Introduction to Audio Recording
Overview
- A brief history of audio recording
- Analog and digital audio concepts
- Audio parameters: frequency, amplitude, phase
- The signal chain
- Mixing environments: headphones, amplifiers, speakers and acoustic treatment
- Recording techniques: microphone types, choice, configuration and position, recording environments
- Working with consoles: signal flow and routing
- Editing and manipulating digital audio: clip gain, editing, automation
- Signal processing: compression, EQ, time-frequency domain effects, harmonic distortion
- MIDI functionality: time bases, sample replacement and sequencing
- Mixing techniques: gain structure, compression, frequency balance and reverb
- Working with visual media in a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation)
Lecture/demonstrations and hands-on lab and studio work.
Assessment will be based on course objectives and will be carried out in accordance with the Douglas College Evaluation Policy. An example evaluation scheme is provided below.
| Listening Exercises (minimum of 4): | 20% |
| Project 1: Recording a voice | 15% |
| Project 2: Mixing a multitrack project | 20% |
| Project 3: Creating and synchronizing dialogue replacement, sound effects and backgrounds for a video short | 25% |
| Midterm Exam | 10% |
| Final Exam | 10% |
| Total | 100% |
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- Explain basic analog and digital audio theory;
- Identify changes to audio parameters by ear;
- Capture a clean audio signal from microphones and other electronic sources;
- Critically assess recording and monitoring environments;
- Critically appraise recordings and suggest problems and remedies;
- Edit and manipulate digital audio using Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) software;
- Exploit MIDI functionality in a DAW as appropriate;
- Mix a multi-track audio project;
- Edit to visual media in a DAW;
- Critically distinguish common audio codecs and file formats used in multimedia and audio industries;
- Route signals through an audio console.
No texts or materials are required. All required hardware and software for the completion of assignments and projects is available on campus. Students may wish to purchase software licences enabling them to work on assignments off campus. A complete list of recommended software will be available at the first class session.
Requisites
Course Guidelines
Course Guidelines for previous years are viewable by selecting the version desired. If you took this course and do not see a listing for the starting semester / year of the course, consider the previous version as the applicable version.
Course Transfers
These are for current course guidelines only. For a full list of archived courses please see https://www.bctransferguide.ca
| Institution | Transfer details for MUSC 1282 |
|---|---|
| Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) | KPU MUSI 1XXX (3) |
| Simon Fraser University (SFU) | SFU GE 1XX (3) |
| Trinity Western University (TWU) | TWU MUSI 341 (3) |
| University of British Columbia - Okanagan (UBCO) | No credit |
| University of British Columbia - Vancouver (UBCV) | No credit |
| University of Northern BC (UNBC) | No credit |
| University of Victoria (UVIC) | UVIC MUS 306 (1.5) |
| Vancouver Island University (VIU) | Individual Audition Required. |
Course Offerings
Winter 2025
| CRN | Days | Instructor | Status | More details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
CRN
13228
|
Mon Wed | Instructor last name
Topp
Instructor first name
Brian
|
Course status
Open
|
Registration in this course will result in a 'time conflict' error - please disregard.