COMMERCIAL MUSIC MANAGEMENT
(COURSE MASTER SYLLABUS)

MUSC 2447: AUDIO ENGINEERING III


REQUIRED READING:
Modern Recording Techniques (5th Edition), Runstein
Digidesign User Conference (http://duc.digidesign.com/cgi-bin/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi)

SUGGESTED READING:
Sound Studio Construction on a Budget, F. Alton Everest, McGraw-Hill; anything by Alton Everest; Confessions of a Record Producer, Moses Avalon, Miller-Freeman. Pro Audio Review Magazine, Audiomedia Magazine, Mix Magazine, Recording Magazine, Home and Studio Recording Magazine, the rec.audio.pro FAQ.

OTHER RESOURCES:
Newsgroups: rec.audio.pro; weboards: www.recording.org and others. The ACC library has most back issues of MIX. These are wonderful resources for many audio related subjects.

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Presentation of advanced procedures and techniques utilized in recording and manipulating audio information. Topics include advanced computer-based console automation, hard disk based digital audio editing, nonlinear digital multitrack recording, and advanced engineering project completions.

OUTCOMES AND OBJECTIVES:
The student will demonstrate digital nonlinear editing; utilize advanced techniques in digital nonlinear multitrack recording; perform computer-based voltage control amplifier (VCA) console automation; and complete an advanced recording project from the engineering perspective.

COURSE OVERVIEW:
The intent of this course is to provide the student with knowledge and hands-on experience to enable them to make a successful transition from student, to intern, or to an entry-level position in a production facility. Because the Audio Production courses fall within the "work force development" area of ACC, the emphasis of the course is with this in mind.

Although not exclusively so, this course is generally directed at three groups of people. Those groups are: the student planning to pursue a career as a "recording engineer" or "producer", the student planning to open or manage an audio production facility, and the musician/composer interested in directing their own productions.

This course is a recording course. It will emphasize capturing sound in a space. Please keep in mind this is not a synthesis class, MIDI class, or sampling class. Although the class will touch briefly on these topics, there are other courses at ACC that focus on those subjects in much greater detail.

ATTENDANCE POLICY:
Attendance accounts for 33% of the grade. Because the subject matter of this class is of a cumulative nature, and because this class meets only once per week, missing classes will seriously affect the ability to successfully complete the course. Please contact the instructor if you know you will absent (band tour, work, marriage, kids), if you are sick, or if an emergency rears its head. Communication is key!

WITHDRAWING FROM THE CLASS:
**Withdrawing from this class is sole responsibility of the student.**
If the student does not go through the official ACC withdraw process, the college will assign a grade of "F". The instructor will not withdraw anyone.

RECORDING PROJECTS:
Because this course is a "recording class", recording will be a requirement. The recordings will comprise 33% of the final grade. Four projects will be required. One of these projects must originate from the ACC Recording Studio and one must be a "radio ad". In addition, one recording must include drums. It would be wise to combine the ACC recording with the drum recording as the ACC studio has a good supply of mics and lots of room to record drums.

The three projects besides the "radio ad" may be comprised of three completely unrelated projects, one complete project done in three different places, or any combination thereof. An example of the latter might be recording a band at ACC for the basic tracks (big room, many mics, and it's free), then overdubbing in Bill's bedroom (tiny room, one crappy mic, and free), and finally mixing the project at a favorite commercial facility (accurate monitoring, lots of cool toys, not free).

Because time in the ACC Recording Studio time can be (but not always) limited, it is suggested that students book time as soon as possible. It is also suggested that students team up to make recordings. This serves four purposes; it allows the maximum number of students to use the busy ACC Studio at one time, it allows each student maximum recording time, it allows students to learn from each other, and it develops the cooperation and people skills needed for a successful career in the music business.

TESTS:
There will be three tests.

GRADING POLICY:
• Attendance....................................... 33%
• Tests................................................ 33%
• Recording Projects............................ 33%

COURSE SCHEDULE:

The instructor will be as diligent as possible to remain faithful to the course schedule below but
due to unforeseen circumstances and special opportunities, changes may occur.

1 LECTURE: Review of Audio II and Digital Audio Workstation introduction. Theory of operation, product offerings, their advantages and disadvantages, the computer, and operating systems.
PROTOOLS: ProTools introduction. Components, set up, product offerings and their relative advantages and disadvantages
LAB: ProTools installation and possible recording (depending on time)
2 LECTURE: Continued review of Audio II.
PROTOOLS: Continued ProTools introduction.
LAB: ProTools installation and recording.
3
LECTURE: "Professional" recording procedures.
PROTOOLS: ProTools as a recorder. Routing, labels, I/O, set up, recording and overdubbing.
LAB: Recording.

4
*** FIRST TEST: HANDS ON PRACTICAL ***
LECTURE: Basic digital audio theory. Bits, sampling rates, resolution, dither, noise shaping.
PROTOOLS: ProTools windows, cursor tools, input and output, and basics.
LAB: Produce radio ad.

5
LECTURE: More digital audio basics if needed.
PROTOOLS: The edit window, cursor tools, audio bin, regions, playlists, groups.
LAB: Editing

6
*** FIRST RECORDING DUE: "RADIO AD" ***
LECTURE: The digital studio. Conventions, design, set up and clocking concerns.
PROTOOLS: More editing basics.
LAB: Recording and editing.

7
PROTOOLS: Advanced techniques, quantizing audio, advanced editing techniques, replacing sounds, samples.
LAB: Editing.

8
*** SECOND TEST ***
LECTURE: Recording studio design, basic construction, acoustical concerns, treatments, reducing costs.
LAB: Recording.

9
Subject matter dependent avaiable software
*** SECOND RECORDING DUE ***
LECTURE: Overview of software based synths and samplers.
PROTOOLS: Soft Sample cell or Gigasampler and plug-ins.
LAB: Using Plug-ins and samples

10
LECTURE: Audio for video, conventions, the process, gear, how's it done.
PROTOOLS: Audio for video, importing video, spotting, editing, layback.
LAB: Audio editing for video.

11
LECTURE: Mixing issues, spectral, dynamic, and dimensional. Eq, compression, reverb, delay, panning. Automation.
PROTOOLS: ProTools as a mixer.
LAB: Mixing and automation.

12
LECTURE: Mixing continued. Automation.
PROTOOLS: ProTools as a mixer.
LAB: Mixing and automation.

13
*** THIRD RECORDING DUE ***
LECTURE: Mastering, understanding your customer, target markets, playlists, timing, commercial concerns, radio, compression, eq.
PROTOOLS: Mastering with ProTools.
LAB: Mastering.

14
MAKE-UP DAY IF NEEDED
Review as well as listen to recording projects.
LECTURE: Question and answer.

15
*** FINAL EXAM ***
Final thoughts and review as well as listen to recording projects.
LECTURE: Question and answer.

16
*** FOURTH RECORDING DUE ***
Listen to recording projects.
LECTURE: Question and answer.