mus 174a – audio studio techniques – winter 2021
via zoom – tuesday, thursday 11:00 – 12:20
instructor – tom erbe – tre@music.ucsd.edu
ta – nicholas solem
weekly topics
- week 0 introduction. introductions, overview of class
- week 1 types of recording. studio components.
- analog & digital – signals – cables – patchbays
- mixer, daw, control surface, outboard gear
- demonstration of basic recording, click tracks, overdubbing.midi connections.
- week 2 microphones types and construction, mic preamps, gain structure rules
- demonstration of acoustic guitar recording with multiple microphones and positions
- week 3 microphone patterns,
- stereo techniques, instrument techniques, positioning, 3 to 1 rule of separation
- takes and inserts, punch ins
- demonstration of vocal or piano recording
- week 4 types of recording: live, live in studio, live in studio with isolation, overdub, remote overdub. how each is done, what’s needed for each.
- demonstration of vocal or piano recording
- week 5 monitors types, listening techniques
- session management, headphones, fx for recording (compression/eq)
- logs, studio setup plots
- demonstration of drum kit recording
- week 6
- basic protools
- editing, fades and cross fades, layered edits
- demonstration of editing
- week 7 listening and critique of student project 2
- week 8 simple mixing. mixing for editing/clarity
books
required
1) bruce and jenny bartlett – practical recording techniques
optional
2) tape op magazine www.tapeop.com
3) bob katz – mastering audio
class requirements
- 2 studio assignments – 50% (25)
- final – record a piece in the studio – present it in class 10th week (play it, talk about it, discuss) the piece should stand by itself, and be independent of other media (that is – no soundtracks for film or video. no sound effects for theatre or video game, etc.). – 40%
- attendance, class participation – 10%
office hours
tuesday, thursday 3:30pm – 5:00pm