MRT 277 Syllabus

Lebanon Valley College, Department of Music
MRT 277 Recording Engineering I, Fall 2009

Instructor: Dr. Hill
Office: 113 Blair Music Office Complex
Telephone: 867-6285 Office, 761-1626 Home
Email: hill@lvc.edu

Class Time: TTH 12:30-1:50pm
Classroom: Studio B, Blair 228
Class Website: http://lvcmrt277.wordpress.com
COURSE DESCRIPTION

Fundamentals of the recording arts including mixdown, tracking, and mastering procedures; operation and theory of recording consoles, microphone design and technique. Students work in on-campus studios to complete lab assignments and projects. 3 credits.

THERE ARE NO SHORTCUTS!

What does this mean? It means that you are not here to merely play in the studio. Yes, it’s fun, but our mission is to help you become a professional engineer. This requires you to become knowledgeable about the equipment, processes, terminology, theory, and application of a wide variety of disciplines related to recording music and audio. To do this you must read the textbooks thoroughly–not once, but repeatedly until you understand them. You need to find other books related to what we are studying as well as others that offer information on topics we do not have time to cover in class. You must come to each class prepared to ask questions and discuss what you have read. You must also practice in the studio as much as possible to make the readings and discussions meaningful as you develop your chops as a recording engineer. There are no shortcuts to becoming a knowledgeable professional, so you must decide for yourself what your goals in life are. There is a lot of competition out there, so I advise you to put forth your very best as you learn your craft. Do not settle for mediocrity–the success stories from previous graduates from this program are individuals who were driven to pursue their goals. They wanted it badly, and they did not waste their time in college. You can do the same, of course, but it’s strictly up to you to make that choice. I’ll help in any way I possibly can. Choose wisely.

TEXTBOOKS

  • Hill, Barry R. Learning Recording Engineering: Fundamental Concepts & Operations. 2007.
  • Huber & Runstein. Modern Recording Techniques, 6th ed. SAMs, 2005. (Note: the 7th ed. is now available, but either one will be fine.)
  • You need to purchase a high quality pair of headphones for critical listening at home as well as for studio recording. There are many good ones available; my favorite is the Sony MDR-7506 for around $100 or so.
  • You will need two DVD-RAM cartridges for backing up your Radar multitrack files. The Verbatim #95002 works well (4.7G, one-sided, Type-4 Cartridge). There are many different types of DVD-RAM discs and most of them will not work. Search for this particular part # and you’ll be fine.
  • You will need a bunch of decent quality CDRs. You do not need to purchase the special CD-Audio blanks; plain CDRs will do.
  • You will also need to purchase either paper sleeves or plastic CD cases for your submissions. No assignments will be accepted unless in an appropriate sleeve or case.

COURSE GOALS

At the end of this course you will be able to:

  1. Complete a basic multitrack recording, including tracking and mixing, using a variety of microphones, signal processors, recording console, and recorders.
  2. Demonstrate proficiency in setup and operation of a complex recording console.
  3. Transfer (apply) a fundamental understanding of studio recording to more advanced concepts and applications in future courses.

OVERALL NOTES TO KEEP IN MIND

  1. You need to read the textbook chapters as we go along so you’re not completely clueless in class.
  2. You can have two absences from class without penalty in case you get sick or something along the way. After that you’ll lose 100 pts per day due to the fact that we do lots of demos and explanations in class and you cannot catch up easily. It’ll be hard on you to miss out.
  3. There will be various recording projects completed during the course of the semester. Details will be given in class. Major recording projects are indicated on the syllabus. Other assignments will be given throughout the semester.
  4. Note that there are not numerous assignments designed to keep you busy each week. Instead you should be in the studio each week practicing and working ahead on large projects.
  5. Web assignments are posted on the class syllabus webpage. These relate to the discussion topics and are to be completed electronically as indicated.
  6. Merely completing the assignments will guarantee you a maximum grade of “B”; you must put your heart into it and impress us to earn an “A”.
  7. Before you submit anything, make sure it conforms to the MRT Guidelines and Format posted on the MRT Backstage web site. All submissions must be word processed–no handwritten documents except for session notes and diagrams.
  8. If you happen to miss an exam, we cannot make it up unless you arranged something ahead of time. If you are so sick you cannot (or should not) come and infect the rest of us, bring an official health note from somebody official, then we can work something out.
  9. Your college ID will open both the control room and tracking room doors. Don’t share your card with anyone, even a classmate. If you lose your card, contact me IMMEDIATELY so I can prevent a security problem.
  10. Studio lab time will be scheduled through the computer calendar. The studio MUST be monitored at all times, and doors MUST BE LOCKED whenever it is vacated FOR ANY REASON. Do not prop any door open because this is a serious security risk for equipment and for you personally. Abuse and hoarding of studio time will not be tolerated and can result in grade penalties.
  11. Studio policies are published on the MRT backstage web site. Read them carefully because you will be held accountable for the information they provide. No deviations will be acceptable.
  12. Students are responsible for all information and requirements contained in this syllabus, regardless of whether verbal reminders are provided in class.
  13. The class website provides all assignment and syllabus information with updates. Use the following URL: http://lvcmrt277.wordpress.com.
  14. The backstage area of the MRT Audioblog provides program information such as degree requirements, graduation checksheet, studio policies and forms, etc. The URL is: http://mrtaudioblog.wordpress.com/backstage/.
  15. If you don’t have one already, you will need to select a password to access the studio calendar–email it to me as soon as you can. Your log-in ID will be your LVC email address. The URL is: http://csunix1.lvc.edu/caladmin/calendar.cgi
  16. A word about email addresses. I will always use your LVC account. If you use an off-campus provider, then have your LVC mail forwarded to that account.You must check it regularly as this is the method I use to contact individuals as well as the entire class.
  17. If you have a physical, medical, psychological, or learning disability that is going to impact your attendance or require accommodation, please let me know. In order to ensure that your learning needs are appropriately met, you will need to provide documentation of your disability or medical condition to the Director of Disability Services in Humanities 206-D, 867-6071. The Office of Disability Services will then provide a letter of verification of disability that describes the accommodations needed for this class.
  18. Academic dishonesty: It is expected that you act professionally in all aspects of college life; this includes maintaining your integrity and honesty. Any occurrences of cheating, plagiarism, theft of intellectual or physical property, etc. will be dealt with in accordance with college policy as stated in the student handbook and college catalog. I especially frown on those who think that “cracked” software is a cool thing. Someday you need a viable industry in which to work, but if people steal software, then professionals cannot afford to produce the tools you need. Don’t steal software, music, anything, or else you have no right to become a professional in this industry.
  19. Finally, note that all audio tracks provided for you either in the form of listening examples or multitrack files for projects are copyrighted and owned by other individuals/companies. They are only for class purposes and may not be distributed or otherwise used in any way. Infringement violations may result in legal action against you by the appropriate parties.

Be aware that often we have guests visiting and touring our studios. Keep the rooms organized, neat, clean, and professional looking. Don’t leave stuff lying around, don’t write on the board, return equipment to its place, stack documents and manuals neatly, etc.

Students found in violation of any regulation pertaining to the operation of the recording facilities will be penalized according to published policy.

Penalties may include loss of studio card access and/or expulsion from the program. Read the policies and think smart.


GRADING

Grading will be based on the following criteria:

  • Online assignments 50 pts (ea)
  • Misc projects 100/200 pts (ea)
  • Exams/ studio assessments 400 pts (ea)
  • Final project 400 pts

Note the following:

As a serious student of music technology it is your responsibility to get as much as possible from this course. You should spend significant time doing the following: diligent reading of the texts and periodicals, serious listening of any commercial CDs you may own, discussions with other students, and spending lots of time in the studio, especially with other engineers. If it becomes evident you are not reading diligently, we will be forced to spend class time covering text information rather than doing experiments and demonstrations in class.

This is not a ProTools class; students often wonder why we don’t start working on computers sooner. You will have ample time to work with ProTools in future classes. This is also not the time and place to learn about other types of software applications such as Reason, Live, etc. My goal for this class is for you to be as prepared as possible to move on and learn other types of recording systems and applications. This means learning fundamental operational concepts and signal flow, which are much easier to grasp and practice on an analog console. You have to be able to work quickly and adapt during sessions. Quick routing, re-routing, and other various tasks must be completed efficiently so as not to slow the session. As you work on new and different types of recording systems, this knowledge will help you master them quickly and efficiently, especially for software-based systems.

Even though you will forget this in two years, your performance in the senior MPS course will directly benefit from what you learn now. You will be working on cool techniques and hands-on tips in that class, but in order to do that you must first get the fundamentals down. That’s what this class is for, so I will not spend much time showing you how to get great drum or guitar sounds. From my years of engineering albums and discussions with other engineers I am convinced that our process here works well–buy into it and do your best. If you don’t like it then there are other schools who are always willing to take your money.

Know thy stuff–I will be glad to spend time either one-on-one or in small groups to review console operation, signal flow, processors, etc, but it’s up to you to practice and try to figure it out so it makes sense to you. You claimed to have attended this college to be a recording engineer–this is where you can demonstrate that passion and prove your stuff.

For your interest: A timeline of significant audio events and developments in history, from the Audio Engineering Society website.

COURSE SCHEDULE

Week 1: 8/25, 8/27

  • Tuesday
    • Introduction to the class / The music production process
  • Thursday
    • Mixdown
    • Read Hill Ch 4, 5 (stop after Getting a Rough Mix)
    • Online Assignment: Mixdown: Signal Flow, Parameters, & Setup

Week 2: 9/1, 9/3

  • Tuesday
    • Mixdown Refinements: Problems
    • Read Hill Ch 5 (stop at Creative Enhancements)
    • Online Assignment: Mixdown: Refining
  • Thursday
    • Mixdown Refinements: Creative Enhancements
    • Mixing issues, documentation, labeling, mastering issues
    • Read Hill Ch 5 (Creative Enhancements to end), Ch 6 (labeling)
    • Online Assignment: Mixdown: Creative Enhancements & Tips

Week 3: 9/8, 9/10

  • In-class mix sessions (class split in half – come either Tues or Thurs as assigned)
  • Mix #1 Due (Tues)

Week 4: 9/15, 9/17

Week 5: 9/22, 9/24

Week 6: 9/29, 10/1

  • Individual studio exam
  • Both classes this week will be consumed by this exam. Arrive a little before your scheduled time and be aware that it may change slightly earlier or later. Here’s the schedule.
  • You’re not off the hook this week–spend at least two hours practicing mixdown, patching processors, experimenting with EQ, etc.

Week 7: 10/6, 10/8

  • Tuesday
  • Thursday
    • Tracking Sessions: Session preparation & setup, Documentation
    • Hill Ch 8
    • Huber Ch 18
    • Online Assignment: Documentation

Week 8: 10/13, 10/15

  • Tuesday
    • FALL BREAK
  • Thursday
    • Setting up for tracking – class split in half

Week 9: 10/20, 10/22

  • Tuesday
    • Setting up for tracking – class split in half
  • Thursday
    • Tracking sessions – class split in half (first half today)
    • We need musicians from the other half to play each day. Drums, bass, electric guitar would be great. Have a basic groove worked out–we don’t need anything fancy.

Week 10: 10/27, 10/29

  • Tracking sessions – class split in half (second half today)
  • We need musicians from the other half to play each day. Drums, bass, electric guitar would be great. Have a basic groove worked out–we don’t need anything fancy.
  • Thursday: NO CLASS

Week 11: 11/3, 11/5

  • Listening to miking experiments from Tracking #1 assignment
  • Tracking #1 Due

Week 12: 11/10, 11/11

  • Tuesday
  • Thursday
    • Console signal flow

Week 13: 11/17, 11/19

  • Tuesday
    • Console signal flow assignment due Tuesday (Handout)
  • Thursday
    • You will have a time limit of 3 minutes. This is sufficient if you know what you’re doing, but not if you have to figure things out. Practice ahead of time with a stop watch. You will have to route a mic input to Radar with various processing such as compression, EQ, etc in either of the signal paths, set up cue mix, and get monitors up and running.

Week 14: 11/24, 11/26

  • Tuesday
  • Thursday
    • THANKSGIVING

Week 15: 12/1, 12/3

  • Tuesday
    • The Audient 8024 console
  • Thursday
    • Exam: Consoles and Recording Sessions.

Finals Week

This schedule is subject to change depending on class progress.

Posted by B Hill
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