Berlin School of Sound
Sound Art Education and Community Center for Music
What does sound art have to do with community music? Education for music and sound can become a sound art of social composition – an aesthetic of contrasting collectives. We curate our education program to go beyond categorical (for example “serious” vs “commercial”) musical aesthetics and engage in listening as an art and a social practice. What can an art of sound tell us not only about music, but about our ways of being in the world (that then feeds back into our musical consciousness)?
Our sponsored festivals like Sonic Borderlines, Sounds Pop and Mapping Sounds in Exile (coming in October), showcase a diverse range of interdisciplinary performance genres that are transversally interrelated through the medium of sound, providing a platform and a hub for a network of international and local artistic communities.
We offer practice-led workshops and courses in sound art, composition, electronic music, audio production and other related topics. Participants are artists, musicians, researchers and students who learn while producing publications, art, and music. Our courses supply theoretical and practical underpinnings for ongoing artistic work.
The facilities include a state-of-the-art/ vintage recording studio, sound lab (in development), and feature our cooperation with the Acud Club. The school is situated in Kunsthaus Acud, a place with an emphasis on diversity, uniquely intertwined with the history of the experimental art and music scene in Berlin since 1990.
The DIY philosophy of the Berlin School of Sound, program and space for art, in the heart of Berlin-Mitte is inspired by the pragmatism of John Dewey and others, by collaborative student-teacher, working-by-doing methods in the lineage of Black Mountain College, Pauline Oliveros, David Tudor/Composers-Inside-Electronics, Cecil Taylor, and inspired politically by Ultra-red, Amiri Baraka, and the People’s Microphone of Occupy Wall Street.
Students gain hands on experience and a theoretical grounding for sound art in the context of an interdisciplinary training. Participants learn while simultaneously building up their professional profile. Their works can be featured at the Acud Club, in radio programs with Colaboradio, on FRBB 88.4 FM and with affiliated institutions throughout Berlin like Errant Sound.
The Acud Club (performance and installation space) is also the site of ongoing collaboration with local affiliated ensembles from the Berlin music scene and a community space for sonic exchange.
Facilities
Berlin School of Sound is based in Kunsthaus ACUD, a legendary center for culture right in the center of Berlin near Rosenthaler Platz, Mitte. ACUD has been continually fostering the evolving alternative scene in Berlin since right after the reunification of Germany.
Acud Club
(performance/installation space)
The Acud Club room is 120 square meters, situated on the ground floor off the Courtyard. It’s also the site of Acud Kunsthaus’ training/educational programs like the former Amplify Berlin Creative Development Program and Error Music. The Club features a hi-end sound system and is connected to the vintage recording studio The setup of the performance space is multipurpose and multi-directional allowing for many layouts and uses. It also opens out to a public who can listen and observe from outside in the courtyard. Acud’s Club Room is connected to the vintage recording studio for state of the art zero-latency digital recording. The Club Room is equipped with stage lights and (coming soon) 4K cameras and the latest streaming tools. Essential sound and lighting equipment is part of the hall.
Sound Lab
On the second floor our Sound Lab is in development. It currently functions as an additional classroom and workshop space with essential instruments and a genelec sound system. In the future it will house a twelve-channel surround mixing environment for Dolby Atmos.
Recording Studio
On the first floor, the recording studio features some of the most sought after vintage microphones and preamps available for an all-encompassing production process. It is powered by a 2021 state-of-the-art latency-free 24 track ProTools Carbon – HDX DSP-accelerated audio interface and 2021 Mac tower.
Studio Equipment
Digital Processing
iMac 24″ M1 w. Pro Tools Ultimate
Pro Tools Carbon Audio Interface
Orpheus Prism Audio Interface
RME Fireface Audio Interface
AVID Dock
Headphones & Monitors
MONITORS
1 x PSI 25-M, pair
1 x ADAM 2.5 A,pair with ADAM 6 15′ Sub
1 x Yamaha HS50, pair
1 x Avantone Active MixCube, pair
1 x Hear Audio headphone system
4 x Equation Audio RP-21 Studio Headphones
2 x Ultrasone Proline 750 Professional Studio Headphones
2 x Beyer Dynamic studio headphones
1 x Crane Song Avocet Stereo Monitor Controller
2 x sennheisser HD 650 Headphones
DI BOXES
5 x BSS AR-133
4 x Countryman Type 35 Fet
1 x DI-100
1 x Radial JD*7 Injector
1 x Radial passive DI
Outboard Gear
PREAMPS
1 x GML 8304
10 x API 312
2 x Telefunken V72
2 x Telefunken V672
2 x Telefunken V77
2 x Telefunken V78
2 x Neve 1073 DPA
8 x Neve Portico 5012
1 x Summit Audio TPA 200B
4 x Daking Mic-Pre IV
DYNAMICS/EQs/PREAMPS
2 x Empirical Labs EL8X-S
1 x Universal Audio LA-2A
1 x Summit Audio TLA-100
1 x EAR 822Q
8 x Rupert Neve Design 5033
1 x Summit EQP-200B
1 x Neve 5432 Broadcast Mixer
1 x GML2020
1 x Avalon VT-737SP
2 x Focusrite ISA 110
2 x SSL XLogic E
1 x Tube-Tech SMC 2B
OTHER
1 x Eventide H8000 FW
2 x DBX 901 Dessers
2 x Drawmer DS 201 Noise Gates
1 x BSS MSR-604 II Mic Splitter
1 x BBE 482i Sonic Maximizer
1 x Roland SVC-350 Vocoder
1 x Palmer PGA 04 Loadbox
1 x Roland SRE-555 Chorus Echo
1 x Watkins Copicat IC300 Tape Echo
1 x HiWatt CTE2000C Tape Echo
1 x The Photo*Theremin
1 x B&K Beat Frequency Oscillator 1022
Microphones
CONDENSOR
2 x DPA 4006s in DPA 3530-A A-B Set
2 x AKG 451b/ST
2 x Neumann KM 184 ni
2 x Earth Works SR77
1 x Crown PZM
2 x AKG 414 B-XLS
1 x Audio Technica 4033
1 x Audio Technica 8537
1 x AKG 414 EB CK12
1 x AKG 414 EB
1 x Neumann U47fet
2 x Neumann U87
1 x DPA VO4099V
1 x Avantone CK-40
DYNAMIC
1 x Sony C800G PAC
1 x Neumann U67
1 x Wagner U47
1 x Groove Tubes GT67
2 x Neumann U64
1 x Neumann M49
1 x Suter Custom
RIBBON
2 x Royer 121-MP
2 x Coles 4038
2 x GA R1 MK III
2 x Avantone CR-14
Amps & Instruments
AMPS
1 x Fender Twin Reverb
1 x Fender Pro Reverb Silverface
1 x Fender Bassman 4×10
1 x Sunn 190L
1 x Palmer Model One
1 x Polyton MiniBrute IV
1 x Silvertone 1483
1 x Gibson GA-20 RVT
1 x Mesa Boogie
1 x Mesa Boogie Single Rectifier Rect-O-Verb 50
1 x Mesa Transatlantic TA-15
1 x Marshall 1970 Super Bass
1 x Bad Cat Hot Cat 30R
1 x SWR RedHead 240W
1 x EBS 350HD
1 x Acoustic Image Contra 310 BA
1 x Custom 15′ Bass Cab
1 x Ampeg B-15
1 x Montgomery Ward 62 GVC
1 x Elka Leslie Cab
1 x Road C 4×10 Cab
1 x EBS Evolution Pro Line 2000
1 x Bad Cat S 212 4 Ohm Cab
GUITARS
1 x Guild S300-D 1979
1 x Gibson Les Paul Custom 1977
1 xGibson SG Deluxe Bixby 1970
1 x Fender Telecaster USA,1982
1 x McCartyPaul Reed Smith
1 x Airline Hollowbody 1950’s
1 x Guild F-30 1960
1 x Dobro 1970
1 x Stella Harmony 1962
1 x Takamine 1990
1 x Manuel Rodriguez Caballero C-3
1 x OAHU Valco Stringtone Lapsteel 1960’s
1 x Slingerland May Bell Banjo 1930’s
1 x Westminister 5 String Banjo
BASSES
1 x Fender Precision 1969
1 x Fender Precision Fretless 1976
1 x Fender Mustang Bass 1976
1 x Fender Coronado Bass II 1967
1 x Fender IV 1962
1 x 5 String Modulus Genesis
1 x Lakeland Skyline
1 x german custom shortscale hollowbody bass
1 x Messenger Electric Upright
1 x 1904 Italian double bass
1 X 1900 French 1/4 double bass
KEYBOARD INSTRUMENTS
1 x Hohner Clavinet D6
1 x Micromoog 2090
1 x Moog Taurus
1 x Elektronika EM-25
1 x Alisa 1377
2 x Crumar Organizer T-3
1 x Elka ElkaPiano 88
1 x Elka Concorde 902
1 x Yamaha SK20
1 x Wurlitzer 140B
1 x Wurlitzer 200A
1 x Fender Rhodes Stage Piano Mark I
1 x Fender Rhodes Suitcase Piano FR 7054
1 x Hammond 8114
EFFECTS
1 x H&K Tubeman
1 x Soundblox Multivwave Distortion SA120
1 x Ibanez Tube Screamer Classic TS10
1 x Guyatone OD2
1 x Boss Hyper Metal HM-3
1 x Spaceman Saturn V
1 x Electro-Harmonix Big Muff
1 x Electro-Harmonix Q-tron+
1 x Aguilar Tone Hammer
1 x SansAmp Bass Driver
1 x EBS OctaBass
1 x Fulltone Bass Drive
1 x DigiTech Whammy Pedal WH 1
1 x Z.VEX Seek Wah II
1 x Boss Dynamic Wah AW-3
1 x Dunlop Cry Baby GCB-95
1 x Moogerfooger Stage Phaser MF-103
1 x Moogerfooger MuRF MF-105
1 x Empress Tremolo
1 x WEO Ventilator Rotary Cabinet Simulator
1 x Boss Flanger BF-2
1 x Boss Super Shifter PS-5
1 x Ibanez Super Chorus CS5
1 x Roland RE-20 Space Echo
1 x Diamond Memory Lane Analog Delay
PERCUSSION
1 x Sonor Delite Birdseye Maple set with snare
1 x Yamaha Hipgig set original Peter Erskine model
1 x Pearl World 6500 Series set (mahogany shells)
4 x Slingerland Snare (var. mod.)14′
1 x Ludwig 14′
1 x Tama Pro Custom 14′
1 x Zildian ZBT HiHat 14′
1 x Zildian A Custom Mastersound HiHat 14′
1 x T-Cymbals Jazz Hihat 15′
1 x Zildian Avedis Fast Crash 14′
1 x Zildian Avedis Fast Crash 16′
1 x Sabian AAX Studio Crash 16′
1 x T-Cymbals Crash 18′
1 x Zildian Constantinople Ride 18′
1 x T-Cymbals Ride 19′
1 x Zildian Earth Ride 20′
1 x K Ride 20′
1 x T-Cymbals Cymbalmaker Ride 20′
Misc.
Faculty
Brandon La Belle
Artist, writer and theorist working with sound culture, voice, and questions of agency.
Khyam Allami
A performer of the Oud, focusing on the development of experimental repertoire based on the fundamentals of Arabic music.
Åsa Helena Stjerna
Artist and researcher using sound and listening in site-specific installations.