New Sound Isolation Booths
Enhance Audio Engineering Program
The Department of Performing Arts recently converted a small closet and a rehearsal room into two sound isolation booths. Located inside the ensemble rehearsal room (room 115), the new sound booths are part of the on-going enhancements to the department’s concentration in the area of Audio Engineering.
“The isolation booths greatly improve our recording techniques,” said professor Bruce Whisler, director of the program. “One booth is used to isolate drums, while the other booth is used to isolate vocalists or other instrumentations. The isolation of various instruments, especially drums, is important for producing cleaner recordings. Isolating the instruments makes it easier to record them on their own track, eliminating their sounds from bleeding onto the tracks of other instruments.”
The Audio Engineering major allows students to focus on various recording techniques, live sound reinforcement, and music technology. Coupled with the major’s core curriculum, the Audio Engineering sequence prepares students for a wide variety of career choices in music technology. “The isolation booths also provide our students with a more professional learning experience,” added Whisler. “Learning in facilities like these gives our students valuable real-world training that they can use in professional studios.”
In addition to the new sound isolation booths, the Audio Engineering Concentration features a 12-station student music technology lab outfitted with Music XPC computers, Korg NG synthesizer/keyboards, and Sonor for MIDI sequencing and audio recording software. The recording studio features Macintosh Dual Processor computers, running Digidesign ProTools recording applications, and the mixing console is a Focusrite Control 24 that provides 16 simultaneous inputs. Flat screen monitors, Alesis Masterlink high-resolution CD recorder, as well as professional microphone preamplifiers, form Digidesign and John Hardy are other lab components.
The isolation booths feature reinforced double doors, acoustical wall padding, and wiring for 44 channels recordings. The cost of the conversion was about $30,000. “This is money well spent,” said Whisler. “When it comes to recording music, it’s all about getting the sound right.”
