12/21/2024 9:00:11 AM	MUSC 60A Course Outline as of Fall 2009	New Course (First Version)
CATALOG INFORMATION
Discipline and Nbr:  MUSC 60A	Title:  AUDIO RECORDING 1
Full Title:  Audio Recording 1
Last Reviewed:11/9/2020

Units		Course Hours per Week			Nbr of Weeks	Course Hours Total
Maximum	3.00	Lecture Scheduled	2.00		17.5 max.	Lecture Scheduled	35.00
Minimum	3.00	Lab Scheduled	2.00		17.5 min.	Lab Scheduled	35.00
		Contact DHR	1.00			Contact DHR	17.50
		Contact Total	5.00			Contact Total	87.50
		Non-contact DHR	0			Non-contact DHR Total	0

Total Out of Class Hours:  70.00

Total Student Learning Hours: 157.50

Title 5 Category:  AA Degree Applicable
Grading:  Grade Only
Repeatability:  00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP
Also Listed As: 
Formerly: 

Catalog Description:

This course is a comprehensive introduction to audio recording with Digidesign Pro Tools. Topics include basic audio theory, the fundamentals of analog and digital recording, signal flow, microphones, mixers, monitors, and a hands-on introduction to the Pro Tools system.

Prerequisites/Corequisites:

Recommended Preparation:
Course Completion of MUSC 50; AND completion of, or concurrent enrollment in MUSC 51A. Note: MUS 38 is no longer offered, but may be used in lieu of MUSC 50.

Limits on Enrollment:

Schedule of Classes Information
Description:

This course is a comprehensive introduction to audio recording with Digidesign Pro Tools. Topics include basic audio theory, the fundamentals of analog and digital recording, signal flow, microphones, mixers, monitors, and a hands-on introduction to the Pro Tools system.

(Grade Only)
Prerequisites:
Recommended:Course Completion of MUSC 50; AND completion of, or concurrent enrollment in MUSC 51A. Note: MUS 38 is no longer offered, but may be used in lieu of MUSC 50.
Limits on Enrollment:
Transfer Credit:CSU;
Repeatability:00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP

ARTICULATION, MAJOR, and CERTIFICATION INFORMATION

Associate Degree:		Effective:		Inactive:
Area:
CSU GE:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
IGETC:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
CSU Transfer:	Transferable	Effective:	Fall 2009	Inactive:
UC Transfer:		Effective:		Inactive:
C-ID:

Certificate/Major Applicable: Both Certificate and Major Applicable

COURSE CONTENT

Outcomes and Objectives:
At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

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 Digidesign Pro Tools.

9. Demonstrate professionalism in a recording studio environment.

Topics and Scope

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. Amplifiers

    A. Basics of amplification

    B. Preamplifiers

    C. Equalizers

    D. Power amplifiers

VI. 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

VII. A Brief Overview of Analog Recording

    A. Tape machines

    B. Tape types and recording speeds

    C. Issues with tape heads: bias, gauss, alignment, cleaning, calibration

    D. Advantages and disadvantages of analog recording

VIII. Fundamentals of Digital Recording

    A. Sampling: rate and resolution

    B. The Nyquist theorem

    C. Oversampling

    D. Quantization

    E. Signal-to-error ratio

    F. Dither

IX. 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

        1. Grouping

        2. Automation modes

        3. MIDI-based automation

    M. The art of mixing

X. Introduction to Digidesign Pro Tools

    A. Pro Tools Systems

        1. Pro Tools|HD

        2. Pro Tools LE

        3. Pro Tools M-Powered

        4. Add-ons and plug-ins

    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

        6. Transport window MIDI controls

    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

XI. Standards of Professionalism in the Recording Environment

Assignments:

1. Reading (10-20 pp. per week) from the text and handouts.

2. Hands-on proficiency demonstrations on the hardware and software.

3. Quizzes (3-5) on vocabulary and technical terminology.

4. Completion of required laboratory hours.

5. Final project: an original recording (minimum of 3 minutes in length) that demonstrates mastery of the concepts of the course.

Methods of Evaluation/Basis of Grade.

Writing: Assessment tools that demonstrate writing skill and/or require students to select, organize and explain ideas in writing.		Writing 0 - 0%
None
This is a degree applicable course but assessment tools based on writing are not included because problem solving assessments and skill demonstrations are more appropriate for this course.
Problem solving: Assessment tools, other than exams, that demonstrate competence in computational or non-computational problem solving skills.		Problem Solving 40 - 55%
Recording project(s)
Skill Demonstrations: All skill-based and physical demonstrations used for assessment purposes including skill performance exams.		Skill Demonstrations 25 - 35%
Hands-on proficiency demonstrations
Exams: All forms of formal testing, other than skill performance exams.		Exams 10 - 25%
Terminology quizzes
Other: Includes any assessment tools that do not logically fit into the above categories.		Other Category 5 - 10%
Attendance and participation

Representative Textbooks and Materials:

I. Textbooks

Modern Recording Techniques, 6th ed. David Miles Huber and Robert Runstein. Focal Press, 2005.

Pro Tools 101 Official Courseware, Version 7.4, 2nd ed. Digidesign. Course Technology PTR, 2007.

 

II. Trade periodicals such as:

    Mix Magazine

    Pro Sound Magazine

    Electronic Musician Magazine

 

III. Instructor prepared materials

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