Module WXK-2300:
Interactive Sound and Music
Interactive Sound and Music 2025-26
WXK-2300
2025-26
School of Arts, Culture And Language
Module - Semester 2
20 credits
Module Organiser:
Andrew Lewis
Overview
This module builds your compositional skills developed in the year 1 modules Composition and Sonic Art A / B. Over the course of the semester students will be encouraged to explore their creativity through interactivity in sound and music. You will be taught by experienced composers, who will facilitate your creativity. You will explore sound design principles and tools; live processing of musical performance; performance and control interfaces; sound and image interaction; sound and music interaction in Games; sound installations; generative (automatic) music. You will be assessed by several interactive sound tasks, with each brief cumulatively building your skills and confidence.
This creative module involves practical experience in a range of interactive sound applications. You will be encouraged to think creatively about the possibilities of interactivity in sound and music, and to work on producing your own examples. A variety of technological tools will be used, including Max, Jitter, Processing and Unity, as well as more basic sound editing and processing tools. No prior experience of these is required, but those with experience will be able build on what they already know.
Course content will include: sound design principles and tools; live processing of musical performance; performance and control interfaces; sound and image interaction; sound and music interaction in Games; sound installations; generative (automatic) music.
Assessment Strategy
Third Class: D- to D+ (40–9%) Some knowledge and understanding of key principles. Some knowledge and understanding of main topics. Some facility with technological tools. Some evidence of creative thinking and application. Some evidence of linking together different topics and technique. Some evidence of independent thinking. Rudimentary problem-solving skills. Very basic presentation with significant lapses of detail.
Lower Second Class: C- to C+ (50–9%) Basic knowledge and understanding of key principles. Basic knowledge and understanding of main topics. Basic facility with technological tools. Limited creative thinking and application. Limited to link together different topics and technique. A basic level of independent thinking. Basic problem-solving skills. Basic presentation with some lapses of detail.
Upper Second Class: B- to B+ (60–9%) Good knowledge and understanding of key principles. Good knowledge and understanding of main topics. Good facility with technological tools. Well-developed creative thinking and application. Good ability to link together different topics and technique. Well-developed independent thinking. Good problem-solving skills. Good quality of presentation with attention to detail.
First Class: A- to A** (70–100%) Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of key principles. Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of main topics. Excellent facility with technological tools. Excellent creative thinking and application. Fluency in linking together different topics and techniques. Excellent independent thinking. Excellent problem-solving skills- High quality of presentation with excellent attention to detail.
Learning Outcomes
- Construct interactive sound and music experiences
- Demonstrate a working knowledge of the principles of sound and music interaction
- Operate effectively with the tools of interactive sound and music
- Test and evaluate appropriate technologies for specific interactive projects
Assessment method
Coursework
Assessment type
Summative
Description
Coursework 2 Design and produce a single immersive interactive scene in which the user is able to interact with at least THREE different sound making objects AND/OR trigger different THREE different musical segments. (Object interactions and music triggers may be mixed, adding up to at least THREE in total.) Please also provide a Word or PDF document listing the contents of your submission Submit your work as a complete Unity v2020 package, in a single folder containing all necessary subfolders (assets etc.), along with your Word or PDF document, and compress the folder to a .ZIP file for submission.
Weighting
25%
Due date
18/04/2024
Assessment method
Other
Assessment type
Summative
Description
Main Assignment Design and produce ONE of the following: • a composition involving one instrument/voice with interactive realtime processing, of 5 minutes duration; • a sonic art performance involving real time control of stereo sound, of 5 minutes duration; • a game environment with at least 5 sonic object interactions and at least 3 music triggers; • an application to produce sound from moving images or vice versa (stereo sound, 1080p image); • a piece of never-ending and non-repeating generative music (indeterminate duration, stereo); • a sound installation with interactive or responsive elements (indeterminate duration, stereo); • a project combining two or more of the above approaches. In all cases, please submit a written document explaining what your project is. It is especially important that we know what you have done, and what you aimed to achieve.
Weighting
50%
Due date
13/05/2024
Assessment method
Coursework
Assessment type
Summative
Description
Coursework 1 Design/compose a performance piece of c. 3 mins duration, which involves at least ONE human performer interacting with technology in real time to produce a creative sonic outcome Please also provide a Word or PDF document listing the contents of your submission Submit (a) a score, (b) a Max patch, (c) a stereo ‘demo’ recording of the piece (MP3, may use simulated instrumental sounds), (d) an explanatory document (300-500 words) explaining how your piece works and what you are trying to achieve musically. Place all this in a single folder and compress (.ZIP) it for submission.
Weighting
25%
Due date
14/03/2024