RTVF 3210 Audio Production
University of North Texas
Spring 2016
Monday & Wednesday12noon-12:50pm RTFP 184
Professor: Brenda JaskulskeRTFP 229
Office Hrs:Tuesdays 9-12noon; Wednesdays 9:30-11:30am
And by appointment
E-mail:
Phone:940.565.2537 (Media Arts office)
Textbook: Sauls, Samuel J. et. al.Audio Production Worktext. Boston: Focal Press, 7th Edition. 2013.
Course Description
This course provides students with a survey of audio production concepts and techniques using audio laboratory studio equipment. Areas covered include basic non-linear audio recording and editing, digital delivery techniques, audio equipment, radio programming and production, and audio for digital cinema.
Course Learning Goals/Objectives
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Produce quality Internet and broadcast airworthy audio content
- Operate audio equipment and software for recording and editing
- Discuss programming strategy, production and distribution
- Identify audio equipment necessary to complete a given project
- Understand the film sound process and the impact of sound for film
- Describe the process used to get an idea distributed via multiple media platforms
- Discuss the legal and ethical issues of audio production
Course Content
Reading assignments.
You will be expected to read the assigned materials prior to coming to class.
Tests.There will be threemajor tests and numerous pop quizzes.Should you arrive late to an exam, you will be permitted to take it only if no one has turned in a completed test. If you miss the exam, contact the instructor via email within 24 hours of the original exam time. Upon return, you must provide a bona fide doctor’s excuse stating that you had an urgent care situation- regularly scheduled appointments do not qualify for an excused absence, or a documented family emergency. Test materials include readings, handouts, and class discussions.
Pop Quizzes.If you are late for class and a pop quiz isin progressor has
already been given, your grade for that pop quiz will be zero. Also, there areno
make-up provisions for pop quizzes, you must attend class to take a
pop quiz.
Audio Projects. A large part of this course willinvolve working on assigned
projectsoutside of class.Projects will be graded on their individual merits, but
before they canbe accepted for grading, they must meetcertain production
format standards. No late projects will be accepted.
Grading
Your final letter grade in this course will be based upon the following formula:
Test 110
Test 210
Test 310
Project 110
Project 215
Project 320
Project 410
Proficiency Exam 5
Pop Quiz Avg10
100
Grade Calculation Table
ELEMENTS / POINTS1stTest
2ndTest
1st Project
2nd Project
3rd Project
4th Project
Pop Quiz Ave
Proficiency Exam
3rd Test
Sub-Total
- or + Absence pts
Total Points:
Pop Quiz/Assignments Grades
(TOTAL OF POP QUIZ SCORES DIVIDED BY 10 = AVG. OF POP QUIZZES)
1 ____ 2 ____ 3 ____ 4 ____ 5 ____ 6 ____ 7 ____ 8 ____ 9 ____ 10 ____
Attendance
Your attendance is expected for each and every class period and lab meetings. ATTENDANCE WILL BE REWARDED AND/OR PENALIZED AS OUTLINED BELOW:
AbsencesExtra Points* Deduct Points*
0 2
1 1
2 00
3 1
4 2
and so on... and so on...
(*points are added to or deducted from the final grade total)
Attendance in class means arriving on time and being in class for the entire period. Excused absences will be allowed only with a bona fide doctor's excuse. Any questions concerning this policy should be directed to me.
ACADEMIC DISHONESTY
Includes, but is not limited to cheating and plagiarism. Please refer to the University of North Texas Undergraduate Catalog detailing matters of academic dishonesty. Students must do their own work. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO MANIPULATE OR ALTER SOMEONE ELSE’S AUDIO FILES OTHER THAN YOUR OWN! COPYING, PASTING, AND/OR CLAIMING SOMEONE ELSE’S WORK AS YOUR OWN WILL LEAD TO DISCIPLINARY ACTION AND POSSIBLE EXPULSION FROM THE DEPARTMENT.
Acceptable Student Behavior
Student behavior that interferes with an instructor’s ability to conduct a class or other students' opportunity to learn is unacceptable and disruptive and will not be tolerated in any instructional forum at UNT. Students engaging in unacceptable behavior will be directed to leave the classroom and the instructor may refer the student to the Dean of Students to consider whether the student's conduct violated the Code of Student Conduct. The university's expectations for student conduct apply to all instructional forums, including university and electronic classroom, labs, discussion groups, field trips,etc. The Code of Student Conduct can be found at
Access to Information – EAGLE CONNECT
Through the use of email, UNT is able to provide students with relevant and timely information, designed to facilitate student success. In particular, important information concerning registration, financial aid, payment of bills, and graduation may be sent to students through email. Check your email frequently.
Your access point for business and academic services at UNT occurs within the my.unt.edu site All official communication from the university will be delivered to your Eagle Connect account. For more information, please visit the website that explains Eagle Connect and how to forward your email:
ADA Statement
The University of North Texas makes reasonable academic accommodation for students with disabilities. Students seeking accommodation must first register with the Office of Disability Accommodation (ODA) to verify their eligibility. If a disability is verified, the ODA will provide you with an accommodation letter to be delivered to faculty to begin a private discussion regarding your specific needs in a course. You may request accommodations at any time, however, ODA notices of accommodation should be provided as early as possible in the semester to avoid any delay in implementation. Note that students must obtain a new letter of accommodation for every semester and must meet with each faculty member prior to implementation in each class.
Students are strongly encouraged to deliver letters of accommodation during faculty office hours or by appointment. Faculty members have the authority to ask students to discuss such letters during their designated office hours to protect the privacy of the student. For additional information see the Office of Disability Accommodation website at You may also contact them by phone at940.565.4323.
Emergency Notification & Procedures
UNT uses a system called Eagle Alert to quickly notify you with critical information in the event of an emergency (i.e., severe weather, campus closing, and health and public safety emergencies like chemical spills, fires, or violence). The system sends voice messages (and text messages upon permission) to the phones of all active faculty staff, and students. Please make certain to update your phone numbers at Some helpful emergency preparedness actions include: 1) know the evacuation routes and severe weather shelter areas in the buildings where your classes are held, 2) determine how you will contact family and friends if phones are temporarily unavailable, and 3) identify where you will go if you need to evacuate the Denton area suddenly. In the event of a university closure, please refer to Blackboard for contingency plans for covering course materials.
Retention of Student Records
Student records pertaining to this course are maintained in a secure location by the instructor of record. All records such as exams, answer sheets (with keys), and written papers submitted during the duration of the course are kept for at least one calendar year after course completion. Coursework completed via the Blackboard on-line system, including grading information and comments, is also stored in a safe electronic environment. You have a right to view your individual record; however, information about your records will not be divulged to other individuals without the proper written consent. You are encouraged to review the Public Information Policy and F.E.R.P.A. (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) laws and the university’s policy in accordance with those mandates at the following link:
Personal Mobile Device Use
The Department of Media Arts prohibits the use of personal mobile devices during class, unless otherwise allowed by the individual Instructor. If no exceptions are contained in a course syllabus, then the department policy remains in effect until changed by the Instructor.
Personal mobile devices are defined as anything and everything from cell phones to smart phones to personal handheld computers.
All devices should be turned off before entering the classroom or laboratory area. Portable Laptop Computers may be used in the classroom if the student sits on the back rows.
Any student using a personal mobile device during class will have 5% deducted from their overall course grade for EACH occurrence.
Student Perceptions of Teaching (SPOT)
Student feedback is important and an essential part of participation of this course. The Student Perceptions of Teaching (SPOT) is a requirement for all organized classes at UNT. This short survey will be made available at the end of the semester to provide you with an opportunity to evaluate how this course is taught.
Please note that notification is hereby made in this syllabus that this course may involve potentially hazardous activities, the nature of which include working with exposure to electronically powered equipment. Accordingly, the Department of Media Arts has slated this course within category 2 (courses in which students are exposed to some significant hazards but are not likely to suffer serious bodily harm).
AUDIO PROJECTS
Specific instructions for the four projects are included in this syllabus and will also be discussed in class. It is highly recommended you back up your work frequently on a flash drive.
Projects not meeting production format standards will be returned to you
without a grade, and you will receive a half of a grade deduction upon being
resubmitted.
All projects are to be submitted on their due date AT THE BEGINNING OF CLASS. There are no late projects. If a project is not submitted by the due date, the grade for that project will be ZERO. NO EXCEPTIONS.
If you receive less than a passing grade on any of the first twoprojects (lower than 7), you may make the changes suggested to you on your evaluation sheet and resubmit them for further evaluation. If you choose to take this option, you must resubmit the project within one week from the time it is handed back to you.
The highest grade that will be awarded for a resubmitted project will be a grade of 7. Resubmission is not allowed for Projects 3 and 4. No exceptions.
NOTES FOR YOUR AUDIO PROJECTS
Specific instructions for the four projectswill be distributed in class.
Timed projects must be within ± two (:02) seconds of the length required for that project (e.g., a thirty second music bed must be no less than :28 and no more than :32; a sixty second production must be no less than :58 and no more than :62).
Pay particular attention to instructions given in class concerning file labeling of projects. You will need to label and turn in files AS INSTRUCTED.
FAILURE TO SUBMIT PROJECTS THAT MEET ALL REQUIREMENTS ABOVE WILL RESULT IN THE PROJECT BEING RETURNED TO YOU WITHOUT A GRADE, AND AN AUTOMATIC HALF A GRADE DEDUCTION UPON RESUBMISSION.
THERE WILL BE NOEXCEPTIONS!
RTVF 3210.001 Audio Production
Project 1
BC POWDER SPOT MIX
Produce one (1) commercial from the audio provided. The spot may be either 30 or 60-seconds in length (no shorter than :29 or :59). Your commercial must contain at least three musical elements, one of which must be dubbed into the project and also one appropriate sound effect also dubbed into the project. This multi-track project must be mixed down into a .wav file and submitted as instructed by the start of class on the due date.
You will be expected to maintain proper and consistent levels throughout the project, as well as design an effective flow from element to element.
The project should be labeled as follows:
3210Proj1_Last Name_First Name.wav
For your information, the music cuts and artists match up as follows.
Alibi—Tracy Lawrence
It Sure is Monday—Mark Chestnutt
Beer & Bones—Chris Ledoux
Cadillac Ranch—Chris Ledoux
The Race is On—Sawyer Brown
The project raw audio is in Soundminer. Search for “BC Powder.”
RTVF 3210.001 Audio Production
Project 2
On-Air Combo/ Music Editing
Project #2 is divided into two parts, consisting of an “on-air” Combo and Music Editing. Both parts are to be submitted at the same time in as instructed.
On-Air Combo
Record a simulated “on-air” combo operation. Since you are simulating a “live” operation, this will be recorded using only one stereo track. Use the following format:
1. Play a song from the beginning and do a talk-over intro;
2. As the 1st song ends, start the 2nd song and do another talk-over intro;
3. After the 2nd song ends, read a weather forecast, then play a commercial*.
4. After the commercial, play a 3rd song and talk over the intro.
5. Save the session, and then mix down the .wav file.
5. Label the project 3210Proj2combo_Last Name_First Name.wav and submit
as instructed by the start of class on the due date.
6. You must also submit your .sesx file, labeled the same way, with .sesx.
*Play the spot commercial from the CD that matches the last number of your student ID number. For example, ID# 12345678 would play track #8.
Music Editing
Record, rip, or import a piece of contemporary music of your choice and import into Adobe Audition. Then, edit the song to a definite length with a :30 interval up to 2 minutes long. For example, the final total length must be :30, 1:00, 1:30 or 2:00
Your goal is to edit the piece to a specific length where a listener CANNOT determine where the edit occurred.
You may NOT use music from the production library. You MUST use actual pre-recorded “popular” music. Save both the original and the edited version and submit both as directed. This part of the project should be labeled
3210Proj2editmx_Last Name_First Name.wav
3210Proj2rawmx_Last Name_First Name.wav
RTVF 3210.001 Audio Production
Project 3
Podcast
Produce one original podcast using your voice(s), music and sound effect(s).
The podcast may be on a topic of your choice, but must have a clear focus or theme, be clearly organized, of interest to a general audience and be conversational. You may include one or more other voices in your podcast, but you must be the dominant voice. The podcast should run not less than 3 minutes and not more than 4 minutes with both an open and close. The open should include the show name, introduction of the topic, name of the host, and music that starts cold, the close should include the name of the show and host, promo the next show, and utilize music that ends cold. In addition, at the start of the show, you should explain why your topic is important.
This multi-track project must be mixed down into an .mP3 file and submitted as instructed by the start of class on the due date. You will also submit a typed, double-spaced one-page podcast plan and a page of show notes. The content of the written portion of the project will be explained in lab.
Project 3 should be labeled:
3210Proj3_Pod_Last Name_First Name.mP3
You will be expected to maintain proper and consistent levels throughout the project, as well as design an effective flow. Your podcast should be interesting, and free of obscenity and defamation.
RTVF 3210.001 Audio Production
Project #4
Video Spot Mix
This project requires you to re-mix the sound of a Video. Your job is to rearrange the files in their correct order, so that they are in synch with the picture. Make sure that the audio starts at the beginning of the timeline. Turn in the audio portion of the project as instructed. You will also be required to also turn in your session file. Files should be labeled appropriately:
3210Proj4_Last Name_First Name.avi
3210Proj4_Last Name_First Name.sesx
You will also turn in this completed sheet to your instructor.
Please list the files in their correct order, starting with the “synch-pop”.
1.______
2.______3.______4.______5.______6.______7.______8.______9.______10.______11.______12.______13.______14.______15.______16.______17.______18.______19.______20.______
THERE ARE NO LATE PROCEDURES FOR PROJECT 4.
THIS PROJECT MUST BE SUBMITTED ON TIME ON THE DUE DATE!
RTVF 3210 Audio Production
Spring 2016 Course Schedule
January
Wednesday, 20th
First Day of Class/Syllabus
Ch. 1 Production Planning/ Project 1
Monday, 25th
Ch. 1 Production Planning (cont.) Ch. 2 Studio Environment
Wednesday, 27th
Ch. 2 Studio Environment
February
Monday, 1st
Ch. 3 Digital Audio Production Radio programming lecture
Wednesday, 3rd
Radio programming lecture (cont.)
Monday, 8th
Law & Ethics lecture
Project 1 due, Introduce Project 2
Wednesday, 10th
Law & Ethics (cont.)
Monday, 15th
Law & Ethics (cont.)
Wednesday, 17th
Ch. 4 Microphones
Monday, 22nd
Exam I
Wednesday, 24th
Ch. 6 Digital Audio Players/Recorders
Monday, 29th
Ch. 7 Monitor Speakers
Project 2 Due, Introduce Project 3
March
Wednesday, 2nd
Ch. 8 Signal Processing
Monday, 7th
Signal Processing (cont.)
Wednesday, 9th
Ch. 5 Console
Monday, 14th
SPRING BREAK
Wednesday, 16th
SPRING BREAK
Monday, 21st
Exam II
Wednesday, 23rd
Ch. 9 Production Situations
Monday, 28th
Ch. 9 Production Situations (cont.)
Wednesday, 30th
Ch. 10 Location Sound Recording
April
Monday, 4th
Ch. 10 Location Sound Recording (cont.)
Project 3 due, Introduce Project 4
Wednesday, 6th
Ch. 11 Sound for Visual Media
Monday, 11th
Ch. 11Sound for Visual Media(cont.)
Wednesday, 13th
Ch. 11 Sound for Visual Media (cont.)
Monday, 18th
Ch. 12 Internet Audio
Wednesday, 20th
Ch. 12 Internet Audio (cont.)
Monday, 25th
Multiple Platform Delivery Systems
Project 4 due
Wednesday, 27th
TBA
May
Monday, 2nd
Review
Wednesday 4th
TBA
Final Exam
Wednesday, 11th10:30am-12:30pm
The instructor reserves the right to make additions, deletions, or other changes to this syllabus or accompanying materials as circumstances dictate.
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RTVF 3210 – Fall 2016