AE Course Outline

The course also includes a practical HANDS-ON WORKSHOP ..... students are divided in groups of 4.... 
assigned a project and allocated 24 studio hours in which to complete it.

Course Outline:
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PART 1 -  ACOUSTICS and STUDIO DESIGN
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Lecture 1 -   SOUND -  characteristics, transmission, reflection, absorption, superposition
              psychophysical properties. HEARING - characteristics, discrimination, analysis
              binaurality, quantification. DECIBEL - importance and use
Lecture 2 -   SPEECH, MUSIC and NOISE - line spectra, continuous spectra, phase
              relationships. DISTORTION - dynamic, nonlinear, transient and bandwidth limitation
Lecture 3 -   RESONANCE - standing waves, mode spacing, coloration, diffusion
Lecture 4 -   ROOM DESIGN - proportion, resonators, absorbers, poly and plane surfaces
              distribution
Lecture 5 -   NOISE CONTROL - sources, transmission modes, solutions
Lecture 6 -   ROOM DESIGN 2 - reverberation, floor, wall and ceiling treatment
              control room, vocal booth, general design factors
Lecture 7 -   TUNING A ROOM - physical adjustment, draperies, hinged or rotating elements
              variable resonant devices, equalization, recommendations
Lecture 8 -   EVALUATION - spectra, reverberation, noise floor

PART 2 - MULTICHANNEL RECORDING
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Lecture 9  -  MICROPHONES - types, pickup patterns, placement, sensitivity and handling
              balanced/unbalanced, remotely connected snakes, phantom powering
Lecture 10 -  MULTITRACK - separation, s/n ratios, sound cards and software
              DIGITAL STANDARDS - Dolby Digital, DTS, ADAT,  S/PDIF (coaxial and optical)
Lecture 11 -  MIXERS - analog, digital and computer software, control surfaces
Lecture 12 -  ANCILLIARY EQUIPMENT AND SPECIAL EFFECTS - phasing
              echo, reverb, compression and limiting, expansion and gating, pitch change
Lecture 13 -  MONITORING - amps, speakers and headphones, early sound and overhead reflectors
              monitoring equalization
Lecture 14 -  OPTIMISATION - interconnection, signal routing, interfaces, levels and impedances
              power isolation and quality, ground loops
Lecture 15 -  TECHNIQUES 1 - sound-on-sound, sound-with-sound, bouncing, cue (foldback) signals
              synchronization, editing, punch-in and punch-out recording
Lecture 16 -  TECHNIQUES 2 - mix levels, clipping, pre/post monitoring, mastering hints and tips

PART 3 - DIGITAL MUSIC PRODUCTION
---------------------------------

Lecture 17 -  SYNTHESIZER 1 - sources, modifiers, controllers, articulation, dynamics and modulation
              additive versus subtractive synthesis, analog versus digital synthesis, pairing, layering
              computer software
Lecture 18 -  SYNTHESIZER 2 - ADSR envelopes, sample and hold, LFO modulation, ring modulation
              frequency, phase and amplitude modulation, control surfaces, pressure and
              velocity controllers, aftertouch, scaling. DIGITAL SYNTHESIS - operators, ratio tuning
              magic numbers, carrier and modulator concepts, sidebands
Lecture 19 -  SYNTHESIZER 3 - tips and hints, tone production and style emulation, popular patches
              popular features, multi-function bender, multi-mode arpeggiator, split keyboards
              multi-octave output
Lecture 20 -  MIDI 1 - Introduction to the Musical Instrument Digital Interface, hardware details
              isolation, data protocols, "General MIDI" and the Internet
Lecture 21 -  MIDI 2 - variations to accomodate all instruments, computer sequencing
              control and storage
Lecture 22 -  MIDI 3 - importance of synchronization, MIDI clock, FSK tone, Song Position Pointer
              SMPTE time code,  MIDI time code, synchronizing with video editing suites
Lecture 23 -  MIDI 4 - System design for AV production, real-time control, patching
              cabling and interfacing to other equipment

PART 4 -  AV  INDUSTRY OVERVIEW
-------------------------------

Lecture 24 -  GETTING RESULTS  1 - Creative aspects, hints and tips, production projects
              advertising jingles
Lecture 25 -  GETTING RESULTS  2 - Photo/video integration, choosing equipment
              budgeting and costing, business advice
Lecture 26 -  The future of music production and distribution, Copyright procedures and concerns
              intellectual piracy and the Internet

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