Humans have long attempted to record the look of things—through cave paintings, sculptures, still photography. All those efforts preceded sound recording, which has only existed for the past 140 years or so—an eye-blink in human history. To make a sound recording is to grab hold of the most ephemeral of things, a mere ripple passing through the air, yet in doing so we tap into the most beautiful and transcendent of our senses.
It's a big world and sound is just one way to take it all in, but it's a powerful one. Our goal in Recording Arts is to use it wisely and well. If we do it well enough, we can build rewarding and satisfying careers, and help create meaningful art.
Imagine that: you take ripples through the air, play with them, rearrange and amplify them, until they come out of speakers and send waves through the culture. Not bad!
Thank you for exploring this program. I encourage prospective students to contact us for more information.
Rodger Pardee
Professor and Chair of Recording Arts