Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Fall 2025 - CA 247 D100

Creative Electronics Lab I (3)

Class Number: 6223

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Sep 3 – Dec 2, 2025: Mon, 9:30–11:20 a.m.
    GOLDCORP

  • Prerequisites:

    CA 140, 144, 146 or permission of instructor.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

An introduction to the practice, techniques and concepts underlying contemporary electronic music fixed media composition, with an emphasis on facilitating a personal creative approach. Process-focused exercises will develop creative fluency in studio composition working with digital audio workstations, field recording, studio recording and editing techniques, digital audio processing, and sound synthesis. Exposure to new work and artists working in studio-related practices will serve as context and backdrop. Quantitative.

COURSE DETAILS:

An introduction to the practice, techniques and concepts underlying contemporary electronic music. The course will do so through the creative exploration of the field, focusing on individual creation and experimentation. However, rather than working toward a creative master-project, this course will employ process-focused exercises to develop creative fluency in audio/studio composition working with advanced digital audio workstations (DAWs), recording and editing techniques, digital audio processing, and sound synthesis. Continued exposure to new work and artists working in studio-related practices will serve intensive listening and discussion as context / backdrop. Rather than facilitating the technical mastery of tools towards mainstream purposes, this course will focus on the discovery and development of a personal toolkit for creating original work in fixed-media composition.

Grading

  • Attendance / Participation 10%
  • Listening journal 20%
  • Studio diary 30%
  • Miniatures 30%
  • Final project 10%

NOTES:

ATTENDANCE
Punctuality is a graded aspect of attendance.
3 late arrivals to class or tutorial of 5 minutes or more equal one absence.
Each unexcused absence lowers your grade by a full degree (A becomes A-).

PARTICIPATION:
Full engagement with material (assigned readings, works, etc.).
Offer thoughtful responses to in-class discussion.
Engage actively with others’ work and working process in discussions and presentations.
Prepare thoroughly for classes and tutorials, including reviewing missed material after an absence.

LISTENING JOURNAL/ANALYSES:
At-home responses to assigned works.

STUDIO DIARY:
Weekly submissions of recordings that document students' studio practice, and demonstrate the exploration of techniques and processes explored in class and tutorials.

FINAL COMPOSITION AND MINIATURES
Various miniatures will be assigned throughout the semester. Each miniature will focus on a particular technique or theme (e.g. multi-track editing of "found" sounds, FM synthesis, Granular synthesis etc.). One larger-scale composition will serve as a final project for the class.

Materials

REQUIRED READING NOTES:

Your personalized Course Material list, including digital and physical textbooks, are available through the SFU Bookstore website by simply entering your Computing ID at: shop.sfu.ca/course-materials/my-personalized-course-materials.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

At SFU, you are expected to act honestly and responsibly in all your academic work. Cheating, plagiarism, or any other form of academic dishonesty harms your own learning, undermines the efforts of your classmates who pursue their studies honestly, and goes against the core values of the university.

To learn more about the academic disciplinary process and relevant academic supports, visit: 


RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION

Students with a faith background who may need accommodations during the term are encouraged to assess their needs as soon as possible and review the Multifaith religious accommodations website. The page outlines ways they begin working toward an accommodation and ensure solutions can be reached in a timely fashion.