Studios & Gear

We are very proud to be able to introduce you to Studio One, our world-class flagship recording studio based around a 32 input Neve Genesys Black recording console and PMC IB2-SA active main monitors.

Outboard processing includes analogue (valve & solid state) and digital designs from some of the most highly regarded manufacturers in professional audio. The large control room is air-conditioned and can comfortably accommodate up to eight users. Professional acoustic design and treatment ensure absolute accuracy when tracking, mixing and mastering in stereo or 5.1 surround (including sound-to-picture projects).

The live room is similarly treated with the addition of variable acoustics, allowing the flexibility to control the ambience, and can accommodate groups of up to 10 performers. Line-of-sight between rooms, along with individual 8-channel headphone mixers, keeps sessions flowing and gives confidence to engineers, producers and recording artists. Sessions can easily be transferred to our Studio Two, which has identical signal paths and equipment, to keep the workflow uninterrupted.

This is an incredibly well-specified facility, designed with the intention of giving students access to industry standard equipment and enviable hands-on experience. Studio One can hold its own against any high-end studio of its scale worldwide.

Gear in this space…

Control Room: AMS Neve Genesys Black console (32 input, 16 fader) with 16 1073 preamps and full per-channel analogue dynamics and EQ / Monitoring from PMC (stereo) and Neumann (5.1) / Mac Pro running ProTools HD and Logic Pro with UAD Octo DSP card / Extensive outboard processing options from Bricasti, Drawmer, Lexicon, Neve, SansAmp, TC Electronic and Warm Audio.

Live Room: 16 channel analogue connection to control room / Variable acoustics system / Hearback personal monitoring system / Tama Superstar drumkit with Zildjian S Custom cymbals / Kawai K500 upright piano / GK bass amp / Fender and Blackstar guitar amps.

Loanstore:  Access to expansive microphone collection including:  AEA, AKG, Audio Technica, Audix, Beyer, Coles, EV, Neumann, Rode, Royer, Sennheiser, Shure, Soundfield and Warm Audio.

Welcome to Studio Two. The smaller, more intimate nature of this space (compared to Studio One), hides its incredibly well controlled acoustic and its ability to punch well above its weight.

Here you will learn how to harness the full power of world class equipment and signal paths, the formidable processing power of the Neve Genesys Blue console, along with industry standard software titans such as Pro Tools and Logic Pro. Monitor through highly acclaimed PMC and Neumann systems in both stereo and surround. Dedicated 8-channel headphone mixers allow artists to set their own levels, saving valuable session time and creating a confident recording vibe.

It’s perfect for smaller recording or overdubbing sessions with its adjacent studio space but equally capable of handling huge mixing sessions due to its identical equipment list and channel count as Studio One. Sessions can easily be transferred between both studios allowing you to maximise session time and experience uninterrupted workflows.

Gear in this space…

Control Room: AMS Neve Genesys console (32 input, 16 fader) with 16 1073 preamps and full per-channel analogue dynamics and EQ / Monitoring from PMC (stereo) and Neumann (5.1) / Mac Pro running ProTools HD and Logic Pro with UAD Octo DSP card / Extensive outboard processing options from Bricasti, Drawmer, Lexicon, Neve, SansAmp, TC Electronic and Warm Audio.

Live Room: 16 channel analogue connection to control room / Hearback personal monitoring system / Yamaha Stage Custom drumkit with Zildjian ZBT cymbals / Orange bass amp / Line 6 guitar amp.

With the proliferation of portable music technology and home studios, an accurate listening environment is one area that is often overlooked. The ability to monitor your projects accurately depends on high-quality loudspeakers combined with an acoustically ‘neutral’ room for listening.

Our Critical Listening Room gives students the ability to mix and master their work in a well isolated and dedicated environment with Adams Monitors and Neumann 5.1 surround monitoring systems available.

The HD TV makes this space ideal for sound to picture work.

Critical listening environments are rare, and we are proud to provide our students with this invaluable and comfortable space to progress and develop their work. The Critical Listening Room allows us to carry out a crucially important area of our studies – to develop and learn how to listen.

Gear in this space…

iMac (full range of software) / Monitoring from ADAM (stereo) and Neumann (5.1) / UA Apollo x6 audio interface / RedNet connectivity.

In addition to our dedicated recording studios and workstation spaces, we have four bespoke edit and monitor suites available for student use (red, amber, blue and green).

In these comfortable facilities you will find powerful dual-monitor Mac computers utilising multiple Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs) and an excellent range of the best, and most relevant, audio plug-in processors and instruments. Each room is fully-equipped with Universal Audio Apollo audio interfaces for very high-quality recording and full 5.1 surround-sound mixing and monitoring. Additionally, each room features the latest RedNet audio networking technology for connecting studio spaces throughout the University.

Whether you want to work on your composition, song writing, production, mix skills, mastering or sound design, or just need a quiet study room, these spaces offer everyday access to all the most relevant and up-to-date software in an environment optimised for the task.

Gear in this space…

iMac (full range of software) with dual screen / 5.1 monitoring from Genelec (smaller rooms) and EVE (larger rooms) / UA Apollo x6 audio interfaces / UAD Octo DSP cards / Novation Launchkey 49s / RedNet connectivity / Kawai K300 upright pianos.

Our two ‘Mac-Labs’ provide students with access to high-spec iMacs with an enviable suite of music software. Each machine is equipped with a Novation Launchkey MIDI keyboard and a second display.

As well as lecture spaces, these labs are open for student access whenever teaching is not happening, with opening hours from 09.00 – 21.00 throughout most of Semester A and B.

Support is on hand from a dedicated team of specialist music technicians to help out with any issues.

Gear in this space…

iMacs (c. 50 workstations) each with dual screens / external HDD and Novation Launchkey MIDI controller keyboard / Genelec monitoring.

Indicative Software:  ProTools, Logic Pro / Ableton Live / Reason / Reaper / Sibelius / Max/MSP / VCV Rack / Unreal / Unity / Elias Studio / Wwise / Resolume Arena / Capture Symphony / Dante Via.

Plugins: Native Instruments / Izotope / EastWest (and much more).

Situated close to the Television Studios and packed with the latest in performance technology is our impressive Live Sound and Lighting Stage, the latest addition to our music facilities.

This teaching space has been designed to accurately model a large, highly-specified and modern live venue, with the exception that the central audience space has been scaled down. This enables music students to authentically put their knowledge and skills into practice, whether that be organising and hosing an event, performing on the stage, working in the wings or behind the sound and lighting consoles(s).

The space also hosts four high-end workstations each with an Avolites Titan Mobile with full integration into Capture lighting design software. These dedicated high performance workstations allow the opportunity to create a lighting design in a 3D virtual environment. This offers the flexibility to programme using a 24” screen, save the file and deploy this in any real world setting from small capacity venues through to stadiums.

Gear in this space…

Sound: Midas M32 console with DL251 stage box / Digico SD9 console with D2 stage box / D&B PA system including 4x stage monitors / 4x Sennheiser G4 wireless IEM systems / Extensive microphone cupboard including AKG, Audix, Beyer, Shure, Sennheiser.

Lighting: Avolites Sapphire Touch console / 4x Avolites Titan Mobile / 52 separate lighting fixtures from Clay Paky, Robe, ShowTec and Source 4 / Epson projector for projection mapping.

Stage:  Gretch Catalina drumkit with Zildjian S Custom cymbals / Korg D1 stage piano / Amgeg bass amp / 2x Fender guitar amps / Roland keyboard amp.

General: 6x high-spec PC with second monitor running ProTools, Titan, Capture and Resolume / Akai Launchpad Minis / Genelec monitoring.