proper spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, grammar and formatting for written assignments; and annunciation, confidence and focused arguments for oral assignments.

• Excellent: Student understands modes of writing and presentation including style guides and is able to nimbly employ these tools in their writing and speaking.
• Average: Student makes some stylistic and formatting mistakes by ignoring provided guidance.
• Below Average: Student repeatedly makes the same mistakes and ignores instructor input and suggestions.

Assessment/Critique (10%)

The student will produce a self-evaluation for each art project including the strengths and weaknesses of a given work and plans for future improvement. This will also include an accounting of time taken. The student will also be present for and participate in group critiques of projects.

• Excellent: The student thoughtfully and honestly engages in the self-reflective process of critiquing their own work and efforts. The student enthusiastically engages with group critiques, seeking ways to offer constructive feedback to other students.
• Average: The student performs a cursory and surface-level assessment of their work and efforts. They make neutral comments during the group critiques and do not fully engage.
• Below Average: The student demonstrates an inability to honestly engage with their work as it exists in the world, and does not adequately participate in group critiques, or is absent/tardy.

Following Instructions (10%)

The student adheres to the guidelines provided for the course and the assignment. If the paper has a particular framework, the student adheres to that framework. If an assignment is to be submitted as a Word doc on Learning Suite, the student does not email the instructor a PDF.

• Excellent: A detail-oriented student who takes instruction and fastidiously executes it within their work.
• Average: A student who misses some details because they didn't read instructions thoroughly or take proper notes when instructions were given.
• Below Average: Student ignores basic instructions and guidance given for assignments.

Learning Outcomes Addressed

Digital Art History and Practices

Students will develop a working knowledge of digital art practices, including an understanding of the theoretical implications of art in a digital age.

Skills

Students will develop the skills and resources necessary to realize a wide variety of digitally-based projects.

Project

Students will produce a body of work demonstrating a comprehension and engagement with the themes and concepts explored in class.

General Practices

Students will develop a working knowledge of digital art practices, including an understanding of the theoretical implications of art in a digital age.

Production

Students will produce a body of work demonstrating a comprehension and engagement with the themes and concepts explored in class.