1. Students will be able to identify, describe and explain sound engineering fundamentals associated with live sound reinforcement, including PA setup and tuning, signal flow, microphones, mixing, monitoring, and production.
2. Students will be able to employ and apply live sound engineering technologies and techniques in a manner that displays practical and creative understanding and fluency.
3. Students will be able to demonstrate independent, imaginative and creative approaches to problem solving in the field of live sound engineering.
4. Students will develop research skills and a critical understanding of live sound engineering and its associated areas.

Hardware

• USB Stick or portable hard drive with enough capacity to store files associated with the course and formatted as Apple OSX HFS+.
• Stereo headphones with a 6.5mm male adaptor.
• Note – students must bring both their USB storage and Headphones (with adaptor) to university, as they are required for various classes and for using laboratories and studios.

Sound Levels & Hearing Protection

This course may require using spaces where a dB meter has been installed. If you exceed the set dB limit for the space, the lights will flash.  Students found exceeding these levels will have their booking privileges revoked for two weeks, and repeat offenders may have their booking privileges revoked for the remainder of the academic year.

In order to minimise risk in noise-prone situations, the Conservatorium makes both reusable gel ear-plugs and disposable foam ear-plugs available to students and staff free of charge at all times. Students and staff are also urged to consider purchase of customised personal hearing protection.

For more information regarding sound levels, hearing and hearing loss please refer both to the full content of the O'Brien Report and to the excellent publication by Canadian audiologist/academic Marshall Chasin, entitled Hear the Music: Hearing Loss Prevention for Musicians both available here: http://music.adelaide.edu.au/hsw/documents/

• Ahnert, Wolfgang, and Frank Steffen. Sound Reinforcement Engineering. New York: Routlege, 1999
• Ballou, Glen. Handbook for Sound Engineers. 4th ed. Amsterdam ; Boston: Focal Press
• Borwick, John. Microphones : Technology and Technique. London ; Boston: Focal Press, 1990
• Crocker, Malcolm J. Handbook of Acoustics. New York ; Brisbane: J. Wiley, 1998
• Davis, Gary D., Ralph Jones, and Yamaha International Corporation. The Sound Reinforcement Handbook. 2nd ed. Milwaukee, Wis.: Hal Leonard Publishing, 1989
• Evans, Bill. Live Sound Fundamentals. Boston, MA, USA: Course Technology
• Everest, F. Alton. The Master Handbook of Acoustics. 4th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill
• James, Paul. The Live Sound Manual. 1st ed. San Francisco, Calif.: Backbeat, 2002
• McLachlan, N. W. Loud Speakers : Theory, Performance, Testing, and Design. Oxford Engineering Science Series. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1934
• Rio, Jamie, and Chris Buono. House of Worship Sound Reinforcement. Boston: Course Technology
• Rossing, Thomas D. Springer Handbook of Acoustics. New York, N.Y. ;: Springer
• Stark, Scott Hunter. Live Sound Reinforcement : A Comprehensive Guide to Pa and Music Reinforcement Systems and Technology. Mix Pro Audio Series. Emeryville Calif.: Mixbooks, 1996
• Swallow, Dave. Live Audio the Art of Mixing a Show. San Diego: Focal Press [Imprint] Elsevier Science & Technology Books

• "Microphone Techniques for Live Sound". Shure. 22 Nov 2019. <http://www.shure.com/americas>.
• "Mix Magazine". 22 Nov 2019. <http://mixonline.com/>.
• "Sound on Sound Magazine". 22 Nov 2019. <http://www.soundonsound.com/>.
• "Yorkville Professional Audio Basics and User Tips Guide". 22 Nov 2019. <http://www.yorkville.com/downloads/other/paguide.pdf >.

MyUni is a crucial part of this course and will provide students with access to assessment and learning materials, such as quizzes, discussion boards, slide presentations, readings, links, sound and video. Materials will be provided on a topic-by-topic basis over the semester: http://myuni.adelaide.edu.au.

The course structure and content is delivered through a range of classes and materials. The classes in this course consist of lectures, tutorials and workshops.

Lecture

• Lectures will deliver a specific topic each week. The topic will consist of ideas and concepts; technologies; and creative practitioners in the field.

Tutorial

• Tutorials provide an opportunity to discuss and ask questions about the weekly lecture and topic for the course; reinforce concepts and ideas from the lecture and explore new territory.
• Students are required to complete the weekly reading before their tutorial; come to the tutorial with questions and thoughts on the reading; and be prepared to actively engage in discussion on the weekly topic and reading.

Workshop

• Students are required to complete 1-hour of preparatory work which may include readings, watching videos, listening to sound and musical examples, preparing work or completing short exercise. This is a mandatory requirement.
• Workshops will explore a wide range of practical aspects of the course and its associated topics and concepts.
• Students will be set regular practical tasks as part of their portfolio assessment and be required to present their work during the workshop.
• Although workshops will from time to time contain presentations from the instructor, the workshop will largely be an opportunity for students to obtain assistance with their practical and creative development and practice. Students need to actively and on a week-by-week basis maintain their practical and creative development, using the workshop to raise issues and solve problems.
• Finally, the workshops provide a forum by which students can begin to explore their own ideas and practice using lecture and tutorial materials as inspiration and points of departure.

This course consists of up to 48 hours of direct contact or structured non-contact - 4 hours per week over 12 weeks for the lectures, tutorials and workshops, where students will play an active role in the practice, refinement, consolidation and extension of their knowledge and understanding. In addition students will spend a minimum of 108 non-contact hours over the duration of the course on self-initiated learning and research, reading, writing, practice and assessment in order to pass the course, making the minimum workload 156 hours.

In order to be relevant, contemporary and up-to-date, this course uses a reflexive ‘just-in-time’ organisation that adjusts its structure and delivery according to the most current changes in the field, lecture-centred research practice and peer-student interest. The weekly topics can be summarised as follows:

• What is live sound engineering?
• Introduction / P.A. Basics
• Signal Flow / (Stage Plan) / Troubleshooting
• Input Devices
• Working with Microphones - Ensembles, Acoustic Groups, Large Bands
• Feedback and Other Troubleshooting Issues
• The Role of the Live Sound Engineer
• Advanced Live Sound Mixing

Further detail regarding other specific content can be found in the associated materials on myUni.

EMU Facilities Access Provisions

This course will involve using the resources of the Electronic Music Unit (EMU). This includes facilities such as studios, recording spaces and digital audio workstations. 

In order for students to complete the course they must gain ongoing and permanent access to EMU. Access and use of EMU is based upon  completing the EMU Access Test. More information can be found here: https://music.adelaide.edu.au/emu/intranet/emu_guide/ (university login required).

Other Expectations

Except where otherwise indicated by the lecturer, tutor or workshop instructor – mobile phones, laptops, PDAs, recording devices and other similar technology must be switched off before lessons or classes begin, and kept off for the duration .

Formative Assessment: Classes will contain embedded formative assessment tasks that may include student presentations, discussions, practical exercises, demonstrations and out-of-class work that will enable students to engage with the practical and theoretical concepts presented in order to complete their summative assessments.

Hurdle Assessment

All students must complete the requirements under “SPECIFIC COURSE REQUIREMENTS ‘EMU Facilities Access Provisions’”. Students who fail complete these items have failed the course.

Assessments

All students must complete assessments by the due date. Extensions must be organised through the MACA process. Forms and explanation can be found at the following link: https://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/3303/
Note that without an extension students may submit up to 7 days late with a penalty of 2% per day. After 7 days, the assignment will not be marked.

Attendance Expectation & Penalty

Students are expected to attend all classes. If a student fails to attend at least 70% of tutorials or workshops in a course and fails to produce the appropriate medical or compassionate certificates, the student is deemed to have failed that course, irrespective of assignments previously completed. Students who arrive 10 minutes or later after the start of a class will be marked as absent.

Leave

Extenuating circumstances may occasionally affect a student’s ability to participate in a rehearsal, workshop, class, lecture, tutorial or performance.  In such cases leave may, upon application using the leave form (available from the Music Office Hartley Building G05), be approved by the relevant staff member (this could be the Head of Studies, teacher, conductor, lecturer or course coordinator as appropriate). Types of leave include: sick leave; compassionate leave; and professional development leave.

Assessments and Exams

Students must be available during the identified University teaching, academic and examination periods. Students are not entitled to sit an examination or submit an assessment at another time, nor are they entitled to any other concessions if an examination or assessment conflicts with a planned vacation or special event. Results from assessments and examinations are usually sent to students via email and/or myUni.

Late Submission

Assignments where late submissions are permitted and that are submitted after the due date and time will incur a 5% penalty (from the assignment total of 100%) per day (24 hour period) for a maximum of 4 days (weekend days included). After this time the assignment will not be marked for assessment or feedback. Note – typically this does not apply to assessments where the assessment is conducted at a fixed time and location, such as an exam, workshop, practical test, performance or presentation – please refer to the individual assessments for further information.