UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO SCARBOROUGH
DEPARTMENT OF ARTS, CULTURE & MEDIA

MDSB63H3F Sound and Visual Media
Winter, 2022

Instructor: Dr. Lewis Kaye
Email: lewis.kaye@utoronto.ca
Virtual office hours (via Zoom): Tuesdays 8 – 10PM EST, or by appointment


COVID-19 STATEMENT
In these unprecedented times, we are all called upon to find some kind of normalcy during the
massive social, economic, and psychological disruptions of a global pandemic. This obviously
presents many challenges for all of us, students, teachers, support staff and administrators alike.
Having said this, we’re all working hard to make this a successful learning experience for
everyone. But given that we are all working through very new processes, it is inevitable that
mistakes will be made. Therefore, I am asking that we approach this school year bearing these
ideas in mind:

• We must show patience with each other
• We must be compassionate with and forgiving of each other
• We must recognize that we’re all in this together


CLASS SCHEDULE & ORGANIZATION
As with most Media Studies courses at UTSC this year this course will be conducted online,
and classes will be via the Zoom app. This course is scheduled as synchronous, meaning we
have a formally scheduled class time. Nevertheless, I realize that this scheduled time might not
be practical for students who do not reside in Toronto or in the Eastern Time Zone. Therefore,
please know that formal attendance will NOT be required for our weekly scheduled classes.
These will be conducted similar to a traditional in-class presentation and students are invited to
attend if and when they can. All classes will be recorded, and the videos made available on the
course Quercus site.

Scheduled Class Time Fridays, 9 – 10:50AM Toronto time (EST)
*** Links to the Zoom meeting room will be posted to Quercus at least 15 minutes before class begins. To
access the meeting, you will need to be signed into Zoom with your UTorID. For information on how to do
this, please visit https://utm.library.utoronto.ca/students/canvas/zoom

For any technical questions or difficulties, please contact ACM’s Student Technical Help email
at acmtech.utsc@utoronto.ca

Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) Statement
Parts of this course, including your participation, will be recorded on video and will be available to students in the course for
viewing remotely and after each session. Course videos and materials belong to your instructor, the University, and/or other
sources depending on the specific facts of each situation, and are protected by copyright. Do not download, copy, or share
any course or student materials or videos without the explicit permission of the instructor. For questions about recording and
use of videos in which you appear please contact your instructor.


COURSE DESCRIPTION
The experience of sound is fundamental to many of the media traditionally explored in
communication studies, such as film, video, television, visual art and new media, media forms
which are typically analysed from perspectives that stress their visuality. Rather than assume
their visual primacy this course engages these media forms through the analysis of sonic
practices first and foremost, considering how practices of visuality are organized and supported
by aural techniques such as music, voice, architecture and sound effects. This course asks how
developments in sound technologies have influenced the overall development of these media
forms.

The first part of this course will introduce students to the study of sound. It takes as its starting
point the emerging field of sound studies to develop a set of fundamental questions regarding
sound as a social phenomenon and to contextualize the course's subsequent discussions of the
relationship between sound and the visual. Of fundamental importance are distinctions
between music, noise and silence, and the social, cultural and political questions at the heart of
these distinctions. This question is examined in a concrete way through considering the role of
sound in 20th Century visual art practices.

The second part of the course examines sound through a discussion of the popular media forms
of film, television, and theater. These three are prime examples of cultural forms studied
primarily through the lens of visuality. Yet as will see sound is fundamental to both their
production and their ultimate experience.

The third section of the course considers the relationship between sound and space. As we
shall see, space itself is often perceived primarily in visual terms. Yet its complete experience
nevertheless depends upon an awareness of the aural as much as the perception of visual. The
study of sound and space begins with the question of architecture, another cultural form whose
analysis is often informed by an implicit visual bias.


REQUIRED READINGS & RESOURCES
Course readings, where possible, have been drawn from UTSC's e-Journals and e-Resources
archive. Where available, certain readings will be made available on the course Quercus page.
When necessary, students are expected to access, download and print these readings on their
own.


ACCESSABILITY STATEMENT
Students with diverse learning styles and needs are welcome in this course. In particular, if you
have a disability/health consideration that may require accommodations, please feel free to
approach me and/or the AccessAbility Services as soon as possible.

AccessAbility Services staff (located in Rm SW302, Science Wing) are available by appointment
to assess specific needs, provide referrals and arrange appropriate accommodations 416-287-
7560 or email ability.utsc@utoronto.ca. The sooner you let us know your needs the quicker we
can assist you in achieving your learning goals in this course.



ASSIGNMENTS
*** Detailed handouts for the two major assignments will be posted to Quercus. ***

Media Review Assignment 20% of final grade
3-4 pages (not incl. headers and bibliography)
Due Week 6, FEB. 18

This short paper will critically examine the sonic or acoustic elements of a chosen cultural
work. This could be a gallery exhibition of visual art, a popular (or not so popular) TV show, a
night out at the cinema, or a public art installation. The idea is to have you pay attention to,
and critically examine, the sonic conditions that are often of secondary importance, if at all
considered, in the production of cultural experience. Extra consideration will be given to
assignments that go beyond the obvious case studies.

*** DIGITAL PROJECT OPTION ***
Students may also submit a 3 to 5min digital media work (e.g. audio podcast, video, media
slideshow, etc.) instead of a written paper. If you choose this option, please discuss your ideas
and proposed format with me beforehand.


Major Research Paper 35% of final grade
1pg. Proposal PLUS Annotated Bibliog. (worth 5%)
Due Week 4, FEB. 4

Final paper (7 - 8 page, not incl. headers and bibliography, worth 30%)
Due Week 12, APR. 8

This paper will critically engage one of the core questions explored in this class. It should be
analytic and reflective, and not simply descriptive. The paper should exhibit original research
and include sources supplemental to the class readings. Students have the choice of either
proposing their own topic or choosing from a number of topics to be provided by the
instructor. The annotated bibliography (to be handed in with the proposal) must have a
minimum of 2 sources. Specific details will be discussed in class.


Quercus quizzes 10% of final grade


Final exam 35% of final grade



ASSIGNMENT FORMATS, DUE DATES AND LATENESS PENALTIES
All assignments are due before the start of the class on the specified date. All assignments are to
be submitted electronically through the course E-class site. Accepted formats for written
assignments are .docx and .pdf (if you use Apple’s Pages app, please be sure to convert your
file to .docx format before submitting). All written assignments should have a title page and be
properly identified (i.e., student name & number, date of submission, course name & number,
and assignment title), and be double-spaced with standard 1” margins.

There will be a deduction of 1% off the assignment grade per day (including weekends) for
late assignments. This is more to help you prioritize your time than it is to penalize you for late
work. Should you require an extension on any assignment, please contact me BEFORE the
assignment is due and we can negotiate something. Please note that given the current situation,
medical or other documentation is NOT required for deadline extensions to be granted.

All written assignments must make consistent use of an accepted citation format (preferably
APA style). For information about how to do this, please see
https://utsc.utoronto.ca/twc/using-and-citing-sources


CLASS CONDUCT, COMPORTMENT & STUDENTS’S RIGHTS TO DIGNITY
Students are expected to assist in maintaining an environment that is conducive to learning.
This includes, but not limited to, engaging in respectful dialogue with peers and myself and
refraining from disruptive behaviour when in shared online environments.

While I encourage vigorous debate in class, I insist that it be done in a mutually respectful way.
All members of the class – and our community at large – have a fundamental right to self-
expression and basic human dignity. This includes, but is not limited to, people’s given or
chosen names, gender identities, religious or spiritual beliefs, racial or ethnic backgrounds,
social class affiliations, sexual orientations and identities, physical or other disabilities, body
types or other physical characteristics, and fashion choices and personal style. Any action or
communication, on any platform, that seeks to diminish or belittle another will not be
tolerated. Any student who experiences any behaviour of this sort, whether directed at them
personally or at another member of the class or community at large, is encouraged to contact
me immediately. I promise you will be heard, and steps will be taken to address it.


STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of policies, procedures and deadlines that are
in effect during their attendance at the University of Toronto. It is also the student’s
responsibility to attend classes regularly, to keep their work up to date, and to complete
assignments as required. Academic Integrity is essential to the pursuit of learning and
scholarship, and breaches in the form of plagiarism and cheating are taken very seriously.
All violations of the standards of integrity found in the university’s Code of Behaviour on
Academic Matters will be reported. Please familiarize yourself with aspects of academic
integrity and methods of proper citation:

How not to plagiarize:
http://advice.writing.utoronto.ca/using-sources/how-not-to-plagiarize/

How to use and cite sources:
http://advice.writing.utoronto.ca/using-sources/quotations/

Information regarding academic integrity:
http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/aacc/academic-integrity



CONTACTING ME
I encourage you to contact me regarding issues involving the course, including material
covered and your own progress. I hold weekly scheduled office hours and encourage all
students to make use of this time to discuss any issues they might be having with regards to the
course. If you are unable to attend during this scheduled time, please let me know and we will
try to schedule a personal appointment that can work for both of us.

With respect to email, I will endeavour to reply promptly, but please know this does not mean
an immediate response. I will do my best to respond within 72 hours, however this is not
always possible. As well, I am absolutely not available or accessible on weekends. When
communicating with me via email, please make sure to use the course number (i.e. MDSB63)
in the subject line and clearly identify yourself in the main body of the message. Please address
your message "Dear Dr. Kaye." Any emails that begin with "Hey" or “Yo prof” or anything
similar will be ignored.

As a general rule, be sure to ask yourself these questions BEFORE you send an email:

1) Is the information I'm looking for on the syllabus or assignment sheet?
2) Is there a classmate I can consult about this?


GENERAL STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS DURING THESE TRYING TIMES

• Set up and maintain an up-to-date electronic schedule for this course (e.g. smartphone
calendar app) with reminders set for all class times and assignment deadlines listed. Be
sure to account for any time zone differences. All times in this syllabus are Toronto
time, meaning Eastern Standard Time.

• Make a habit of checking the course Quercus announcement page on a regular basis,
as this is where important messages about the course will be posted.

• Keep up with all class readings and lectures/lecture videos in an ongoing way (i.e. do
NOT leave it until the end of the term to cram the readings and lecture videos).

• Make sure you are clear about the assignment guidelines and objectives. If you have
any questions, ask ME and not your friends or classmates.

• Be organized about how you approach the term, and make sure to schedule in some
downtime for yourself!


PLAGIARISM DETECTION TOOL STATEMENT
“Normally, students will be required to submit their course essays to the University’s plagiarism
detection tool for a review of textual similarity and detection of possible plagiarism. In doing
so, students will allow their essays to be included as source documents in the tool’s reference
database, where they will be used solely for the purpose of detecting plagiarism. The terms that
apply to the University’s use of this tool are described on the Centre for Teaching Support &
Innovation web site (https://uoft.me/pdt-faq).”

CLASS SCHEDULE

PART 1 – INTRODUCTION TO SOUND STUDIES

Week 1, Jan. 14 Course Introduction: Why Study Sound in Visual Media?
Pinch, Trevor and Karin Bijsterveldt (2011) "New Keys to the World of Sound".
introduction (excerpt) to The Oxford Handbook of Sound Studies. T. Pinch and K.
Bijsterveld (eds.). New York: Oxford University Press.


Week 2, Jan. 21 Theorizing How We Hear: Noise, Silence and the Politics of Sound
Attali, Jacques (1985) chap. 1, "Listening" in Noise: The Political Economy of Music. B.
Massumi (trans.). Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.

Mattern, Shannon and Barry Salmon (2008) "Sound Studies: Framing Noise". Music, Sound,
and the Moving Image. 2(2), Autumn. pp. 139-144.

Schafer, R. Murray (2006[1973]) "The Music of the Environment" in Audio Culture:
Readings in Modern Music. C. Cox and D. Warner (eds.). New York: Continuum. chap. 7,
pp.29-39.


Week 3, Jan. 28 Sound and the "Problem" of Music
Kahn, Douglas (1999) "The Sound of Music" chap. 4 in Noise, Water, Meat: A History of
Sound in the Arts. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press, pp.101-122.


PART 2 – SOUND AND VISUAL CULTURAL PRACTICE

Week 4, Feb. 4 Sound and Modern Art
ASSIGNMENT DUE: 1 page proposal and annotated bibliography
Oswalt, Philipp (2002) "Iannis Xenakis' Polytopes". Contemporary Music Review. 21(2/3).
pp.35–44. T. Skorupa (trans.).

Vandelinder, Jean (2005) "Taylorism, Managerial Control Strategies, and the Ballets of
Balanchine and Stravinsky". American Behavioral Scientist. 48(11). pp.1439-1452.


Week 5, Feb. 11 Sound and Film I: Sound, Image
Elsaesser, Thomas and Malte Hagener (2010) chap. 6, "Cinema as ear – acoustics and
space" in Film Theory: An introduction through the senses. London: Routledge. pp.129-
148.

Chion, Michel (1994) chap. 1 "Projections of Sound On Image" in Audio-Vision: Sound on
Screen. New York: Columbia University Press.



Week 6, Feb. 18 Sound and Film II: Sound Technology and Cultures of Cinema
ASSIGNMENT DUE: Media Review
Chatterji, Shoma A. (1999) "The Culture-Specific Use Of Sound In India Cinema". Paper
presented at International Symposium on Sound in Cinema. London April 15-18, 1999.

O'Brien, Charles (2005) chap. 5, "Shooting and Recording in Paris and Hollywood" in
Cinema's Conversion to Sound: Technology and Film Style in France and the U.S.
Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press.

Sobchack, Vivian (2005) "When the Ear Dreams: Dolby Digital and the Imagination of
Sound". Film Quarterly. 58(4), summer.


February 25 – NO CLASS, READING WEEK


Week 7, Mar. 4 Sound and Television
Hilmes, Michele (2008) "Television Sound: Why the Silence?". Music, Sound, and the
Moving Image. 2(2), Autumn. pp. 153-161.

Smith, J. (2005) "The frenzy of the audible: Pleasure, authenticity, and recorded laughter".
Television & New Media. 6(1). pp. 23-47.


Week 8, Mar. 11 Sound and Theater
Johnson, Bruce (2005) "Hamlet: voice, music, sound". Popular Music. 24(2). pp. 257–267.

Meszaros, Beth (2005) "Infernal Sound Cues: Aural Geographies and the Politics of Noise".
Modern Drama. 48(1). pp. 118-131.


PART 3 – SOUND, SPACE AND VISUALITY

Week 9, Mar. 18 Sound and Architecture I: Historical Studies
Bagenal, Hope and Godwin Bursar (1930) "Bach's Music and Church Acoustics". Journal of
the Royal Institute of British Architects. 37(5), 11 January.

Sheridan, Ted and Karen Van Lengen (2003) "Hearing Architecture: Exploring and
Designing the Aural Environment". Journal of Architectural Education. 57(2), November 1.
pp.37-44.

Zhang Yu (2006) "Altar and Studio: Musical Design in the 18th-Century Chinese
Architecture". paper presented to the Architecture-Music-Acoustics Conference, Ryerson
University, Toronto, June 2006.




Week 10, Mar. 25 Sound and Architecture II: Contemporary Acoustics
Thompson, Emily (2002) chap. 2 "The Origins of Modern Acoustics" in The Soundscape of
Modernity: Architectural Acoustics and the Culture of Listening in America, 1900–1933.
Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press, pp.13-57


Week 11, Apr. 1 Sound, Spectacle and Spaces of Consumption
Hopkins, Jeffrey (1994) "Orchestrating an Indoor City: Ambient Noise Inside a Mega-Mall".
Environment and Behaviour. 26(6). pp. 785-812.

Sterne, Jonathan (1997) “Sounds Like the Mall of America: Programmed Music and the
Architectonics of Commercial Space.” Ethnomusicology. 41(1). pp.22-50.


Week 12, Apr. 8 Sound and the City
ASSIGNMENT DUE: Major Research Paper
Arkette, Sophie (2004) "Sounds Like City". Theory, Culture & Society. 21(1). pp. 159–168.

Thibaud, Jean-Paul (2003) "The Sonic Composition of the City". in The Auditory Culture
Reader. M. Bull and L. Back (eds.). Oxford: Berg. chap. 18, pp. 349–382.