Frank Dufour

Introduction to Sound Design

ATEC 2385-002- 2423
Tuesdays 11:30 am to 02:15 pm.
Location ATEC 1.103 Sound Lab

Professor Contact Information

FRANK DUFOUR
Frank.dufour@utdallas.edu
972 883 4129
Office hours:
Mondays 9am-11:30am
Fridays 9am-11:30am
And on demand




Course
Pre­requisites,
Co­requisites,
and/or
Other
Restrictions

None





Course
Description


This class, as an introduction to sound design, will present the basic aspects of the
technique, industry, and aesthetics of sound design.

Student Learning Objectives/Outcomes

Knowledge:
Students will understand:
-The principles of mechanics and acoustics necessary to understand, the generation,
propagation, and perception of sound.
- The principles of electroacoustic processing
- The principles of digital sound processing
-The various specialties of sound design as they are used in the media industry and the
necessary skills and knowledge necessary to the performance of these professions.
-Students will also acquire a basic knowledge on music consisting at least in some
historical milestones.

Design capacities:
Students will understand the importance of sound design in various domains.
They will be able to identify and describe the sonic elements necessary for the
soundtrack of movies, animation movies, games, and interactive computer based
applications.
They will be able to understand the relationships between sound, music and the other
dimensions of these applications.
They will be able to analyze the various components of a soundtrack and to critique
these.
They will develop a critical listening
They will be able to use sound and music to express themselves and to convey
information.

Practical and technical skills:

Students will be able to:
-Use a digital recording equipment to record various types of sounds including: voices,
ambiences, and musical instruments
-Edit, process, and manipulate digital sounds
-Synchronize digital sounds to a movie
-Use a digital (MIDI) music software to edit, arrange and mix music
Students will acquire a sense of quality for sound.

Personal skills:
-Students will learn to LISTEN, to analyze the contents of their auditory perception and
to describe these contents.

Practice of recording
Practice of sound processing
Practice in listening
General knowledge in:
Acoustics
Electroacoustics
Psycho-acoustics
Music
Sound Design

Assignments
&
Academic
Calendar

(Topics,
Reading
Assignments,
Due
Dates,
Exam
Dates)


Session 1:

Syllabus handout/online/file on server

Introduction. The importance of listening.

Music 1: Contemporary electroacoustic music. Edgar Varese, Déserts. Discussion.

Presentation of the contents of the class

Presentation and explanation of the final project (listening to examples, 5 examples

available including the texts, discussion)
The students start thinking about the text that they will use. They start measuring how
long it takes to actually read out loud a text. A first proposal is due the following
week.
This text must include: references to a character, actions performed by the character or
another one, a space in which the actions take place, a mood. These references will be
used to create the sonic components of final project: a voice, sound effects, ambient
sounds and music.
The scheduling for the final project is the following:
Session 2 The first proposal for the text is due and reviewed in class

Session 3 The second and final proposal for the text is due and reviewed in class

Session 4 Defining the type of voices, identifying readers in and outside the
class, scheduling recording sessions to be done between session 4
and session 6.
Instructions for the recording are given during session 4.
Session 5 Review of the recordings done at this date.
Instructions for the editing of the readings are given during session 5.
Session 6 All the recordings of the readings are due and reviewed during this
session.
Session 7 The editing of the recording is due and reviewed in class.
Session 8 List and description of the ambient sounds to be used in the project is
due
Creating the ambient sounds between Session 8 and Session 9
Session 9 The ambient sounds are due and reviewed in class
List and description of the sound effects is due
Creating the sound effects between session 9 and Session 11
Session 10 Description of the music and presentation of the temp music is due.
In this presentation, students must explain and defend their choice.
Instructions on creating, arranging, editing music are given during this
session.
Creating, finding, editing the music between Session 10 and Session
12

Session 11 The sound effects are due and reviewed during this session
Creating the music.
Session 12 Music is due and reviewed in class.
Instructions on the mixing of the project are given during session 12
Session 13 A first draft of the mix of the project is due and reviewed in class.
Session 14 This session is open for questions and problems regarding the final
mix.
Session 15 The final version of the project is due and reviewed in class.

Presentation of the sound lab, sound booth and equipment used to record.

Presentation of the main applications used in class (Soundtrack Pro, Garage Band,
Spear, PhotoSounder, Audacity, QuickTime Pro) and the available resources for these
applications: manuals, online docs and related websites.

Presentation of other resources for the class

 Session 2:
Music 2: Contemporary electroacoustic Music ( Alvin Lucier, Still lives). Discussion. Sine
Waves and complex musical tones from the piano.

Acoustics: the physics of sound. Presentation of the package on acoustics

Acoustics Set 1.

Project: Review of the proposed texts for the final project. Students read out loud a
timed extract of their selected text (the reading should not be longer than 1 minute) and
the validity of the text is discussed. Students will point out the necessary references in
their text (character, action, space, mood)
 Session 3:
Music 3: Styles of Throat singing. Harmonics and resonance.

Acoustics Set 2

Project:
The second and final proposal for the text is due and reviewed in class
 Session 4:
Music 4: Tristis es Anima Mea. Anonymous XIth century. The Deller Consort. Tempo
and form in harmony with the space and the reverberation of the space.

Acoustics Set 3
Files to be used are in the Session 4 Folder: Equal Loudness

Project:
Review of the recordings done at this date.
Instructions for the editing of the readings are given during session 5.
 Session 5:
Music 5: Sufi Song from Morocco. Note the Melisma on certain notes.
Acoustics Set 4

Project:
Review of the recordings done at this date.
Instructions for the editing of the readings are given during session 5.
 Session 6:
Music 6: La déploration de Johan Ockeghem. Josquin des Prés (1450-1521)

Acoustics Set 5 hearing System.

Project:
All the recordings of the readings are due and reviewed during this session.
 Session 7:
Music 7: Missa Nasce la gioja mia: Kyrie. Palestrina (1525-1594). Renaissance
Polyphony.

Digital Sound Set1

Project:
The editing of the recording is due and reviewed in class.

Test on Acoustics to be taken and graded in class.

 Session 8:
Music 8: Ponte Novu. Traditional polyphonic Music from Corsica AND OR
Ballu Seriu. Folk Polyphony from Sardenia.

Digital Sound Set 2

Project:
List and description of the ambient sounds to be used in the project is due
Creating the ambient sounds between Session 8 and Session 9
 Session 9:
Music 9: Barricades. Louis Couperin (1626-1661). The Early Baroque Era.

Digital Sound Set 3

Project:
The ambient sounds are due and reviewed in class
List and description of the sound effects is due
Creating the sound effects between session 9 and Session 11
 Session 10:
Music 10: Concerto for Violin Opus 8, Number 4, Winter: I Allegro. Antonio Vivaldi
(1678-1741).
The importance of the voice of the instrument. Connect to the beginning of the Stradivari
Family: Antonio (1644-1737)

Electroacoustics Set 1

Test on Digital Sound to be taken and graded in class.

Project:
Description of the music and presentation of the temp music is due.
In this presentation, students must explain and defend their choice.
Instructions on creating, arranging, editing music are given during this session.
Creating, finding, editing the music between Session 10 and Session 12
 Session 11:
Music 11: Goldberg Variation, BWV 988. J.S. Bach (1685-1750). Culmination of
Baroque Era.

Electroacoustics Set 2

Project:
The sound effects are due and reviewed during this session
Creating the music.
 Session 12:
Music 12: Symphonie Périodique (1762). François Gossec (1734-1829). The division of
time. The structure. The emergence of a new audience.

Electroacoustics Set 3

Project:
Music is due and reviewed in class.
Instructions on the mixing of the project are given during session 12
 Session 13:
Music 13: Piano Concerto No. 23 in A Major, K. 488: II. Adagio. W.A. Mozart (1756-
1791). The importance of dynamics in Music.

Electroacoustics Set 4

Project:
A first draft of the mix of the project is due and reviewed in class.
 Session 14:
Music 14: String Quartet No. 14 in C Sharp Minor, Op. 131: I. Adagio ma non troppo e
molto espressivo. L. Van Beethoven (1770-1827). The Romantic Era. Expression and
effects of intensity and Timbre.

Test on Electroacoustics to be taken and graded in class

Project:
This session is open for questions and problems regarding the final mix.
 Session 15:
Music 15: String Quartet No. 4. Philip Glass. Eternal return of the forms supported by
timbre.

Class evaluation

Project:
The final version of the project is due and reviewed in class.
Grading
Policy

Composition
of
the
final
grade
in
percents.



Attendance,
 Test
1
 Test
2
 Test
3
 Final
Project

Participation

to
the
class,

and
exercises

20
 10
 10
 10
 50





100
–
90
A

89
–
80
B

79
–
70
C

69
–
60
D

59
‐
0
F



The
evaluation
of
the
assignments
and
of
the
project
is
based
on
a
list
of
criteria
that

will
be
presented,
discussed,
and
explained
during
the
class.





Course
&
Instructor
Policies







Field
Trip
Policies

Off­campus
Instruction
and
Course
Activities



Off­campus,
out­of­state,
and
foreign
instruction
and
activities
are
subject
to
state
law
and

University
policies
and
procedures
regarding
travel
and
risk­related
activities.

Information

regarding
these
rules
and
regulations
may
be
found
at
the
website
address

http://www.utdallas.edu/BusinessAffairs/Travel_Risk_Activities.htm.

Additional
information
is

available
from
the
office
of
the
school
dean.

Below
is
a
description
of
any
travel
and/or
risk­
related
activity
associated
with
this
course.









Student
Conduct
&
Discipline



The
University
of
Texas
System
and
The
University
of
Texas
at
Dallas
have
rules
and

regulations
for
the
orderly
and
efficient
conduct
of
their
business.

It
is
the
responsibility
of

each
student
and
each
student
organization
to
be
knowledgeable
about
the
rules
and

regulations
which
govern
student
conduct
and
activities.

General
information
on
student

conduct
and
discipline
is
contained
in
the
UTD
publication,
A
to
Z
Guide,
which
is
provided
to

all
registered
students
each
academic
year.



The
University
of
Texas
at
Dallas
administers
student
discipline
within
the
procedures
of

recognized
and
established
due
process.

Procedures
are
defined
and
described
in
the
Rules

 and
Regulations,
Board
of
Regents,
The
University
of
Texas
System,
Part
1,
Chapter
VI,
Section

3,
and
in
Title
V,
Rules
on
Student
Services
and
Activities
of
the
university’s
Handbook
of

Operating
Procedures.

Copies
of
these
rules
and
regulations
are
available
to
students
in
the

Office
of
the
Dean
of
Students,
where
staff
members
are
available
to
assist
students
in

interpreting
the
rules
and
regulations
(SU
1.602,
972/883‐6391).



A
student
at
the
university
neither
loses
the
rights
nor
escapes
the
responsibilities
of

citizenship.

He
or
she
is
expected
to
obey
federal,
state,
and
local
laws
as
well
as
the

Regents’
Rules,
university
regulations,
and
administrative
rules.

Students
are
subject
to

discipline
for
violating
the
standards
of
conduct
whether
such
conduct
takes
place
on
or
off

campus,
or
whether
civil
or
criminal
penalties
are
also
imposed
for
such
conduct.



Academic
Integrity



The
faculty
expects
from
its
students
a
high
level
of
responsibility
and
academic
honesty.


Because
the
value
of
an
academic
degree
depends
upon
the
absolute
integrity
of
the
work

done
by
the
student
for
that
degree,
it
is
imperative
that
a
student
demonstrate
a
high

standard
of
individual
honor
in
his
or
her
scholastic
work.



Scholastic
dishonesty
includes,
but
is
not
limited
to,
statements,
acts
or
omissions
related
to

applications
for
enrollment
or
the
award
of
a
degree,
and/or
the
submission
as
one’s
own

work
or
material
that
is
not
one’s
own.

As
a
general
rule,
scholastic
dishonesty
involves
one

of
the
following
acts:

cheating,
plagiarism,
collusion
and/or
falsifying
academic
records.


Students
suspected
of
academic
dishonesty
are
subject
to
disciplinary
proceedings.



Plagiarism,
especially
from
the
web,
from
portions
of
papers
for
other
classes,
and
from
any

other
source
is
unacceptable
and
will
be
dealt
with
under
the
university’s
policy
on

plagiarism
(see
general
catalog
for
details).

This
course
will
use
the
resources
of

turnitin.com,
which
searches
the
web
for
possible
plagiarism
and
is
over
90%
effective.



Email
Use


The University of Texas at Dallas recognizes the value and efficiency of communication
between faculty/staff and students through electronic mail. At the same time, email raises
some issues concerning security and the identity of each individual in an email exchange.
The university encourages all official student email correspondence be sent only to a
student’s U.T. Dallas email address and that faculty and staff consider email from
students official only if it originates from a UTD student account. This allows the
university to maintain a high degree of confidence in the identity of all individual
corresponding and the security of the transmitted information. UTD furnishes each
student with a free email account that is to be used in all communication with university
personnel. The Department of Information Resources at U.T. Dallas provides a method
for students to have their U.T. Dallas mail forwarded to other accounts.

Withdrawal
from
Class



The
administration
of
this
institution
has
set
deadlines
for
withdrawal
of
any
college‐level

courses.
These
dates
and
times
are
published
in
that
semester's
course
catalog.

Administration
procedures
must
be
followed.
It
is
the
student's
responsibility
to
handle

withdrawal
requirements
from
any
class.
In
other
words,
I
cannot
drop
or
withdraw
any

student.
You
must
do
the
proper
paperwork
to
ensure
that
you
will
not
receive
a
final
grade

of
"F"
in
a
course
if
you
choose
not
to
attend
the
class
once
you
are
enrolled.



Student
Grievance
Procedures



Procedures
for
student
grievances
are
found
in
Title
V,
Rules
on
Student
Services
and

Activities,
of
the
university’s
Handbook
of
Operating
Procedures.



In
attempting
to
resolve
any
student
grievance
regarding
grades,
evaluations,
or
other

fulfillments
of
academic
responsibility,
it
is
the
obligation
of
the
student
first
to
make
a

serious
effort
to
resolve
the
matter
with
the
instructor,
supervisor,
administrator,
or

committee
with
whom
the
grievance
originates
(hereafter
called
“the
respondent”).


Individual
faculty
members
retain
primary
responsibility
for
assigning
grades
and

evaluations.

If
the
matter
cannot
be
resolved
at
that
level,
the
grievance
must
be
submitted

in
writing
to
the
respondent
with
a
copy
of
the
respondent’s
School
Dean.

If
the
matter
is
not

resolved
by
the
written
response
provided
by
the
respondent,
the
student
may
submit
a

written
appeal
to
the
School
Dean.

If
the
grievance
is
not
resolved
by
the
School
Dean’s

decision,
the
student
may
make
a
written
appeal
to
the
Dean
of
Graduate
or
Undergraduate

Education,
and
the
deal
will
appoint
and
convene
an
Academic
Appeals
Panel.

The
decision

of
the
Academic
Appeals
Panel
is
final.

The
results
of
the
academic
appeals
process
will
be

distributed
to
all
involved
parties.



Copies
of
these
rules
and
regulations
are
available
to
students
in
the
Office
of
the
Dean
of

Students,
where
staff
members
are
available
to
assist
students
in
interpreting
the
rules
and

regulations.



Incomplete
Grade
Policy



As
per
university
policy,
incomplete
grades
will
be
granted
only
for
work
unavoidably

missed
at
the
semester’s
end
and
only
if
70%
of
the
course
work
has
been
completed.

An

incomplete
grade
must
be
resolved
within
eight
(8)
weeks
from
the
first
day
of
the

subsequent
long
semester.

If
the
required
work
to
complete
the
course
and
to
remove
the

incomplete
grade
is
not
submitted
by
the
specified
deadline,
the
incomplete
grade
is
changed

automatically
to
a
grade
of
F.



Disability
Services



The
goal
of
Disability
Services
is
to
provide
students
with
disabilities
educational

opportunities
equal
to
those
of
their
non‐disabled
peers.

Disability
Services
is
located
in

room
1.610
in
the
Student
Union.

Office
hours
are
Monday
and
Thursday,
8:30
a.m.
to
6:30

p.m.;
Tuesday
and
Wednesday,
8:30
a.m.
to
7:30
p.m.;
and
Friday,
8:30
a.m.
to
5:30
p.m.



The
contact
information
for
the
Office
of
Disability
Services
is:

The
University
of
Texas
at
Dallas,
SU
22

PO
Box
830688

Richardson,
Texas
75083‐0688

(972)
883‐2098
(voice
or
TTY)



Essentially,
the
law
requires
that
colleges
and
universities
make
those
reasonable

adjustments
necessary
to
eliminate
discrimination
on
the
basis
of
disability.

For
example,
it

may
be
necessary
to
remove
classroom
prohibitions
against
tape
recorders
or
animals
(in

the
case
of
dog
guides)
for
students
who
are
blind.

Occasionally
an
assignment
requirement

may
be
substituted
(for
example,
a
research
paper
versus
an
oral
presentation
for
a
student

who
is
hearing
impaired).

Classes
enrolled
students
with
mobility
impairments
may
have
to

be
rescheduled
in
accessible
facilities.

The
college
or
university
may
need
to
provide
special

services
such
as
registration,
note‐taking,
or
mobility
assistance.



 It
is
the
student’s
responsibility
to
notify
his
or
her
professors
of
the
need
for
such
an

accommodation.

Disability
Services
provides
students
with
letters
to
present
to
faculty

members
to
verify
that
the
student
has
a
disability
and
needs
accommodations.

Individuals

requiring
special
accommodation
should
contact
the
professor
after
class
or
during
office

hours.



Religious
Holy
Days


The University of Texas at Dallas will excuse a student from class or other required
activities for the travel to and observance of a religious holy day for a religion whose
places of worship are exempt from property tax under Section 11.20, Tax Code, Texas
Code Annotated.

The student is encouraged to notify the instructor or activity sponsor as soon as possible
regarding the absence, preferably in advance of the assignment. The student, so
excused, will be allowed to take the exam or complete the assignment within a
reasonable time after the absence: a period equal to the length of the absence, up to a
maximum of one week. A student who notifies the instructor and completes any missed
exam or assignment may not be penalized for the absence. A student who fails to
complete the exam or assignment within the prescribed period may receive a failing
grade for that exam or assignment.

If a student or an instructor disagrees about the nature of the absence [i.e., for the
purpose of observing a religious holy day] or if there is similar disagreement about
whether the student has been given a reasonable time to complete any missed
assignments or examinations, either the student or the instructor may request a ruling
from the chief executive officer of the institution, or his or her designee. The chief
executive officer or designee must take into account the legislative intent of TEC
51.911(b), and the student and instructor will abide by the decision of the chief executive
officer or designee.

These
descriptions
and
timelines
are
subject
to
change
at
the
discretion
of
the

Professor.



General references and links:

Acoustics animations
http://paws.kettering.edu/~drussell/demos.html

Thousands of links related to audio

http://www.theprojectstudiohandbook.com/directory.htm

Glossary on audio
http://www.sweetwater.com/expert-center/glossary/

Audio Dramatist’s Lexicon

http://www.natf.org/wad/lexicon.htm#S

Rane Pro Audio references

http://www.rane.com/digi-dic.html

Film Sound
http://filmsound.org/

The Soundry
http://library.thinkquest.org/19537/Main.html

UCSC Sound for musicians

http://artsites.ucsc.edu/EMS/Music/tech_background/tech_background.html

Sound Art
http://www.sysx.org/soundsite/main.html

Project Examples
http://www.bambooturtle.us/dukeaudio2.html#Acoustics

Master of Science Audio and Music

http://www2.ph.ed.ac.uk/acoustics/MSc/topics.html

Basic explanations on Sound. Very good.

http://www.linuxfocus.org/English/March2003/article271.shtml

Online Music recording Magazine

http://www.soundonsound.com/

Conversions and calculations of all sorts (audio included)

http://www.sengpielaudio.com/Calculations03.htm