SOFA Sound Course Overview

• This syllabus provides information for the SOFA Sound Courses, Copyright 2024-25, taught by David Sluberski and John Ebert at RIT.

Course Objectives

• Develop the ability to record, edit, and produce soundtracks to technical specifications while applying sonic integrity
• Cultivate ear training to understand desirable and problematic sounds and techniques
• Training includes using Sound Devices Mix Pre 6 recorders, various microphones, Avid's ProTools, and Izotope's insight monitoring software
• All films should meet RIT screening specifications

Important Student Responsibilities

• Routinely check course posts, emails, and the MyCourses outlines for weekly expectations
• RIT email account is required for course communication

Grading Breakdown

• Two tests account for 50% of the final grade
• Projects are 35%
• Weekly check-in reports are 10%
• ProTools tutorial is 5%
• Class participation, attendance, and punctuality are also factored into the final grade
• A digitally signed Student Agreement must be submitted via MyCourses by the first week

Required Equipment

• Two high-speed SanDisk 64 Ultra USB 3.0 Flash drives (specific model required)
• One drive will be Mac-formatted with read/write permissions for projects
• The other drive will be formatted as exFAT for offloading files from the Mix Pre 6
• Usage of Avid ProTools/MAC OS

HD Lab Protocol

• Devices must have permissions set to "to everyone" and be Mac-formatted to prevent computer crashes and data loss

Communication

• The instructor encourages students to discuss concerns, including projects, ProTools, and technical equipment
• Students are responsible for scheduling appointments in a timely fashion

Weekly Class Schedule

• Week 1: Course introductions, TA introductions, and a class ADR session
• Week 2: ProTools tutorial in HD lab
• Week 3: ProTools in HD lab (headphones or earbuds required)
• Week 4: ProTools tutorial due; script due
• Week 5: Mix Pre 6 kits training and project timeline planning
• Week 6: Test 1 (25% of final grade)
• Week 7: Continuation of syllabus (EQ, dynamics, monitoring)
• Week 8: Stereo session due (ProTools session demo in class)
• Week 9: Spring break (Fall semester will adapt)
• Week 10: Dialogue recorded and finished
• Week 12: Final class projects due (35%); take-home test sent via email (25%)
• Week 13: Take-home test due via MyCourses (25%)
• Week 14: Project playback
• Week 15: TBD

Ear Safety and Presbycusis

• Students urged to prioritize ear safety due to the risk of hearing damage from loud music exposure
• Presbycusis (age-related hearing loss) is a cumulative effect of aging, genetics, environmental exposures causing sensorineural hearing loss
• Hearing loss is prevalent higher frequencies
• Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) and exposure to ototoxic substances exacerbate hearing damage, so be careful of environmental noise and ototoxic drugs/chemicals.

Audiology Benefits

• RIT faculty, staff, and dependents are eligible for free audiology services on campus

Recording and Mixing Audio

• Using reliable monitors (speakers or headphones) in a controlled room is essential for recording and mixing audio

"Trinity of Mixing"

• Adjusting dialog/music levels on meters
• Adjusting control room volume to match metered levels
• Understanding Fletcher-Munson curves
• All listening sessions should be monitored, even when using headphones

Decibels

• Decibels (dB) measure sound pressure level (SPL)
• 0 dB represents the threshold of hearing
• Film studios generally have mixes around 85-87 dB-SPL

Meter dB vs. SPL

• VU or LCD meters are voltmeters, not sound pressure (SPL) references
• SPL is measured with calibrated microphones
• Line Level: OVU = +4 Dbm = 1.23 volts (analog industry standard)
• Microphone level is lower and requires amplification.

Audio Level Metering

• VU meters vary in their operation
• 0 DBFS (Decibels Full Scale) represents the peak level in the digital world
• Izotope software and the Loudness Radar tool in Adobe Premiere can be used

Audio Leveling Policy

• Audio must be mixed or mastered according to specific standards for films screened in Wegmans Theater
• Maximum Peak: -3 dbfs
• Target Integrated Loudness: -27 LKFS/LUFS (+/-2 LU)
• Voice: averaging -16 to -10 dbfs
• Never go above -6dbfs

Sound Principles

• Sound: Molecules moving around an object
• Human hearing reacts to sound at various frequencies and dynamics

Fletcher-Munson Curves

• These curves illustrate how the ear perceives frequencies and dynamics

Frequency and Dynamic Range

• Frequency: 440 Hertz (Hz) means vibrating back and forth at 440/second
• Human ears have a range of 20Hz to 20 kHz

Loudness Characteristics

• The human ear does not hear all sounds equally

The Home Stereo

• Some stereos boost 100Hz and 10kHz to compensate for low-level listening

Reflection, Refraction, Diffraction

• Reflection: Sound reflected off a surface barrier
• Refraction: Waveform bending while passing through a medium
• Diffraction: Change in sound direction due to an obstacle

Absorption Coefficient

• It is the fundamental problem or solution for recording and monitoring audio
• Materials have different absorption coefficients affecting sound behavior

Phase and Coherence

• Sine waves 180 degrees apart cancel each other out
• This means the sound is out of phase

Sine Wave

• Starts at 0, peaks at 90, crosses zero at 180, negative peak at 270, completes the cycle back at 0

Electronic Phase and Cable Wiring

• Balanced cables have two twisted conductors (positive and negative) with a braided shield
• Unbalanced cables have one conductor for the positive signal and the shield for the negative signal
• Balanced audio has low impedance
• Unbalanced cables are high impedance
• Cell phones should be turned off on sets due to RF noise

Cables

• Balanced cables: 3-pin XLR for microphones and devices, 1/4" TRS for pro/semi-pro gear
• Unbalanced cables: RCA or HI-FI (phono), guitar cords, 1/8" cables for iPods/computers
• Headphone cords are unbalanced but carry voltage to speakers

Noise Issues

• Noise and hum can stem from audio equipment, computer cards, and unshielded speakers

Cell Phones

• Phones can bleed into equipment; recommended to turn off the phones

Microphones

• Styles, experimentation, and evaluation determine suitable microphones
• RIT primarily uses shotgun and lavalier mics

Dynamic

• Rugged, medium sensitivity, can handle high SPL
• Two types: moving coil and ribbon

Condenser

• Uses capacitor, pre-amplifier and phantom voltage
• A signal voltage is with reference to a pre-amplifier built into the microphone body with phantom voltage
• Phantom power is typically 48 volts DC

Electret Condenser

• Condenser/diaphragm is permanently polarized
• Characteristics: Great frequency response, fails in high humidity

Microphone Pick Up

• All microphones have varying pickup patterns
• Patterns commonly referred to as ON and OFF-Axis Frequency Response

Cardioid

• Picks up pattern in unidirectional patterns
• Variations include cardioid, hyper cardioid and super cardioid
• Omni picks up 360 degrees

Figure Eight

• Figure eight patterns pick up 180-degrees (rejecting sound from the sides)

Stereo Shotgun

• Stereo Shotguns have a figure 8 pattern that is second to the microphone capsule, whereas the main capsule is Cardioid

Binaural

• Two sources
• Reference in characteristic of human head and ears to create spatial illusions

Stereophonic

• Similar to Binaural, except with a focus on a more special effect with the use of two or more microphone

Stereo Techniques

• The main approach to recording is the coincident technique with a pair of microphones connected together

Formula

• M + S = LEFT Channel
• M + (-S) = RIGHT Channel

TV

• Not watching a tv in mono will not make a difference

Headroom

• Peak of audio and can be achieved before distortion happens by clipping or overmodulation

Transients

• Spiked or Peaks of audio when spiking by slipping by the metering

Camera and Line Level

• Amplification is required to raise the microphone level to line level by a pre-amplifier
• If you were to plug in a line-level device by a mic input can make a difference
• Input & output setting can vary greatly.
• The rule to remember is to always check the input and the output

Alignment Tone

• Tone that is used as a reference level
• Can be used to trouble shut signal flow from equipment

Settings

• The default setting will playback at 20dbfs
• This gives an audio distortion of 20 dbs level
• Be mindful of how much distortion or clipping occurs based on the tone