Assessment 1: Coursework: Composition Artifact
This will be a practical output from the composition/creation process and the specifics of this will range from a formal composition through to a sound related installation. The detail of this will be negotiated with students on an individual basis but will be benchmarked against an 8 minute long multichannel diffusion composition adjusted to the context of the particular practice the student is engaging with.

Assessment 2: Presentation
The Developmental process presentation will be 15 minutes and students will detail the underlying context which informs their practice as well as the theorists and practitioners who have influenced them. There should be formal engagement with the analytical frameworks which have been explored in the module.

This module explores experimental approaches to music and sound art, outlining the rich history of the topic area, encouraging students to develop individual artistic voices through critical listening, creative exploration, and collaborative practice.

Teaching combines theoretical study, practical experimentation, and reflective discussion to support artistic development within contemporary and historical contexts. Students examine sources of inspiration and motivation, exploring how artists generate ideas and sustain creative practice. This includes reflection on personal influences, cultural contexts, and creative processes, supporting the development of an evolving artistic identity.

A core strand of the module focuses on listening and analysis, introducing students to key works and analytical frameworks, movements, and practitioners in experimental music and sound art. Through guided listening, discussion, and critical reflection, students analyse form, structure, material, and conceptual intent, developing a vocabulary for discussing non-traditional musical practices.

Students engage with a range of creative music tools and technologies, including digital audio workstations, software instruments, sampling, synthesis, and alternative sound-making methods. Practical sessions emphasise exploratory workflows, encouraging students to test, modify, and repurpose tools in unconventional ways.

The module introduces the theory and practice of experimental music and sound art, covering concepts such as chance operations, improvisation, sound collage, extended techniques, generative systems, spatial sound, and site-specific or installation-based work. Students explore how theory informs practice, and how experimentation challenges traditional ideas of composition, performance, and authorship. By the end of the module, students will have developed practical experience of experimental sound creation, an informed critical perspective, and the confidence to explore innovative approaches to music and sound art.

1. Develop specialist skills relating to sound art and experimental music composition, performance and production and demonstrate an understanding of knowledge of contemporary experimental music composition techniques.

Programme Learning Outcome: Application and Problem Solving, Digital Literacy

2. Undertake and document the processes of the creation, refinement and presentation of original experimental musical and sound art works.

Programme Learning Outcome: Research Skills, Knowledge and Understanding.

3. Analyse and respond to theories and concepts within existing compositions to produce an original piece of work.

Programme Learning Outcome: Knowledge and understanding, Reflection.

Sessions will include a mixture of time in the labs undertaking both taught sessions and independent working as well as sessions based in the University recording studios. Teaching will be through a variety of methods including practical exploration of experimental music and sound art related tools, academic instruction into the underlying theories of analysis and composition of the topic area, guided listening sessions of experimental music and sound art works, and creative explorations into the required skills and tools.

* Student Life https://www.youtube.com/@uniofstaffsstudentlife/videos
* University Careers https://staffs.careercentre.me/Members
* University Library https://libguides.staffs.ac.uk/library
* Blackboard Virtual Learning Environment will support this module where relevant
* Specialist Spaces
* Smart Zone
* CAD Labs
* Print Bureau
* University recording studios
* University Music & Sound Apple Mac labs
* Logic Pro X, Ableton Live Suite, Pro Tools Ultimate software
* NI Komplete & McDSP software
* University Media stores and SISO
* Multichannel diffusion rig
* Cycling 74 Max software (with additional third-party externals by IRCAM)
* Processing software
* Various additional third-party audio plug-ins by McDSP, Avid, Eventide, Michael Norris.

Delaere, M. (ed.) (2022) Noise as a constructive element in music : theoretical and music-analytical perspectives. Abingdon, Oxon ; Routledge.

Landy, L. (2007) Understanding the Art of Sound Organization. MIT Press.

Licht, A., 2019. Sound art revisited. Bloomsbury Publishing USA.

Nyman, M. (1999) Experimental Music: Cage and Beyond. 2nd edn. Cambridge University Press.

Patch, J. and Porcello, T., 2022. Re-making Sound: An Experiential Approach to Sound Studies. Bloomsbury Publishing USA.

Wishart, T. (1994). Audible Design: A Plain and Easy Introduction to Sound Composition. York, England: Orpheus The Pantomime Ltd.

Break the rules. Explore sound. Find your voice.
This module invites you to experiment beyond traditional music-making, exploring sound as art through creative technology, listening, collaboration, and bold ideas. You’ll analyse influential experimental works, play with unconventional tools and techniques, and develop your own artistic practice while working with others in a supportive, creative environment. Perfect for students who want to push boundaries and discover new ways of thinking about music and sound.