Live Audio Production Certificate

In this introductory course, students will learn the principles and physics of audio, common concert production industry terminology, and a brief history of commercial live sound reinforcement. The class will also explore the many jobs and careers available in the concert production industry and learn about career paths and pay scales associated with each.

Course Objectives

• The history of live sound reinforcement from simple speech amplification to large stadium and festival concert PA systems
• Industry terminology and vernacular
• Various jobs, roles, and career paths in the concert production industry
• A typical “day in the life” of crew members involved in a concert production from “local hands” to tour manager and typical pay scales
• Basic audio fundamentals, such as the physics of sound, terminology and signal flow

Students learn the anatomy of PA systems “from microphone to speaker.” Audio signal flow through a PA system is taught in detail including the concepts and common variations such as “aux fed subs.” The physics of sound in larger spaces and various psychoacoustic effects are explored. Hearing safety and noise ordinance topics are covered in detail.

Course Objectives

• The anatomy of modern PA systems from simple “PA on a stick” to large stadium and area PA systems
• Signal flow though PA systems including common variations such as using “aux fed subs” and using matrix sections and summing mixers
• The physics of sound reinforcement such as wave propagation, directionality, the effects of temperature variations and speaker coverage patterns
• Psychoacoustic effects such as the Fletcher Munson Curve and the Inverse Square law
• The importance of hearing safety and techniques to limit exposure
• Sound pressure level fundamentals and measurement techniques
• Local noise ordinances and the politics of such

This course starts with a detailed introduction to our live venue teaching facility and a hands on explanation of all the equipment students will learn on throughout the semester. Students will then experience what’s known in the industry as a “build day” and build the venue’s PA system together with instructors while being instructed on the details and concepts of deploying a PA system. Students then learn in a hands-on format how to wire a stage including explanation of sub-snakes, common microphone splitter systems, and “soft” and “hard” patching concepts. Live sound signal flow concepts are reinforced with real world examples using an operational PA system.

Course Objectives

• Industry standard cable wrapping methods including “over-under” and “figure eight” wrapping techniques
• The parts of a modern PA system and the vocabulary and concepts used when building a PA system
• Concepts and techniques of PA deployment, including building the venue’s PA system from “load in”
• Stage monitoring concepts and “monitor” and “fill” placement and deployment
• Stage wiring including “pinning,” “patching,” microphone splitter systems, the “festival patch,” A/B patching systems and typical concert “input lists”
• Introduction to and deployment of various specialized cable types and data formats such as CAT6, optical, AES50 and DANTE
• Concert power requirements and considerations for the PA system and for “backline”
• Hands on time with the PA system students helped build using pre-recorded music

In this course students are introduced to backline and how to mic various musical instruments for a live performance. All the common instruments are covered as well as DJ rigs, tracks-act rigs, and playback rigs. Specialized scenarios and equipment, such as lavalier microphones and pianos, are demonstrated. The various ways to patch a stage and stage wiring troubleshooting are explained. The second part of this course concentrates on preparing mixing consoles for a concert performance. Topics include building a show file, labeling channels and configuring aux sends, busses, effects and the matrix section of the consoles, using the oscillator and talkback sections of consoles, and how to troubleshoot basic PA problems. The last portion of the course focuses on mixing consoles, PA tuning, and managing wireless audio equipment. Students learn three different industry standard mixing consoles and become proficient on each. They receive instruction on tuning a PA system for a venue using SMAART Live software. Wireless equipment from antenna deployment to radio frequency coordination using Shure Wireless Workbench software will be demonstrated. Students will participate in a discussion of life lessons and how to navigate the industry, including presentations from and interviews with several industry veteran guest speakers.

Course Objectives

• Introduction to “backline” including names, industry standard conventions, and a history of the various instruments
• Set up and mic all “backline” instruments
• Drums, bass, guitar amps, keyboards, acoustic instruments, DJ rigs, vocals, organs, “playback” rigs, choirs, and more
• Direct Boxes, close “micing,” “overhead micing,” line out and wireless microphone concepts
• Preparing audio consoles for a performance including channel labeling, bus configuration, configuring effects and EQs
• Using a console matrix section
• Building and saving a “show file,” best practices and using offline editors/iPad apps
• Using an oscillator and talkback sections
• Basic PA troubleshooting including real world examples
• Troubleshooting stage wiring problems, the “tap through” method, and how to fix common patching problems
• Instruction on the Midas M32, Avid Profile, Yamaha CL, and Allen & Heath SQ/DLive consoles
• Wireless audio equipment deployment and RF coordination using an RF scanners and Shure Wireless Workbench software
• PA system tuning fundamentals including time alignment and corrective EQ
• “Old School” manual PA system tuning techniques
• PA tuning using SMAART Live measurement software
• “Life lessons” from experience industry veterans
• Advice on navigating the industry including traveling safely, self care advice, and how to handle success and failure

This course covers the actual job of mixing audio for a live performance. Mixing “front of house” and mixing monitors are taught in real-world scenarios in our live sound teaching venue and other concert venues around Athens. The fundamentals of mixing live audio will be taught through hands-on experience working with live bands in actual venues using industry standard equipment. After several teaching examples and lots of hands-on “experiential learning” opportunities, students will be assessed on their progress during live mixing practicums that replicate mixing a live concert performance.

Course Objectives

• Live audio mixing fundamentals such as filters, EQ, compression, limiting and effects
• Auxes, groups, busses and VCA’s and mutegroups
• Mixing strategies for various scenarios
• Handling sub woofers and front fills
• Monitor mixing techniques when mixing on a dedicated monitor console
• Monitor mixing strategies for various common scenarios
• Monitor mixing techniques when mixing monitors from “front of house”
• Handling feedback, ear training, “ringing out” monitors and front of house
• Mixing for in-ear monitors

This course will explore basic electronics theory, component identification, soldering, maintenance and troubleshooting, gear modification, and safety. Students will gain hands-on experience by building cabling, adaptors, audio processors and modifying transducers.

Course Objectives

• Electrical Quantities – Voltage, current, resistance, and impedance
• Components – Testing and identifying how they work and how they fail
• Soldering – Circuit boards, cables and connectors
• Electronics Test Equipment – Multimeters and cable testers
• Electronic Circuits – Theory and mathematics of series and parallel circuits
• Ohm’s Law – The relationship of voltage, current, and resistance
• Electrical Power Sources – AC and DC, batteries, and power supplies
• DI box build – Build a working DI box from parts
• Soldering and cable fabrication – Fabricate XLR and TRS cables from parts
• Gear Modification – Modify an SM57 by removing the transformer for improved performance

In conjunction with the venue practicum dates, the two Experiential Learning weeks in the program provide a deeper, more involved experience of artist interaction, system deployment, festival changeovers, and role responsibility. These weeks offer students a glimpse into the required stamina, organizational skills, interpersonal navigation, efficiency, and technical mastery required to work in a fast-paced live audio environment.

Course Objectives

• Application – Apply knowledge and skills in a real-world situation
• Employment – Provide the student with touchpoints of experience to prepare them to start a new business or search for a job
• Professionalism – How to conduct oneself in a professional environment, developing communication skills, people skills, and the ability to work in teams
• Networking – Make connections in multiple areas of the music industry
• Provide Choices – Experiment with various areas of interest and multiple employment possibilities