Diploma in Sound Technology
Module: Sound Engineering 2A
Module Code: SE 210
STUDY GUIDE
Sound Engineering 2A – Study Guide 2018
,Table of Contents
List of Tables ........................................................................................................................ iv
List of Figures ........................................................................................................................ v
Module Information ............................................................................................................. viii
STUDY UNIT 1: THE ADVANCED STUDIO ENVIRONMENT & STUDIO EQUIPMENT .....1
1.1 Introduction................................................................................................................... 1
1.2 Sound indoors .............................................................................................................. 1
1.3 Microphones ................................................................................................................. 3
1.4 Mixing consoles ............................................................................................................ 4
1.5 Monitoring ..................................................................................................................... 5
1.6 Audio interfaces ............................................................................................................ 5
Case Study:Genelec adds Audio Precision to Artistic Vision at William Kentridge Exhibition .5
STUDY UNIT 2: STUDIO EQUIPMENT SETUP & PRACTICAL ..........................................7
2.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 8
2.2 Studio equipment list .................................................................................................... 8
2.3 Connecting the studio equipment ................................................................................. 9
2.4 Typical layout of a DAW recording studio ..................................................................... 9
2.5 Project setup and digital routing .................................................................................. 10
2.6 Studio set up practical ................................................................................................. 13
Case Study: Setting up your studio ................................................................................... 13
STUDY UNIT3:ACOUSTIC CONSIDERATIONS FOR BAND PERFORMANCE AND
RECORDING 15
3.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 15
3.2 Revision: Sound Indoors............................................................................................. 15
3.3 Sound outdoors: Inverse square law........................................................................... 15
3.4 Sound outdoors: Environmental factors ...................................................................... 16
Case study: Outdoor environmental variables ......................................................................18
STUDY UNIT 4: VOICE-OVER RECORDING ...................................................................20
4.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 20
4.2 Microphone choice and placement ............................................................................. 20
4.3 Considerations that may impact the recording ............................................................ 21
4.4 Setting the microphone level....................................................................................... 22
Case Study: Subtitling and Voice-over for Cornetto .........................................................23
STUDY UNIT 5: VOICE-OVER EDITING ..........................................................................25
5.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 25
i
Sound Engineering 2A – Study Guide 2018
, 5.2 The necessity of editing .............................................................................................. 25
5.3 Cleaning up tracks ...................................................................................................... 25
5.4 Track arrangement ..................................................................................................... 26
5.5 Fade-ins, fade-outs, and crossfades ........................................................................... 27
Case Study: Performance versus editing .............................................................................28
STUDY UNIT 6: MIXING AUDIO .......................................................................................29
6.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 29
6.2 Mixing defined ............................................................................................................ 29
6.3 Mix depth .................................................................................................................... 30
6.4 Mix width .................................................................................................................... 31
6.5 Mix height ................................................................................................................... 32
Case Study: Stereo mixes: Creating a sonic picture .............................................................33
STUDY UNIT 7: APPLYING MIXING SETTINGS TO A SOFTWARE MIXER 1 .................34
7.1 Introduction................................................................................................................. 34
7.2 The software mixer ..................................................................................................... 34
7.3 Volume faders ............................................................................................................ 35
7.4 Stereo pan controls .................................................................................................... 35
7.5 Enable/Disable EQ ..................................................................................................... 36
7.6 Enable/Disable Plug-ins.............................................................................................. 36
7.7 Mute, solo and listen buttons ...................................................................................... 37
7.8 Read and Write buttons .............................................................................................. 37
Case Study: The Behringer X AIR XR16 digital rackmount and software mixer. ..............38
STUDY UNIT 8: APPLYING MIXING SETTINGS TO A SOFTWARE MIXER 2 .................40
8.1 Introduction................................................................................................................. 40
8.2 The software mixer extended view.............................................................................. 40
8.3 Inserts view ................................................................................................................ 41
8.4 Equalizer and curve view ............................................................................................ 41
8.5 Sends view ................................................................................................................. 42
8.6 Studio sends view....................................................................................................... 43
8.7 Surround panner view................................................................................................. 43
8.8 Level meter view......................................................................................................... 44
Case Study: The Behringer X AIR XR16 digital rackmount and auxiliary functions ..........44
STUDY UNIT 9: USING DIGITAL RECORDING TOOLS ..................................................45
9.1 Introduction................................................................................................................. 45
9.2 Digital audio recording systems .................................................................................. 45
9.3 The Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) ......................................................................... 47
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Sound Engineering 2A – Study Guide 2018
, 9.4 Sound file formats....................................................................................................... 49
9.5 DAW software ............................................................................................................ 49
Case Study: Remember the basics .................................................................................50
STUDY UNIT 10: USING EDITING TOOLS ......................................................................51
10.1 Introduction............................................................................................................... 51
10.2 Editing tools .............................................................................................................. 51
10.3 The selection tool ..................................................................................................... 52
10.4 The zoom tool ........................................................................................................... 52
10.5 The split tool ............................................................................................................. 54
10.6 The range selection tool ........................................................................................... 55
10.7 The glue tool ............................................................................................................. 55
10.8 The erase tool........................................................................................................... 56
10.9 The mute tool............................................................................................................ 56
10.10 The time warp tool .................................................................................................. 57
10.11 Copy and paste ...................................................................................................... 57
Case Study: Beyond the basic editing tools .....................................................................58
References ....................................................................................................................... 59
iii
Sound Engineering 2A – Study Guide 2018
Module: Sound Engineering 2A
Module Code: SE 210
STUDY GUIDE
Sound Engineering 2A – Study Guide 2018
,Table of Contents
List of Tables ........................................................................................................................ iv
List of Figures ........................................................................................................................ v
Module Information ............................................................................................................. viii
STUDY UNIT 1: THE ADVANCED STUDIO ENVIRONMENT & STUDIO EQUIPMENT .....1
1.1 Introduction................................................................................................................... 1
1.2 Sound indoors .............................................................................................................. 1
1.3 Microphones ................................................................................................................. 3
1.4 Mixing consoles ............................................................................................................ 4
1.5 Monitoring ..................................................................................................................... 5
1.6 Audio interfaces ............................................................................................................ 5
Case Study:Genelec adds Audio Precision to Artistic Vision at William Kentridge Exhibition .5
STUDY UNIT 2: STUDIO EQUIPMENT SETUP & PRACTICAL ..........................................7
2.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 8
2.2 Studio equipment list .................................................................................................... 8
2.3 Connecting the studio equipment ................................................................................. 9
2.4 Typical layout of a DAW recording studio ..................................................................... 9
2.5 Project setup and digital routing .................................................................................. 10
2.6 Studio set up practical ................................................................................................. 13
Case Study: Setting up your studio ................................................................................... 13
STUDY UNIT3:ACOUSTIC CONSIDERATIONS FOR BAND PERFORMANCE AND
RECORDING 15
3.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 15
3.2 Revision: Sound Indoors............................................................................................. 15
3.3 Sound outdoors: Inverse square law........................................................................... 15
3.4 Sound outdoors: Environmental factors ...................................................................... 16
Case study: Outdoor environmental variables ......................................................................18
STUDY UNIT 4: VOICE-OVER RECORDING ...................................................................20
4.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 20
4.2 Microphone choice and placement ............................................................................. 20
4.3 Considerations that may impact the recording ............................................................ 21
4.4 Setting the microphone level....................................................................................... 22
Case Study: Subtitling and Voice-over for Cornetto .........................................................23
STUDY UNIT 5: VOICE-OVER EDITING ..........................................................................25
5.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 25
i
Sound Engineering 2A – Study Guide 2018
, 5.2 The necessity of editing .............................................................................................. 25
5.3 Cleaning up tracks ...................................................................................................... 25
5.4 Track arrangement ..................................................................................................... 26
5.5 Fade-ins, fade-outs, and crossfades ........................................................................... 27
Case Study: Performance versus editing .............................................................................28
STUDY UNIT 6: MIXING AUDIO .......................................................................................29
6.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 29
6.2 Mixing defined ............................................................................................................ 29
6.3 Mix depth .................................................................................................................... 30
6.4 Mix width .................................................................................................................... 31
6.5 Mix height ................................................................................................................... 32
Case Study: Stereo mixes: Creating a sonic picture .............................................................33
STUDY UNIT 7: APPLYING MIXING SETTINGS TO A SOFTWARE MIXER 1 .................34
7.1 Introduction................................................................................................................. 34
7.2 The software mixer ..................................................................................................... 34
7.3 Volume faders ............................................................................................................ 35
7.4 Stereo pan controls .................................................................................................... 35
7.5 Enable/Disable EQ ..................................................................................................... 36
7.6 Enable/Disable Plug-ins.............................................................................................. 36
7.7 Mute, solo and listen buttons ...................................................................................... 37
7.8 Read and Write buttons .............................................................................................. 37
Case Study: The Behringer X AIR XR16 digital rackmount and software mixer. ..............38
STUDY UNIT 8: APPLYING MIXING SETTINGS TO A SOFTWARE MIXER 2 .................40
8.1 Introduction................................................................................................................. 40
8.2 The software mixer extended view.............................................................................. 40
8.3 Inserts view ................................................................................................................ 41
8.4 Equalizer and curve view ............................................................................................ 41
8.5 Sends view ................................................................................................................. 42
8.6 Studio sends view....................................................................................................... 43
8.7 Surround panner view................................................................................................. 43
8.8 Level meter view......................................................................................................... 44
Case Study: The Behringer X AIR XR16 digital rackmount and auxiliary functions ..........44
STUDY UNIT 9: USING DIGITAL RECORDING TOOLS ..................................................45
9.1 Introduction................................................................................................................. 45
9.2 Digital audio recording systems .................................................................................. 45
9.3 The Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) ......................................................................... 47
ii
Sound Engineering 2A – Study Guide 2018
, 9.4 Sound file formats....................................................................................................... 49
9.5 DAW software ............................................................................................................ 49
Case Study: Remember the basics .................................................................................50
STUDY UNIT 10: USING EDITING TOOLS ......................................................................51
10.1 Introduction............................................................................................................... 51
10.2 Editing tools .............................................................................................................. 51
10.3 The selection tool ..................................................................................................... 52
10.4 The zoom tool ........................................................................................................... 52
10.5 The split tool ............................................................................................................. 54
10.6 The range selection tool ........................................................................................... 55
10.7 The glue tool ............................................................................................................. 55
10.8 The erase tool........................................................................................................... 56
10.9 The mute tool............................................................................................................ 56
10.10 The time warp tool .................................................................................................. 57
10.11 Copy and paste ...................................................................................................... 57
Case Study: Beyond the basic editing tools .....................................................................58
References ....................................................................................................................... 59
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Sound Engineering 2A – Study Guide 2018
