BA (Hons) Music
- International students can apply
Recording Studios
The Music Directorate houses two fully equipped professional recording studios and a further three pre/post production studios with access to a variety of recording/performance spaces. We have created a creative and educational environment which aims to mirror contemporary professional studio practise. Our general philosophy is to facilitate the use of both analogue and digital recording platforms, software and hardware signal processing. All studios centre around a large format mixing desk which can feed hard disk recording systems and 24 track analogue tape machines. The two large recording studios (A / B) make use of comprehensive balanced patch bays, giving students the opportunity to fully explore traditional signal routing, a skill vital to ones progression into professional practice.
Studio A
Mixing Desk:
Audient ASP 8024 (36 Microphone Preamplifiers / 72 channels on mixdown)
Monitoring:
PMC IB2S / Yamaha NS10M
Recording
48 channels of A/D – D/A conversion through MOTU 24 I/O interfaces – Mac Pro
Tascam MSR24s 24 Track analogue tape machine.
Outboard:
A selection: Empirical Labs Distressor x2 / TL Audio 5051 x 2 / TL Audio 5021 / Focusrite Twin Track / Lexicon PCM 60, MPX1, MPX550, TC Electronics reverb and multi-effects units / Drawmer Compressors and Gates.
Live Rooms:
Studio A has a large main live room with a variable acoustic and is also ‘tie lined’ to a more reverberant live space (“Studio O”), to enable complete acoustic separation of sound sources.
Instruments:
Tama Superstar Drumkit / Rhodes Stage 73 MK2 Electric Piano / Yamaha Upright Acoustic Piano (with MIDI) / Roland RD300sx.
Amplification:
Laney vc 30, Fender Deluxe Tweed, Line 6 Spider 100w, Roland KC 550, Ampeg BA 300
Studio B
Mixing Desk:
Audient ASP 8024 (24 Microphone Preamplifiers / 48 channels on mixdown)
Monitoring:
Quested VS3208 3-Way Active Studio Monitors/ Dynaudio BM5a.
Recording:
24 channels of A/D – D/A conversion through MOTU 24 I/O interfaces – Mac Pro Tascam MSR24s 24 Track analogue tape machine
Outboard:
TL Audio 5001 / DBX and Alesis compressors / Lexicon and TC Electronics multi effects
Live Rooms:
Large acoustically 'dead' room with isolation booth for separation of sound sources.
Instruments:
korg SP200 stage piano. Wurlitzer EP200a electric piano. Sonor Force Drumkit.
Amplification:
Line 6 Spider 100w, Marshall JCM 900 (x 2), Orange Ext Cab 120w, Peavey Renown, Peavey Bandit 112, Peavey Blazer 158, Peavey TNT 150, Ashdown Mag 250
Studio C
Mixing Desk:
Tascam dm 4800
Monitoring:
Genelec 8030 / Dynaudio BM6a
Recording:
24 tracks of A/D-D/A via RME Hammerfall ADAT – Mac Pro. Tascam MSR24s 24 Track analogue tape machine.
Live Rooms:
Tie lines to “Studio O” live room.
Instruments:
Roland Juno 106 / Access Virus C / Yamaha DX7 / Novation Supernova / Korg MS2000
Mixdown
Mixing Desk:
Toft ATB 32
Monitoring:
Genelec 1030a / KRK VXT 8
Recording:
24 channels of A/D – D/A conversion through MOTU 24 I/O interfaces – Mac Pro. Tascam MSR24s 24 Track analogue tape machine.
Outboard:
A selection: DBX, Alesis, SPL compressors. Lexicon and TC Electronics and Yamaha multi effects.
Live Rooms:
Tie lines to our lecture theatre housing a Yamaha baby grand piano.
Instruments:
Clavia Nord Stage EX
Digital Edit:
A small pre/post production space linked to an extremely 'dead' live room, ideal for voice over and foley/sample capture.
Computer suite:
Our suite of 12 iMacs are equipped with sequencing, wave editing, synthesis, signal processing and post-production software. The software in the computer suite is, on the whole, the same as that found in the recording studios, so that work can easily be transferred from one facility to another. Logic Studio 9 and Sibelius 6 are standard across all the machines.
Location Recording:
There are a variety of facilities available for location recording assignments, ranging from simple stereo microphone and SD/compact flash card recorder kits to a JoeCo Blackbox 24 track hard disk recorder linked via the optical ADAT standard to Presonus pre-amplification. We stock location microphone kits adequate for recording both large acoustic ensembles and venue based band performances.
Microphones and Other Equipment:
In addition to the equipment permanently installed in the recording studios, there are a variety of synthesizers, preamps, and effects units stored in the studios’ facilities office which can be booked out for use in sessions. This office also houses our extensive microphone collection. We stock microphones from manufacturers such as Neumann, Brauner, AKG, Beyer Dynamic, Electrovoice, Blue and many more. Access to microphones is streamed as students begin to specialise in music technology.
Opening Hours:
Monday - Friday: 9.30am – Midnight
Saturday: 10am – Midnight
Sunday: 10am – 9pm
The recording facilities are always looked after by a full time member of technical staff and / or an evening and weekend 'technician / demonstrator', on hand to deal with technical issues and provide students with advice.
Rehearsal Facilities
The Music Directorate houses six 'amplified rehearsal rooms', each containing a vocal PA system, stage piano / keyboard, drum kit and back-line amplifiers for guitars, bass and keyboards / electronics. The equipment is sourced from a wide range of manufacturers such as Sonor, Sabian, Roland, Mackie, Yamaha, Line 6, Fender and many more. All of the equipment is maintained by our team of both full time and evening / weekend rehearsal suite supervisors.
We also encourage students to use their own equipment for rehearsals. To facilitate this we have an instrument storage facility where students can leave their equipment to avoid having to constantly transport it between lectures, seminars and accommodation. Students are free to store instruments, amplifiers, drum kit accessories on a short/mid term basis.
'The Band Room' is a large double height space with a modifiable acoustic characteristic. It is mainly used for large acoustic ensemble rehearsals, catering for our Big Band, Brass Bands, Adelphi Contemporary Music Group and Wind Band. It is also used for performance master classes and small concerts (capacity approx 80 - 100) with a two tier stage and 5kw PA system.
Specialist rooms for drum / percussion tuition and bass guitar tuition are located in this area. When these facilities are not in use by teaching staff the rooms can be booked for individual student practice.
In addition to the facilities housed in the University we have a partnership with 'Blueprint Recording and Rehearsal Studios' (http://www.blueprint-studios.com). This world class facility is located just 10 minutes walk from the Adelphi campus and caters for any overspill from our own rehearsal rooms. Many students take 'block bookings' at Blueprint whilst working towards ensemble musicianship performance exams.
We also have a range of equipment for loan to students to enable them to put on their own events both inside and outside the University. This includes PA systems, amplifiers and drum kits.
Opening Hours:
Monday - Friday: 9.30am – 10.30pm
Saturday: 10am – 8.30pm
Sunday: 10am – 8.30pm
Individual Practice and Tuition:
The Adelphi Building houses a suite of ten rooms used for both instrumental tuition and practice. These rooms cater primarily for Pianists, Woodwind, String, Brass players, Guitarists and Vocalists. Each room contains a well maintained upright acoustic piano (Yamaha and Kemble). With high ceilings, natural light and a complimentary acoustic the rooms are perfect for long periods of individual practice. The rooms are also used by small acoustic ensembles; Saxophone quartets, brass trios etc. When not in use for 1-1 teaching the rooms are 'open access' for student use.
Opening Hours:
Monday - Friday: 9.30am – Midnight
Saturday: 10am – Midnight
Sunday: 10am – 9pm