Short Course Description
This course examines the ways in which recent and not so recent audio technologies such as the microphone, the speaker, synthesizers and the home studio have transformed music composition in recent decades. We will consider the development and relationship between genres such jazz, rock, hip hop, dub, dancehall, Reggaeton and trap and the technologies that made them possible: multitrack, turntables, sampling, overdubbing, Casio keyboards and drum machines. We will examine and explore the impact of Sound Systems, DAWs (digital audio workstations) and the mp3 file sharing on the circulation of musical knowledge. Finally, we will ask whether the promise of connection and inclusion of online streaming platforms such as Spotify and YouTube have contributed or restricted the production of music in the 21st century. The course requires weekly readings, participation in discussion, and submission of exercises in written and audio format.
Full Syllabus
