Music and Technology

Music and Technology - Exchange

Programme:

Music and Technology

Level:

Year 2

Semester:

1 or 2 (start in September or February)

ECTS:

30

Language:

Dutch (please see below for more information on language)

Course information

Within the BA Music and Technology, the three main strands are music design, sound and sonic design and system design.

Music design focuses on the composition and music production, sound and sonic design focuses on the design of the sound itself and its application. System design focuses on the design and application of technology for music- and sonic design.

This all in a large variety of situations and contexts like games, theatre, advertising, stages, film and television, but also in social sector like healthcare, education, security and cultural heritage.

Within those three main strands, 5 courses have been compiled from which, before you arrive, one is chosen. The course will be decided together with your designated tutor or substantive teachers on arrival.

Language

Please note that the Bachelor programme is mainly taught in Dutch and exchange students are expected to be able to understand some Dutch. It is quite common that exchange students don't understand Dutch on a high level when they start at Music and Technology.

Some lesson series are in English, but most are in Dutch. Where Dutch is spoken, the teacher will give short English summaries.

Which lessons are in English or Dutch can be found in the 'Course Curriculum Information'.

Course options for exchange students Music and Technology

For each semester, there are 5 courses from which the exchange student can choose:
    • The Composition & Sonic Art track consists of several Composition and Sonic Design modules. In this track you will learn the different facets in this field, both in terms of theory and practice. You follow projects in different contexts such as composition of electronic music for theater and dance, surround sound, sound installation, live electronics performance, interactivity, audiovisual composition and sound classification; you learn different sound design techniques such as physical modeling and feedback synthesis and different composition techniques. In addition, there are several electives in which you can delve into "advanced synthesis," "audio-visual art," "programming in MAX" and the "analog studio”. The focus of the Composition & Sonic Art track is on the student's artistic and creative development.
    • In addition to Composition and Sonic Art modules, this track also focuses on international orientation and intercultural design, collaboration and communication. This module aims to offer you a learning environment in which international and intercultural competences can be developed, so that you become increasingly aware of the international and intercultural opportunities in and for the field of music and sound.
    • Each semester concludes with a reflection report on your Exchange period.

    Programme for exchange students Composition and Sonic Art semester 1 (start September)

    Course semester 1: Number of ECTS credits: Code and description 2023-2024:
    Composition 2A 5 MUZ-2-B2ACOMP-15
    Sound Design 2A 5 MUZ-2-B2AKO-15
    Composition 2B 6 MUZ-2-B2BCOMP-15
    Sound Design 2B 6 MUZ-2-B2BKO-15
    Context and Repertoires 2A 1 MUZ-2-CRM2A-15
    HKU Seminars 2 MUZ-2-SEM2A-18
    Integral exchange module semester 1 5 MUZ-2-EXCH2A-23

    Programme for exchange students Composition and Sonic Art semester 2 (start February)

    Course semester 2: Number of ECTS credits: Code and description 2023-2024:
    Composition 2C 6 MUZ-2-B2CCOMP-15
    Sound Design 2C 6 MUZ-2-B2CKO-15
    Composition 2D 5 MUZ-2-B2DCOMP-15
    Sound Design 2D 5 MUZ-2-B2DKO-15
    HKU Seminars 2 MUZ-2-SEM2B-18
    Integral exchange module semester 2 6 MUZ-2-EXCH2B-23

    Click on the code in the schedule above to download the official course description (pdf).

    Additional information on the modules of this course

    • The Interactive Music Design track consists of several Composition and Sonic Interaction Design modules. Through following projects, where you are always working to make something, you learn to think in systems and link compositions to a non-linear context. Always working applied and in context, you learn to design music for a music system. You integrate this system into a game, an interactive installation or in another interactive context. You work together with other music designers, but also game or interaction designers. In addition to the projects, there are also series of lessons in which professional knowledge is shared, such as working for games with middleware like FMOD and WWise, composition techniques, and the technical aspects of music and sound. The focus is always on the experience for a user or gamer, and how to enhance it with the creation of music and sound. In doing so, you relate to the game or interaction designers you are working with: how can you provide the intended experience with a unique sounding (nonlinear) soundtrack?
    • In addition to Composition and Sonic Interaction modules, this track also focuses on international orientation and intercultural design, collaboration and communication. This module aims to offer you a learning environment in which international and intercultural competences can be developed, so that you become increasingly aware of the international and intercultural opportunities in and for the field of music and sound.
    • Each semester concludes with a reflection report on your Exchange period.

    Programme for exchange students Interactive Music Design semester 1 (start September)

    Course semester 1: Number of ECTS credits: Code and description 2023-2024:
    Composition 2A 5 MUZ-2-B2ACOMP-15
    Sonic Interaction Design 2A 5 MUZ-2-B2ASID-15
    Composition 2B 6 MUZ-2-B2BCOMP-15
    Sonic Interaction Design 2B 6 MUZ-2-B2BSID-15
    Context and Repertoires 2A 1 MUZ-2-CRM2A-15
    HKU Seminars 2 MUZ-2-SEM2A-18
    Integral exchange module semester 1 5 MUZ-2-EXCH2A-23

    Programme for exchange students Interactive Music Design semester 2 (start February)

    Course semester 2: Number of ECTS credits: Code and description 2023-2024:
    Composition 2C 6 MUZ-2-B2CCOMP-15
    Sonic Interaction Design 2C 6 MUZ-2-B2CSID-15
    Composition 2D 5 MUZ-2-B2DCOMP-15
    Sonic Interaction Design 2D 5 MUZ-2-B2DSID-15
    HKU Seminars 2 MUZ-2-SEM2B-18
    Integral exchange module semester 2 6 MUZ-2-EXCH2B-23

    Click on the code in the schedule above to download the official course description (pdf).

    Additional information on the modules of this course

    • The Interactive System Design track consists of several Sonic Interaction Design and Creative System Design modules. Through participating in projects, where you are always making something, you learn to think in systems and create software applications for an interactive context. While always working applied and in context, you will learn to design and program sound systems for real-time applications and work on games, interactive installations, apps, hardware instruments, or other interactive systems. You will work with other music designers, as well as game or interaction designers. In addition to the projects, there are also series of lessons in which professional knowledge is shared, such as working on systems using techniques such as Digital Signal Processing (DSP), (bio)sensors, embedded computing, Algorithmic or procedural composition and Artificial Intelligence. You can also write plug-ins for middleware such as FMOD or Unity3d. Because the field is broad, there is plenty of room to choose your own topic or specialization.
    • ​In addition to Creative System Design and Sonic Interaction Design modules, this track also focuses oninternational orientation and intercultural design, collaboration and communication. This module aims to offer you a learning environment in which international and intercultural competences can be developed, so that you become increasingly aware of the international and intercultural opportunities in and for the field of music and sound.
    • Each semester concludes with a reflection report on your Exchange period.

    Programme for exchange students Interactive System Design semester 1 (start September)

    Course semester 1: Number of ECTS credits: Code and description 2023-2024:
    Creative System Design 2A 5 MUZ-2-B2ACSD-17
    Sonic Interaction Design 2A 5 MUZ-2-B2ASID-15
    Creative System Design 2B 6 MUZ-2-B2BCSD-17
    Sonic Interaction Design 2B 6 MUZ-2-B2BSID-15
    Context and Repertoires 2A 1 MUZ-2-CRM2A-15
    HKU Seminars 2 MUZ-2-SEM2A-18
    Integral exchange module semester 1 5 MUZ-2-EXCH2A-23

    Programme for exchange students Interactive System Design semester 2 (start February)

    Course semester 2: Number of ECTS credits: Code and description 2023-2024:
    Creative System Design 2C 6 MUZ-2-B2CCSD-17
    Sonic Interaction Design 2C 6 MUZ-2-B2CSID-15
    Creative System Design 2D 5 MUZ-2-B2DCSD-17
    Sonic Interaction Design 2D 5 MUZ-2-B2DSID-15
    HKU Seminars 2 MUZ-2-SEM2B-18
    Integral exchange module semester 2 6 MUZ-2-EXCH2B-23

    Click on the code in the schedule above to download the official course description (pdf).

    Additional information on the modules of this course

    • The Music & Sound for Media track consists of several Composition and Sound Design modules. Through following projects, where you are always working to make something, you learn to translate the language of media into that of music and sound. Your work in the projects is applied; it always relates to something (a game, a video and other media). You will work together with students, also from other disciplines, so you will learn to oversee the field of music and sound and learn to work together in real life projects. In addition to the projects, there are series of lessons in which professional knowledge is given, such as Composition Techniques and the technical aspects of music and sound. You will also learn to use sounds that you have designed yourself with sound design techniques. Important in all projects and lesson series is to be aware of the target audience or the user you are working for. You may personally like it, but does it convey the message, and is it functional for the user? You’ll also learn the meaning of what you are creating: what emotions or images does this sound or music evoke? How does that come about and how does it fit together? Because you understand this, you can translate the atmosphere or mood that, for example, a game or movie should convey into the right sound or music composition.
    • ​In addition to Composition and Sound Design modules, this track also focuses on international orientation and intercultural design, collaboration and communication. This module aims to offer you a learning environment in which international and intercultural competences can be developed, so that you become increasingly aware of the international and intercultural opportunities in and for the field of music and sound.
    • Each semester concludes with a reflection report on your Exchange period.

    Programme for exchange students Music & Sound for Media semester 1 (start September)

    Course semester 1: Number of ECTS credits: Code and description 2023-2024:
    Composition 2A 5 MUZ-2-B2ACOMP-15
    Sound Design 2A 5 MUZ-2-B2ASD-15
    Composition 2B 6 MUZ-2-B2BCOMP-15
    Sound Design 2B 6 MUZ-2-B2BSD-15
    Context and Repertoires 2A 1 MUZ-2-CRM2A-15
    HKU Seminars 2 MUZ-2-SEM2A-18
    Integral exchange module semester 1 5 MUZ-2-EXCH2A-23

    Programme for exchange students Music & Sound for Media semester 2 (start February)

    Course semester 2: Number of ECTS credits: Code and description 2023-2024:
    Composition 2C 6 MUZ-2-B2CCOMP-15
    Sound Design 2C 6 MUZ-2-B2CSD-15
    Composition 2D 5 MUZ-2-B2DCOMP-15
    Sound Design 2D 5 MUZ-2-B2DSD-15
    HKU Seminars 2 MUZ-2-SEM2B-18
    Integral exchange module semester 2 6 MUZ-2-EXCH2B-23

    Click on the code in the schedule above to download the official course description (pdf).

    Additional information on the modules of this course

    • The Sonic System Design track consists of several modules of Sonic Design and Creative System Design. In these lesson series, you will learn the different facets of Sonic System Design, both in terms of theory and practice. You will do projects within the contexts of Sonic Art, such as surround sound, sound installation and live electronics performance. The focus of these projects is on the practical and technological realization of projects within the field of sound installations and sonic art. Within the ‘sound skill’ class series, you will learn various sonic design techniques such as physical modeling and feedback synthesis. The curriculum of Creative System Design consists of theory and practice of programming languages (C++), DSP and project management. There are also several electives in which you can delve into 'Advanced synthesis', 'audio-visual art', 'programming in MAX' and the 'analog studio'.
    • ​In addition to Sound Design and Creative System Design modules, this track also focuses on international orientation and intercultural design, collaboration and communication. This module aims to offer you a learning environment in which international and intercultural competences can be developed, so that you become increasingly aware of the international and intercultural opportunities in and for the field of music and sound.
    • Each semester concludes with a reflection report on your Exchange period.

    Programme for exchange students Sonic System Design semester 1 (start September)

    Course semester 1: Number of ECTS credits: Code and description 2023-2024:
    Creative System Design 2A 5 MUZ-2-B2ACSD-17
    Sound Design 2A 5 MUZ-2-B2AKO-15
    Creative System Design 2B 6 MUZ-2-B2BCSD-17
    Sound Design 2B 6 MUZ-2-B2BKO-15
    Context and Repertoires 2A 1 MUZ-2-CRM2A-15
    HKU Seminars 2 MUZ-2-SEM2A-18
    Integral exchange module semester 1 5 MUZ-2-EXCH2A-23

    Programme for exchange students Sonic System Design semester 2 (start February)

    Course semester 2: Number of ECTS credits: Code and description 2023-2024:
    Creative System Design 2C 6 MUZ-2-B2CCSD-17
    Sound Design 2C 6 MUZ-2-B2CKO-15
    Creative System Design 2D 5 MUZ-2-B2DCSD-17
    Sound Design 2D 5 MUZ-2-B2DKO-15
    HKU Seminars 2 MUZ-2-SEM2B-18
    Integral exchange module semester 2 6 MUZ-2-EXCH2B-23

    Click on the code in the schedule above to download the official course description (pdf).

    Additional information on the modules of this course