E-Mail: musrst@panther.gsu.edu

Web: www.gsu.edu/~musrst/cara/

Office Hours: Monday 11-12noon, Tuesday 1 - 2PM, Or by appointment...

Prerequisites: MI Recording Majors only, MI 3130

Modern Recording Techniques - Runstein et al.

Personal subscription to MIX MAGAZINE

Thompson et al: Selected pre-prints/reprints

Hi-8 Video/Audio tapes

DAT tapes

Cassette tapes

It is recommended that you begin with one HI-8 and one DAT tape, 120 minutes in duration and purchase more materials as needed throughout the quarter. Tape supplies are best obtained from Tape Warehouse located off Peachtree Industrial Blvd. in the Chamblee area.

For School of Music projects produced by the MI4610 Seminar, all tape supplies will be provided at no cost to the participants.

Course aim: The MI 4610 course is designed to provide further opportunity for advanced students to work in a professional audio environment. The specific technical agenda for this course includes the following:

advanced audio engineering theory

advanced automation techniques

advanced production and post-production techniques

advanced digital signal processing applications

The goal of our activity will be to facilitate exploration and experimentation so that each student may develop technical facility in audio recording which match his or her own artistic sensibility and personal goals.

The criteria for grading is based upon the completion of a number of master recordings of not less than 30 minutes duration each which in all respects would be considered complete and of professional standard. The choice of material to be included in this project will be developed with the specific class during the specified quarter and may vary. Students are encouraged to also work on independent projects.

1. NeoPhonia - Dr. Demos, Conductor, Artistic Director (Skutle, Echols)

2. GSU Jazz Faculty and Students - Dr. Vernick, Dr. Haydon, Artistic Directors (Wynn, Rawls)

3. MIA-Showcase CD Project - MIA Officers, Artistic Directors (Palys, Cochran)

The goal of each of these projects is to create a complete compact disc recording which would be deemed ready for commercial release and/or broadcast presentation. This will include mastering, CD creation, cover design and fulfillment.

Each engineering team is responsible for running needed sessions, recording, mixing and mastering of the various project. The three CDS will be critiqued and will be used for broadcast and/or publication.

Student Seminar Presentations:

In addition to work on these specific projects, each student will be responsible for presenting technical information in class in the form of two (2) lecture/demonstrations. These presentations will together comprise 30% of the course grade and each student must do two such presentations during the semester as outlined below:

1. Prepare a handout for each presentation.

2. Have audio examples if possible.

3. Prepare an oral synopsis report.

4. Prepare a written report to be turned in for critique.

The first of the two presentations is on an assigned topic. The second is on a topic of your choice unrelated to the first.

1. Tuesday, September 7, Jeremy Cochran

Topic: FX Processing using the PCM80 and PCM 90: techniques, tricks and innovations

2. Tuesday, September 14, Lisa Rawls

Topic: Engineering Techniques: From the Artist’s Perspective

3. Tuesday, September 21, Jaye Wynn

Topic: Recording Jazz

4: Tuesday, September 28, Brian Skutle

Topic: Enginnering Film Sound

5. Tuesday, October 12, Amy Palys

Topic: New "sounds" in pop music: engineering trends

6. Tuesday, October 19, Dawn Echols

Topic: Equipment and technologies for computer-based audio production

Second round:

Cochran - 10/26; Rawls 11/2; Wynn 11/9; Skutle 11/16; Palys 11/23; Echols 11/30

Finally, a written research paper on some aspect of advanced audio recording technique is required for a passing grade. This paper should be of near-publishable quality and will count as 30%. A student may choose to write the research paper on a topic presented in the seminar. In all the cases the following guidelines must be followed:

1. Paper topics must be approved by the professor no later than the second week.

2. Papers must be at least 15 pages double-spaced with thesis margins and footnotes.

Maximum point size: 11.

3. Papers must be copied prior to submission for grading. Turn in a photocopy.

4. Papers should include appropriate graphics. Pages with graphics do not count

as text pages and will increase the number of total pages beyond 15.

5. Papers must include a complete bibliography and discography.

It is strongly suggested that students begin work on the research paper immediately.

Grading:

15% = Class Presentations I

15% = Class Presentation II

30% = Research Paper

35% = Project Recording Master Creation

15% = Independent Recordings

Attendance: According to GSU academic policies, after 4 unexcused absences the professor reserves the right to drop a student from the course. Attendance and class participation is highly encouraged.

Laboratory Time: Specific lab time in CARA will be available to students in this course working both in pairs or small groups. Some of the projects assigned for this course will be "group" projects and some will be "pair" projects. Lab times will be assigned and scheduled throughout the quarter. Independent studio access will be provided only after the student has had a "check-out examination" by the professor.

Laboratory Assistants: There are two laboratory assistants in the Center for Audio

Recording Arts - John Peters (Graduate Student), Rashid Jackson (Staff) and Esteban Anastasio

(Graduate Student). These individuals will be available to you during assigned Lab hours to help with specific questions and facilitate your project development. These are capable individuals and each possesses thorough knowledge of the Center and its policies.

Security Issues: Only those individuals enrolled for credit in a course taught in the Center for Audio Recording Arts (CARA) will have access to the facility. Furthermore, depending on the course and the level of the students technical skills, as designated by the various courses, various aspects of the studio complex will be available for use. No keys for the facility will ever be issued to students.

Access Hours: Normal hours of operation for CARA are from 8:30AM to 5:00PM Monday through Friday which are the same as normal business hours for the School of Music. Because of important security and liability issues, access beyond these published hours is not normally available. Weekend access is usually reserved for SOM Faculty research, maintenance and special sessions.

Laboratory Fee: In keeping with policies in place elsewhere in the School of Music and in other academic departments there will be a Laboratory Fee in effect for each of the studio courses offered in the Center for Audio Recording Arts. This fee is necessary for studio maintenance costs and upgrades. The fee is $50.00.

To pay your fee go to the University Bookstore and purchase two (2) $25.00 Cash Cards. Bring these cash cards to Ms. Judith Vaughn in the 5th Floor of the Hass Howell Building for payment. She will give you a receipt for the transaction. Bring this receipt to me for the issue of an official CARA ID Badge. Studio access will be denied until you have been issued a CARA ID.

CARA ID BADGES: All persons working in the studio complex must carry with them their Student ID card and also a valid CARA ID BADGE. Please wear the CARA ID BADGE at all times while working in the studios. This is extremely helpful to the administration as an aid to identifying authorized persons quickly. Lost or destroyed badges will be replaced free of charge, but replacement will take at least one weed. Keep the receipt for your fee payment after presenting it for your badge.

Studio access will not be granted without a CARA ID BADGE. Please protect your badges and do not forget them when coming to the studio. GUEST CARA ID BADGES are available for loan from Dr. Thompson, if you want to bring a guest with you. Please get these badges in at least two days in advance and return them promptly.

Studio Issues: Comprehensive studio guidelines are being prepared. A few important points in the meantime:

1. No food or drink in the studio complex.

2. Do not bring backpacks, coats, umbrellas or the like to the studio - store these in a School of Music Locker. For locker assignment see the School of Music office.

3. Do not make excessive noise or behave disruptively in the studios. This is a professional working environment and other people are working.

4. Do not use excessive volume in any of the studios

5. Do not bring unauthorized guests into the studio complex at any time.