Faculty Spotlight

Dr. David Sanders has always been interested in sound.  He recalls, as a kid, begging his father for a synthesizer. He received an Arp 2600 analog synthesizer that was one of the first that could be had in the 1970s outside of large studios.  “I then locked myself in my room for about six months and taught myself how to use it.”  As a result, he was more than well prepared to study audio technology at NYU and was offered a teaching fellowship.  Along the way his interest in sound has led him to a variety of jobs in the field as a musician, a composer and audio engineer.  Some of his earliest projects involved doing electronic music scores for modern dance.  That led to television and film projects.

Here at MSU, he designed and now coordinates the SCM’s new audio/sound design program concentration and teaches sound design and audio production for film, television, music and theater. Sanders explains, “Audio production refers to the technical aspects that go into recording the sound and the post production work involved.  The term ‘sound design,’ on the other hand, is much broader.  “It refers to the whole audio feel of a project.  Not just the music score, but the dialog, sound effects, and how they all work together. 

Sanders is also the Director of the National Music Council (NMC).  This organization brings together other non-profit music organizations to address common issues.  Of major concern to the NMC is intellectual property rights and making music education available to all students.  As a result of these goals, Sanders helped to create an educational tool kit aimed at primary schools around the country.  One of the elements in this program was an animated video that explains how piracy hurts everyone.  The video was then edited and turned into a Public Service Announcement (PSA) to get the message out even further to the general public.  The PSA eventually won an Emmy. 

Having been in the field for over 20 years, Sanders has seen the immense effect that advancement in technology has wrought.  “It’s like night and day,” he says, struggling to find the words to describe the changes.  “For example, back then, it would take hours using knobs and sliders to get a usable sound on a synthesizer.  Then, when you wanted to get a new sound, you lost the first one.  So you would take notes, by hand, on what your settings were so that you could hopefully get back to it.”    Synthesizers nowadays come with thousands of sounds that have been pre-programed into them and all one has to do is alter them as needed.   Sanders continued, “We also used to cut tape with a razor blade and a wax pencil.  You would have to physically destroy the tape you just recorded in order to change it. Now with computers, we can just hit ‘Undo’ if a mistake is made.  I tell my students all the time that they are so unbelievably lucky!”

Sanders’ students would agree with that assessment, but not necessarily because of technological advances.  In 2013, Sanders was voted by Time magazine as a favorite teacher among college students.   That is surely a reflection of the fact that his passion for teaching rivals his passion for sound. He makes it a point to help students use their skills to see and learn about the world.

The TVDM branch of the SCM has always had an eye to global education.  In recent years, Sanders has worked with his colleague Steve McCarthy to give students the experience of what they call International Journalism “Boot Camp.”  Partnering with non-profit organizations, such as The World Food Program and Spiritus Mundi, they have taken on some very specific projects in quite exotic locations.    

Spiritus Mundi, for example, is a Swedish, non-governmental organization that uses the performing arts to bring communities together.   In Jordan, they were doing an outreach project for orphans, refugees and handicapped children that Sanders and his students documented.

“That trip was near and dear to my heart,” says Sanders.  “I love the arts and to be able to see firsthand the work being done to give kids a voice who don’t have a voice – it was amazing.”  These projects often involve more than just the TVDM department, as translators are needed.  On this trip, Arabic and French students lent a hand whenever possible.

It was a life changing experience for Sanders’ students.  “They were able to gain a whole new frame of reference on the world and see firsthand that people are basically the same. They began to see these kids as people, not just headlines in the news. It’s a global world that we are living in and that’s very important,” said Sanders, clearly passionate about this program. But the benefits didn’t end with the students who actually went on the trip.  Back at home, many more students joined in the post production work, so they benefited second hand, but in a very real way as well. 

When asked if he had any other comments he would like to share, Sanders reiterated his love for education.  A faculty member since 1996, he says that he has worked at other schools but MSU is his favorite.  “I’m very passionate about public education.  Kids deserve a good education – preferably one that doesn’t leave them in debt for the rest of their lives.  It’s amazing the facilities we have here and the quality of the faculty and staff.  And, of course, I love our students, I think they’re great!  There are so many possibilities here at MSU, and it feels good to be a part of it.”