Ell Digital Sound Home Page
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Winter Quarter 2024  
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what we will do

This course provides a foundation in the techniques of sound design, recording, production, and editing, for digital audio media. Students will understand the physics of sound, audio and audio editing terminology, and the digital processes used to transform sound. Students will both create and record sound files, and edit and produce a variety of multimedia audio elements using typical digital technology. Applicable uses include sound tracks for video/film, multimedia products for promotion and learning, musical entertainment products, web site enhancements, games, and virtual worlds.

Students will understand what makes a professional recording sound good, what to do if it sounds bad, and how to record sound correctly and eliminate noise, distortions and nasty room-effects.

Students will also create, or "design",sounds in software, apply processing effects such as EQ and compression, mix multi-track recordings, and produce audio products using current digital hardware and software.

Academic Integrity Policy. Academic integrity is the cornerstone of the university. Any student who attempts to gain unfair advantage over other students by violating the Academic Integrity Policy, may be reported to the university, and may receive serious sanctions.

 
 

 

No textbook is required. Web resource links are provided, along with weekly study/review questions. (An excellent text to accompany the course is: Modern Recording Techniques by David Miles and Robert E Runstein.)

Note that the weekly links below are likely to change or be updated, week to week. So please check the current links each week.

week 1 module 1
Captain's Dialog Assigned - Ocean Storm Dialog Edit 1
Actual ocean storm sound (included here only as an enlightening reference.)  

assigned web resource reading links (the same as found on the left menu and in Canvas)

Examples of well-recorded and mixed music to help you try out your headphones.

Powerpoint of Sound Physics Parts 1 and 2

week 2 module 2
Assignment 1 Spaces Dialog 24   
And notice the sound library links in the left menu, your source for doors, footfalls, etc.
Example sample of Assignment 1

Robert Goulet Tracks
Ella Fitzgerald Tracks

week 3 module 3
Assignment files to fix
1. Congas with fan noise
2. Choir with train noise 
3. Waitress #9 recording
4. Classical guitar with noises   
5. Rough ad AppApp dialog to edit

examples: clipping
examples: formants Female
examples: formants Male
example: OneTwoDecibelChanges -1+1-2+2+3 dB

tracks used for demonstration:
Drum Track,
Silent Sound With Latch

week 4 Module 4
Musical background pads
Web resource links
Demo moving the mic around
Demo close or far mic location
Room Reflection Examples
Examples of Clipping Distortion

week 5
qwerty keyboard recording with
  Studio One
Example of assigned screenshot
tracks for assignments # # #
Lullaby of Birdland Tracks #
Don't Sing Aloha Tracks
Cinimatic Trailer Loops #
Cinematic Mood Loops for Trailers #


week 6
Starwars sound effects
Foley artists video

week 7
Voiceover demos
Voiceover background music pads

Songs for tempo assignment -
  Feel a Whole Lot Better
  Sucker For You
  She Had Me At Heads
  kick drum 16 beats

week 8
Blues loops to use (with no key change)
Blank sound map in pdf, Excel
Example movie scene analysis

Meter examples
  4/4 Blues E   4/4 3/4 Waltz
  5/4 Ebm
  blues in minor key

Music theory quick notes

week 9 - 10
Assignment options to preview. Choose one song and then use FTP as directed in the module to download the tracks for that song.
Happy Blues Sample
Kings and Queens Sample
Milk Cow Blues Sample
Saudade Do Teu Beijo Sample

Mixing style examples:
Nashville Style Nora Jones Sunrise
Commercial Example Chase Bank
Urban pop mix examples

Tracks for story demo lecture
John Henry narration MP3 WAV
1850 Hits O Suzanna-Camptown

Assignment resources
1- You Can't Get Out MP3, WAV
1- You Can't Get Out script
1- You Can't Get Out extra voices
2- Potted Cactus script
3- Bedroom Canoe script
4- Rumplestiltskin script

Moody background music:
Moody classical music

MIDI files to paste into Presence
MIDI music building blocks

Blank soundmap PDF or Excel
Recording session log sheet

Music cookbook notes
Powerpoint MIDI notes
Recording a
software instrument in Studio one
Using the
qwerty keyboard in Studio One