Syllabus for Roster(s):

  • 16F MDST 2305-001 (CGAS)
In the UVaCollab course site:   MDST2305-001

MDST 2305 Syllabus

                                                  MDST 2305

                        Podcasting, Radio and Sound Production

                       

 

Fall 2016:        Class meetings: Wednesdays 6 pm-8: 30 pm Cabell 268

Instructor:       Elliot Majerczyk

Email: em8x@virginia.edu

Office hours: Wednesdays after class

 

 

Course description:

Students will learn the components of radio and podcast production including: interviewing, story development, script writing, interview techniques, remote recording and digital audio recording, editing of sound, mixing, and final production for broadcast. Students will critically analyze the components of radio/podcast features. In addition, the students will gain an understanding of the basic components of the physics of sound.

 

 The course includes a lecture component and lab time where the instructor will consult with students on their projects. Students will have several practice and production assignments including short (30 seconds) and longer formats (around 4 minutes). By the end of the course, students will have acquired a working knowledge of radio/podcast production, sound recording, editing, and mixing for broadcast.

 

Course requirements:

1. Purchase of “Hindenburg Journalist” editing software.  (Should be around $95). Hindenburg Journalist can be downloaded and is compatible with Mac OSX or Windows. It can be loaded onto three different computers. http://hindenburg.com/ 

Tutorials online: http://hindenburg.com/support/tutorials/

2. Students must bring to class a laptop (Windows XP/Windows 8 or higher, or Mac OSX 10.4 to 10.9; (CPU minimum Pentium 4 and Ram minimum 1 GB) with "Hindenburg Journalist" downloaded, an external mouse, portable USB flash drive, and over-the-ear headphones (not ear buds).

3.  Download a free audio editing software called Audacity. It can be downloaded for Mac or Windows.  We will be working with it in class:  http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

Required reading:   

Radio: An Illustrated Guide (price is $2.00) It can be downloaded from this link: https://store.thisamericanlife.org/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=RADIO%3AANILLUSTRATEDGUIDEPDF

“The Physics Classroom: Sound Waves and Music” Lesson 1 and 2. http://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/sound

 

 

Assignments:                      

                                   

                                    September 7                  War of the Worlds/Firesign Theater        5%

                                    September 14               Hearing Quiz                                                 5%

                                    September 21               This American Life/Charlie Rose             5%

                                    September 28            *3 thirty-second promos                             10%

                                    October 19                 * Vox Pop                                                      15%

                                    November 2              * Feature Assignment                                   15%

                                    November 9                   Podcast                                                       15%

                                    November 30              * Final Assignment                                     25%

                                    Class Participation                                                                               5%           

 

 

* Resubmissions accepted

 

 

Schedule:

 

August 24.

Introduction to the course.  Introduction to the basic components of radio and podcast recording. Demonstration of radio show on Pro-Tools, and introduction to script writing. Introduction to Hindenburg Audio.

 

Listening assignment and response: (due September 7) War of the Worlds, Firesign Theatre.

Your response should be 2 pages; doubled spaced. Listening on stereo headphones. compare the use of sound techniques in War of the Worlds (live ‘mono’ studio recording in one room) to Firesign Theater  (multi track stereo studio recording). Please give three concrete examples (with accompanying times) of the use of sound techniques in each recording.

 

 

August 31

Guest lecturer: Introduction and demonstration of Marantz portable digital recorders and use of microphones. Class practice with microphone recording, interviewing, and loading and manipulation of audio files from recorders into Hindenburg Audio. Class will possibly be held in Clemons Library.

 

 

September 7

Short class discussion of War of the Worlds vs. Firesign Theater.

The physics of sound: frequency, volume, human hearing, etc. 

How to manipulate sound files: Waves and .mp3s. Practice with sound files in Hindenburg Audio and Audacity Audio.

Reading for the next class   “The Physics Classroom: Sound Waves and Music” Lesson 1 and 2.  (In class quiz September 14).

Reading     This American Life: An Illustrated Guide (for September 21 assignment).

 

Listening assignment and response: (due September 21) This American Life and Charlie Rose episode on the future of radio: http://charlierose.com/watch/60402291

In the This American Life segment of the assignment, please cite three examples of how the show adhered (or did not adhere) to the suggestions or directions on how to make radio in This American Life: An Illustrated Guide. Please cite three concrete examples (with accompanying times).  For the Charlie Rose segment of the assignment, please cite three concrete examples of how you think the discussion on the future of radio is pertinent to your interest in podcasting or radio. Assignment in total should be no more than three pages, double spaced.

 

 

September 14

Short answer in-class quiz: Hearing science and physics.

Practice with audio software. In class practice with software on use of compression, equalization, Audacity and other audio techniques. Also the use of the software Audio Highjack.

 

 

September 21

In class practice creating 30-second promos with Hindenburg.

This American Life and Charlie Rose listening response assignment due.

 

Assignment: (due September 28). Create three promos (two of which can be the same, but with different time tags). Promos should be mixed down to .mp3s using Hindenburg Audio.

 

September 28

Promo assignment listening session.

 

October 5

Guest Lecturer. Vox Pop.

 

Assignment. (due October 19).  Vox Pop: The Vox Pop is an ‘on the street’ interview, non- narrated, edited with many voices giving an opinion or outlook on a topic. The edited Vox Pop runs no longer than 3 minutes and should have at least 10 voices. Also please include a written, short (maximum 4 sentences) introduction for a potential radio announcer to introduce the Vox Pop.

 

October 12

No class.  Please practice with Marantz recorders, Hindenburg etc.

 

October 19

Vox Pop assignment due. Class Vox Pop listening session.

Podcast listening session, getting your podcast on the Internet.

 

October 26

Guest Lecturer. Editing and producing news features. Class practice with news features.

Assignment: (due November 2) Create news feature from 10 minute edited interview. Students will pull clips from edited interview given to them and produce 2 to 3 minute news feature with their voice narrating between the clips.

 

November 2

Feature assignment due and class listening session.

Assignment: 3 minute podcast (due November 9). The podcast topic to be determined.

 

November 9

Possible Guest Lecturer. Podcast listening session.

Final Assignment: due November 30. Produce interview and music feature with guest. Final assignment involves interviewing guest on 3 pieces of his or her favorite music and creating an audio feature involving the mixing of music and edited interview. Feature to be no longer than 4 minutes in length. We will discuss the details of the final assignment early in the term, so that the students can start to plan and produce the assignment beforehand.

 

November 16

Problem solving in sound production.  Podcasting.

 

November 23

Thanksgiving Recess. No class.

 

November 30

Final assignment due. Class listening session.