New England Institute of Art Audio Recording II, Studio B

Summer Quarter 2013Wednesday 9amAl Shapiro

profalshapiro1@yahoo.comalshapiro@aii.edu

Contact Information:

I can be contacted via e-mail, voice mail or by appointment during my office hours Thursday’s from 9am-11am. If you cannot contact me, contact the Audio Production Program Coordinator, Professor Rob Lehmann, for any information you may need.

Email : MyAiCampus.com is the student portal to be used for managing your campus email and tracking your academic progress. It was created to streamline educational needs and provide information and services for students.  On this site, which serves as a service center, you will be able to access academic, student affairs, financial aid, and student accounts services. Students have the opportunity to register for classes, view academic records, view class schedules and grades, pay a bill, and much more. To access this portal, log onto www.MyAiCampus.com and create an account. All students are required to create and manage an account. This is the means by which the college will communicate with you about critical information, events and updates.

Students are expected to use email responsibly and respectfully. Refer to the Student Code of Conduct in the Student Handbook as well as “Policy on Computing Ethics” and “Acceptable Use Policy for Networks.”

Objectives:

To learn the techniques needed to run a professional recording session including:

Recording studio signal flow

Operation of the Trident Series 80, 8 buss console

Digital multitrack care and operation

Equalization

Dynamic Effects

Time Based Effects

Recording Basic Tracks, Overdubbing and Mixing

The methods I will use in Audio Recording II in order for all objectives to be met are: Lectures Quizzes: there will be quizzes on the lectures and any reading

assignments assigned. Hands on examples: this is a lab class and every student will

experience the use of the studios equipment. Midterm Exam: given the week of August 5th– 9th Equipment Research Paper: will be due the class of the Midterm Microphone Research Paper: will be due the class of the Midterm Term Paper: there will be one term paper that will be due the last

class of the semester. Class Project: a band of any style shall be recorded and mixed in

class with the students being the engineers Final Project: all students must record and mix one song in Studio

B for their final project.

 Attendance:

If any student misses three classes during the course of the semester their grade will be lowered by one full letter grade, an example being from a "B" to a "C".If that same student misses another class during the semester their maximum final grade will be a "D".Any student who misses all of their classes for two consecutive weeks will be withdrawn from the college.

  Tardiness:

All students are expected to arrive to class on time.If a student arrives late to class or leaves the class early that student shall be marked as being late to class.If a student arrives to class fifteen minutes or more after the class has begun or leaves fifteen minutes or more before the class has ended that student will be marked as missing one half of the class.If a student arrives to class after the break that student will be marked as being absent for the day.

Text:Geoff Martin: http://www.tonmeister.ca/main/textbook/index.html (optional)Crich: Assistant Engineers Handbook

Grade assessment: 

10%: Quizzes/assignments: There will be quizzes and assignments given to you throughout the semester.

10%: Equipment Research Paper: will be due the class of the midterm, week 5.

15%: Microphone Research Paper: a research paper on the entire schools microphone collection

15%: Midterm Exam

10%: Term Paper: this term paper will be due the last class of the semester.

10%: Final Project The final project is due the last class of the semester.

30%: Signal Flow Test

Late Assignments:

I will not accept late assignments of any kind. There will be no makeup work except through prior arrangementIf you miss a class it is your responsibility to get any notes and assignments that were missed.

 

Academic Integrity:

College guidelines for academic integrity are strictly enforced. Copying materials or otherwise using the words, thoughts, and audio/video/graphics files of others is plagiarism, which could result in various penalties ranging from project failure to administrative action. Refer to the Student Code of Conduct in the Student Handbook.

Cell Phones, pagers, and personal headsets are not allowed in any of my classes.If your cell phone rings I shall mark you as being late to class that day. If it rings a second time I shall confiscate all the cell phones in the class and lock them up in the microphone cabinet until the class is over.If you are listening to any form of personal device (CD player, Cassette player, Mini disc player, MP3 players, etc.) once the class has begun, you will be asked to leave the class and you will be marked as absent for that day. If I find that you are txting, vcasting, or another possible broadcast during my class I will dismiss you from class, mark you absent for the day, confiscate your cell phone, bluetooth, blackberry, or whatever device you are using, and you will have to find me to me to get it back. If you are doing work on your computer, besides taking notes for my class, during my class you and your computer shall be removed from class and marked absent for the day.

 Academic Support/Learning Disabilities:

Students with known disabilities should contact me as well as the Student Services Office.Academic Support (tutoring) is provided to any student in need of tutoring.

Students who feel they are able to assist with tutoring this course, or any other course, should contact me and/or the Student Services Office.

 Studio Booking Information:

There are 3 booking periods per semester of which each student will be allowed hours of studio time in Studio B.

See the Studio Operations personnel to reserve any studio time, microphones, headphones, cables, etc.

Mid Term Research Paper #1: Equipment

The research paper will be due the class of the midterm and the subject matter is to be on a piece of recording equipment found in Studio B, and any related topics. The paper itself must be five to seven pages long, be typewritten and include a bibliography. You must cite your sources in the MLA fashion.

Handwritten papers will not be accepted.

Topic Suggestions:

The Trident Series 80 Console The Otari 24 track, 2"analog tape machine Alesis HD-24 Compressors/Limiters, Expanders/Noise Gates (DBX 165, 1066, Aphex 612, 622.) Digital EFX units (MPX 1, Rev-500, etc.)

Mid Term Research Paper #2: Microphones

This paper is due the class of the midterm. No late papers will be accepted. The subject matter of the term paper will be the New England Institute of Art’s entire microphone collection. The paper must be a minimum of 7 pages long, list information on every microphone that the school owns, be type written and include a bibliography. You must cite your sources. If the sources of your information are not included with your paper I will consider it plagiarism and fail your paper.All sources must be cited in the MLA fashion.

The minimum information expected in your paper shall be:

all of the schools microphones, not just the audio programs microphones

each microphones particular specifications which will include each microphones particular polar pattern(s), each microphones frequency response with a frequency response graph

a definitions page containing the definition of each specification used

the SPL capabilities of each microphone

recommended uses for each microphone

a works cited page

You have five weeks to complete this research paper, if you have any questions feel free to ask me, my assistants, or any librarians for assistance.

Signal Flow QuizThe Signal Flow Quiz is based upon the students’ speed and accuracy of being able to set up for a recording session and make the necessary adjustments for the session to be successful.Each student will be given 15 minutes to perform all of the tasks. The exam will be based on a acoustic guitar session. There will be talent in the Studio with a headphone amp and microphones already set up. It will be your job to control everything in the Control Room.

1. In the control room patch Console Aux Sends 7 & 8 to Studio Returns A & B, turn up Aux Masters 7&8 on the console, plug the talkback microphone into the console in the Talkback/Oscillator section, turn up the talkback microphone preamplifier gain.

2. Get the combined microphone signal into the Stereo Buss at a level of 0dBu and into the Control Room loudspeakers.

3. Test the Talkback.

4. Send the two channels of microphone signal Direct into two Tracks of the HD-24 with a level of –5dBfs on each track on the HD-24 multitrack machine.

5. Bring the HD-24’s Return back to the console, remove the two channels of microphone signal from the Stereo Buss and monitor the Return only through the Stereo Buss at a level of 0dBu.

6. Send the HD-24’s Return signal to the player’s headphones with talkback.

7. Combine the two microphone channels through the Group Busses to get both microphones onto Track 7 with a level of –5dBfs.

8. Bring Track 7 back to the console, remove all other channels from the Stereo Buss and monitor the Return only through the Stereo Buss at a level of 0dBu.

9. Insert a compressor across group buss 7. Set up the compressor with the Threshold to –10dB, the ratio to 3:1 and with an attack and release that will not cause the compressor to breath. Set the output gain to a level of –10dBfs on the recording deck.

10. Send all three Return signals to the Stereo Buss with a maximum level of +2dBu.

11. Pan the three Returns so that the two mono microphone signals are going left and right based on the player’s position and the combined signal is panned dead center.

12. Insert a Stereo Compressor across the Stereo Buss with a Threshold setting to 0dB, a ratio of 2:1 fast Attack and Release settings and an Output Level setting to 0dB.

13. Send the combined Monitor Returns of the HD-24’s signal so that the player can hear Reverb in their headphones and have it not be heard in the Control Room.

14. Send the signal to the CD recorder with a peak level of –5dBfs.

15. Listen to the Output of the CD recorder.

Term Paper

This term paper is due the last class of the semester.

The subject matter must be on a "World Class" recording facility and must include an interview with an employee of the facility.

A world class recording facility is one that records major artists for audio, video or film. I am not limiting this paper just to audio recording studios. Other options are: a video post-production facility, a film lot, a live sound company, a theater company, etc.

Available to you for your research is a multitude of sources ranging from magazine articles, newspaper articles, the research section of a library and the Internet. If you use the Internet to obtain your information I will not accept direct down loads from any website, you must rewrite your information and cite the URL of the page or pages that the information came from.

The research paper must be a minimum seven to ten pages long, be typed, and include a bibliography.

All sources must be cited in the MLA fashion.

Final Project:

The final project begins before the midterm exam; each student will be responsible to turn in “pre-production” notes on the recording they are planning to do.

Included with the pre-production notes will be the name of the band being recorded, the bands contact information, how many instruments need to be recorded, will over dubs need to be done, any doubling of instruments or vocals, will there need to be any harmony vocals, overall how many tracks will need to be recorded and is there enough room to record these tracks on the equipment that is available for the student to use? To continue further, what microphones are you planning to use on what instrument, will compression be needed on any tracks while recording, what multitrack device are you going to record on, etc.The pre-production notes must be handed in the class of the midterm.

For the final project:

Each student shall produce one recording. The recording shall contain acoustic and electric instruments along with drums and vocals.

The project should demonstrate the students’ ability to record and overdub musicians of an acoustic and electric style.

Each student is responsible to turn in his/her own mixes on CD.

Dynamics processors and time-based effects will need to be used to demonstrate your knowledge of signal processing.

Each student will turn in the final projects multitrack hard drive/tapes along with their mixes on CD with proper indexing. The CD must have an inner sleeve in the jewel case. The CD’s inner sleeve must contain the following information: your name, day and time of the class, the section # of the class, the name of the band, the name of the song and the index # of the song.

Each student is responsible for turning in their own complete set of documentation containing input setup sheets, track sheets, mic lists, tape formats, console settings, outboard gear used and their respective settings, and images taken during the sessions showing the microphones placement and the microphones angles in relation to the instrument setup turned in with the project.

A minimum two-page description of the project must accompany the documentation.

The project must be produced entirely in the college studios.

IF I DO NOT HAVE YOUR PROJECT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE LAST CLASS YOU WILL NOT BE GIVEN CREDIT FOR YOUR FINAL PROJECT

Audio Recording II

 Week 1: Wednesday, July 10, 2013Introduction to Studio B and its signal flowThe Trident Series 80 Audio Production Console, the Input/Output Module, the Master SectionThe HD-24 multitrack recorder and the Outboard gear of the room.

Read AEH chapters 1 & 2 on Getting Started and Setting Up The Studio

Assignment #1:

You will need to book studio time and sign out a "mix brick" from Studio Operations. Once you have the hard drive, I want you to do a mix of your chosen song using the Remix Mode (IP flip/Remix) of the console and mix the song down to CD.The CD must have a labeled inner sleeve in the jewel case. The CD’s inner sleeve must contain the following information: your name, day and time of the class, the section # of the class, the name of the song and the index # of the song. Title the CD “Assignment 1 Mix”.

There will be a Quiz next week on the Remix Mode of the Trident Console

Week 2: Wednesday, July 17, 2013The Audio B Patch Bay, The Auxiliary/Cue Sends, The Oscillator/Talkback, The HD-24 Let’s do a Mix!

Read AEH chapter 3 on Cables, Microphones and Headphones

There will be a Quiz next week on the Signal Flow of Studio B

Assignment #2:You will need to book studio time and sign out a "mix brick" from Studio Operations. Once you have the hard drive, I want you to do a mix of your chosen song using the Remix Mode (IP flip/Remix) of the console and mix the song down to CD.In this Mix I will expect you to follow my examples of mixing, for example a stereo compressor on the stereo buss, time based effects on the drums, vocals, and guitars, compression on the bass and snare and kick. No levels must be higher than +2dB and no lower than -3dB on the stereo buss. The CD must have a labeled inner sleeve in the jewel case. The CD’s inner sleeve must contain the following information: your name, day and time of the class, the section # of the class, the name of the song and the index # of the song. Title the CD “Assignment 2 Mix”.

Week 3: Wednesday, July 24, 2013The Record Section of the consoleMicrophone Stands, Microphones and CablesRecording of an Acoustic Guitar

There will be a Quiz next week on the Record Mode of the Trident Console

Assignment #3:

Record an acoustic guitar to HD-24 using two different miking techniques. I want you to use Dynamic microphones for the first of the techniques and Condenser microphones for the second.You will need to book studio time and sign out microphones you would like to use from Studio Ops. Along with the recording I want you to fill out an Input Setup Sheet to describe what microphones were used along with where the microphones were plugged into the microphone panel and with where the microphone signal shows up on the console.I also want you to fill out a track sheet to tell me what tracks the microphones were recorded onto.You must also setup a headphone amplifier so that the talent can hear themselves play and you must make use of the talkback system so that you can communicate with the talent.

You must also turn in a Take Sheet containing your name, the name of the song, along with the start time and end times of the song.

Week 4: Wednesday, July 31, 2013The Direct Injection (DI) Box

There will be a Quiz on the Patch Bay next week

Assignment #4

Record a Bass Guitar onto the Acoustic Guitar tracks you recorded last week, using a Direct Box alone or with an Amp and Microphone. If you wish to carry this further you may also record an Electric Guitar using a Direct Box, and if you have enough time also record Keyboards. Along with the recording I want you to fill out an Input Setup Sheet and a Track Sheet with all the new information on it. Mix the recording to CD and turn it in next week.

Week 5: Wednesday, August 7, 2013Microphone techniques for Acoustic Drums

Read Chapter 7 and 8 in AEH on Session Priorities and Recording Basic Tracks

Assignment #4

Record Drums onto the project that you have been working on the past few weeks and turn it in two weeks, with the song mixed down to CD.

Week 6: Wednesday, August 14, 2013Midterm ExamTurn in your Mic Paper, Research Paper, and Pre-Production Notes

Week 7: Wednesday, August 21, 2013Basic Tracks

Today will be the beginning of the class project.The session will run in a completely professional manner, using proper documentation and keeping fully aware of time constraints.

Read AEH chapter 10 on Recording overdubs

 Week 8: Wednesday, August 28, 2013Overdubs for the class project

Week 9: Wednesday, September 4, 2013Overdubs and Mix of the class project

   Week 10: Wednesday, September 11, 2013Course Review and Signal Flow Quiz

Week 11: Wednesday, September 18, 2013 Listening Day Term Papers, and Final Projects must be handed in todayI will listen to, critique and grade all of the final projects during today's class.