Recording Facilities

The Conservatory of Music maintains five digital recording studios. Additional recording facilities include The Recital Hall, a 15-station digital piano lab, and a “smart” classroom. The studios are open seven days a week during the academic year and summer session and are connected via Ethernet and fiber-optic cable to the campus network. All studios are installed with industry-standard digital audio workstations. Studios A and B, the Blue Room, and the Green Room were completely remodeled/renovated and rewired as of Fall 2009.

Except where noted, these outstanding studios are available to all music students for recording projects; however, technical (operational) access is limited to qualified studio composition and studio production engineers.

• Studio A – Studio A has our largest control room, suitable for large classes and recording sessions. Studio A features an API 1608 analog recording console with custom desk and work area, numerous acoustic and aesthetic upgrades, multiple near- and far-field monitoring options, an Otari 16-track analog recorder, and outboard gear from Purple Audio, Empirical Labs, Drawmer, Lexicon, etcetera. There are new advanced private-cue systems with individual mix stations and a sophisticated new tie-line and patchbay network.
   
  Digital gear in Studio A includes Digidesign Pro Tools HD3 with Pro Tools 8, a Command 8 mix controller. Software includes Waves Gold and Masters bundle, Waves GTR, Waves Tune and IR Convolution reverb, Native Instruments Komplete, and URS EQs and compressors. The live room has 18-foot ceilings with a new 15-cloud variable diffuser system, a Steinway grand piano, and an impeccably restored Fender Rhodes piano.

• Studio B – Studio B with Pro Tools HD2 is a smaller control room that is tied into the very spacious Jazz Rehearsal Hall (Room 0081). Among the many improvements are API and Vintech/Neve microphone preamps, a new passive monitor controller and switching, improved work area/rack systems and lighting, as well as advanced private-cue systems with individual mix stations. Software upgrades include Waves V6 full versions of the Tune product and Sound Replacer. This space has 30-foot ceilings with an acoustic shell to direct sound forward. Most studio composition and jazz recitals are recorded here. Studio B is an ideal space for experimenting with distant and indirect microphone techniques.

• The Blue Room – The Blue Room is the third-floor mixing and postproduction control room. Improvements include a ICON C24 mix controller, B&W and Adams monitoring, permanently racked API and FMR preamps and EQs, and an improved work area and lighting. The Waves Mercury bundle rounds out the software upgrades. The Conservatory’s advanced private-cue systems with individual mix stations are also here, along with a sophisticated new tie-line network. There are new couches and storage units. Pro Tools HD2 is on hand with a recent Leopard/PT8 upgrade. The Blue Room is a powerful and capable favorite for mixing projects, tied via snake to the live room (Room 3027). The live room has a new maple floor and a fresh coat of paint, together with new patch panels and tie lines. Comparisons between old and new “on the way in” to Pro Tools are a favorite of our master classes in the Blue Room.

• The Green Room – The Green Room, one of our two entry-level studios, also features a full Pro Tools HD rig. Among the improvements are a repurposed vintage Neotek console, new passive monitor controller and switching, an improved work area/rack system, the Conservatory’s advanced private-cue systems with individual mix stations, and a sophisticated new tie-line network. There are new couches and storage units and a new and improved green paint. Software upgrades include Waves V6 full versions of the Tune product and Sound Replacer. The Green Room is most likely the first place our students will begin to track their work. The Green Room shares access to the renovated Room 3027 as its live space, with plenty of room to track an entire band.

• Beat Suite – Our second entry-level room, the Beat Suite is tailored to “loop” or “sample-based production” and features Digidesign 002 hardware as well as various hardware MIDI synthesizers and soft synths (computer-based synthesizers). A 32 x 8 console is slated to be installed in Fall 2010.

Other Studio Facilities

The Recital Hall Studio – Primarily used for recital recordings, this control room is set up for direct-to-DAW (digital audio workstation) and direct-to-CD recording (two formats for redundancy).

Triple “O” One – The largest music technology “smart” classroom, Room 0001 is where many studio production classes are held. Room 0001 also features a Pro Tools system with large-screen projection for class participation.

MIDI Keyboard Lab – Our 14-station MIDI keyboard lab has integrated Mac computers and sequencing/notation software.

Updated June 3, 2010