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Course Syllabus

Course: MUSC 3350

Division: Fine Arts, Comm, and New Media
Department: Music
Title: Audio Fundamentals I

Semester Approved: Spring 2020
Five-Year Review Semester: Summer 2025
End Semester: Fall 2025

Catalog Description: This course focuses on the study of the fundamentals of sound and how it can be captured, manipulated and reproduced. It functions as an Audio Lab for MUSC 3350 Music Technology I to cover non-computer aspects of sound and recording. This course is the first of two laboratory courses and aspects of sound, acoustics, psychoacoustics, recording, audio processing, mixing and mastering.

Semesters Offered: TBA
Credit/Time Requirement: Credit: 2; Lecture: 2; Lab: 0

Justification: Although the personal computer has revolutionized the study, production and distribution of music, the basic concepts of sound remain unchanged. An understanding of how sound travels through the air and reacts in a room, how a microphone works, and what compression and equalization are remain paramount for anyone who produces music and records audio. This type of course is offered for music majors at four-year institutions in the State of Utah, and is a regular course offering around the country. The Horne School of Music at Snow College is an accredited member of The National Association of Schools of Music, and NASM requires that its member schools prepare students by teaching them the purpose and use of audio technology in various forms as part of undergraduate music training. This course, in conjunction with MUSC 3351 (Audio Fundamentals Lab II), fulfills that requirement.


Student Learning Outcomes:
Be knowledgeable of the fundamentals of how sound travels through and interacts with spaces. Demonstrate knowledge of the fundamentals of how sound travels through and interacts with spaces through participation in labs and objective written examinations

Be knowledgeable of how sound is described and measured in acoustical, electrical, and digital systems. Demonstrate knowledge of the fundamentals of how sound is described and measured in acoustical, electrical, and digital systems through participation in labs and objective written examinations.

Be familiar with the basic rules of mixing and the psychoacoustic concepts that pertain to mixing.  Demonstrate familiarity with the basic rules of mixing and the psychoacoustic concepts that pertain to mixing through participation in labs and completion of various projects.

Be knowledgeable of an analog console and be able to use an analog mixing console to mix a 16-24 track multitrack audio project. Demonstrate knowledge of an analog mixing console and be able to mix a 16-24 track multitrack audio project through participation in labs and completion of various projects.

Be familiar with various audio processors and tools used in mixing such as equalizers, dynamics processors, and reverb and delay processors. Demonstrate familiarity with various audio processors and tools used in mixing such as equalizers, dynamics processors, and reverb and delay processors through participation in labs and completion of various projects.


Content:
Content: (Topics, ideas and skills covered in the course)• Introduction – History of Recording• Acoustics – Frequency & Amplitude/Measurement• Acoustics – Behavior/Acoustics/Ear Anatomy• Processing – Analog Audio/Mixer Function• Processing – Signal Flow and Routing• Psychoacoustics – Masking/Fletcher-Munson Curve• Mixing – Basics/Rules• Mixing – Leveling/Panning• Mixing – Equalization• Mixing – Dynamics Processors• Mixing – Reverb• Mixing – Delay/Time-Based Effects• Mixing – Automation/Mixdown

Key Performance Indicators:
Student performance will be assessed through the participation in labs, completion of projects, and scores on examinations.

Lab participation  50 to 70%

Projects  20 to 40%

Examinations  10 to 20%


Representative Text and/or Supplies:
Modern Recording Techniques (9th Edition) by David Miles Huber, Current edition. ISBN-10: 1138954373


Pedagogy Statement:
This course will be delivered via direct instruction, class discussion and teacher directed demonstration.

Instructional Mediums:
Lecture

Maximum Class Size: 12
Optimum Class Size: 12