Syllabus_Template

Course # AET 4190 Recording Techniques Credit: 3 Hours

Semester:

Class Location: Oceanway Studios- Studio A & B might vary

Instructor: Mr. Bil VornDick

Contacts: cell phone 615-948-6251 / bilinstudio@comcast.net

Office Hours: No office hours

Meeting Time(s): Saturdays 10am to 3pm / some classes might go to 5-6 pm and will be announced ahead of time.

Final Exam: Exam will be multiple choice and given on the last day of class. Projects and papers are also due at this time.

Educational Objectives of the Mike Curb College of Entertainment & Music: 1) To provide a personalized, career-oriented and practical education that emphasizes leadership, innovation, private enterprise and entrepreneurship. 2) To equip students with the tools to think critically, communicate effectively, accept responsibility, make successful decisions, and prosper in diverse work environments. 3) To emphasize quality classroom instruction within the parameters of ethical Christian principles.

Course Description : To provide students with advanced knowledge of classic and modern recording techniques through 1) lecture and reading assignments, 2) studio observations, 3) group participation, and 4) an in-depth research project. An emphasis on understanding and problem solving is designed to optimize students' awareness of the real life demands of professional studio recording.

Learning Outcomes: The student will demonstrate:

� an appropriate mastery of the knowledge, techniques, skills, and modern tools of the discipline of audio engineering

� an ability to apply current knowledge and adapt to emerging applications of mathematics, science, engineering, and technology

� an ability to conduct, analyze and interpret experiments, and apply experimental results to improve processes

� an ability to apply creativity in the design of systems, components, or processes appropriate to program objectives

� an ability to function effectively on teams

� an ability to identify, analyze and solve technical problems

� an ability to communicate effectively

� a recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in lifelong learning

� an ability to understand professional, ethical and social responsibilities

� a respect for diversity and a knowledge of contemporary professional, societal and global issues

� a commitment to quality, timeliness, and continuous improvement

� an appreciation for the arts, humanities, religion, social sciences, and natural sciences

� an awareness of the complex nature of the world around them and become engaged with that larger whole

Performance Criteria: Achieving excellence in audio recording is dependent on the constant evaluation of sonic properties that constitute recordings with integrity. In this course, the student will:

� learn by explanation, application and hands-on experimentation

� use the tools of the modern recording studio

� develop an understanding of various combinations of microphones and preamps

� explore how they relate to capturing the tonal color of various instruments

� expand his/her knowledge of microphone design and history.

� investigate how to record in a new studio for the first time

synthesize course outcomes by creating a group recording project and an individual project demonstrating the principles of quality recording

Honor Code: It is the responsibility of each student to abide by the Belmont University Honor Code. “In affirmation of the Belmont University Statement of Values, I pledge that 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.”

Accommodation of Disabilities: In compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act, Belmont University will provide reasonable accommodation of all medically documented disabilities. If you have a disability and would like the university to provide reasonable accommodations of the disability during this course, please notify the Office of the Dean of Students located in the Beaman Student Life Center (460-6407) as soon as possible.

Course Requirements:

1. Attendance: There only 7 classes. Each class has a high bearing on your final grade. Attendance policy will strictly follow the current Undergraduate Bulletin.

2. Materials: A new notebook that you can keep for your career. Various handouts will be supplied by instructor. You will be responsible for all information contained in the handouts. A hard drive for group project, blank CD’s, paper, pen, CD marker, etc. is needed.

3. Participation and Prepared assignments: All students are expected to contribute to class discussions, research projects, and any and all assignments.

4. Testing: Final on the last day of class

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

ITEM CREDIT (or %)

A. Group Project 30%

B. Individual Project 30%

C. Final Exam 40%

Total Points (%) = 100%

Outline of Possible Class Activities and Instruction

If you snooze you loose, note taking is a must !!!!!!!!!

Each discussion of mic placement and application will also include mic pre considerations.

Hard Disc Management

Aliasing Feedback

Microphone design and history:

A review of microphone types and basic specifications (i.e. ribbon vs. condenser vs. dynamic design, patterns, frequency response characteristics, filters, pads, etc.).

An in-depth look at applications for various microphone types.

A discussion of transient and impulse response and their effect on microphone performance

Tube and Ribbon microphone :

microphone design and specifications.

How to handle tube and ribbon mics.

Set-up and usage.

Do's & especially Don'ts.

Understand a New Environment : Recording in a new studio for the first time

Advanced stereo microphone techniques:

Mid-side

Spaced pair (omni-, bi-, cardiod)

Blumlein

ORTF

Coincident pair

PZM & boundary microphones

Binaural emulation

Decca Tree

Room Micing

Drum recording: Past and present:

Tuning, hardware and heads — getting it right before the session.

Phase considerations & problems. Degrees to keep in mind

Multiple vs. minimal microphone techniques.

Capturing and using room reflections & reverberation.

Triggering with transducers to result in midi file transference and recording for future mixing, as well as gating while recording.

Piano recording: Past and present:

Phase considerations & problems.

Multiple vs. minimal microphone techniques.

Capturing and using the piano's soundboard (as well as room reflections & reverberation).

Acoustic / Electric guitar recording: past and present:

Phase considerations & problems.

Multiple vs. minimal microphone techniques, along with DI

Capturing and using the guitar's & neck body (as well as room reflections & reverberation).

Vocalist and spoken word recording:

Microphone placement for single and multiple performers.

Pop filter setup and techniques for eliminating ambient noise.

Session psychology, headphone mixes and getting a consistent performance.

The use of compression, tuning and effects in production.

Soloist & Ensemble Techniques: "Live" studio recording (e.g. small jazz ensemble, classical duet, rock, pop, & ?) and other instruments or situations of interest.

Tricks of the trade

Discussion and detailed explanation of micing techniques for instruments such as: various percussion, Upright Bass, woodwinds, horns, mandolins, banjos, harmoniums, hurdy gurdy, dithery-doo, pipe organs, Full size and Celtic harps, lutes, hammer and lap dulcimers, accordions and squeeze boxes, choirs and orchestras. Any others, dependent on questions from class.

Articles / Papers of Interest:

*Alan Sides “ The Mic Cabinet” you must hear

Bosun, Xie (2001). Signal Mixing for a 5.1-Channel Surround System – Analysis and Experiment.
J. Audio Eng. Soc., 49(4), 263-274.

Olson, Harry. F. (1986). A history of high-quality studio microphones. Stereophonic Techniques: An anthology of reprinted articles on stereophonic techniques. AES Publications, NY, 219-228. (Originally presented Nov. 1, 1976 at the 55th Convention, Audio Engineering Society).

Bartlett, Bruce. (1987). Choosing the right microphone by understanding design tradeoffs. J. Audio Eng. Soc., 35(11), 924-944.

Willett, John. (1998). The symmetrical microphones capsule and the quest for the perfect "acoustic window." Microphones and Loudspeakers: the Ins & Outs. AES Publications, NY, 3-8. (Originally presented March 1998 at the UK Conference 1998).

Schneider, Martin. (1998). Transients in microphones: Pop and impulse. Microphones and Loudspeakers: the Ins & Outs. AES Publications, NY, 25-33. (Originally presented March 1998 at the UK Conference 1998).

Snow, William, B. (1953). Basic principles of stereophonic sound. J. SMPTE, 65, 567-589.

Ceoen, Carl. (1972). Comparative listening tests. J. Audio Eng. Soc., 20(1), 247-254.

Borja, S. Erik. (1977). How to fool the ear and make bad recordings. J. Audio Eng. Soc., 25(7/8), 260-268.

Olson, Lynn T. (1979). The Stereo-180 microphone system. J. Audio Eng. Soc., 27(73), 269-274.

Dooley, Wesley L. & Streicher, Ronald D. (1982). M-S stereo: A powerful technique for working in stereo. J. Audio Eng. Soc., 30(10), 707-718.

Dooley, Wesley L. & Streicher, Ronald D. (1985). Basic stereo microphone perspectives--A review. J. Audio Eng. Soc., 33(7/8), 548-556.

Torio, Guy. (1998). Understanding the transfer functions of directional condenser microphones in response to different sound sources. Microphones and Loudspeakers: the Ins & Outs. AES Publications, NY, 9-24. (Originally presented March 1998 at the UK Conference 1998).

Wuttke, Joerg. (1998). Technologies for recording unobtrusively with high quality microphones. Microphones and Loudspeakers: the Ins & Outs. AES Publications, NY, 9-24. (Originally presented March 1998 at the UK Conference 1998).

Baba, Tetsuo. (1998). Microphones for DSD recordings--Practical experience. Microphones and Loudspeakers: the Ins & Outs. AES Publications, NY, 9-24. (Originally presented March 1998 at the UK Conference 1998).

Barneveld, Ole B. S. W. V. (1998). Current developments in high quality miniature microphones. Microphones and Loudspeakers: the Ins & Outs. AES Publications, NY, 9-24. (Originally presented March 1998 at the UK Conference 1998).

Web Resources:

Home Recording Web Site http://homerecording.about.com

ProRec.com

The Recording Web Site

Modern Recording

ArtistPro.com http://www.artistpro.com

Books as reference:

Modern Recording Techniques by David Miles Huber and Robert E. Runstein, Focal Press;
ISBN: 0240804562; 5th edition (June 2001)

Microphone Data edited by Chris Woolf, (Rycote) Human Computer Interface Limited (2001)

Pro Tools 5.1 for Music Production by Mike Collins, Focal Press; ISBN: 0240516400; (2002)

Critical Listening and Auditory Perception by F. Alton Everest, Cardinal Business Media, Music & Entertainment; ISBN: 0918371139; (1997)