SYLLABUS: FALL 2017

MUS 3103-001. AUDIO TECHNOLOGY I

9:00 AM 9:50 AM MON/WED/FRI (SECTION 1)
10:00 AM 10:50 AM MON/WED/FRI (SECTION 2)
ARTS BUILDING 3.01.30B!
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PROFESSOR/INSTRUCTOR:!!ANDREW!BERGMANN!!!
EMAIL:!ANDREW.BERGMANN@UTSA.EDU!(EMAIL!IS!THE!PREFERRED!METHOD!OF!COMMUNICATION.)!
OFFICE!LOCATION:!2.03.16!!
OFFICE!HOURS:!MON@FRI!12:00@1:00!PM!(IN!THE!TECH!LAB)!OR!BY!APPOINTMENT
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COURSE!DESCRIPTION!!
Audio!Technology!1!is!the!second!of!the!two!base!courses!in!UTSA's!Music!Technology!program.!The!
course!focuses!on!practical!techniques!for!the!creation!of!sound!recordings.!Students!will!gain!a!thorough!
working!understanding!of!recording!hardware!and!common!recording!signal!paths,!microphone!use!and!
placement,!sound!generation!via!MIDI!and/or!electronic!synthesis,!and,!in!the!DAW!environment!of!Pro!
Tools,!techniques!for!editing,!mixing,!and!mastering!digital!audio.!

The!collection!of!materials!for!the!final!project!will!occupy!most!of!the!semester.!Each!recording!
assignment!will!be!completed!using!a!different!type!of!microphone!(condenser,!dynamic,!ribbon,!etc)!and!
an!experimental!array!of!microphone!locations.!In!other!assignments,!material!will!be!generated!using!
the!Pro!Tools!MIDI!instruments!or!using!other!sampling!and!synthesis!methods.!All!of!this!content!will!be!
edited,!mixed,!and!mastered!together!in!Pro!Tools!to!form!a!completed!piece!of!music!that!is!also!the!final!
project!for!the!class.!!!

COURSE!GOALS!!
!Gain!an!understanding!of!each!principal!step!of!the!modern!sound!recording!production!process.!
Understand!the!relationship!of!digital!vs.!analog!audio.!

!Work!with!different!sorts!of!microphones!to!form!a!cohesive!overview!of!the!characteristics!of!the!main!
microphone!varieties.!

!Gain!a!basic!fluency!with!the!soundNediting!program!Pro!Tools,!including!its!MIDI!functionalities.!!

!Develop!the!ability!to!edit,!equalize,!mix,!and!master!sound!recordings.!

!Gain!fluency!with!certain!Pro!Tools!signal!processing!plugNins!that!allow!for!equalization,!compression,!
delay/reverb,!pitch!altering,!time!expansion/compression,!etc.!

!Produce,!over!the!course!of!the!whole!semester,!a!satisfying!piece!of!music.!

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COURSE!PREREQUISITES!!
None!!
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COURSE!TEXTBOOKS!AND!MATERIALS!!
There!is!no!core!text,!although!several!reading!assignments!will!be!given!from!The!Home!Studio!Guide!to!
Microphones!by!Loren!Alldrin.!!Certain!other!readings/links!will!be!posted/emailed!during!the!course.!
Students!are!encouraged!to!regularly!share!and!present!interesting!and!relevant!material.!
Students!should!employ!flash!drives,!hard!drives,!and!online!data!storage!to!save!their!data!in!as!many!
forms!as!possible.!Three!copies!of!all!files!should!be!viewed!as!the!minimum.!Lost!data!will!be!frowned!
upon.!

Students!should!bring!Headphones!to!every!class.!!

The!course!utilizes!UTSA's!Macintosh!computers!and!focuses!on!the!audio!production!program!Pro!Tools.!!

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Breakdown!of!Grade!Elements!
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Assignments) Explanation) Points)

Microphone! Three!Assignments! 18!

(recordings!and!writeN
Assignments!1N3!
ups),!5!points!each.!One!
presentation,!3!points!
each!

MIDI!Assignments!1! 7!points!each! 21!

and!2,!Sampling!
Assignment!

Mixing!Assignment!1! 6!points!each! 12!

and!2!

Quiz!1,!Quiz!2! 13!points!each! 26!

Final!Project! Presentation!6!points.!! 24!

Essay!6!Points.!!Final!
Recording!12!points.!

Total)Points) 101!(one!bonus!
point!possible)!

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Tentative!Course!Schedule!of!Assignments!and!Exams!
Week! Date! Topic! Readings/Assignments/Exams/Etc.!

1! 8.23,!8.25! 8.23!Course!Introduction.!Overview!of! Get:!Flash!Drive/Hard!Drive,!

Recording!and!Production.!Analog!vs.!Digital.! Headphones/Earbuds.!
File!Types.!Bit!Depths!and!Sample!Rates.!
Read!Alldrin!Chapter!1N2!Due!8.25!
8.25!Sound!and!Signals.!!

2! 8.28,!8.30,! Microphone!Characteristics.!Frequency! Work!on!Microphone!assignments!

9.1! Response,!Pickup!Patterns,!Specialty!Mics.!
Read!Alldrin!Chapter!3N5!Due!9.1!

3! 9.6,!9.8! 9.4!No!Class,!Labor!Day! 1st!Microphone!Assignment!Due!9.6!

9.6!1st!Microphone!Assignment!Student! Read!Alldrin!Chapter!6!Due!9.8!
Presentations!
!
9.8!Microphone!Selection!

4! 9.11,!9.13,! 9.11!Microphone!Placement! Read!Alldrin!Chapter!7N8!Due!9.11!

9.15!
9.13,!9.15!2nd!Microphone!Assignment!Student! 2nd!Microphone!Assignment!Due!
Presentations! 9.13!

5! 9.18,!9.20,! 2.6!Stereo!Miking! Read!Alldrin!Chapter!20N23!Due!

9.22! 9.18!!
9.20.!9.22!3rd!Microphone!Assignment!Student!
Presentations! 3rd!Microphone!Assignment!Due!
9.22!!

6! 9.25,!9.27,! 9.25!Review!For!Quiz!1! Study!for!Quiz!1!

9.29!
9.27!Quiz!1!(Microphones)!Begin!1st!MIDI! Work!on!1st!MIDI!assignment!
assignment!and!Pro!Tools.!Using!SMFs.!!

9.29!The!DAW.!!Editing!Audio!and!MIDI!on!Pro!
Tools.!Time/Tempo/Click/Grid!Organization!

7! 10.2,!10.4,! MIDI!editors!and!editing!techniques.! 1st!MIDI!assignment!due!10.6!

10.6! Quantization.!
Work!on!2nd!MIDI!assignment!
Listen!to!1st!MIDI!assignments.!Begin!2nd!MIDI!
assignment.!!

8! 10.9,!10.11,! Working!With!Elastic!Audio.!(Time!Stretching! Work!on!2nd!MIDI!assignment!

10.13! and!Pitch!Shifting.)!Mapping!and!Randomization!
functions.!!

Mixing,!Signal!Processing!Part!1!

Listen!to!2nd!MIDI!assignments.!Sampling,!
Synthesis.!Begin!Sampling!Assignment.!

9! 10.16,! Listen!to!2nd!MIDI!assignments.!! 2nd!MIDI!assignment!due!10.16!

10.18,!10.20!
Mixing,!Signal!Processing!Part!2.!Begin!Sampling! Work!on!Sampling!Assignments!

!
 Assignment.!! !

10# 10.23,! Mixing,!Signal!Processing!Part!3! Sampling!Assignment!Due!10.25!

10.25,!10.27!
Listen!to!Sampling!assignments.!Begin!Mixing! !
Assignments!

!!!!!!11! 10.30,!11.1,! Review!for!Quiz!2.! Work!on!Mixing!Assignments!

11.3!
11.3!Quiz!2!(Production!Techniques!and!the! Study!for!Quiz!2!
Digital!Signal!Chain)

12! 11.6,!11.8,! Mixing,!Signal!Processing!Part!4! !

11.10!
Work!on!Mixing!Assignments! !

Mixing!Assignment!1!Due!11.10!
Listen!to!Mixing!Assignment!1.!Begin!Mixing!
Assignment!2!

13! 11.13,! Finish!Mixing!Assignments.!Listen!to!Mixing! Mixing!Assignment!2!Due!11.17!

11.15,!11.17! Assignment!2.!
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14! 11.20,!11.22! Mastering.!Begin!Final!Project! Choose/Curate!materials!for!final!

Project!

15! 11.27,! Work!on!Final!Project.!Student!Presentations!of! Work!on!Final!Project!

11.29,!12.1! Final!Projects!

16! 12.4,!12.6! Student!Presentations!of!Final!Projects! Finish!Final!Projects!

Final!Project!(Recording!and!Essay)!
Due!12.13!(at!midnight)!

No!Final!Exam!!

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Class!Policies!
Three)absences)are)allowed)for)any)reason.)Each)subsequent)unexcused)absence)will)result)in)a)Five)point)
deduction)from)the)final)grade.!Excuses!(such!as!for!a!performance!conflict)!will!only!be!granted!before!class!
excepting!true!emergencies.!

Incidents!of!student!lateness!will!be!noted.!Three!late!classes!will!equal!one!absence.!!

If!you!are!caught!using!the!computer!during!class!for!anything!other!than!what!is!being!covered,!you!will!be!
marked!absent.!Excepting!emergencies,!using!phones!during!class!is!strongly!discouraged.!

Scholastic!dishonesty!includes,!but!is!not!limited!to,!cheating,!plagiarism,!collusion,!falsifying!academic!records,!
and!any!act!designed!to!give!unfair!advantage!to!the!student!(such!as,!but!not!limited!to,!submission!of!essentially!
the!same!written!assignment!for!two!courses!without!the!prior!permission!of!the!instructor,!providing!false!or!
misleading!information!in!an!effort!to!receive!a!postponement!or!an!extension!on!a!test,!quiz,!or!other!assignment),!
or!the!attempt!to!commit!such!an!act.!Any!examples!of!Scholastic!Dishonesty!will!be!confronted!appropriately.

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UTSA#SERVICES#AND#POLICIES###
COUNSELING!SERVICES!
Counseling!Services!provides!confidential,!professional!services!by!staff!psychologists,!social!workers,!counselors!
and!psychiatrists!to!help!meet!the!personal!and!developmental!needs!of!currently!enrolled!students.!Services!
include!individual!brief!therapy!for!personal!and!educational!concerns,!couples/relationship!counseling,!and!group!
therapy!on!topics!such!as!college!adaptation,!relationship!concerns,!sexual!orientation,!depression!and!anxiety.!
Counseling!Services!also!screens!for!possible!learning!disabilities!and!has!limited!psychiatric!services.!Visit!
Counseling!Services!at!http://utsa.edu/counsel/!or!call!(210)!458N4140!(Main!Campus)!or!(210)!458N2930!
(Downtown!Campus).!

STUDENT!CODE!OF!CONDUCT!AND!SCHOLASTIC!DISHONESTY!!
The!Student!Code!of!Conduct!is!Section!B!of!the!Appendices!in!the!Student!Information!Bulletin.!Scholastic!
Dishonesty!is!listed!in!the!Student!Code!of!Conduct!(Sec.!B!of!the!Appendices)!under!Sec.!203!
http://utsa.edu/infoguide/appendices/b.html#sd!!

STUDENTS!WITH!DISABILITIES!!
The!University!of!Texas!at!San!Antonio!in!compliance!with!the!Americans!with!Disabilities!Act!and!Section!504!of!the!
Rehabilitation!Act!provides!reasonable!accommodations!to!students!with!disabilities.!Any!student!with!a!disability!
who!is!requesting!an!accommodation!for!this!course!must!provide!the!instructor!with!official!documentation!in!the!form!
of!a!letter!from!Student!Disability!Services.!Only!those!students!who!have!officially!documented!a!need!for!an!
accommodation!will!have!their!request!honored.!Information!regarding!diagnostic!criteria!and!policies!for!obtaining!
disability@based!academic!accommodations!can!be!found!at!www.utsa.edu/disability!or!by!calling!Student!Disability!
Services!at!(210)!458@4157!(Main)!or!(210)!458@2945!(Downtown).!

SUPPLEMENTAL!INSTRUCTION!
Supplemental!Instruction!offers!studentNled!study!groups!using!collaborative!learning!for!historically!difficult!
classes.!Supported!courses!and!schedules!can!be!found!on!the!http://utsa.edu/trcss/si/.!You!can!call!the!SI!office!if!
you!have!questions!or!need!more!information!at!(210)!458N7251.!

TUTORING!SERVICES!
Toms!Rivera!Center!(TRC)!may!assist!in!building!study!skills!and!tutoring!in!course!content.!The!TRC!has!several!
locations!at!the!Main!Campus!and!Downtown!Campus.!For!more!information,!visit!this!link!
http://utsa.edu/trcss/tutoring/!or!call!(210)!458N4694!on!the!Main!Campus!and!(210)!458N2838!for!Downtown!
Campus.!

TRANSITORY/MINOR!MEDICAL!ISSUES!
In!situations!where!a!student!experiences!a!transitory/minor!medical!condition!(e.g.!broken!limb,!acute!illness,!
minor!surgery)!that!impacts!their!ability!to!attend!classes,!access!classes!or!perform!tasks!within!the!classroom!
over!a!limited!period!of!time,!the!student!should!refer!to!the!class!attendance!policy!in!their!syllabus.!!

COPYRIGHT!AND!FAIR!USE!!
For!more!information!on!copyright,!see!the!University!of!Texas!System!Office!of!General!Counsel!web!site.!A!printed!
copy!is!also!available!at!the!Reference,!Circulation!and!Multimedia!Center!service!desks!in!the!Library.!For!local!guidance,!
please!contact!the!UTSA!Library!at!210.458.7506!and!check!the!information!at!
http://lib.utsa.edu/About/Policies/copyright.html.!

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THE!ROADRUNNER!CREED!
The!University!of!Texas!at!San!Antonio!is!a!community!of!scholars,!where!integrity,!
excellence,!inclusiveness,!respect, collaboration,!and!innovation!are!fostered.!
As!a!Roadrunner,!I!will:!
Uphold!the!highest!standards!of!academic!and!personal!integrity!by!practicing!and!
expecting!fair!and!ethical!conduct;!
Respect!and!accept!individual!differences,!recognizing!the!inherent!dignity!of!each!person;!
Contribute!to!campus!life!and!the!larger!community!through!my!active!engagement;!and!
Support!the!fearless!exploration!of!dreams!and!ideas!in!the!advancement!of!ingenuity,!creativity,!and!
discovery.!
Guided!by!these!principles!now!and!forever,!I!am!a!Roadrunner!!

CHANGES!!
This!syllabus!is!provided!for!informational!purposes!regarding!anticipated!course!content!and!schedule!of!courses.!It!is!
based!upon!the!most!recent!information!available!on!the!date!of!its!issuance!and!is!as!accurate!and!complete!as!possible.!
I!reserve!the!right!to!make!any!changes!necessary!and/or!appropriate.!I!will!make!every!effort!to!communicate!any!
changes!in!a!timely!manner.!Students!are!responsible!for!the!awareness!of!these!changes.!!