COURSE# AN299: Special Topics: Audio Production
Location: Mac Lab 3 – Room 004
Instructor: Michael Shaw
Time: Monday and Wednesday 4:00PM – 6:30PM
Office Hours: Monday and Wednesday: 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM, Mac Lab 3
(Room 202)
Course Description:
Welcome to AN299! This course delves into the theory, study,
and utilization of sound for creative pursuits. We investigate the process and
mechanisms that allow artists from all backgrounds to conceptualize and create
dynamic soundscapes for a variety of content, including dialogue, music,
narrative, experimental audio tracks, podcasts and record-keeping, live
manipulation, as well as an extension of visual art pieces. This class is open to anyone regardless of
your experience with audio(the general term for "recorded sound waves"), and will teach
you how to acquire and operate digital and analog recording equipment. We will
use this equipment in a controlled studio environment as well as “in the
field” (outdoors) to create innovative
art!
Methods of Study – The Flow of Class is as follows:
Class Readings / Video Demonstrations:
Each topic will be introduced with readings
and/or video, either given in printed form, or from a link on the class blog.
Each new topic will explore a new way of thinking about sound.
In-class discussion and lessons:
Often we will reflect on the material in
class via group discussion. This is an opportunity to field questions and
prepare us for content creation. Often
we will consider creation strategies, for capturing and producing audio, then
innovate our own.
Interactive Demonstrations:
The meat of class learning focuses on a hands-on
approach to sound capture and audio development. Interactive demonstrations will serve as our
experiments, where we will learn about the nature of “quality” sound and audio.
We will also discuss the nature of audio recording software like Logic Pro,
Garage Band, and Adobe Premiere, to compile your audio in different ways and
give you a number of choices when producing your own content. We will
familiarize and re-familiarize ourselves with various audio production hardware
to build your confidence!
Projects:
Weekly projects will serve as the fruit of
your exploration! In this class,
projects are designed with this cycle of understanding in mind:
- Investigation (making lots of mistakes and figuring out how components work);
- Brainstorming (what can I do with all this stuff?),
- Creation (Hey look at this cool thing I made!)
- Reflection (I like this part. I don’t like that part.
Here’s why…)
- Revision (REMIX! How do I make it better? How do I just make it differently?)
- REPEAT
Sound is its own vast and epic study, where
one can spend a lifetime learning new concepts. (Just like everything else?
Hmm.) To set you off on that journey in
the best way, you are encouraged to apply the methods you learn in this class
to create content that inspires you personally and clearly communicates
your intentions. For this class,
listening is incredibly important so remember to bring a pair of good
headphones to class for you to use, and be sure to have projects ready to listen
to BEFORE class starts. Sound files can
get HUGE, and you will be skipped if we need to listen to something and cannot
because you are re-exporting content.
Sometimes, you will take copies of other
classmate’s work home so you can listen to everyone else’s work and give feedback!
In-Class projects will be
shorter assignments tied to demonstrations. These are projects that will help
you understand and implement new concepts.
Often they will be due by the end of the following class.
Large-scale projects will be the longer assignments that work
towards building a body of work you will turn in at the end of the semester.
More on this below!
Fields of Study
Include:
----------------------------------------
1. Equipment Operation: Microphones,
Cables, Wind Screens, Recording Devices, Sound Libraries, Virtual Synthesizers,
mixing boards, and more!
2. Building Sound Libraries: Digital
Content Creation and Exporting practices for the web, CDs, DVDs, BluRay disks,
and the like.
3. Sound Waves, Synthesizers and History: The invention of new sounds since the mid 60s and understanding
how sound waves work.
4. The Science of Music: Basic
melodies, basic chord progression, basic pitch, and more!
5. Dialogue: An analysis
of the voice and its impact on sound production.
6. Soundscapes: Layering
audio to create a deep, enriching experience for video.
7. Foley: Creating audio from scratch that
adds believability and an extra layer of immersion to a visual production!
8. Copyright Laws (SUPER IMPORTANT IN THE WORLD OF MUSIC AND
YOUTUBE) The ground between musical rights, the
tradition of sampling, and how to keep yourself and your artwork properly
protected when uploading content online.
9. Personal Development! Later on this semester, we will spend a
month producing a professional audio
project of your choosing!
DEPARTMENTAL OUTCOMES:
Students will demonstrate
the capability to organize and present concepts verbally.
Students will demonstrate
the capability to organize and present concepts audibly.
Students will produce
evidence of an understanding of the methods of audio production.
Students will be able to
coherently communicate the content of their audio production.
Students will demonstrate
the time management skills necessary to complete the entire sound design and
compositing process.
Students will demonstrate
the capability to effectively publish their art via the web, and integrate it
into their current body of work.
PROFESSIONAL OUTCOMES:
Students will demonstrate
the ability to write an artist statement.
Students will demonstrate
the ability to document their work.
Students will demonstrate
basic computer/software literacy applicable to their field.
Students will demonstrate
the ability to give a public presentation about their work.
Students will demonstrate
the ability to research to stay current in their field.
Students will demonstrate
basic knowledge of communication etiquette in their field.
Students
will demonstrate the ability to work collaboratively.
-------Assignments
and Requirements ------
You are
required to attend class everyday, on time. We will start class @ 4:00 PM
every day, unless otherwise noted. The first 7 minutes of class will be
for students to load projects and assemble assignments for the day. Any student
in the door after 4:07 will be considered tardy. As written the Student
Handbook, students who miss 6 days of class (three weeks of course instruction)
will fail the course. Three Tardies = 1 Absence. This will be strictly
enforced. Prior to this event, any student that must miss a day needs to notify
me ahead of time, long before the start of class. Anyone who wonders into
class at least 30 minutes after class begins will be considered absent for the
rest of the day. 4 absences (two weeks worth of absences) result in a loss of
one letter grade.
------- IN THE EVENT THAT YOU ARE ABSENT
--------
If you are absent, you must catch up on
assignments via consulting other students first, and myself via email second. I
reserve the right to notify students ahead of time for any day that MUST NOT BE
MISSED due to course content be it finals, assessments, midterms, or other
coursework. It is YOUR responsibility to
stay caught up in class during the semester.
----Turning in
Assignments -----
Each Assignment will be due on a scheduled date, given at the
beginning of the assignment. Part of your grade depends on turning each
of your assignments in on time at designated checkpoints. As long as you are meeting current deadlines,
all assignments can be turned in for final review at the end of the semester. Any missed checkpoints during the semester
will factor into your final grade for that project/assignment.
Supplies:
1)
Sketchbook and Notebook
for taking notes.
a.
You will want to keep track of your notes and ideas. For audio
production, this is helpful for keeping track of sound patterns you pick up as
you learn more about your content.
2)
External Hard Drive:
a.
Can purchase online and use with other classes. YOU WILL
ABSOLUTELY NEED ONE FOR THIS CLASS IF YOU DO NOT HAVE ONE ALREADY. Sound files
get BIG. You will need it to properly save chronicle, and catalogue your content
for recordings. (Proper organization is paramount in 3-D asset creation.) The Computers primarily use USB 3.0
connections. The hard drives listed below are examples, compatible with Mac and
PC, but require formatting to go cross-platform. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A DRIVE THAT CAN WORK WITH MAC OS FILE SYSTEMS. If
you need to format a drive to work with both windows and Mac-related content, I
can show you how to do this.
3) A
mandatory $100 Departmental Deposit to
check out audio equipment. You have until the end of the third week of class to
pay for this, as you will want to have access to audio equipment for all
projects. This is to help us cover
equipment that may accidentally break during the semester. Pay the business
office, and then bring me the receipt. This single deposit counts for multiple
classes within the department. If you have already paid this deposit for
another class, it carries over to this one and you’re all set! Once the
semester is over, you are free to request the deposit back if you choose.
GRADING:
Each assignment will be awarded a grade based on the following
rubric. Plus(+) and minus(-) will denote
more or less intricate mastery of objectives. Students will be allowed to
turn in higher-quality versions of their projects at midterm for a higher grade
as long at the original project was turned in at specific checkpoints.
Group assignments will be graded on individual achievement, and
group achievement. Both grades count 50% of any group assignment.
A - Excellent. Assignment objectives are completed above and beyond the
course requirements to great effort and great success. Technical and
conceptual skills are on display in a masterfully coherent manner with clean
craftsmanship.
B - Proficient. The assignment completed
demonstrates most mastery of the skills presented, and objectives are completed
beyond course goals. Much effort, and a clear and concise direction shines
through the final result. There are still a few issues that can be pushed
further.
C - Competent. The assignment completed
demonstrates relative mastery of the skills presented, and objectives are
completed to average sufficiency. Assignments are successful, and
craftsmanship and technical skills are on display -- All are completed at an
average level.
D - Deficient. The assignments completed are missing demonstrations of the
skills presented, and/or required objectives have yet to be completed. There
are conceptual and technical flaws and hurdles that have not been overcome.
F - Failure. The majority of the project
is either not completed, and/or objectives for assignment are not met.
Final Grades will be based on a comprehensive average of all of
your projects, as well as midterm and final milestones for portfolio upkeep.
ON MISSING PROJECTS
AND DELETED SAVES: Always BACK UP YOUR
FILES IN THREE SEPARATE PLACES.
In the event that you lose your projects, remember that I can not
grade what does not exist! You are
solely responsible for the security of your files. Your files are not 100%
secure on the server or computer. You should have multiple copies on multiple
sources at all times. Utilize Google drive, external hard drives, cloud storage
solutions like Dropbox, our school server and other uses!
TO PREVENT A LOSS OF
DATA WHEN IN CLASS:
Stay organized when saving your projects. Keep your class
information in a giant folder, and be sure to back up your projects after class
each day. Work from the Documents folder on the computer’s hard drive. DO NOT rely on SMALL FLASH DRIVES UNDER
4GB, or the School Desktop for saving your art. Remember that you can
always back up your artwork to the school server.
Copyright
LEARNING ACCOMMODATIONS:
In compliance with MCA policy and equal access laws, I am
available to discuss appropriate academic accommodations that you may require
as a student with a disability. Request for academic accommodations need to be
made during the first week of the semester, except for unusual circumstances,
so arrangements can be made. (more below under TITLE IX POLICIES)
HEALTH and SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
As more and more work, education and recreation involves
computers, everyone needs to be aware of the hazard of Repetitive Strain Injury
to the hands and arms resulting from the use of computer keyboards and
mice. This can be a serious and very painful condition that is far easier
to prevent that cure once contracted, and can occur even in young physically
fit individuals.
Paul Marxhausen - visit his site below.
http://eeshop.unl.edu/rsi.html
http://www.mydailyyoga.com/yoga/rsi.html
DEPARTMENT AND LAB POLICIES:
1. Immediately submit an online
tech request to report any
problems with a lab computer or printer.
2. Main MCA computing info site = mca.edu/labs -- go here for
answers to frequently asked questions and online tutorials for MCA specific
technologies.
3. Food and Drinks must be kept closed and in designated areas
(table against wall, or similar area away from computers) to prevent spillage.
4. Keep the Lab Clean. Dispose of all trash -- Paper scraps, old
media etc. Dispose of food in the receptacles in the SLEAZE and SLIME to
prevent ants.
5. Leave your workstation in an orderly fashion. All materials
left on the desktop will be deleted periodically to conserve virtual memory.
Organize files within the documents folder on your account. Delete your trash
from your desktop and trash bin.
6. Back up work to an external source. Remember files are only
safe if they exist in 3 separate locations. MCA servers are not to be
considered secure and used only for temporary storage.
7. Log Out of your workstation prior to your departure. Upon your
departure, the chair should be pushed in. Your monitor, keyboard and mouse
should be placed in their proper positions.
OSHA MANDATE:
Memphis College of Art students and faculty are required to follow
the standards detailed in the "OSHA” Materials guidelines.
TITLE IX POLICIES:
Accommodations for
Students with Disabilities
Students with a special learning need are encouraged to let their
instructor know at the beginning of the course. Reasonable accommodations (such
as extended time for exams, readers, scribes, and interpreters) are provided on
an individual basis as determined by documented need. It is the student’s
responsibility to provide authorized documentation to Student Affairs or
Achievement Center Support Staff as early in the semester as possible.
Course Content and
Title IX Reporting
All faculty and staff at Memphis College of Art are designated
“responsible employees” and required to report any information regarding sexual
harassment, sexual or domestic abuse, or sexual or domestic violence to the
Title IX Coordinator. Students should be aware that information disclosed to
faculty (whether through assignments or as a personal disclosure) that indicate
experiencing sexual harassment, abuse, or violence while a student at Memphis
College of Art requires that your instructor disclose this information to the
Title IX Coordinator to ensure students’ safety and welfare are addressed. The
Title IX Coordinator will contact you and/or those involved about
accommodations, remedies, and resources available at Memphis College of Art.
More information about Title IX policies and procedures can be found on the Title IX
webpage at mca.edu.
