BELMONT UNIVERSITY

MIKE CURB COLLEGE OF ENTERTAINMENT AND MUSIC BUSINESS

COURSE SYLLABUS

Course Title: Audio Engineering II

Course #: AET 3190.03 Credit Hrs: 3 Semester: Fall 2006

Class Location: MBC CMB – B-07 Meeting Time(s): Mon 3:30 PM – 5:30 PM

Final Exam: Dec. TBA

Lab Sessions: Tuesday / Thursday 2 PM – 2:50 PM

Instructor: Mr. Billy W. Prince

Contacts: Phone: 460-5553 Email: princeb@mail.belmont.edu

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

AET 3190. Audio Engineering II (3). Prerequisite: AET 3090 and permission of instructor. A continuation of AET 3090, this course is an advanced study of the technical characteristics and performance of each component of the recording studio. Topics include advanced studio electronics and signal flow, computer-based digital recording and editing, analog and digital tape machine operations, automated console operations, condenser microphones, spatial signal processing, and the role of the audio engineer. The development of audio perception skills for recording engineers is emphasized. Lab hours required. ($30.00 course fee)

COURSE OUTCOMES:

To provide students with instruction and hands on experience in the setting of the modern recording studio, building on the foundation of their experience in their pre-requisite classes.

GOALS OF THE MIKE CURB COLLEGE OF ENTERTAINMENT AND MUSIC BUSINESS:

The following objectives will be applied toward course completion:

· To provide a personalized, career-oriented and practical education that emphasizes leadership, innovation, private enterprise, and entrepreneurship.

· To equip students with the tools to think critically, communicate effectively, accept responsibility, make successful decisions, and prosper in diverse work environments.

· To emphasize quality classroom instruction within the parameters of ethical Christian principles.

Honor CODE:

As members of the Belmont community, students, faculty, staff, and administrators are all responsible for ensuring that their experiences will be free of behaviors, which compromise value. In order to uphold academic integrity, the University has adopted an Honor System. Students and faculty will work together to establish the optimal conditions for honorable academic work. Following is the Student Honor Pledge that guides academic behavior:

“I will not give or receive aid during examinations; I will not give or receive false or impermissible aid in course work, in the preparation of reports, or in any other type of work that is to be used by the instructor as the basis of my grade; I will not engage in any form of academic fraud. Furthermore, I will uphold my responsibility to see to it that others abide by the spirit and letter of this Honor Pledge.”

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

1. Attendance: As per the current Undergraduate Bulletin.

2. Supplies/Materials: You will need two texts and recording supplies.

(1) Current edition of the Audio Engineering 2 Workbook (New Frontier Publishing).

(2) Current edition of Audio in Media (7th Ed.) by Stanley R. Alten (Wadsworth Publishing Co.) or your textbook from Survey of Recording Technology. You will be responsible for all information contained in the Workbook and other readings as assigned.

(3) Recording supplies comprising: 2-inch analog master tape (furnished); an Exabyte data storage tape for backup of RADAR recording); a blank CD-R; and misc. 3.5 inch computer disk(s) as needed. A CD label for burning your final project. (Or Printable CD)

3. Participation and Prepared assignments:

You are expected to: show a sincere effort of co-operation, participation, and self application during this course of study; read assigned and recommended text and handouts; and fully complete ALL class, lab, homework, and project assignments.

You are required to engineer two recording projects.

(A) Three sessions comprising a 2-inch 30 ips analog Tracking Session in Studio A, Transferred to Radar (24bit 48kHz) for overdubs & Mix to be done with RADAR on the SSL in Studio B. Mixed to a Stereo track in Nuendo, Normalized and exported as stereo mix file, stereo interleaved 44.1 kHz 16 bit, And saved on the Record Drive of the Mac G-4.To be Completed by Oct 9. All Documentation of Project #1 Due Oct 9.

(B) Three sessions comprising Tracking on PRO TOOLS or Radar in studio A. May be tracked on RADAR and transferred to ProTools D-D. Overdubs in Studio C, and Mixed In Studio A on the NEVE console to Two tracks in PRO TOOLS, Normalized, and bounced to disk (stereo interleaved 16 bit 44.1 KHz) Using Toast CD Burning software, make a CD containing project 1 and project 2 respectively. (Due Nov 27, along with all supporting documentation of Project #2 )

4. Assistant Sessions: In order to gain hands-on experience, you are required to serve as assistant engineer for recording sessions in the CMB studios. Credit for assisting is based on an hourly basis. Every assistant hour will receive a credit of 8 points. Bonus credit may be earned by completion of more than 12 assistant hours. Each hour of assisting above 12 will earn 5 bonus points up to a maximum of 125 points. Credit hours will be logged via the CMB Studio Invoice database system. You must be properly booked on the session and sign the invoice at the end of the session in order to receive credit. Each session will have 1 required assistant, and may also have 1 optional assistant. On Pjt 1, AE2 students are the required assistant on the Tracking & Mixing sessions, and also may have an optonal AE1 assistant. Pjt. 1 overdubs are required to use an AE1 assistant. On pjt 2, an AE1 Assistant is required for tracking, And AE2 for overdubs & mixing. (This is also noted on the session work order).

Audio 2 students will receive first 3 calls to assist on all non-class projects.

5. Lab Sessions: In order to gain experience with specific tasks, you are required to participate in various lab sessions. Credit for lab participation is based on lab hours completed. Each lab session will earn 8 points. Bonus credit may be earned by completion of more than 12 labs, 5 bonus points may be earned for each lab above 12. Lab sessions are scheduled on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons at 4pm 4:50 for AE2.04. The class must be split, half on Tuesday, and half on Thursday.

6. Testing: There will be a Mid-Term and a Final Exam. Each will be comprehensive and inclusive of all class content and assigned reading material covered to that date. NO "MAKE-UP" TESTs.

7. Basis of grade evaluation: Grading scale as per the current Undergraduate Bulletin. Participation credits are listed on the

following page.

8. Basis of final grade evaluation: Scale as per current Undergraduate Bulletin, (Vol. 50).

Item	Credit Percentile (%)
1. Class attendance	15
0 days absent = 100 points credit. 1 day absent = 88 points credit. 2 days absent = 76 points credit. 3 days absent = 64 points credit. 4 days absent = Dropped from class with F
2. Mid-Term exam	15
3. Final exam	20
4. Recording project (Grade based on technical aspects of the project, not the music or musical performance)	15
5. Labs	20
6. Assistant Sessions	15

9. Audit Students:

As per the current Belmont University Bulletin (catalog), students who audit are allowed to attend classes as a "non-participant in a non-credit, non-degree seeking status." However, audit students are encouraged to participate in class discussions and labs and to attend and observe recording sessions in the Center for Music Business studios. Students who audit will not be given a report topic, recording project, or allowed to assist as second engineer on project recording sessions. In addition, since auditing is a non-credit status, participation as an audit will not meet the minimum qualifications for booking and participating in recording sessions held in the Center for Music Business Studios.

10. Class Schedule: Class Topic

Meeting #:

Aug 28

Introduction, class overview. CMB studios A & B overview. Overview off Neve & SSL. Tour of CMB wiring & equipment. Homework Assignment.

Sep 11

Console Signal Flow. Console Status Selector. Channel and Monitor Paths. The Patchbay. Comparisons of the Neve and SSL.

Sep 18

Analog Tape Machine Calibration. dBu VS NW/m. Part One – Calibration Test Tape. Setting Repro & Sync Playback Levels

Sep 25

RADAR operations .. Introduction to Pro Tools as a tape machine. A/D Transfers, Analog tape to RADAR & ProTools. D/D transfers (RADAR to Pro Tools)

Oct 2

Stereo Miking Techniques. The Mid-Side technique and phase considerations. Condenser Mic design and uses.

Oct 9

SMPTE Time Code.. Lock & Chase Synchronization. Console Operations Review. Mixing to Pro Tools and Nuendo. Normalization, and ‘Bouncing to Disk’.

Oct 16

Dynamic Processors: Gates, Expanders, Compressors, Liimiters. External Keying / Ducking / d-essing. Practical Uses.

Oct 23

Mid Term Exam Intro to Computer automation . SMPTE, Read, Write, and Update.

Oct 30

NEVE Flying Faders SSL Ultimation

Nov 6

Sound localization in 3-D through the use of head-related transfer. (HRTF).. Spatial processing

and binaural hearing: Jeffress's neural model of auditory Psychoacoustics: Sound in an enclosed space, the precedence effect and echo suppression processing, the duplex theory, and Mill's minimum audible angle (MAA. ). units..Computer automation

Nov 13

Mixing Techniques – Practical use of multiple effects Creating Space with effects. Setting up the mix – headroom – effects – gates – expanders - compressors

Nov 20

Mixing Techniques – Class Exercise. Two Groups A & B. Mixing from Pro Tools Back To Pro Tools.

Nov 27

Project 2 due Listen to projects in class all materials with supporting paperwork

Dec 4

Review For Final Exam

Audio Engineering Lab Schedule

Tuesdays & Thursdays @ 1 PM

	LAB	SCHEDULE	CREDIT

1	Large Session Set-up	Th Aug 31
	Studios A & B	Tu Sep 5


2	Large Session Set-up	Sep 7
	Studios A & B	Sep 12


3	Analog	Sep 14
	Radar Transfers	Sep 19


4	Analog – Protools Transfers	Sep 21
	Radar Transfers	Sep 26


5	Analog – Protools Transfers	Sep 28
	Radar Transfers	Oct 2

6
	Dynamic Processing	Oct 5
	Studios A & B	Oct 10