Proposal

Narrative

Studio A (Al-134) is the main production, teaching space for the Commercial Music Program. It is here that students get to learn hands on how to record, produce, and mix. Studio A also serves Hoot/Wisdom Recordings, Florida Atlantic University's Record label. Through the record label, students in the Commercial Music program are able to produce and record singles, EP's and albums of students, faculty and staff across the entire university. Hoot/Wisdom Recordings only serves FAU students, faculty staff and alumni. All projects recorded through the label feature work of students and/or faculty research or creative activity. Hoot/Wisdom Recordings has recorded and released 49 projects, among them two Latin GRAMMY® nominated albums (Bogotá-Buenos Aires and Pa' Qué Más). Every semester music students interning in the label, search for new FAU acts with the goal to signing them as recording artists for the label. Studio A is in dire need of an upgrade. Our primary computer is over seven years old and is not able to be upgraded past this current version in order to run our Pro Tools HDX system. In addition to this, our current recording console has reached its life expectancy and at any moment can fail, leaving students without the opportunity to record and mix. The system we are proposing is a hybrid analog/digital system that incorporates a superior routing matrix from computer based audio through time tested analog peripherals. The peripherals are studio based mastering grade analog components that seamlessly integrate with digital based recording. This console is also pedagogically sound in that it offers extensive and intuitive routing capabilities from its inline design architecture that can function as recording, mixing and mastering console. Our goal with this upgrade is to provide our students with extensive experience on hardware and software that will help them reach their full potential as producers, artists, recording and mastering engineers.

Facilities

Hardware Requirements

No additional hardware requirements are necessary. The system we are considering to purchase will replace an existing system.

Software Requirements

No software costs are involved in this upgrade since software is being funded through another source and are not calculated in this proposal.

Personnel Costs

No additional personnel costs are needed since all items in this system can be installed by Commercial Music Faculty.

Other Costs

No other costs are necessary.

Timeline

In order to ensure that no student instruction or student based productions are impacted by this project, all installation will occur during the summer where no production classes are being taught.

Sustainability

The Trident console and hardware peripherals in this tech fee proposal are of the highest audio quality and should be able to last between 15 and 20 years. The life expectancy of analog and digital converters (Aurora Lynx) is expected to remain relevant for eight years. The computer is expected to last about five years. Current software based components of this system are upgraded yearly through different funding sources.

Resource Matching

No resource matching

Implementing Organization

Department of Music/Commercial Music Faculty as advisors to Hoot/Wisdom Recordings