Course # / Title:	AET 1380    Survey of Recording Technology
Semester:	Spring 2008
Instructor:	Ken Landers   B. Mus, M.A.
Instructor Contacts:	615.460.6174     landersk@mail.belmont.edu
Instructor Office Hours:	Monday 1PM-3PM, Tuesday 11AM-1PM, Wednesday 9AM-11AM, Thursday 11AM-1PM
Course Credit:	3 Hours
Class Location:	Massey Business Building   Room B25
Meeting Time(s):	Section .03  11-11.50AM  MWF Section .11  12-12:50PM  MWF
Final Exam:	Section .03  Thursday, 1 May 2008 @ 11:00 AM Section .11  Tuesday, 6 May 2008 @ 11:00 AM

Goals of the Mike Curb College of Entertainment & Music Business: 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: 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 Learning Outcomes: Students will:

• identify major 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 within the music business industry.
• formulate a timeline of recording devices developed and the mediums used
• 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 should be able to:

• listen, 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 miking techniques
• trace introductory 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 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
• relate the Nyquist Theory to the vibration cycle of a waveform
• know the difference between a bit, byte, megabyte, gigabyte, and terabyte
• list the steps in encoding and decoding of a digital signal
• explain differences in current digital formats
• identify digital and computer interfaces 
• list advantages of the digital workstation
• create an 8-track mix from a pre-recorded multi-track projectcreate a final recording project using classroom equipment, or
• create a class presentation of a new idea, product, or concept demonstrating how recording technology is in a constant state of change

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.

Course Requirements:

1. Attendance:  Class attendance follows university policy as stated in the current Undergraduate Bulletin.  Class participation is expected; attendance and absence will be noted. .  If you miss more than 12 classes, you will be dropped from the class with a grade of WF.  You will also lose points towards your attendance grade for missed classes.  Reasonable tardies count as half a missed class.

B.  Materials: 

a. Textbook(s)

i. Audio In Media, 8^th Edition by Stanley Alten.  Wadsworth. 

ii. America on Record; A History of Recorded Sound, 2^nd Edition, Andre Millard, Cambridge Press. 

iii. Any other assigned readings via web, on-hold texts in library, or Blackboard.

b. Web Access. – Required.  Students will need the internet for research and other information.

c. CD-Rs and DVD-Rs will be used to turn in projects.

C.  Assignments: Projects and prepared assignments

i. Observations.  Students will turn in 4 studio observations throughout the semester.  The student will attend 4 student-run recording sessions, either in the campus studios or RCA Studio B.  Students will write a short report detailing what happened in the session, equipment used, and the observing student’s thoughts on the session.  While attending sessions, students will be attentive and courteous.  Due dates for the observations are detailed in the schedule below.

d. Projects.

i. Lab Tutorial.  Students will complete a lab tutorial using the studio equipment located in the classroom.

ii. Project-Presentation.  Students will be given the option of doing a recording project, either utilizing your own equipment or the equipment in B25.  The project will be turned in on CD-R and will be accompanied by an observation report detailing the processes used in the recording.  Less musically inclined students can do a class presentation on a topic approved by the instructor.  The presentation will be accompanied by a 3-page paper on the subject.

D.  Testing:  

a. Exam 1                   1 February 2008

b. Exam 2                   25 February 2008

c. Exam 3                   4 April 2008

d. Final Exam              Section 3: Thursday, 1 May 2008 @ 11:00 AM

                 Section 11: Tuesday, 6 May 2008 @ 11:00 AM  

E. Basis of grade evaluation: Grading scale as per the current Undergraduate Bulletin

a. Attendance/Participation                                           10%

b. Exams                                                                    60%

i. Exams 1-3 = 40%

ii. Final = 20%

c. Observations - Projects                                            30%

i. Observations = 10%

ii. Lab Tutorial = 10%

iii. Final Project = 10%

d. Total Grade                                                             100%

Class Schedule: 

Date	Major Events	Class Topics
Week 1	First Day of Class – 9 Jan	Basics of hearing and sound.
Week 2		Acoustical era of recording, phonograph, gramophone, et. al.
Week 3	Martin Luther King Day – 21 January	The electrical era of recording
Week 4	Exam 1 – 1 February	Continuing the electrical era.
Week 5	Observation 1 Due – 8 February	Microphones.
Week 6		Loudspeakers.  The magnetic era begins
Week 7		Magnetic tape recording.
Week 8	Midterm Exam – 25 February Lab Tutorial Due – 29 February	The stereo era begins.  Stereo on record.  Multichannel tape.
Week 9		Multitrack recording & specific recorder theory.
Week 10	Observation 2 Due – 7 March	Multitrack recording (continued).  The recording console.
Week 11		Digital audio theory and application.
20-28 Mar	Easter/Spring Break	Enjoy.
Week 12	Exam 3 – 4 April Observation 3 Due – 4 April	Conclusion of digital.  Recent consumer & professional formats.
Week 13		Digital Audio Workstations.
Week 14	Projects – Presentations Due – 25 April.  Observation 4 Due – 25 April	Editing demonstrations.  Student presentations.  Project listening.
28 Apr	Last Day of Class	Final Review