Course # / Title:	AET 4190 Recording Techniques
Course Credit Hours:	3 Credit Hours
Semester:	Fall 2008
Instructor:	Bil VornDick – BBA. - Music Business
Instructor Contacts:	615-948-6251; bilinstudio@comcast.net
Instructor Office Hours:	Available before or after class
Class Location:	Ocean Way Studios – 17^th and Edgehill, Nashville, TN
Meeting Time(s):	Saturdays, 10am - 3:30 pm
Final Exam:	Oct 25 , 2008 10am

Course Description:

AET 4190. Recording Techniques (3). Prerequisites: AET 3090, AET 3190, and permission of instructor. An intensive study of microphone design and techniques used for recording acoustic instruments. Hands-on experience is provided in several methods of recording different instruments and vocalists to produce a variety of musical and non-musical results. Course of study includes a research project in microphone technology and applications. Lab hours required.

Course Outcomes: At the end of this course, the student will be able to:

ú recall facts and detailed information on the progression of microphone technology.

ú associate the effects of the overtone series, instrument timbre, and key signature to potential microphone selection, preamp choice, and use of equalization.

ú demonstrate an advanced knowledge and application of advanced microphone techniques using acoustic and eclectic instruments.

ú predict the tonal spectrum of instruments and describe the effect on placement in a mix.

ú demonstrate satisfactory competency in the use of multiple studio environments.

ú apply and interpret a technical vocabulary.

Performance Tasks:  During this course, the student will:

ú experience disassembling a microphone, describe how it functions and how sound is captured.  

ú discriminate microphone characteristics and describe the relationship to tone color, placement, preamp selection, and the effect of the combinations.

ú practice listening to inter harmonic overtones (resonant dominate frequencies) that cause conflict when particular instruments are combined.

ú critique out-of-phase stereo miking.

ú explain aliasing feedback and how it relates to distortion in analog to digital converters.

ú demonstrate satisfactory preparation of a hard disk, providing an in-depth explanation of initializing, formatting, partitioning, and application of read and write security.

ú demonstrate proper hard disk data management and a basic knowledge of archival and storage.

ú prescribe session setups in Ocean Way A, B and C.

ú organize session notes and cumulative data collection according to NARAS standards.

ú review and apply the Nashville Number System.

ú conduct (1) collaborative group recording project during the semester.

Assessment Tools: During this course, outcomes mastery will be evaluated by:

ú research paper

ú collaborative group recording project

ú Final Exam

Activity	Credit	Purpose/Description
1.  Collaborative Group Project	30%	demonstrates student’s ability to function as a team and track, overdub, and mix using and knowledge gained from class lectures and demonstrations. Documentation includes use of recommended NARAS standards and a redbook CD. Projects will be done by teams and turned in on the last day of class.
2.  Research Paper	30 %	A research paper will be written by each student on a related class topic or item they have always had questions about.  Paper must cite a minimum of (5) references and use MLA format.
3.  Final Exam	40%	A comprehensive test used to measure the student’s composite knowledge of topics covered from lectures, readings, equipment use, and listening.
Total Points	100%

Course & Classroom Policies:

Attendance & Participation:  Class attendance follows university policy as stated in the current Undergraduate Bulletin.  Class participation is expected; attendance and absence will be noted.

http://www.belmont.edu/catalog/undergrad2008jun/apolicy/index.html

Roll will be taken during every class. Points (%) will be deducted from the final grade for unexcused absences. 1 absence, 7%; 2 absences, 14%; 3 absences, the student will be dropped from the class with a failing grade (WF).

Materials: A new notebook that you can keep for your career. Various handouts will be supplied by the 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.

Grade Evaluation:  As per CEMB policy, the grade assignment scale for this course is:

Grade	Percent (GPA)
A	94 (4.0)
A-	90 (3.7)
B+	87 (3.3)
B	84 (3.0)
B-	80 (2.7)
C+	77 (2.3)
C	74 (2.0)
C-	70 (1.7)
Final grades below 70 % will not apply to the major.
D+	67
D	64
D-	60
F	< 60

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 Beaman Student Life Center (460-6407) as soon as possible.

Class Schedule:

1	30-Aug	Intro to Oceanway; Oceanways staff instructs how the studio will be set-up and left. Console and routing discussed.
		Paperwork for studio use is reviewed and filled out. Student papers and projects are assigned.
		Archival recommendation of Digital Media is handed out and reviewed.
		Laminates made for class, handed out to each student.
2	6- Sept	Hard Disc Management, AF, Mic  history, recording environment, microphone and mic  pre  application and discussion of this with Drum and continuing to most electric instruments.
3	13- Sept	Application of class 2. Live drummer in studio, education on tuning, micing styles. Class will be limited
		to 23 microphones, but each student must provide a drum mix with 3, 5, 7 & 9 of the microphones set-up.
		This will be a long class and usually goes past 5pm.
4	20^th - Sept	Application and lecture of miking techniques for all most acoustic instruments and vocals.
		Tonal color of mic and preamp combinations discussed.
	27 Sept	Session RCA Studio B – Foreign  Artist
5	11 - Oct	Acoustic performer comes in and the class applies the techniques learned in the previous class.
		Long class to about 4:30 p.m.
6	18 - Oct	Band or artist comes in to perform. The class has to apply and choose the appropriate  techniques learned in class.
7	25 - Oct	Mixing techniques, bussing, and routing with outboard gear, plug-ins are talked about and applied to mixes. Some
		Secrets of the art form are demonstrated.
		Class elects what they need to know more about at the end of class 6. Time in class 7 is spent to fill
		in any unknowns.
		Final Exam. Students papers are due. Team projects are due and listened to in class.  How to   "get in the door and stay there” is discussed.