CMUS 362 Studio Producing, Mixing, and Audio Engineering

This course provides the fundamentals of audio recording and producing including equipment function and application, recording console operation, microphone technique, first and second engineer skill sets, session setup, signal processing, troubleshooting, and critical listening as well as fundamentals for music production and album creation.

Textbook readings and lecture presentations

No details available.

Course Requirements Checklist

After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

Discussion: Biblical Worldview Scenario

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the student will complete one Discussion in this course. He/she will post one thread of at least 500 words by the assigned due date. He/she must then post 2 replies of at least 150 words by the assigned due date. For the thread, the student must support his/her assertions with at least one scholarly source in Turabian format. The student’s response in the thread must also be supported by Scriptural research with at least two (2) Bible verses cited in Turabian format. Each reply must incorporate at least one scholarly source or at least one Bible verse cited in Turabian format. Any scholarly sources cited in the thread and replies must have been published within the last five years. Acceptable scholarly sources for use in the thread and replies include the textbooks, industry publications, and/or websites.

Home Studio Setup and Design Assignment

The student will plan and document his/her home studio’s layout for ideal acoustics using Microsoft Word or other software capable of drawing basic shapes. He/she will use basic acoustic principles to correctly place studio monitors, acoustic panels, and the engineer’s listening position. The student must lay out a floor plan of his/her home studio or use a standard home office room size and shape if he/she does not have a home studio setup yet. Using basic shapes, the student must clearly designate the placement of several requested items on the floor plan. The student will also use Carl Tatz Design’s Axial Mode Calculator linked in the assignment in Canvas as an assignment resource to find the requested measurements. The student will submit to Canvas a Word document or PDF of the basic floor plan layout and measurements that reflect the student’s specific studio space.

Mixer and Patch Bay Signal Flow Assignment

The student will demonstrate basic understanding of signal flow through mixers and patch bays. The student will create a free account on the Audio Fusion website (a link to which can be found as an assignment resource in Canvas). The student will then download SoundCheck 2D from this website and adjust the settings and connections within the software as per the assignment instructions. The student must submit screenshots of the specified settings and connections in place.

Microphone Techniques Assignment

The student will set up various microphone techniques and capture brief recordings with each. He/she must take photos of his/her microphone settings and capture a brief recording of each of his/her microphone techniques. Using a sound source of his/her choice, the student will record six mic techniques as notated within the assignment instructions, replicating each technique’s overall sound, stereo spectrum (if applicable), and phase relationships. If he/she does not have omni or bi-directional capable microphones, the student must complete the techniques with the microphones that he/she does have. Then, within the Assignment comment box in Canvas after submitting, he/she must include a note that points out which techniques are using the incorrect microphones and list what the correct type should be. Within the same comment, the student will list his/her favorite technique(s) with a comprehensive compare-and-contrast rationale with all of the other techniques as to why they are his/her favorites. Each recording must be 30-seconds and in MP3 format. 

Recording Individual Instruments Assignment

The student will apply various microphone techniques to an acoustic instrument and an amplified instrument. He/she will listen to the recordings of each technique and compare and contrast. If he/she does not have omni or bi-directional capable microphones, the student must complete the any of the applicable techniques listed within the assignment instructions (for either or both instruments) with the microphones that he/she does have. Then, within the Assignment comment box in Canvas after submitting, he/she must include note that points out which techniques are using the incorrect microphones and list what the correct type should be.

First, the student will capture seven 30 second audio recordings of an acoustic stringed instrument using different mic techniques for each recording. Then, the student will capture seven 30 second mono audio recordings of an electric guitar cabinet (or loudspeaker if no cabinet is available) using different mic techniques for each recording. The student must also take a photo of each microphone technique setup for both instruments used. Then, within the Assignment comment box in Canvas after submitting, the student will list his/her favorite technique(s) with a comprehensive compare-and-contrast rationale with all of the other techniques as to why they are his/her favorites. Each recording must be 30-seconds and in MP3 format.

Recording Vocals Assignment

For this assignment, the student will record a vocalist and use music production techniques to capture ideal performances. The student will first record a vocalist using appropriate microphone techniques and headphones. The student must record a minimum of 4 takes with his/her vocalist and must be sure to take multiple photographs of the singer at the microphone in a position that uses an appropriate mic technique for vocalists. Second, the student will use the recorded vocals to produce a comp sheet, being sure to mark the sheet appropriately. Finally, the student will use the comp sheet to produce a comp vocal in Avid Pro Tools Studio, being sure to include appropriate edits and crossfades in the comp vocal. The student must submit to Canvas photos of the appropriate mic positions used during the recording session with the vocalist, a photo or scan of his/her completed comp sheet, and an Avid Pro Tools Studio .ptx session file containing the comped vocal with correct edits and crossfades.

Recording Drum Kit Assignment

The student will apply microphone techniques for a drum kit including overhead mic placement, adjusting phase relationships between microphones, and top and bottom drum miking. The student must access a real drum kit (if possible) or build an approximation of a drum kit using buckets, bins, trashcans, pots, etc.

First, the student will place microphones over the drum kit in six required overhead techniques and take a photograph of each technique. The student must record the audio of each technique. Second, the student will place a close microphone on a drum. He/she must take a photograph of the technique and record an audio clip of it. After this, the student will add a bottom mic to the drum. The student must take photograph of the bottom mic technique and record a few drum strikes with both mics, the close mic and the bottom mic, in action simultaneously (being sure to check mic polarity). Finally, the student will place a close microphone on a drum and one mic above as an overhead. He/she must adjust the microphone height and polarity for ideal sound and phase relationship, He/she must be sure to photograph and record a few drum strikes with both mics. The recording of each technique must be 30-seconds and in MP3 format. After submitting the photos, MP3 files, and a Pro Tools .ptx session file, the student must ensure that he/she provides within the Canvas Assignment comment box notes of any instances in which the polarity was reversed on a microphone.

Quizzes (7)

Each quiz will cover the Learn material for the assigned module. Each quiz will be open-book/open-notes, contain 10 questions of varying types (multiple-choice, true/false, multiple answer, essay), and have a 1 hour and 30 minute time limit. Each quiz will allow two attempts, with the highest attempt counting towards the grade. (CLO: A, B, C)

Quiz: Final Exam

A final exam will be given to assess each student’s knowledge and skill in audio production covering all modules. The final exam will be open-book/open-notes, contain 41 multiple-choice, true/false, multiple answer, and essay questions, have a 2 hour time limit, and allow one attempt. (CLO: A, B, C)