Audio Engineering and Production- Course Format

Course Objective: The students will be taught about Sound and Audio Engineering
fundamentals and the techniques involved in Audio production.

Course Outcome: - This course will enable the students to be creatively and technically
operational with the Technologies and Production systems in the Audio Industry.

Theory
Module 1: Sound Theory

Sound waves-Frequency - Wavelength - Phase - Amplitude - The velocity of sound waves -

Sound waves and obstacles - Diffraction -Units used in sound - Decibels - Inverse Square
Law - Effect of Boundaries - The response of the ear - Loudness - Fletcher and Munson
Curves - Musical pitch - Timbre - The brain’s perception of sound - Frequency ranges in
music - Basic Acoustics - Reflection - Absorption - Refraction - Diffraction - Acoustic
materials - STC - RT-60 - TL - CD.

Evaluation Test 1
Module II: Analog Audio

Input Transducers - Microphones - Polar responses -Types of Microphones - Production of

the different polar responses - Phantom power - Balanced wiring - Metering - Technical
monitoring - Aural monitoring - Output Transducers - Loudspeaker - Professional and
domestic standards - Stereo - Methods of producing inter - channel differences - loudspeaker
matching - Microphone techniques for stereo - Headphones for stereo monitoring.

Module III: Audio Engineering Fundamentals

Sound mixers - The basic channel - Filters - Equalizers - Talkback-Manual control of levels -
Electronic level control - Signal processors - Dynamic processors - Effect processors - Audio
lines and Patch bays - Analog Recording devices and systems - The fundamentals of
magnetic recording - Noise reduction - Multi track systems - Tape speeds - Transport controls
- Head alignment - Routing - Recording - Editing - Basic Analog Mixing.

Evaluation Test 2
Module IV: Digital Audio

Basic Principles – Analog vs Digital – Analog to Digital Converter – Digital to Analog

Converter – Application of Digital Audio – Digital audio hardware - formats - Storage
medium – Digital mixers – Digital audio workstation –Editing – Mixing - Mastering – Audio
Post production for Video.
 Module V: Basics of Live Sound Engineering

Need for Sound Reinforcement - Technology - Basic PA systems - Full Range sound
Reinforcement systems - Choice of Equipment - Signal flow - FOH - MOH - Indoor systems
- Outdoor Systems - Applications - Safety - Ear safety - Electrical safety - Mechanical safety
- Fire safety.

Evaluation Test 3

Practical
Module VI: Audio Pre Production (practical)

Survey & Research

Two column Scripting
Audio Three Column Scripting

Module VII: Radio Production (practical)

Recording and editing of narration with BGM

Interview Production (Indoor & Outdoor)
Radio Edit

Module VIII: Basic Music Production (practical)

Basic Live Mixing

Live multi-tracking of one instrument and vocals using Zoom H4
Overdubbing of one instrument in stereo and vocals

Module IX: Sound designing (practical)

Miking Techniques
Recording SFX (Indoor & Outdoor)
Ambient Sound Sampling

Module X: Audio for Video (practical)

Location Sound
Automated Dialogue Replacement
Music and Effects track

Final Project

Text Book:
Michael Talbot-Smith, “Sound Engineering Explained”, 2nd Edition, Focal Press,
2002.