Chabot College
Fall 2010
Course Outline for Music Recording and Technology 21A
Audio Recording I
Catalog Description:
MURT 21A – Audio Recording I
(May be repeated 3 times)
3 Units
Fundamentals of audio recording and the digital audio workstation. Basic acoustics, principles of
analog and digital audio basics, studio set-up, microphone technique, basic mixing techniques
and digital audio workstation fundamentals. 2 hours lecture, 4 hours laboratory.
[Typical contact hours: lecture 35; laboratory 70]
Prerequisite Skills:
None.
Expected Outcomes for Students:
Upon completion of the course students should be able to:
1. explain basic principles of acoustics and sound perception;
2. summarize the process of analog to digital audio conversion;
3. identify and implement the basic hardware components of a modest home recording studio;
4. properly construct an audio signal chain through the components of an advanced recording
studio console;
5. identify, differentiate and assess the design and sonic characteristics of various microphones;
6. develop and evaluate microphone technique strategies for various instrumental
implementations;
7. utilize proper digital audio file management techniques;
8. properly construct a multitrack session in a digital audio workstation;
9. recognize and evaluate the unique sonic qualities and deficiencies of individual tracks in a
multitrack recording session.
Course Content – Lecture:
1. Fundamentals of basic acoustics
2. Analog vs. digital audio
3. Digital audio conversion principles
4. Audio cable types and usage
5. Data cable types and usage
6. Basic home recording studio hardware components and set-up
7. Microphone design
Course Content – Laboratory:
1. Audio cable types and usage
2. Data cable types and usage
3. Basic home recording studio hardware components and set-up
4. Microphone implementation
5. Audio signal flow through a multichannel mixing board
6. Digital audio file management
7. Basic session set-up in ProTools
8. Basic multitrack mixing techniques
Methods of Presentation:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Lecture/demonstrations (use of multimedia)
Laboratory (in-class recording projects)
Listening assignments
Guest speakers
Chabot College
Course Outline for Music Recording and Technology 21A, Page 2
Fall 2010
Assignments and Methods of Evaluating Student Progress:
1. Typical Assignments
a. Read chapter on Microphone Design and be prepared to discuss
b. Listen to, identify and discuss the sonic characteristics of a recording
c. Demonstrate effective microphone placement
d. Demonstrate proper audio signal flow configuration
2. Methods of Evaluating Student Progress
a. Class participation
b. Performance on specific in-class technique demonstrations
c. Laboratory work sheets and diagrams
d. Homework
e. Tests on chapter sections
f. Final examination (written and/or lab practical)
Textbook(s) (Typical):
Modern Recording Techniques, Seventh Edition, Miles David Huber and Robert Runstein, Focal
Press, 2009.
Special Student Materials:
1. Portable digital media storage, such as a flash drive or external hard drive, not below 2
Gigabytes of memory
Eric Schultz, 2. COR-MURT21A.doc
6 October 2009
12-10-09 cp