JavaScript for Sound Artists
Written on June 3rd , 2023 by Brandon Woo Snyder
JavaScript for Sound Artists is an intro to Javascript crash course designed for musicians and sound artists, with a focus on creatively harnessing web technology. I held this class online over 6-weeks for Browser Sound’s 2023 festival and culminated in a reading session with a hybrid-format ensemble of coder-instrumentalists.
We learned javascript fundamentals through building 4 web-sound art projects:
- An interactive noise box
- A drum/audio-sample sequencer
- A synthesizer
- Using APIs for audio and visual generation.
In class we primarily used the p5.js library for creative coding to build simple versions of these projects. From there, participants built out their own creative twists of each.
Through these projects, we were guided to apply creative thinking towards common technical skills in web audio and web design such as: handling audio files and synthesizing sound in the web browser, creating an interactive web page, producing audio-synced visuals, and using APIs to generate audio and visual content.
This course culminated with a reading session at Location Sharing, Browser Sound’s 2023 festival. There, participants presented a final project, and have the option to have Browser Sound’s ensemble read through a performance of their work.
A major learning objective of these workshops was to equip participants with fundamental tools and understanding of web programming, to kickstart a larger creative journey with the web. Therefore the required no prior understanding of web programming.
JavaScript for Sound Artists was produced in partnership with WebSoundArt, a community dedicated to web-based sound art.
Browser Sound is a festival and community focused on music in/on/around/through the web. We commission works of art, hold workshops, and gather artists and coders together. Visit browsersound.com to explore more.
