STUDY PROGRAMME
Film & Animation

AFAM CODE
ABTEC44

DISCIPLINARY AREA
Sound design

DISCIPLINARY FIELD
Audio and mixing

CREDITS
6

APPROACH
Theoretical/project based

This course introduces the students to the complex world of sounds, critical listening and audio in the media. Through practical exercise and theoretical-practical content, the students will study the main steps of the audio production process for video: preproduction, recording, editing, mixing and mastering. Special attention will be devoted to the design method and workflow, to create professional-quality audio products, and lay the foundation for good sound management in future projects.

The total credits for this course are 6, divided as follows:

• SOUND THEORIES: 2 CFA = 2 ECTS

• SOUND DESIGN FOUNDATIONS: 4 CFA = 4 ECTS

Successful students will be able to:

• Assess the quality of complex sounds

• Explain the workflow and professional roles in the audio production industry

• Effectively use sound processing tools

• Use sound as a narration element

• Discuss personal Sound Design choices

• Record professional-quality audio

• Finalise audio for different professional-quality supports

SOUND THEORIES:

• Direct sound recording techniques

• Recording tools: microphones, mixers, cables and connectors

SOUND DESIGN FOUNDATIONS:

• Sound and its acoustic and psychoacoustic features

• Critical listening

• Audio editing

• Processing tools: equalizers, dynamic processors, reverberation and effects

• Mixing techniques

• Mastering and final supports

This is a theoretical/project based course.

During the course, the students will carry out the following didactic activities, which may vary depending on the topics that will be covered:

• Front lectures

• Use of tutorials, videos or other media tools

• Exercises and revisions

• Workshops

• Individual or group projects

• Individual study or research

Assessment criteria may include:

• Practice exercise

• Writing a paper

Further details on the specific tests will be given by each professor.

The final grade for this course will result from the weighted average of its modules.

• • Shafer, R (1977) The tuning of the world, A.A. Knopf. (versione italiana: “il Paesaggio Sonoro”)

  • Huber, M. D., Runstein, R. E. Modern Recording Techniques, CRC Press.

  • Bartlett, B., Bartlett, J. (2006) Tecniche di registrazione del suono, Milano: Apogeo.

A lot of the referenced material, together with other in-depth study material, can be consulted online in MyNaba, in the Library section.

Further books and other recommended or required resources may be specified by the professor.