Overview
In this unit, you will explore the fundamentals of audio recording and mixing to develop skills in the application of sound design. You will also explore the fundamental principles of recording dialogue and the speaking voice. You will then apply these principles in the production of a podcast.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
There are no requisites for this unit.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 1 - 2021
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback – Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
- Describe music technology fundamentals associated with recording and signal processing as applicable for the creation of a podcast
- Prepare a concept document and sound design plan for a short podcast
- Apply music technology fundamentals associated with recording, signal processing and sound design for the speaking voice in a short podcast.
NA
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 30% | |||
| 2 - Presentation - 20% | |||
| 3 - Portfolio - 50% | |||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 1 - Communication | |||
| 2 - Problem Solving | |||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | |||
| 4 - Information Literacy | |||
| 5 - Team Work | |||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | |||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | |||
| 8 - Ethical practice | |||
| 9 - Social Innovation | |||
| 10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | |||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 30% | ||||||||||
| 2 - Presentation - 20% | ||||||||||
| 3 - Portfolio - 50% | ||||||||||
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- Ableton Live software
- Computer - ability to access study materials, access Zoom application for meetings and view instructional videos.
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 7th Edition (APA 7th edition)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
p.preece@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Module 1 – Pre-Production
Introduction to podcasting
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Module 1 – Pre-Production
Planning your podcast
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Module 1 – Pre-Production
Presenting your podcast
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Module 2 – Production
Recording Dialogue
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment task 1 due.
Podcast Production Plan Due: Week 4 Friday (2 Apr 2021) 11:55 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Module 2 – Production
Recording interviews
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Module 2 – Production
Dialogue editing
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Module 2 – Production
Project Pitching
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Module 3 – Post-Production
Working with music
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment task 2 due
Project Pitch Presentation Due: Week 8 Monday (3 May 2021) 11:55 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Module 3 – Post-Production
Working with sound effects
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Module 3 – Post-Production
Mixing 1
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Module 3 – Post-Production
Mixing 2
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Submission and Peer Review
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment task 3 due
Podcast Production Due: Week 12 Friday (4 June 2021) 11:55 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Ableton Live is an industry-standard DAW (digital audio workstation) and learning how to use it is extremely beneficial. You will be required to submit Ableton Live sessions as part of your assessments and therefore need to have access to a copy of Ableton software. As the production classes are based on the Ableton software, no other DAWs are acceptable for this unit. A free 90 day full use trial version of the Ableton Live software is available for download from the Ableton Live website (https://www.ableton.com/en/trial/).
1 Written Assessment
Pre-production and planning are essential steps in ensuring your podcast project runs smoothly, is informed by research and meets all project deadlines. In this assessment, you are required to write a plan for the production of a podcast that you will produce for assessment task 3. Your podcast plan is broken into two parts: Part A is an analysis of two podcasts and Part B addresses the project administration.
Part A
You are required to listen to two podcasts from the same genre (details provided on Moodle). Your analysis should include:
- A description of the technical attributes of the podcast (relative mix levels, music levels, dialogue quality)
- A description of the structure and how this is informed by the genre (use research to support your argument)
- A description of how music and sound effects are used (use research to support your argument)
Part B
The project administration part of your plan should address the following:
- Production timeline - include major milestones in a Gantt chart format
- Equipment requirements
- Input and output table (for hardware and software connections)
- Software requirements
- Interview software for recording over the internet (if applicable)
- Equipment list
- WHS considerations
- Address how you will receive and implement peer and lecturer feedback
Your final submission will be:
- No more than 1000 words
- 12pt font
- Submitted as a word document
- APA referencing style.
Week 4 Friday (2 Apr 2021) 11:55 pm AEST
Vacation Week Friday (16 Apr 2021)
- Demonstrated research on technical attributes of the two podcasts - 30%
- Demonstrated research on genre traits and signifiers as applied - 20%
- Identifies key audio technology and shows evidence of research into current industry trends: 10%
- Clearly identifies a realistic and achievable timeline – 10%
- Lists realistic WHS considerations and ways to avoid hazards - 10%
- Describe music technology fundamentals associated with recording and signal processing as applicable for the creation of a podcast
- Communication
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
2 Presentation
In this assessment, you will expand upon the plan you created in assessment task 1 and develop a project pitch for the podcast that you will produce for assessment task 3. Pitching takes on many forms and is used in the creative industries to secure investment and funding for projects. This assessment task is designed to introduce you to the process of pitching your ideas and concepts to a group. Your project pitch should demonstrate that you understand the project brief and that your final production will be informed by the research you carried out in assessment task 1.
Your objective with this pitch will be to convince the client that you:
- Understand the brief and the creative direction of the podcast
- Understand the podcast landscape and the genre traits for this style of production
- Can produce a product that fulfils the brief.
Your project pitch presentation will be created in presentation software, be no more than 5 minutes in length and will contain both audio and visual content. Your pitch should use this structure:
- An introduction
- The problem
- The proposed solution
- The product - present audio teaser of your final product (1 minute)
Further submission details will be provided in Moodle.
Week 8 Monday (3 May 2021) 11:55 pm AEST
Week 10 Friday (21 May 2021)
- Clear definition of the problem - 20%
- Clear definition of available solutions - 20%
- Demonstrates an understanding of the project brief - 20%
- Competent use of project presentation software - 20%
- The audio example contains excerpts from the final production - 20%
- Prepare a concept document and sound design plan for a short podcast
- Communication
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
3 Portfolio
As a sound engineer, it is important to be able to capture, edit and assemble your podcast audio at a high quality so that it can be disseminated through a multitude of online platforms (Soundcloud, Apple Music, Podbean, Simplecast, Captivate etc.) This assessment will ask you to follow the production plan that you created in assessment 1 to record, edit and assemble a podcast.
You will record any required audio for your podcast using Ableton Live Software and other equipment, including microphones, leads and headphones. The podcast will be at least 10 minutes long and no longer than 20 minutes. It should include:
- An introduction sting with music/sound effects and the title of the podcast
- A narrator's voice
- Music relevant to the content matter
- Music can be recorded by you or can be production music with a creative commons license
- Sound effects and atmospheric sounds relevant to the content matter
- Sound effects can be recorded by you or sourced through a creative commons license
The recording should be mixed and 'bounced' according to the submission guidelines (see Moodle for details).
Feedback is an essential part of the recording and mixing process. Your podcast will be shared with your cohort at the end of the production phase so that you may receive feedback prior to your final submission. Your participation in the feedback session will contribute to 10% of your final grade.
Assessment Requirements
Your final graded submission will be the delivery of the final music product. Your submission will include:
- A stereo bounce – ready for mastering. 24 bit 48kHz
- An mp3 ‘listener’. 320kbp/s
- An Ableton Live Set at the final stage of the mix
Week 12 Friday (4 June 2021) 11:55 pm AEST
Exam Week Friday (18 June 2021)
- Podcast complies with the requirements of the task – 20%
- Audio edits are applied effectively – 20%
- Recordings should be free from extraneous noise and distortion – 10%
- Sound effects and music are applied effectively – 10%
- Recordings should be saved and exported according to the submission guidelines - 10%
- Mixing: level balance, pan, EQ, compression and effects are implemented effectively – 20%
- Feedback: participation in peer feedback session - 10%
- Apply music technology fundamentals associated with recording, signal processing and sound design for the speaking voice in a short podcast.
- Problem Solving
- Information Technology Competence
- Information Technology Competence
- Ethical practice
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
