MUS-134
Provides hands-on experience and guided practice in digital audio engineering, digital audio mixing, and basic digital audio mastering. Explores how to engineer recording sessions by working in an actual recording studio with live musicians. Covers basic techniques in microphone usage and placement, digitizing principals, audio acquisition options, midi integration and session management. Explains how to prepare complex digital audio files for duplication and audio for mixing. Also covers basic techniques in mixing room acoustics, software plug-ins, how to troubleshoot various audio problems, equalization, stereo imagery, noise limitation, and bit conversion. Applies core skills, workflows, and concepts of recording, editing and mixing on an Avid Pro Tools system learned in MUS-192: Pro Tools 101.
Goals, Topics, and Objectives
Designed as an introduction to the fundamentals of audio recording technology and to develop basic skills in the following areas: audio engineering, audio mixing and mastering, and basic competency in Avid Pro Tools software.
- Analog and Digital Audio
Compare and contrast analog and digital audio. Understand hard-disk recording, including sample rate and bit depth.
- The Listening Environment
Identify acoustical considerations associated with the listening environment and differentiate (aurally) mono from stereo and in-phase from out-of-phase audio.
- Microphone Selection and Placement Techniques
Analyze the different types of microphones and microphone patterns used in studio recording and demonstrate appropriate microphone selection and placement techniques.
- Hardware and Signal Flow
Identify the use of each hardware component of a state-of-the-art recording environment, including the various functions of a mixing console and audio signal routing. Demonstrate the basic functions of recording consoles and patch bays for signal routing.
- Fundamentals of MIDI Theory
Integrate the fundamentals of MIDI theory, including basic communication protocols and hardware interfacing.
- Multitrack Recording (MTR)
Identify the pre-production needs for a recording session and produce a recording that consists of MIDI-generated and acoustical sound sources for a multitrack audio recording.
- Editing and Mixing
Demonstrate the basic operation of Avid Pro Tools for editing and mixing to produce a three-dimensional mix (height, width, and depth).
- Mixdown and Mastering
Convert (mixdown) an audio project within Avid Pro Tools and perform basic mastering techniques used for audio recordings.
- Audio Signal Processing
Categorize the differences between host-based (native) systems and DSP-accelerated systems and perform fundamental signal processing techniques including basic equalization, effects and dynamics processing.
- The Recording Engineer and Other Roles Found in the Studio
Differentiate between the roles of the recording engineer and other possible members of a studio including: the artist, the musicians, the producer, the mixing engineer, the assistant engineer, etc.
This 4-credit class along with its 2-credit co-req (Course Proposal MUS 192: Pro Tools 101) will replace what is currently offered in two 3-credit classes: MUS-126 and MUS-127. The purpose for this is to separate out the Avid Pro Tools Certification classes (Pro Tools 101 and Pro Tools 110) from the rest of the required Certificate of Achievement in Recording Arts (CARA) classes. This will make it possible for others who may be interested only in receiving Avid Pro Tools user certification to take only those classes (Pro Tools 101 and Pro Tools 110) without being required to take the rest of the CARA classes.
Assessment and Requirements
Recording, editing, mixing and mastering a basic pop song (or other mainstream genre) using live musicians in an actual recording studio.
Requirements:
Recommendations:
Texts to be determined by instructor
Outcomes
Credit for Prior College-Level Learning
Determined by department