BELMONT UNIVERSITY   MIKE CURB COLLEGE OF ENTERTAINMENT AND MUSIC BUSINESS

COURSE SYLLABUS

 

Course Title:         Audio Engineering II

Course #:              AET 3190.04        Credit Hrs:  3        Semester:  Spring 2006

Class Location:    MBC CMB – B-07                Meeting Time(s):  Monday (3:30PM – 5:30PM)  or    Wednesday (1PM – 3PM)

Final Exam:           Friday, May 5th 

Professor:              John Klepko

Contacts:                         Office: Massey BMH-225          Phone:460-6381           Email:  klepkoj@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 OBJECTIVES:

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

 

Course Requirements:

1.  Honor Code and Attendance: As per current Undergraduate Bulletin at http://www.belmont.edu/catalog/undergrad2005jun/apolicies.htm

 

2.  Supplies/Materials:  You will need two textbooks and  various recording media…

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

                        - Current edition of Audio in Media (6th Ed. Or 7th Ed.) by Stanley R. Alten (Wadsworth Publishing Co.).

                        You will be responsible for all information contained in the Workbook and other readings as assigned.

- Recording media comprising: 2-inch analog master tape (furnished); an exabyte data storage tape for backup of RADAR recording; 1/4 inch analog tape (furnished); blank CD-Rs; and misc. 3.5 inch computer disk(s) as needed.

 

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.

 

4.  You are required to engineer 2  recording projects…

Project-1: Three sessions comprising either an analog 24-track or RADAR  tracking session in Studio A, transferred to PRO TOOLS for overdubs to be done on the PRO TOOLS TDM in Studio C.  Mixing in Studio A on the NEVE Console, in and to ProTools and ‘bounced to disk’  (16 bit 44.1 kHz stereo interleaved) to be burned to CD using Toast software, combined with Project 2. (Due…May 1st)

 

Project-2:  Three sessions comprising tracking on either RADAR (or analog 24-track,) in studio A, Overdubs in Studio B, and mixed on the SSL console to NUENDO 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…May 1st) 

 

Project "B" Tracking and overdubs, are required to use Audio Engineering 1 students (AET 3090) as assistant engineers.  The other sessions may use Audio 2 assistants.

 

 

5.    Assistant Sessions:  In order to gain hands-on experience, you are required to serve as assistant engineer for recording sessions in the CEMB studios.  Credit for assisting is based on an hourly basis.  Every assistant hour will receive a credit of 1 point (maximum of 4 points per session).  Bonus credit may be earned by completion of more than 12 assistant hours up to a maximum of 4 bonus points.  Credit hours will be logged via the CEMB 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.

               

 

6.    Lab Sessions:  In order to gain experience with specific tasks, you are required to participate in all lab sessions.  Full credit for lab participation is based on complete lab attendance. (Each lab missed will deduct 2 points).

 

7.  Testing:   There will be a Final Exam scheduled during the formal Belmont exam period. There will be on occasion, short written quizzes given (in-class and take-home) on the most recent material covered in class. There will be no accommodation for any make-up  tests.

 

 

Item

Credit Percentile  (%)

1. Class attendance

13

0 days absent = 13 points credit.   1 day absent = 11 points credit.  2 days absent = 9 points credit.  

3 days absent = 7  points credit.  4 days absent =  0 points credit    5 days absent = dropped from class with an F.

 

2. short quizzes

10

 

3. Final exam

20

 

4. Recording projects (2 projects)

(Grade based on technical aspects of the project, not the music or musical performance)

5.  Recording Project #1  pre-production plan                                       

20

 

 

05

 

6. Labs

20

7. Assistant Sessions

12

 

 

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 CEMB 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 CEMB Studios.

 

Class Topics (not in order of classes)

 

Introduction, class overview

 

 

Microphone design – based on available microphone selection

 

Using the Otari RADAR digital recorder.

 

Using ProTools (v. 6.7),  and Nuendo

 

Operating the NEVE VR  and   SSL  consoles.

 

Effective headphone cue mixes.

 

Multitrack  session techniques (musician layout, track layout, microphone placement, documentation).

 

 

Computer automation.  SMPTE, Read, Write, and Update.  Using the Neve “Flying Faders” automation system and the SSL “Ultimation” automation system.

 

 

Psychoacoustics:  Sound in an enclosed space, spatial processing, binaural hearing, the precedence effect, and echo suppression, the duplex theory, and  Mill's  Minimum  Audible Angle (MAA).

 

 

More mixing techniques:  Creating temporal space.  Some thoughts on delay based spatial processing…more on dynamics processors (stereo interlock, sidechain processing).

 

Mixing techniques using "triggers" and "keys" on dynamic processors.

 

 

Practical use of multiple EFX units.  Applying what we know about acoustics and psychoacoustics to reverbs, delays, and spatial effect processors.

 

 

Hard disk recording & editing.