Courses – Fakultet tehničkih nauka u Novom Sadu

Subject: Acoustics and Audio Engineering in Multimedia (17.EK312L)

Native organizations units: Department of Power, Electronic and Telecommunication Engineering

Type of studies	Title
Undergraduate Academic Studies	Engineering Animation (Godina: 2, Summer)

General information:

Category	Professional-applicative
Scientific or art field	Telecommunications and Signal Processing
Interdisciplinary	No
ECTS	5

Educational goal:

Audio is an important part of multimedia animations, videos, computer games and films. Students need to understand the nature of sound and its main characteristics. To explain what and how people can hear and how they perceive different sound pressure levels and the frequency content of sound and how a person perceives the direction of the sound source. To present the audio signals (speech and music) in more detail, digital audio-formats and equipment for recording and playback, as well as the tools for analysis and processing of sounds in multimedia environment on a computer. To explain how both the transmission and perception of sound are influenced by enclosed areas. To describe how to evaluate the acoustic quality of professional studies, concert halls, conference halls, as well as sound recording and playback systems. To learn the principles of designing and installing sound systems for both indoor and outdoor spaces.

Educational outcome:

Students will learn how sound waves are produced and how they propagate, what a human being can hear and how sound affects humans, as well as how sound is recorded, transmitted and reproduced. They acquire the necessary knowledge of voice and music signals, digital audio signal formats, as well as software tools for analyzing and processing of audio signals in a multimedia environment. They will understand the differences in the behavior of sound both indoors and outdoors. They will be able to evaluate the acoustic environment (in terms of speech intelligibility, quality of listening to music), and to select and place audio-equipment for recording of speech, music, and ambiental sound, as well as to design sound systems. They will get skills to use the computer for processing of audio clips and fit them into a multimedia environment.

Course content:

•The physical characteristics of sound (the rules for the formation and propagation of sound waves). •Sound perception (auditory area; binaural localisation, sound masking effect, speech and music features). •Microphones, loudspeakers and headphones (principles and characteristics, microphone areas for 3D sound recording). •Audio mixers (audio-visual controls, level regulation, filters, regulation of dynamics and reverberation, monitoring and sound editing, multi-channel recording (5.1, 7.1, 10.2,...)). •Acoustical quality of both professional rooms and systems for sound recording and reproduction (objective measurements and subjective assessments of sound area features, optimal conditions for sound recording and reproduction). •Audio systems for recording of voice and music program and audio effects (selection and placement of microphones, sound for film and video). •Formats for recording, transmission and storing of audio information in multimedia environment on a computer (MIDI, MPEG, HD and 3D sound). •Virtual space sound (3D-space sound processing using 2D recording and reproduction, coding and decoding in systems for shaping of virtual space sound). •Computer-based professional audio systems for sound recording and reproduction, audio mixer driving, software tools for music arrangement and processing, multichannel systems and their compatibility, program material exchange (Sound Forge). •Sound systems design for both indoors and outdoors. Microphone and loudspeaker systems for high quality reproduction.

Teaching methods:

Lectures are performed with PowerPoint presentations accompanied by numerous audio and video attachments and animations. The first part of the course (acoustics) is followed by auditory exercises, while the second part (audio engineering) is followed by exercises in the Laboratory of Acoustics and Speech Technologies at FTS. A visit to Radio Novi Sad is arranged, where students see acoustically processed studios with audio-equipment, the anechoic rooms and the audio-theater complexes. The exam prerequisites are a seminar work and 3 of 4 tests - the condition for entering the exam is 25 of 50 points. Seminar works are done individually, while the best from some topics are presented and bring additional points. The first part of the exam can be passed through the colloquium in the middle of the semester. Independent student work is supported through the web portal of the Chair of Communications and Signal Processing - www.telekom.ftn.uns.ac.rs.

Literature:

Authors	Title	Year	Publisher	Language
Vlado Delić	Audio-izdanje udžbenika i prezentacija u okviru CABUNS-a	2018	Univerzitet u Novom Sadu	Serbian language
Dragan Drinčić, Petar Pravica	Akustika – Zbirka rešenih zadataka	2011	VŠERSS, Beograd	Serbian language
Dragan Drinčić, Petar Pravica, Dragan Novković	Osnovi akustike	2018	VŠERSS, Beograd	Serbian language
Mijić, M.	Audio sistemi	2011	Akademska misao, Beograd	Serbian language

Knowledge evaluation:

Course activity	Pre-examination	Obligations	Number of points
Test	Yes	No	10.00
Written part of the exam - tasks and theory	No	Yes	50.00
Test	Yes	Yes	10.00
Presentation	Yes	No	10.00
Test	Yes	Yes	10.00
Coloquium exam	No	No	20.00
Test	Yes	Yes	10.00
Term paper	Yes	Yes	20.00