Department of Music and Performing Arts
MPA Recording Studios
MPA's studio-focused classes include MPA 307: Audio Production, MPA 308: Mixing and Editing, and MPA 408: Advanced Audio Production. Through these courses and others, students learn the artistic and technical skills necessary to become successful engineers. In the process, students gain hands-on experience with a range of professional-level hardware and software while recording and mixing themselves, their peers, and visiting artists.
The 57,500 cubic feet live room in the Music Hall offers a distinctive and flexible tracking space, which includes a Steinway Model D grand piano. This space is managed and maintained in partnership with hardware and software technicians as well as skilled and knowledgeable staff and students.
The Studio A at MPA is equipped with a Pro Tools HDX system running several DAWs, including Pro Tools and Reaper. The studio is built around an MTA 980 mixing console, which is perhaps best known as the console used on Radiohead's OK Computer. It features a brand new Focusrite Rednet I/O system that is Dante compatible. Along with the Pro Tools HDX system and a full slate of Universal Audio and Waves plug-ins, the studio has a sophisticated tiny telephone patch bay matrix offering access to a selection of outboard gear.
Studio B is equipped with a 40-input SSL Matrix Console, which allows full DAW control of multiple programs across multiple layers. This studio also features Pro Tools and Reaper, 14 outboard preamps, and Universal Audio, Slate, and Waves plug-ins along with a selection of additional outboard gear.
The program's microphone collection includes offerings from AKG, Neumann, Audio Technica, Beyer, Josephson, Shure, Wunder, and other manufacturers. View a full list of available equipment.
In addition to the live room and two control rooms in the Music Hall, Building 48 (Grove Hall) houses an Electronic Music and MIDI lab. This spaces provide separate workstations featuring Korg Triton Extreme and Korg Trinity ProX keyboards, Focusrite 2i2 interfaces, and Macs running software including Pro Tools, Propellerhead's Reason, and Avid's Sibelius.
Recording student resources
The following resources are here to assist Recording Technology Students with preparing for Recording Sessions in the studio for course related work, capstone or personal projects.
Equipment Checkout Sheet - To be completed before session start. List all equipment necessary, including microphones, cables, stands, headphones, etc.
Recording studio equipment list
Console
- Trident MTA980 40 Input with Neve Flying Fader Automation
- Output modified with Quad Eight CA127 Output Modules
Recording
- Pro Tools Ultimate HDX
- Mac Pro, 8-Core, 24Gb RAM
- 2 Focusrite Rednet A16R
- 1 Focusrite Rednet HD32
Outboard Gear
- 1 (Floating) Vintage King 500 Series Rack
- 2 DBX 560A Compressors
- 1 Maag Audio EQ2 Equalizer
- 1 Kush Audio Electra Equalizer
- 1 Tonelux MP5A
- 1 Lindell Audio 6X-500
- 1 Millennia STT1 Chanel Strip
- 1 Presonus ACP-8
- 1 Lexicon PCM91
- 1 ART Tube Compressor
- 1 ART Stereo Tube Preamp
- 1 Yamaha SPX 90
- 1 4 Ch. Cloudlifter
Onboard Processing
- Avid Plug-In Collection
- UAD2 –Quad PCi Card with Full Plug-In Collection
- Waves Gold Plug-In Bundle
Monitoring
- Genelec 1032 A's
- Focal Audio CMS40's
- Furman HDS-6 & HR-6
Console
- SSL Matrix – 40 Input with full DAW control
Recording
- Pro Tools 10 and 11 HD Native
- Mac Pro, 8-Core, 24Gb RAM
- Lynx Aurora 16 AD/DA Converter
Outboard Gear
- 2 API 3124+ Preamps - 8 total pre amps
- 2 Rupert Neve Portico 5012 - 4 total pre amps
- 1 Millennia STT-1 Channel Strips
- 1 Universal Audio Solo 610
- 2 Empirical Labs EL8X Distressors with British Mod and Stereo Link
- 1 Universal Audio 1176LN
- 1 Da'king FET II Compressor
- 1 Warm Audio EQP-WA Tube Equalizer
- 1 Yamaha SPX 2000
- 1 TC Electronic M-1 XL
- 1 (Floating) Vintage King 500 Series Rack
- 2 DBX 560A Compressors
- 1 Maag Audio EQ2 Equalizer
- 1 Kush Audio Electra Equalizer
- 1 Lindel Audio 6X-500
- 1 Tonelux MP5A
Onboard Processing
- UAD 2 Quad Core Satellite - Core Plug-In Collection
- Waves Gold Plug-In Bundle
- Avid Plug-In Collection
- Slate Digital Everything Bundle
- Additional plug-ins from SPL, Soundtoys, and other manufacturers
Monitoring
- Tannoy Reveals w/ Hafler P3000 Amp
- Avantone Mixcubes
- Beyerdynamic DT990
- Furman HDS-6 and HR-6 Distribution System
- Samson S-Phone Headphone matrix
- Soundcraft SI Impact
- Soundcraft SI Expression 1
- Soundcraft Ui16
- Soundcraft Digital Snake Stage Box
- 4 JBL Eon 615
- 1 JBL Eon 612
- 2 JBL Eon 610
- 2 Behringer Eurolive F1320D
- 2 Behringer Eurolive F1220D
Large Diaphragm Condensers
- 2 Wunder CM7-GT w/ M7 Capsule MP
- 2 Lauten Audio Atlantis FC-387
- 2 AKG C414B-ULS
- 1 AKG C414B-TLII
- 2 Audiotechnica 4050
- 2 CAD Equitek E-100
- 1 Slate Virtual Microphone System w/ Modeling Software
- 1 Warm Audio WA-87
Small Diaphragm Condensers
- 2 AKG C451EB MP
- 2 Neumann KM184 MP
- 2 Josephson E-22
- 4 Avantone CK1
- 2 DPA 4099P
Ribbons
- 2 Royer R-122
- 2 Beyerdynamic M160
Dynamics
- 4 Sennheiser MD-421
- 10 Shure SM-57
- 5 Shure SM-58
- 1 Electrovoice RE20
- 1 AKG D112
- 2 Shure SM7b
- 1 Shure Beta52a
- 1 Audix D6
- 2 Shure BLX24R Wireless
- Nord Electro 5D 73
- Yamaha MOTIF8
- Moog Theremin
- Moog Subphatty
- Fender Stratocaster Guitar
- Steinway Model D
- Epiphone Joe Pass Emperor II Guitar
- Fender Jaguar Bass
- D'Angelico Acoustic Guitar
- Yamaha Studio Custom Drum Kit
- Gretsch Catalina Drum Kit
- Zildjian K Series Cymbals
- Zildjian ZBT Series Cymbals
- Selection of nylon string acoustic guitars
- Selection of steel string acoustic guitars
- Fender Twin Reverb II
- Vox AC30
- Roland Jazz Chorus JC-120
- SWR Working Pro 2X10 C
- Hartke KB15 500W
- 2 Dynamount X1-R Robotic Microphone Mount
- Eastwest Symphonic Orchestra Platinum Complete Plus Edition
- 5 20dB inline mic pads
- 5 30dB inline mic pads
- 2 Mono Radial DI boxes
- 1 Stereo Radial Multi-Media DI box
- 1 Radial Re-amp box
- Lots of headphone amps, stands, cables, and other useful gear