Sound plays a crucial but understudied role in experiences of media and cultural life. From the mundane sounds of our daily routines to the irresistible refrains of our favorite songs, sound (in its various guises as noise, music, echo, vibration, etc.) is fundamental to communications media and, more broadly, to our perceptions of the world around us. This class will introduce you to the emerging field of sound studies and encourage you to investigate the role sound and music (or lack thereof) play in various communications media. Through audio assignments such as the creation of podcasts, we will learn the basics of digital audio recording and editing software and how to present and distribute audio content via the Internet, specifically as podcasts. By the end of this class, you will have both practical skills for creating digital audio projects and a deeper appreciation for how paying attention to sound leads to unique understandings of history, culture, and media technologies.