MUS 421 Music, Sound and Multimedia – Spring 2016
Course Information
FALL 2016
MUS 421 – Section 101 (CRN 23927) – Music, Sound and Multimedia
Web-Enhanced Course Instructional Method
Wednesday and Friday, 2:30 – 3:20 PM
Laidlaw Performing Arts Center Room 1151
Instructor Information
Dr. David Durant
(251) 460-6695 (office) or (251) 802-7905 (cell)
ddurant@southalabama.edu
My office hours are on Mondays and Wednesdays from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM, 3:30 PM to 5:00
PM, and by appointment. My office is Laidlaw Performing Arts Center Room 1151.
Please make sure I can identify you in your email. Put your full name in the body of your email.
Course Description
This course familiarizes students with the techniques and materials for incorporating sound and
music in the Wintel and Macintosh mutimedia environments. Topics to be addressed will include
making music with and without MIDI, sound resources, special effects, commercial libraries and
sounds, digital sequencing, authoring environments, and legal issues.
Course Topical Outline
MUS 421 is an overview of MIDI, digital audio, synthesis, sampling, and multimedia involving
audio.
The following topics will be covered in MUS 421:
Elements of Sound
DAWs
Analog versus Digital Recording
Video Software
Sequencing
Video Editing
Acousmatic Composition
Audio for Video
Foley Artistry
ProTools Software
Course Goals and Objectives
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To gain an understanding of MIDI and its uses
To obtain the common vocabulary of the recording industry
To become committed to hi-fidelity audio
To establish an understanding of signal flow in the digital recording studio
To understand using audio with video
Course Pre-requisites / Co-requisites
Technology Placement Exam or consent of instructor
Course Materials
Practical Recording Techniques, Sixth Edition. Bruce and Jenny Bartlett. 2013.
Class Attendance Policy
The most important component of a student’s success in MUS 404 is attendance. A significant amount of
your training will be done in class. You are expected and required to attend each class meeting, be on
time, be prepared, and to participate. Class starts promptly at 2:30 PM Wednesday and Friday. If you
are tardy, it is your responsibility to get your name on the roll sheet immediately after that day’s class is
over. You will be counted tardy for that class. Two tardies will be counted as one absence. If you have a
written excuse for an absence or a tardy, please attend to it immediately after class on your first class
back. You may email me in advance if you are going to miss a class. That email does not count as your
excuse. Please bring your written excuse on your first class back. If you miss 20% of the classes (6),
regardless of whether they are excused or not, you will automatically fail. If you reach this number
before Friday, October 24 at 4:59 PM (last day to withdraw from a course) you will be advised to drop the
course. If you do not drop the course you will automatically fail.
Absences will be excused for the following reasons:
• A death in the immediate family
• A documented family emergency
• A documented personal emergency
• A documented illness
• A documented University or Department function
Assessment
The final grade for this course will be determined using the following percentages:
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Attendance (See the above class attendance policy)
100% SIX Projects (15% each)
MAKE-UP EXAM and TEST POLICY
A make-up test or final exam will be given under the following circumstances:
• A death in the immediate family
• A documented family emergency
• A documented personal emergency
• A documented illness
• A documented University or Departmental function
In extraordinary circumstances a student may be given the test in advance of the scheduled class period.
All make-up tests or exams must be completed within one week of the scheduled test or exam.
LATE WORK PENALTY
Assignments are to be turned in at the beginning of class on the day they are due. Late work will not be
accepted. If you are going to be absent you may turn your work in early OR email it to Dr. Durant before
2 PM of the scheduled due date.
COURSE ASSIGNMENTS
Assignments are due at the beginning of class on the following days: 1/27, 2/17, 3/2, 3/23, 4/6, and 4/27.
Changes in Course Requirements
Not all classes progress at the same rate thus course requirements might have to be modified as
circumstances dictate. You will be given written notice if the course requirements need to be changed.
Academic Disruption Policy
The University of South Alabama’s policy regarding Academic Disruption is found in The Lowdown, the
student handbook.
http://www.southalabama.edu/lowdown/academicdisruption.shtml: Disruptive academic behavior is
defined as individual or group conduct that interrupts or interferes with any educational activity or
environment, infringes upon the rights and privileges of others, results in or threatens the destruction of
property and/or is otherwise prejudicial to the maintenance of order in an academic environment.
Dr. Durant expects you to be cordial, courteous and respectful of faculty members and fellow students.
Student Academic Conduct Policy
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The University of South Alabama’s policy regarding Student Academic Conduct Policy is found in The
Lowdown http://www.southalabama.edu/lowdown/academicconductpolicy.shtml: The University of South
Alabama is a community of scholars in which the ideals of freedom of inquiry, freedom of thought,
freedom of expression, and freedom of the individual are sustained. The University is committed to
supporting the exercise of any right guaranteed to individuals by the Constitution and the Code of
Alabama and to educating students relative to their responsibilities.
Any student who is found to have cheated or plagiarized on any aspect of MUT 312 will be reported to
the Director of the Department of Music and will be reprimanded to the highest extent allowed by the
University. This may included receiving a failing grade in the class and expulsion from the University.
Students with Disabilities
In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, students with bona fide disabilities will be
afforded reasonable accommodation. The Office of Special Student Services will certify a disability and
advise faculty members of reasonable accommodations. If you have a specific disability that qualifies you
for academic accommodations, please notify me and provide certification from the Special Student
Services (Office of Special Students Services). The Office of Special Students Services is located at 5828
Old Shell Rd. at Jaguar Drive. (251) 460-7212.
Online Writing Support
The University of South Alabama provides online writing tutoring services through
SMARTHINKING, an online tutoring service. SMARTHINKING is available at
http://services.smarthinking.com.
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