TECH 212 COURSE OUTLINE + SCHEDULE OF ASSIGNMENTS [in progress]

The schedule will be updated with homework and slides after every class.

I: INTRODUCTION, ETC

February

2/2 / The Recordable Event + How Microphones Work - recording, transduction, signal flow; dynamic, condenser and ribbon microphones; specifications and comparison

2/4 / Polar Patterns + Recording Becomes Composition - patterns, proximity effect and nulls; source-transformation exercise

HW: Recording Autobiography / Microphone Field Test - short recording emphasizing recording method + contrasting microphone practices.

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2/9 / Quiz 1 + Distance & Acoustics - distance, direct/reverberant ratio, critical distance, reflections, modes and comb filtering

2/11 / Loudspeakers, PA & Feedback - signal flow, gain structure, DIs, buses, loudspeaker placement; prevent and create controlled feedback

HW: Room / System Study - short room portrait + signal-flow map of a PA or electroacoustic system.

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2/16 / Stereo Recording - XY, ORTF/NOS, spaced pair, Blumlein, M/S; localization, phase and mono compatibility

2/18 / Where Is the Listener? - construct contrasting recording perspectives

HW: Perspective Study - record one source from two intentionally different perspectives.

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2/23 / Quiz 2 + Beyond Stereo - binaural, multichannel arrays, double M/S and distributed recording

2/25 / Listening & Movement - soundwalk; moving microphones/sources; binaural experiments

HW: Moving Listener - short recording structured around movement.

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March

3/2 / Preproduction & Session Organization - stage plots, input/patch lists, naming, backups and session planning

3/4 / Ensemble Preproduction - performers, aesthetic, layout, microphones, patching, headphones and roles

HW: Session Plan - stage plot, input/mic list, signal flow, equipment and session plan.

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3/9 / Ensemble Session - setup, patch, line check, headphones, soundcheck, takes and backup

3/11 / Creative Recording Workshop I - critical playback, diagnosis and selective rerecording

HW: Session Edit - organize, back up and edit selected takes with restrained processing.

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3/16 / Recording Places - portable systems, environmental noise, metadata, soundwalking and ethics

3/18 / Location Session - non-studio recording responding to site

HW: Studio / Location Case Study - compare recordings and diagnose key differences.

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🌱 Spring Break (3/20 - 3/28) 🌸

3/30 / Beyond Air - contact mics, hydrophones, electromagnetic induction and resonant objects

(4/1) / Transducer Safari - air, solid, water and electromagnetic recording

HW: Invisible Sound - 1-3 min work using a nontraditional transducer + documentation.

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April

4/6 / Quiz 3 + MIDI as Recording - capture notes, velocity, pedals, pitch bend and CC alongside audio

4/8 / Reperforming the Recording - manipulate MIDI performance data and realization independently

HW: Performance Without Sound - two different realizations of one recorded MIDI/control performance.

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4/13 / Recording Continuous Action - MIDI CC, OSC, sensors, controllers, automation; gesture-to-data mapping

4/15 / Creative Recording Workshop II: Mapping - remap one recorded gesture stream

HW: One Gesture, Three Instruments - three realizations from one recorded gesture + mapping diagram/reflection.

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4/20 / The Electroacoustic Performance System - live processing, MIDI/OSC, monitoring, latency, balance, redundancy and spatialization

4/22 / Performer <-> System - interactive improvising systems; performer/electronics feedback

HW: Electroacoustic Tech Rider - stage plot, I/O, monitoring, controller requirements, signal flow + failure plan.

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4/27 / Troubleshooting + Soundcheck - diagnose broken systems; prepare ensemble/electroacoustic performance

4/29 / Live Ensemble / Electroacoustic Performance - load-in, patch, monitoring, FOH, performance and multitrack capture

HW: Virtual Soundcheck / Documentation - organize multitrack and produce reconstructable technical/session documentation.

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MAy

5/4 / Mixer / PA as Instrument - automation, sends, spatialization, effects, re-amping, mic movement and feedback as performance

5/6 / Creative Recording Workshop III - return to Eno; final-project performance, critique and revision

HW: Final Project - Expanded Recording: 4-8 min work combining at least two forms of capture/representation + recording document.