About this Course

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Students of this course may try their hand at their own sound interventions and musical compositions, or simply focus on learning more about diverse musical traditions, sonic experimentation, and acoustic phenomena in everyday life. Designed by artist and Duke professor, Pedro Lasch, and UdK composer Mathias Hinke, this course is also co-taught by scholar and musician Jace Clayton (DJ Rupture) and curator Candice Hopkins (Documenta 14). The lectures link major artistic developments of recent decades to wider ideas about sound in specific social and spatial contexts.
Also included are guest presentations from key thinkers and practitioners, like: Christopher DeLaurenti, Jen Delos Reyes, Tina Haver Currin, Quran Karriem, Christina Kubisch, Thomas Kusitzky, Scott Lindroth, Mark Anthony Neal, Bill Seaman, and John Supko. As the ‘ART of the MOOC’ title implies, learners and participants are encouraged to treat the MOOC itself as a public art medium. This happens mostly through the course’s optional practical components, local project productions, global exchanges, and critical feedback. While no prior sound production or musical experience is required, projects also offer challenging options for advanced learners. 

For other course offerings or language versions in this series, just search 'ART of the MOOC' in the Coursera catalog.

Flexible deadlines

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Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

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Coursera Labs

Includes hands on learning projects.

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Beginner Level

Approx. 10 hours to complete

English

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Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Coursera Labs

Includes hands on learning projects.

Learn more about Coursera Labs

Beginner Level

Approx. 10 hours to complete

English

Could your company benefit from training employees on in-demand skills?

Try Coursera for Business

Instructors

Instructor rating

4.87/5 (17 Ratings)

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Week1

Week 1

1 hour to complete

Introduction & Analytical Concepts

1 hour to complete

2 videos (Total 15 min), 2 readings, 1 quiz

Week2

Week 2

2 hours to complete

Elements of Sound and Social Practices

This lesson expands on specific terms or ‘sound elements’ that include tuning, resonance, silence, improvisation, rhythm, synchronization, duration, and timbre. It also addresses traditional tools in sound production, from musical instruments to sampling, auto-tunes, and other more recent technologies. The module concludes by exploring the role of sound in specific non-musical social settings and practices, such as clapping, fan culture, sports, traffic jams, mass demonstrations, and more.

2 hours to complete

10 videos (Total 110 min)

10 videos

Archeoacoustics, Resonant Frequencies & Silence9mSilenced Voices, Improvisation & Instruments12mTimbre, Rhythm & Synchronization8mDuration, Streaming & the Studio as Instrument9mDemonstrations & Fan Culture13mThe Sound of Athletes & Traffic10mSocial Conventions & Sound Rules9mAir Horn Orchestra with Tina Haver Currin9mBands & Socially Engaged Art with Jen Delos Reyes12mSound Art & Protest Recordings with Christopher DeLaurenti15m

1 practice exercise

Elements of Sound and Social Practices30m

Week3

Week 3

1 hour to complete

Project: Playing with Sound Rules

1 hour to complete

1 video (Total 1 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

Week4

Week 4

2 hours to complete

NOTATION, HOW MUSIC TRAVELS & PUBLIC SPACE

This lesson begins by focusing on the relationship between experimental practices and scores or notation systems. It also examines how sound has been used and understood by artists in specific urban contexts, such as ports, train stations, and airports, as well as rural settings, including forests, gardens, and the wider landscape. We conclude with an examination of how sound and music travel, be it through the populations who produce it, or the objects and digital files that are used to record and share it.

2 hours to complete

8 videos (Total 85 min)

Week5

Week 5

1 hour to complete

Project: Erase the Sound of a Space

1 hour to complete

1 video (Total 2 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

Week6

Week 6

2 hours to complete

LISTENING AS PRACTICE, GLOBAL FORMS & THE SOUND OF THE NET

This lesson provides an overview of the methods and ideas from different schools of listening. It also presents a critical examination of the term ‘world music’ and how it has evolved in relation to economic and cultural globalization. With this global perspective in mind, the concluding portions of our lectures are dedicated to acoustic experience and musical experimentation on the net, the radio, cellular networks, and various social media, including all of the glitches, accidents, and failures we associate with these platforms.

2 hours to complete

8 videos (Total 98 min)

8 videos

Deep Listening, Open Ears & Decolonial Thought10mAnthropocene & Listening Case Studies13mGlobal Forms13mSound of the Net, Plunderphonics & Brain Opera12mSocial Media, GPS, Sonic Bikes & ASMR13mBlack Culture & Global Music with Mark Anthony Neal11mCollaboration & Generative Aesthetics with Bill Seaman & John Supko15m"Endings" Project & Interactive Compositions with Quran Karriem8m

1 practice exercise

Listening as Practice, Global Forms, & the Sound of the Net30m

Week7

Week 7

1 hour to complete

Project: Experiment with Failure

1 hour to complete

1 video (Total 4 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

Week8

Week 8

1 hour to complete

Open Project

1 hour to complete

1 video (Total 2 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

Reviews

4.8

23 reviews

5 stars
83.07%
4 stars
12.30%
3 stars
3.07%
2 stars
1.53%

TOP REVIEWS FROM ART OF THE MOOC: EXPERIMENTS WITH SOUND

by EMJun 10, 2018

Super interesting - lots of info that was new to me.

by GGNov 20, 2019

A very well put together overview of experimental sound techniques and case studies

by MKNov 29, 2020

it was very interesting, it covered all levels in our llives, taught us new concepts and introduced us to new topics

by JHMay 31, 2020

Amazing course with ample examples and very well organised guest presentations.

View all reviews

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.
Can I take this course for free?
You can access all videos, readings, and discussions, free of charge. You can also submit assignments and earn a grade for free. If you want to earn a Course Certificate, you can purchase the course for $49 or apply for Financial Aid.
Will I receive a transcript from Duke University for completing this course?
No. Completion of a Coursera course does not earn you academic credit from Duke; therefore, Duke is not able to provide you with a university transcript. However, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.

More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.

Art of the MOOC: Experiments with Sound