Live Sound Reinforcement: Susan Pankratz Instructor

Welcome to my Live Sound Reinforcement Class Webpage.
Last updated June 2022. .
Link to Main Page (has material applicable to both Recording, Live Sound and General Audio Production)
Watch for homework, quiz, etc. announcements here.
Upcoming concerts

Some of what's on this page:
Textbooks Online
Class info
Homeworks, Handouts, etc.
Formulas, Additional Resources

Attendance and Homework are 40% of your grade! Homework will be corrected and returned, but not graded.
Due dates for homework and take-home quizzes are final - no late work accepted. Work is due at the beginning of class.
If you cannot return an assignment to me at classtimes, you may leave it BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF CLASS in my box in the HFA office (A19).
Occasionally, depending on circumstances, I may allow you to email your work to me; you MUST EMAIL IT BEFORE THE END OF THE CLASS PERIOD in which it is due.

MUSM 306 is an alternative course for MUSM 342, the 1st Recording Studio Techniques class.
Either MUSM 306 or MUSM 342 may be used as the prerequisite for MUSM 344, the 2nd Recording Studio Techniques class.
MUSM 306 may also be taken for elective credit by those who have already taken MUSM 342.

Books Online:
Modern Recording Techniques: Author: Huber & Runstein , ISBN: 9780240810690; Edition/Copyright: 7th 2009; Publisher: Focal Press, Inc.; Cover: Paperback
   via bookfinder.com    Overstock.com      Amazon
• The 'Yamaha' book: (NOT REQUIRED)
   via bookfinder     at Amazon
• The 'Mix' book: (NOT REQUIRED)
    via bookfinder.com   at Amazon

Handouts, homeworks, etc: in appx chronological order. (REF: not required, for further study)
REF Decibel cross-reference re distances, power, etc.
REF Illustration of the Inverse-Square Law for Sound
REF Inverse-square decibel worksheet
REF A good description of hearing and the decibel scale
REF Fletcher-Munson Equal Loudness Curves
REF Distortion 101
REF Haas Effect (aka Precedence Effect) at Wikipedia
REF Bass? Midrange? Treble?
  Decibel Exposure Time Guide
  Line level: balanced vs unbalanced: +4 dBu vs -10 dBV or -20bBV; 1.3V vs 0.3V
  Octaves, Harmonics, Wavelengths
  Fletcher-Munson Equal Loudness Curves on 'All Church Sound' site.
  Freq's, Staves, and Piano graph
  Audio connectors and wiring handout
  Webpage access, email, hearing protection
  Homework Ch1, Ch2
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REF Older Ribbon Microphones and Phantom Power: "Harmed or even destroyed"
REF Some good graphics and explanations of Mic types
REF EV RE20 dynamic mic (also known as PL20 - little proximity effect due to Variable-D design)
REF How do VU and dB meters differ?
  3Ds of Mic patterns
  Balanced vs unbalanced Audio
  Countryman Type 85 active direct box (DI) documentation
  Homework on Chapter 4
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Videos of the 'over-under' cable wrapping technique: here
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REF Patch Bays w half-normal, full-normal: info on a dbx manual and Sweetwater.com
  Patch Bays w half-normal, full-normal: graphics with explanatory text here
  AH GL2400 mixer brochure.pdf
  AH GL2400 mixer blockdiagram.pdf
  AH GL2400 mixer manual
  Homework on Chapter 13
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REF Q: Quality factor. The selectivity factor: the ratio of the center frequency f divided by the bandwidth BW (upper freq - lower freq at 3db down from peak value).
REF Q vs Bandwidth Calculator
REF Notes on Pink and White Noise
REF Further info on effects
  Musicians, this is for you - we can't get a good sound for your audience if you won't work with us!
  Moulton Labs: Good explanation of phase cancellation/comb filtering
  EQ Article w Vocal and Instrument Freqs
  Ringing out monitors (getting rid of feedback)
  Homework on Chapter 14
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REF Representation of Numbers (Binary, Decimal, etc.)
REF Decimal/Binary/Hex Calculator
  Dithering:
REF Digital Audio and Wikipedia
  Dithering:
   at PC Recording
  Homework on Chapters 6 & 7
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REF Amplifier Classes (general info - lots o' tech)
REF Amplifier damping factor explanation Marantz and Wikipedia
REF Speaker wire on Wikipedia
REF Definition for Intermodulation Distortion (IMD) at Sweetwater
  AWG Wire Resistance
  Amplifier output hookups (stereo, bridged)
  Hafler Pro6000 amp
  Homework on Chapter 12 and Hafler amp
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REF Speakon Connectors explained REF Speakon Connectors from Neutrik
REF Top 10 Ways To "Toast" Speakers and Diaphragms
REF dbx DriveRack loudspeaker management systems
  Speaker Combination Impedances
  Series vs parallel
  Crossover basics
  Homework on Chapter 16
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REF Acoustic Treatment and Design for Recording Studios and Listening Rooms
REF Rane Sound System Interconnection Note 110 (re ground loops, etc.)
  Room Acoustics and Helmholtz Resonators
  Ground loops (hum, noise)
  Furman Power Conditioners
  Homework on Chapter 3
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  Troubleshooting Worksheet (Use ' SCC SR Stereo Flowchart' and 'SCC SR Stereo Wiring' from above)
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Some of these are Word and Excel docs I created, others are links to online Acrobat pdf's, gifs, jpegs, or html, etc websites. If you have any difficulties with the Excel or Word docs, please let me know. (IE opens them OK on my WinXP system, which doesn't have Excel on it)

Please let me know if any links don't work or have died. I run a linkchecker regularly, but some websites seem to get 'redecorated' constantly...

Formulas :
Frequency = 1 / the period of one cycle   (Ex: 1 / 10 milliseconds = 100Hz)
  FYI: Period of one cycle = 1 / Frequency   (Ex: 1 / 100Hz = 0.010 seconds = 10 millisec's)
Wavelength (lambda, Λ) = Velocity / Frequency
     Wavelength = The distance it takes for a wave to complete one cycle, in feet or meters.
     Velocity = Speed of Sound (~1130 feet per second, ~1ft/msec, ~344 meters per second)
     Frequency is measured in Hz (Hertz) or Cycles per second (cps)

Simple Feedback Ear Trainer (for Windows only)
Dictionary of electrical terms for the sound engineer
ProSoundWeb: Old Soundman
PSW Sound Reinforcement Forums
Harmony Central: PA Basics and Glossary for Newbies
Yorkville Basic P/A Systems Primer and P/A Basics and User Tips Guide

SCR light dimmer Noise Source

"Allegro Audio" my personal audio webpage

Funny "Mr Soundman" mp3
"2nd Most Horrible Sound in the World" - Feedback!
The Great Sound Guy Pet Peeve Post!

Skin cancer is colorblind -- no 'free pass' for POCs

FREE FOH Magazine Subscription
FREE Live Sound International