Application
Supervising sound technicians apply the skills and knowledge described in this unit. They could be working in a variety of creative arts industry sectors, including live performances, music recording studios, online environments, radio outside broadcasts, and film and sound archives.
Typically they are responsible for ensuring that required equipment is available and in working order, troubleshooting recording problems, recording sound, and supervising assistants engaged for recording sessions. They are expected to work closely with other production team members, e.g. producers, directors, broadcast engineers and lighting crew. This work is undertaken with limited or no supervision or guidance.
Skills associated with recording sound for screen productions are covered in:
CUSSOU406A Record sound on location.
Prerequisites
Not applicable
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENT | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
1. Prepare for sound recording | 1.1 Clarify recording requirements with reference to productiondocumentation and in consultation with relevant personnel 1.2 Prepare a team work plan as required and brief personnel accordingly 1.3 Check that sound equipment and accessories are in working order for recording sessions 1.4 Ensure that sound equipment and accessories are set up, connected and aligned according to safety, technical and production requirements 1.5 Ensure that the selection of sound equipment and accessories meets required standards 1.6 Ensure that recording devices have sufficient capacity for expected duration of recordings 1.7 Anticipate problems that may arise during the recording process and plan accordingly 1.8 Ensure adequate supply of consumables is available for duration of sound recordings |
2. Place microphones and test record line-up | 2.1 Select, power and position microphones and microphone accessories according to safety, technical and production requirements 2.2 Apply principles of microphone operation when placing and moving microphones 2.3 Ensure placement of microphones and microphone accessories is safe, unobtrusive and avoids extraneous and unwanted noise 2.4 Conduct a sound check to ensure quality of recording will meet required standards 2.5 Test signal flow of connected sound equipment and accessories |
3. Make sound recordings | 3.1 Ensure run-up time is sufficient to allow stable sound recording 3.2 Apply appropriate signal processing for optimal sound quality and make test recordings to ensure no audible defects are present 3.3 Continuously monitor sound recording for quality, audible defects and extraneous background sound 3.4 Critically listen to recording and provide feedback on appropriate recording techniques to record line-up 3.5 Ensure recorded sound supports and enhances production requirements 3.6 Complete recording sessions in line with production timelines |
4. Finalise sound-recording operations | 4.1 Ensure that recordings are saved in the appropriate format and logged/filed in line with organisational procedures 4.2 Make safety copies or backups as required 4.2 Prepare accurate production set-up reports 4.3 Ensure that sound equipment and accessories are de-rigged, checked and cleaned appropriately 4.4 Ensure that work environments are cleaned after use and restored to their pre-recording condition 4.5 Provide feedback to other team members as required 4.6 Evaluate own performance against technical and creative criteria and note areas for improvement |
Required Skills
Required skills |
research skills sufficient to locate and use relevant sources of information literacy skills sufficient to: prepare production set-up reports read and interpret recording documentation numeracy skills sufficient to calculate duration and capacity of recording media at various speed/sample rates communication skills sufficient to: liaise with sound-production and recording personnel, including in a supervisory capacity provide feedback to recording personnel on appropriate recording techniques clearly explain and offer suitable alternatives to record line-up when recording difficulties cannot be resolved within operational constraints initiative and enterprise skills in the context of critically analysing sound recordings learning skills sufficient to maintain currency of knowledgeof recording equipment upgrades planning and organisational skills sufficient to prioritise work tasks and meet deadlines problem-solving skills sufficient to promptly and effectively rectify sound defects, system failures and mechanical breakdowns technology skills sufficient to work with a variety of sound-recording equipment |
Required knowledge |
principles of psychophysics, such as: frequency pitch amplitude loudness velocity wavelength acoustical phase timbre sound envelope principles of psychoacoustics, such as: spatial hearing direct sound early sound reverberant sound studio and control room design ergonomics operational knowledge of sound-recording equipment principles and techniques of sound recording, including: audible defects in analogue and digital technologies compatibility of different digital standards identification/logging requirements operational principles of microphones, including microphone placement operational/technical limitations of recording media recording formats and technical standards signal-to-noise ratio, signal phase and audio level/headroom control logarithmic units and the use of different metering systems timecode levels and standards in analogue and digital applications principles of synchronisation and referencesystems issues and challenges that typically arise in the context of recording sound OHS principles of safe listening, including safeguards against hearing loss |
Evidence Required
The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package. | |
Overview of assessment | |
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit | Evidence of the ability to: make sound recordings that meet production requirements and demonstrate a thorough understanding of: prerecording checks microphone positioning testing record line-ups OHS principles in relation to safe sound levels use a range of industry-current sound equipment and accessories work collaboratively with team members. |
Context of and specific resources for assessment | Assessment must ensure: access to a range of work environments and productions where sound is recorded access to industry-current sound equipment and accessories, including recording devices, microphones, signal processors and consumables use of culturally appropriate processes, and techniques appropriate to the language and literacy capacity of learners and the work being performed. |
Method of assessment | The following assessment methods are appropriate for this unit: case studies to assess candidate's ability to apply OHS principles of safe listening to day-to-day work activities evaluation of a range of live, acoustic and/or sequenced recordingsmade by candidate observation of candidate making sound recordings written or oral questioning to test knowledge of principles of psychophysics and psychoacoustics. |
Guidance information for assessment | Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example: CUSSOU405A Mix recorded music CUSSOU406A Record sound on location CUSSOU407A Coordinate location sound recording. |
Range Statement
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included. | |
Productions may include: | music recording interactive media product, such as: CD DVD podcast internet production, e.g. website audio radio broadcast voice-over. |
Documentation may include: | production schedules set-up reports cue sheets track sheets dubbing charts equipment instructions OHS requirements organisational standards performers' requirements sound and audio reports technical manuals. |
Relevant personnel may include: | artists, musicians and performers audio and sound engineers audio and sound technicians/mixers broadcasters technical producers broadcast technicians and engineers directors producers conductors program managers curators post-production managers supervisors sound designers. |
Sound equipment and accessories may include: | amplifiers analogue to digital converters cables compact disc (CD) and digital versatile disc (DVD) players and burners computer technology and associated software digital and analogue recording devices: hard disk recorder, e.g. digital audio workstation (DAW) digital audiotape recorder, e.g. S-DAT and R-DAT digital videotape recorder (DVTR) mini disc recorder (MD) modular digital multi-track recorder (MDM) open-reel analogue audiotape recorder digital audio players, such as: iPod MP3 headphones microphones and accessories mixing consoles and desks monitors and speakers signal processors and plug-ins. |
Production requirements may include: | attributions audience budget confidentiality content contractual arrangements copyright deadlines direct quotes duration intellectual property interviews location purpose schedule style. |
Consumables may include: | audiotape, e.g. digital and open-reel analogue compact discs, e.g. CD-R and CD-RW cue sheets and track sheets digital versatile discs, e.g. DVD-/+R and DVD-/+RW masking tape, marker pens and labels mini discs (MDs) memory cards, e.g. flash memory cards. |
Microphones may include: | boundary (PZM) capacitor/condenser, such as: electret lavalier mini microphone transistor tube contact digital directional, such as: single entry port multiple entry port multi/poly-directional dual-element dynamic, such as: moving coil ribbon headset low and/or high impedance microphone systems, such as: adaptive array binaural high definition parabolic surround sound wireless cordless FM radio transmitter noise cancelling shotgun. |
Microphone accessories may include: | boom poles, including: aluminium carbon fibre fisher hand-held perambulator remote panner tripod cables, including: balanced unbalanced clips connectors, including: female male XLR housing pop filters shock mounts stands, including: desk floor gooseneck windscreens. |
Principles of microphone operation may include: | balanced and unbalanced audio transmission diaphragm diameter and frequency response diaphragm mass and transient response differential input and single-ended input directional characteristics, including: omnidirectional (non-directional) unidirectional, e.g. sub-cardioid, wide angle cardioid, cardioid, super-cardioid, hyper-cardioid and ultra-cardioid bi-directional ground loops and ground lift magnetic induction matching high/low impedance (passive/active DI interface) phase cancellation and acoustic comb filtering pickup pattern (polar response pattern) polarity sound response, such as: frequency response hum maximum sound pressure level overload limit proximity effect self-noise sensitivity signal-to-noise ratio transduction variable capacitance. |
Signal processing may include: | amplitude (dynamic) signal processing: compressors, e.g. broadband, split-band, de-esser limiters expanders noise gates pitch shifters noise processing, such as: Dolby dbx DSP spectrum signal processing: equalisers, e.g. fixed frequency, graphic, parametric and paragraphic filters, e.g. high/low pass, band pass and notch psychoacoustic processors time signal processing: reverberation, e.g. digital, plate and acoustic chamber delay, e.g. doubling, chorus, slap back and prereverb flanging, e.g. positive and negative phasing morphing. |
Appropriate recording techniques may include: | articulation and voicing breathing microphone use pitch playing, singing and performing style timing tone tuning volume. |
Production set-up report may include: | console settings effects settings microphone choices patch bay wiring processor settings track sheets. |
Work environment may include: | dubbing theatre outside broadcast recording studio sound stage. |
Sectors
Media and entertainment production - audio/sound
Employability Skills
Not applicable
Licensing Information
No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of endorsement.