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Course Syllabus

Course: MUSC 3353

Division: Fine Arts, Comm, and New Media
Department: Music
Title: Audio Fundamentals II Lab

Semester Approved: Spring 2020
Five-Year Review Semester: Fall 2025
End Semester: Fall 2025

Catalog Description: This course focuses on the study of the fundamentals of sound and how it can be captured, manipulated, and reproduced. It functions as an Audio Lab for MUSC 3352 (Audio Fundamentals II) to cover non-computer aspects of sound and recording. This course is the second of two laboratory courses that cover aspects of sound, acoustics, psychoacoustics, recording, audio processing, mixing, and mastering.

Semesters Offered: TBA
Credit/Time Requirement: Credit: 1; Lecture: 0; Lab: 1

Corequisites: MUSC 3352 (Audio Fundamentals II)


Justification: Although the personal computer has revolutionized the study, production and distribution of music, the basic concepts of sound remain unchanged. An understanding of how sound travels through the air and reacts in a room, how a microphone works, and what compression and equalization are remain paramount for anyone who produces music and records audio. This type of course is offered for music majors at four-year institutions in the State of Utah, and is a regular course offering around the country. The Horne School of Music at Snow College is an accredited member of The National Association of Schools of Music, and NASM requires that its member schools prepare students by teaching them the purpose and use of audio technology in various forms as part of undergraduate music training. This course, in conjunction with MUSC 3353 (Audio Fundamentals Lab II), fulfills that requirement.


Student Learning Outcomes:
Be knowledgeable of and familiar with the production process and basic recording techniques. Demonstrate knowledge of and familiarity with the production process and basic recording techniques through participation in labs and completion of various projects.

Be knowledgeable of and familiar with recording studio equipment including microphones, cables, audio interfaces, studio monitors, etc. Demonstrate knowledge of and familiarity with recording studio equipment including microphones, cables, audio interfaces, studio monitors, etc. through participation in labs and completion of various projects.

Be familiar with microphone types, patterns, and technique including coincidental microphone placement. Demonstrate familiarity with microphone types, patterns, and technique including coincidental microphone placement through participation in labs.

Be knowledgeable of and familiar with common acoustics problems and how to negate them with Control and Isolation techniques. Demonstrate familiarity with microphone types, patterns, and technique including coincidental microphone placement through participation in labs.

Be knowledgeable of and familiar with the basic concepts of digital audio including resolution, data compression, etc. Demonstrate knowledge of and familiarity with the basic concepts of digital audio including resolution, data compression, etc. through participation in labs.

Be able to use a recording studio to capture one audio track at a time in synchronization with other recorded tracks. Demonstrate the ability to use a recording studio to capture one audio track at a time in synchronization with other recorded tracks through participation in labs and completion of various projects.

Be knowledgeable of rules, concepts, and common practices of Mastering. Demonstrate knowledge of rules, concepts, and common practices of Mastering through participation in labs.

Be knowledgeable of the basic concepts and common practices of Live Sound Reinforcement. Demonstrate knowledge of the basic concepts and common practices of Live Sound Reinforcement through participation in labs.


Content:
• Introduction – Production Process
• Recording – Studio Equipment
• Recording – Digital Audio/One Mic Production
• Microphones – Types/Patterns
• Microphones – Technique
• Psychoacoustics – Directionality/Stereo Mic’ing
• Acoustics – Room Modes/Flutter/Problems
• Acoustics – Control
• Acoustics – Isolation
• Mastering – Basics/Rules
• Digital Audio – Data Compression
• Other – Studio Maintenance/Troubleshooting
• Other – Simple Live Sound System


Key Performance Indicators:
Student performance will be assessed through the participation in labs, completion of projects, and scores on examinations.

Lab participation  50 to 70%

Projects  20 to 40%


Representative Text and/or Supplies:
Modern Recording Techniques (9th Edition) by David Miles Huber,
ISBN-10: 1138954373



Pedagogy Statement:
Students will attend a one hour lab once per week in a recording studio facility that has the capability to record elements with microphones, demonstrate mixing techniques, and play back auditory examples over quality speakers and/or headphones. The instructor will assign reading or video preparation for students to become familiar with topical concepts. Students will then attend labs to experience the concepts covered in the reading/video preparation.

Instructional Mediums:
Lecture/Lab

Maximum Class Size: 15
Optimum Class Size: 12