A325
Advanced Digital Workstations

aka "make the band sound like they can play"
Spring 2014

Instructor: Michael Stucker
Email: mstucker@indiana.edu
Office: M257A (inside M257)
Office Phone: 856-4987
Office Hours: Mon and Fri 1:30-2:15

Lecture/discussion meeting times: Monday and Friday 2:30-4:30
Lecture/discussion meeting room: Simon Building M354
Class Section number: 20626

This Syllabus may be updated throughout the semester.
For updates check in at the course web page: http://www.wolfgangmichaelsound.com/JSOM/A325/A325_Syllabus.html

Required Text: Pro Tools Manual Set, available on the M354 computer as a PDF or purchase as a hardcopy text.

Final Grades will be figured as follows:
Exercises (7 total)
Projects (5 total including Final)
Practical Tests (3 total)
Attendance and Participation
20%
40%
30%
10%

Grading: At the beginning of the semester each student will create a folder inside the A325 folder on the Pro Tools drive in 354 labeled with their first and last name. Each session must be saved inside this folder. These sessions must be named as "Exercise..." or “Project…”. Retain the original session name as the exercise name, then add your first and last name (for example " Exercise1_MStucker"). Sessions not labeled properly will not be graded until the labeling is corrected. These will then be counted as late. Your session will be graded exactly as it open on the computer in M354. If there are files that the session cannot find, the session will not be graded until fixed, it will then be late. Make sure to open your session after it has been saved. Late projects will lose a letter grade (10 points) per week that they are late. All exercises and projects must be saved as described above for credit.
Exercises will be given full credit if they are turned in on time and saved in the correct location.
Projects will be graded based on the audio quality of the mixes and editing as well as the general success of the edits/project requirements. Project and Exercise grades with comments will be available through the Oncourse grade book.
There will be no final exam for this course. All assignments must be turned in to receive a passing grade for the course.

Course Structure:
The objective of this course is to build students skillset in modern musical editing. The majority of the information for these skills will be delivered to the student through interactive (tutorial type) exercises and example videos. Class time will be used for group work utilizing those skills with discussions of musical and ethical results. Class time will also be used for 3 timed practical tests and one-on-one mentoring time with the instructor.

Exercises: Exercises will be used to guide students through operating certain parts or functions of Pro Tools. They will be "step by step" tutorial type assignments.
 

Exercise 1: Rulers and Tempo
Exercise 2: Editing and Looping
Exercise 3: Manual Editing

Exercise 4: Beat Detective
Exercise 5: Elastic Audio
Exercise 6: Vocal Comping and Tuning
Exercise 7: Drum Replacement

Projects: Projects will give students the opportunity to use their newly acquired skills in real-world situations using existing sessions.
 

Project 1: Give Me Strength- Build song from "bits" given as individual files.
Project 2: Rhythmic Editing on Final Project
Project 3: Vocal Comping and Tuning on Final Project
Project 4: Mixing on final Project
Final Project:- Use Beat Detective and manual methods to edit Drums and bass to "lock". Create Vocal "comp" using Auto-tune and editing.

 

A325 Schedule Spring 2014

Week

Date

Class description

Assignment and Reading due

1
Jan 13 Course overview, tempo and rulers, Creating and using Tempo Maps  
Jan 17 No Class (new student interviews) watch video #1
2
Jan 20 No Class (MLK) watch video #2
Jan 24 shortcut keys and keyboard focus, rex files, looping, region groups,,Tick vs. Sample based tracks, TCE editing Read chapters 3, 25-29, and 35-38
Exercise 1: Rulers and Tempo Due
3
Jan 27 Individual time with students: Project #1 project #1 ready to play for instructor
Exercise 2: Editing and Looping Due
Jan 31

Individual time with students: Project #1

project #1 ready to play for instructor
4
Feb 3 Basic Editing Practical Test  
Feb 7 No Class (new student interviews)  
Rhythmic Editing
5
Feb 10 When to edit, Manual editing watch video #3
Project 1: Give Me Strength
Due
Feb 14 More Manual editing watch video #4
Exercise 3: Manual Editing
6
Feb 17 Beat Detective

Read chapter 30
Exercise 4: Beat Detective
Due

Feb 21 Beat Detective/ Elastic Audio

Read chapters 40-41
watch video #5

7
Feb 24 Elastic Audio Exercise 5: Elastic Audio Due
Feb 28 Individual time with students: Project 2 (rhythmic editing) project #2 ready to play for instructor
8
Mar 3 Individual time with students: Project 2 (rhythmic editing) project #2 ready to play for instructor
Mar 7 Review Rhythmic Editing  
9
Mar 10 No Class (new student interviews)  
Mar 14 Rhythmic Editing Practical Test  
10
SPRING BREAK
Vocal Comping and Mixing
11
Mar 24 Review Rhythmic Editing, play Project 2 watch video #5
Project 2: Rhythmic Editing on Final Project Due
Mar 28 Vocal Comping and editing Exercise 6: Vocal Comping and Tuning Due
12
Mar 31 Choosing Vocal takes, class creates comp map  
Apr 4 Autotune Read Autotune manual pgs 1-62
13
Apr 7 Autotune  
Apr 11 Individual time with students: Project 3 (comp and tune) project #3 ready to play for instructor
14
Apr 14 Individual time with students: Project 3 (comp and tune) project #3 ready to play for instructor
watch video #7
Apr 18 Mixing, drum replacement Exercise 7: Drum Replacement
15
Apr 21 Mixing, drum replacement Project 3: Vocal Comping and Tuning on Final Project Due

Apr 25 Comp and Tune Practical Test  
16
Apr 28 Individual time with students by appointment: Project 4 (mixing)  
May 2 Play Final projects Project 4: Mixing on final Project Due
All assignments must be turned in no later than 12:00 noon (EST) on Friday May 2 to receive credit.