Contact: kaiserj@mail.belmont.edu or jimkaiser@comcast.net
Credit/Class location: 3 Hours/Center for Music Business, Massey B25
Class/Lab time(s): MWF 8AM / MWF 9 AM
Class Webpage: see Class Blackboard
Educational Objectives of the Mike Curb College of Entertainment & Music: 1) To provide a personalized career-oriented and practical educational program in Music Business administration emphasizing the four themes of leadership, innovation, private enterprise, and entrepreneurship. 2) To equip students with the ability to communicate effectively, think critically, and make enlightened judgments about their environment. 3) To emphasize quality classroom instruction within the parameters of caring, Christian principles.
Course Description: A study of the major areas of recording technology as related to the music industry. The student receives an overview of analog and digital technology with attention to its innovations, history, and effect on the music industry.
Course Outcomes The student will:
· identify historical events throughout audio history and explain their significance
· recognize key figures and describe how their contributions influenced the production of music
· learn and apply a technical language for use in the music business industry
· formulate a timeline of recording devices and mediums developed
· know and evaluate how sound is produced
· examine how audio recording devices work
· listen and assess the quality of audio recordings and identify recording methods used
· observe recording sessions and apply course concepts
· demonstrate basic signal flow
Performance Criteria The student will:
· listen to, identify, and associate characteristics of recording mediums in a historical timeline
· know and apply an audio technical vocabulary
· list recording devices chronologically
· consolidate important facts from course text, "America On Record"
· explain how the ear works
· plot differences in dB and frequency using the Equal Loudness Contour graph
· describe the power of the dB
· identify basic acoustic and psychoacoustic principles
· calculate harmonics, wavelength, and octaves using frequency
· differentiate the envelope of a sound from the life cycle of a sound
· interpret related, supplemental articles and web-linked assigned reading
· distinguish basic studio equipment and explain their function
· describe basic recording studio procedures
· identify microphone characteristics, placement, and stereo micing techniques
· trace elementary signal flow
· name characteristics of analog tape
· describe how the tape recorder works
· explain how multi-track recording changed the production of music
· describe how a speaker works
· demonstrate basic recording skills and operate classroom recording equipment
· write (4) studio observation reports applying and contrasting current course content discussed
· explain the basics of digital theory; sampling, quantization, anti-aliasing, dither, and data compression
· calculate differences in bit word length, bandwidth of sample rates, and dynamic range
Performance Criteria (continued)
· relate the Nyquist Theory to the vibration cycle of a waveform
· know the difference between a bit, byte, megabyte, gigabyte, and terabyte
· list steps in the encoding and decoding of a digital signal
· explain differences in current digital formats
· identify digital and computer interfaces
· list advantages of the digital workstation
· as part of a team, create a stereo mix from a pre-recorded multi-track project using classroom equipment
· as part of a team, carry out a final recording project using classroom equipment, or
· create a presentation from a new idea, product, or concept demonstrating how recording technology is in a constant state of change
Course Requirements
Text(s) & Materials: Audio In Media 7th Edition/8th Edition by Stanley R. Alten.
America on Record: A History of Recorded Sound 2nd Edition, by Andre Millard
Blank CD-R’s & cases will be needed for class projects.
Attendance: As per current Undergraduate Bulletin , attendance is taken each class starting on the 1st class. See http://www.belmont.edu/catalog/undergrad2006jun/apolicy/index.html for more details.
Participation: All students are expected to contribute to class discussions. Specific class activities, topics, and readings are posted on the class Blackboard site. Additional handouts will be made available in class.
Required Assignments: Reading and study of textbook chapter assignments as noted in the daily class schedule or assigned in class. Additional material given via handouts, Blackboard and class lectures on PowerPoint will require internet-access. Observation of four recording sessions (outside of class) at designated intervals with detailed reports will be necessary. Students (in groups of 3) will complete Project 1 (Lab Tutorial) and Project 2 (a Presentation or participate in a final recording project).
Testing: All test dates are noted in the class schedule. No makeup tests will be given without prior approval. Final exam will be comprehensive. Test dates may be subject to change except final exam. No electronic devices may be used during exams.
Evaluation: 4 Tests @ 100 Points ea. 400 points 40%
4 Studio Observations @ 35 Points ea. 140 points 14%
Project 1 - Lab Tutorial 100 points 10%
Project 2 – Recording/Presentation 100 points 10%
Attendance/Participation/Quizzes 80 points 8 %
Final Exam 180 points 18%
Grading Total 1,000 points 100%
Grading Scale:
Grading scale as per the current Undergraduate Bulletin:
A = 970-1000 B+ = 870-928 C+ = 770-799 D+ = 670-699 F = BELOW 600
A = 930-969 B = 830-869 C = 730-769 D = 630-669
A- = 900-929 B- = 800-829 C- = 700-729 D- = 600-629
Extra Credit: An opportunity to earn extra credit in the total amount of 4% added to your cumulative average is given during the semester.
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 Tammye Tanksley, Director of Counseling & Developmental Support in the Office of the Dean of Students (460-6407) as soon as possible.
Honor Code: 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 or academic fraud. Furthermore, I will uphold my responsibility to see to it that others abide by the spirit and letter of this Honor Pledge.”
Final Exam Schedule: Per current semester schedule.
AET1380.01 MWF 8AM REMS B25 Friday, May 2 8AM – 10AM
AET1380.02 MWF 9AM REMS B25 Monday, May 5, 2008 8AM – 10AM
Daily Class Schedule: A daily class schedule, including presentation topics, readings, assignments, testing dates, etc. is provided on a separate handout. This schedule is subject to change.