Electronic Music Studio

The CIM electronic music studio is a 250 square-foot facility designed to create a warm and inviting atmosphere, one conducive to creativity. The philosophy behind the studio is that one powerful and comprehensive workstation is a greater asset than several smaller stations. Since only 8 to 12 students use the studio each year, there is plenty of opportunity for everyone to realize their projects.

Our state-of-the-art production rig is centered around a Macintosh G5 computer running Digital Performer sequencing and recording software. The studio boasts an excellent array of hardware and software instruments, running the gamut from vintage synthesizers like the Roland Jupiter 8, to virtual instruments including Atmosphere, Absynth and East-West Gold Edition Virtual Orchestra.

Everything from simple pieces to large film scores can be created, orchestrated, mixed and finalized without leaving the room. For concert presentations, Mixon Hall has an excellent built-in sound system as well as a theater-quality projector and screen.

Composition students take a yearlong course in which they program synthesizer patches, sample, solidify their sequencing and recording skills and create original pieces and short film scores. After completing the course, composers are welcome to continue working in the studio via independent study, generating more involved concert pieces, scoring and sound designing longer film excerpts or designing projects of their own.

Artistic and practical considerations are given equal emphasis and students are encouraged to explore their passions. The goal of the electronic music studio is to give composers a broad grounding in the use of technology as a means not only for the creation of original pieces, but as an invaluable set of tools which will broaden their sonic pallet, increase their productive capability and better prepare them to work in the real world.