Sound
Sound is a discipline that encompasses a range of fields, from conceptual sonic work and sound design across media formats, to the study of sound in built and natural environments and issues around audio cultures.
As part of RISD’s Computation, Technology and Culture department, the Sound BFA lets you explore key tools, concepts and sound design principles within the context of creative practice, working across a range of applications and with attention to the multicultural histories of sound and the sonic arts.
In the studio
Both in the Studio for Research in Sound and Technology—the center of creative activity within the program—and elsewhere on campus, majors in Sound work independently and collaboratively across disciplines, applying key concepts of the field and using a variety of tools to make expertly crafted, critically informed and ambitious auditory works and experiences.
Studio for Research in Sound and Technology (SRST)
The SRST is RISD’s hub for sound design experimentation as well as research in sonic interaction, experience, composition and performance. Through studios and independent inquiry, students use this space to compose experimental music, design soundscapes, simulate architectural acoustics and more.
RISD Sound online
Sound artists and designers at RISD find several ways to connect with a wider range of audio cultures, from SRST performances by visiting artists to sharing work online and developing production software for fellow sonic practitioners.
Related stories
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Members of RISD’s growing community of sound artists and researchers discuss how the evolving studio contributes to the college’s overall educational mission.
Since opening in 2018, the spatial audio studio above the library has helped advance sound studies at RISD.