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Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. Explain the fundamental principles of acoustics, including the characteristics of sound waves, the physiology of human hearing, psychoacoustics, and auditory perception.
2. Explain the basics of recording studio design, including acoustical and electrical issues.
3. Describe and relate the history and development of analog and digital recording technology.
4. Demonstrate a working knowledge of the equipment, terminology, and activities associated with the audio recording process.
5. Demonstrate proper selection, care, handling, and placement of microphones.
6. Demonstrate hands-on proficiency with professional recording equipment, including outboard gear, patchbays, mixing boards, amplifiers, and speakers.
7. Explain and diagram signal flow in a recording console.
8. Record digital audio tracks with Pro Tools.
9. Demonstrate professionalism in a recording studio environment.
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I. Introduction
A. Overview of the recording process
B. The role of audio recording in digital media
C. The roles of professional studio personnel
II. Sound and Hearing
A. The basics of sound and sound waves
1. Frequency
2. Amplitude
3. Phase and phase shift
4. Harmonic content (timbre)
5. The sound envelope (ADSR)
B. Loudness levels: the Decibel (dB)
C. The ear and human hearing
1. Thresholds of hearing, feeling, and pain
2. Taking care of your hearing
3. Psycho-acoustics
D. Auditory perception
1. Beats
2. Combination tones
3. Masking
4. Perception of direction
5. Perception of space (reflection and reverberation)
III. Studio Acoustics and Design
A. Studio types
1. The professional studio
2. The audio-for-visual production environment
3. The project studio
4. The portable studio
B. Control room acoustics and isolation
C. Frequency balance
1. Reflection
2. Absorption
D. Power and grounding issues
1. Grounding guidelines
2. Balanced and unbalanced power
3. Power conditioning
IV. Microphones
A. Microphone configurations
1. Dynamic
2. Ribbon
3. Condenser
B. Characteristics
1. Directional response
2. Frequency response
3. Transient response
4. Output
C. Preamps and phantom power
D. Microphone selection
E. Basics of microphone placement
1. Distant vs. close
2. Accent vs. ambient
F. Stereo miking techniques
G. Surround miking techniques
H. Recording direct
I. Placement techniques for specific instruments
V. Monitoring
A. Speaker basics
1. Room considerations
2. Speaker design
3. Crossover networks
4. Polarity
5. Powered vs. passive
B. Far-field vs. near-field monitoring
C. Headphones
D. Developing monitor mixes
VI. A Brief Overview of Analog Recording
VII. Fundamentals of Digital Recording
VIII. The Audio Production Console
A. Channel input
B. Auxiliary send section
C. Equalization
D. Insert point
E. Dynamics section
F. Monitor section
G. Output fader
H. Output bus
I. Monitor level section
J. Patchbays
K. Metering
L. Automation
M. The art of mixing
IX. Introduction to Pro Tools
A. Pro Tools systems
B. The Pro Tools file structure
C. The Pro Tools interface
1. Menu structure
2. Main windows
3. Tools
4. Edit mode features
5. Time scales and rulers
D. Working with sessions
1. Configuring sessions
2. Parameter settings
3. Adding, naming, and deleting tracks
4. The playback cursor and edit cursor
5. Saving, locating, and opening existing sessions
E. Audio recording in Pro Tools
X. Standards of Professionalism in the Recording Environment
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Modern Recording Techniques (8th). Huber, David Miles and Robert Runstein. Focal Press: 2013.
Pro Tools 101 (Official courseware). Cook, Frank D. Cengage Learning PTR: 2013.
Trade periodicals such as:
Mix Magazine
Pro Sound Magazine
Electronic Musician Magazine
Instructor prepared materials