Tone Meister: The Pursuit of Perfect Sound

Catalog description

In an era where technology has exponentially increased our capacity to manipulate sounds, pursuing the 'perfect' sound has become a central concern for musicians, sound engineers, producers, and audiophiles. Who gets to define perfect sound? How do individual tastes and preferences play into the idea of perfect sound? How have cultural and historical contexts shaped the evolution of our understanding of sonic perfection? Students will explore these questions in the classroom, in Rome's world-renowned recording studios, and at archaeological landmarks such as the Roman Forum, Circo Massimo, and Terme di Caracalla, examining how sound interacts with space and history. From the state-of-the-art Loa District Studio, The Temple of Sound- Forum Studios, students will work alongside musicians of the caliber of Ennio Morricone's orchestra and collaborate with Grammy Award-winning music makers. Through guided projects, they will create a collection of recorded works, analyses, and documentation, developing both technical proficiency and a deeper understanding of the elusive nature of sonic perfection. These hands-on experiences will introduce students to the real-world application of making music, leaving them with a deeper understanding of the intangible nature of sonic perfection. This course will be offered in June-Term 2026. This course will be taught in Italy and will count as an Away J-Term course.