CCRMA

Music 192B [2007-8]:
Advanced Sound Recording Technology

* Course Description

Topics: noise reduction techniques in analog recording, dynamics processing (compression and expansion/gating), time-delay-based audio effects, principles of digital audio, disk and tape-based digital recorders, digital audio workstations and editing, advanced multitrack techniques including automation, SMPTE and MIDI timecode and device synchronization, MIDI sequencing and synchronization, mastering and product delivery. The class involves a recording project as well as lectures and demonstrations.

Course work: The course is centered around a final project. The student is required to complete a substantial recording project before the end of winter quarter. Studio exercises, homework assignments and a midterm exam will be given.

Class Schedule and Lecture Notes

Week 1: Digital Effects and Dynamic Range Processing
Reading: Sound And Recording: Ch. 13, pp 289-300
Studio Exercise 1

Week 2: Inside Digital Audio
Reading: Principles of Digital Audio: Ch. 1, pp 1-14; Ch. 2; Ch. 3, pp 51-70; Ch. 4, pp 83-111

Week 3: Way Inside Digital Audio
Reading: Principles of Digital Audio: Ch. 3, pp 70-81; Ch. 4, pp 124-135; Ch. 5, Ch. 13, pp 511-529

Week 4: Digital Audio Recorders
Reading: Principles of Digital Audio: Ch. 6,7
Studio Exercise 2

Week 5: Compact Discs and Mastering
Reading: Principles of Digital Audio: Ch. 8 and Ch. 9.
Homework 1 [Due Week 7]

Week 6: Digital Audio Workstations: ProTools and Logic
Reading: Principles of Digital Audio: Ch. 14

Week 7: Midterm

Week 8: Monitoring
Reading: Sound and Recording: Ch. 4.

Week 9: And So On...
Reading: Principles of Digital Audio: Ch. 11, pp. 415-460, Ch. 15.

Final Project

The final project is due at the final time period, Friday, March 21 at 12:15pm. We will meet in the studio and listen to everyone's work. The projects should be about 5 minutes long (1 or 2 songs or equivalent amount of material). They should be edited to eliminate unwanted sounds before and after the selections, either by editing or by using automation on the mixing board. Submissions should be on CD-R. Grading will consider the technical aspects of the recording, including the sound of the recording (i.e. noise, pops/clicks, tonal balance, sound of instruments), editing/presentation of the final product (i.e. levels, balance, etc.), and the difficulty and complexity of the project. You should be prepared to describe to the class what you did and how you did it.

* Course Materials

Course text

* Principles of Digital Audio, 5th Edition
Ken Pohlman, Mcgraw Hill Book Co., 2005

Supplementary text

Advanced Digital Audio
Ken Pohlman, Ed., SAMS, 1991

* Administrative Information

Music 192B meets on Wednesdays, from 1:15pm to 3:05pm (with a 10 minute break). Winter quarter only, in the Knoll classroom.

Units: The class is 3 units and may be taken credit/no credit.

Prerequisite: Music 192A.

Office Hours: Tuesdays, 9-11 am. At other times I can be reached by email.

Office location:Knoll Room 106

General Information: Feel free to browse through the "CCRMA User's Guide" which highlights the available facilities and how to best use them. The document also includes a link to the FAQ's (Frequently Asked Questions")... try to browse through them before asking questions....

©1999-2007 Jay Kadis.
All Rights Reserved.