An on-campus recording studio might initially seem like an extravagant distraction from your core program. When a recording program is used correctly, however, it enhances every aspect of a music program. I used the studio at Pinewood School in Los Gatos, California, to enhance high-school students' musical education in every course I taught. Consider just a few of the Pinewood program's accomplishments that were the result of adding a studio, and you'll see the potential for your program. We

• produced and sold CDs of the school choir, the orchestra, the concert band, and the jazz band, as well as made compilations of student compositions.
• released a new CD of student compositions each semester from my Students Writing and Recording Music class. Top music students had the opportunity to exercise their creative and technical skills and become on-campus recording stars.
• made audition and demo recordings for students applying to college and summer-school programs.
• recorded choir-rehearsal CDs for basses, tenors, altos, and sopranos to take home and use to learn their parts.
• compiled listening CDs that were specially tailored for music-history courses. A teacher could assign a new CD track to each new section of a piece's musical structure so that students could easily answer listening-assignment questions.

In addition to making those substantial enhancements to our program possible, the studio inspired me to enhance my own curriculum. That covered material ranging from my disco rap on Beethoven's Fifth (a student favorite) to examples of monophony, homophony, and polyphony that I recorded live in front of a classroom of students, based on their composed melodies.

The benefits of a recording studio go beyond creating CDs and DVDs. A recording program raises the students' musical standards and skills. When students hear their performances and compositions, their critical-listening skills sharpen. They hear when they're sharp or flat or when they produce a poor tone, and they then want to improve their playing without a word from the teacher. Students who learn the art of recording and composing in the studio develop exceptional ear-training skills that allow them to process music at a higher, more detailed level. That prepares them to be better musicians and creates new future job options for them in professions such as audio engineer and producer.

Most important, having a recording studio can strengthen your own ability to teach composition, which is the creative heart of music. The studio becomes a home away from home for your most creative music students, and some of the music they compose will astound you.

As with most projects, planning is crucial. Every music program has school-specific goals, and therefore, no single recording setup is best for all situations.

I've already mentioned a few uses for your studio, but you have many more to choose from. You should consider whether you want to record live concerts, record in the studio, or both. If you're making live recordings, will you make all of them on campus, or do you also want to record off-site? Answering those questions will help you decide whether you will need to get a recording rig that is portable and perhaps some additional wiring between rooms.

Do you plan to teach composition in your studio? If so, that will affect the kind of software you will need to get. You will want to burn audio CDs, so you'll need a CD burner and software. You might also want the ability to burn DVDs, which will be a necessity if you want your students to learn how to make music for video, which is a burgeoning field.

Other aspects affect the physical space of your studio as well as the equipment. For instance, do you expect to mic drums individually? If so, you will need more mics, stands, cables, and mixer channels, and perhaps some sort of acoustic treatment (such as absorptive materials) to isolate the drums sonically.

I will make only two decisions for you, and they are that you will need to use some type of digital multitrack recorder. Yes, that's two separate decisions — digital and multitrack.

Some professional recording studios still use analog multitrack tape decks (as well as digital recorders) because the best analog recordings have a distinctive and desirable sound. Analog tape is not a good option, however, for school studios. Except for cassette decks, which have inferior audio quality and offer few features, the analog multitrack decks in professional use today are aging, if well-maintained, relics. Analog tape is expensive and increasingly hard to obtain, and the recorders require constant maintenance. People generally want to teach using modern technology, and they lack either the time, the skills, or the budget to mess around with analog.

FIG. 1: The Roland VS-2480CD (a) and Yamaha AW2816 (b) are excellent examples of portable digital studios.

If you're going to record, for example, only live choir and jazz-band performances and you don't plan to have a composing program or enhance your curriculum with custom recordings and rehearsal CDs, you can use either a stereo recording device or the onboard sound card on your PC. For recording live shows off-campus, especially, that might be all you need. For that you would just need a pair of microphones, two stands, two mic cables, and a stereo recorder with mic preamps.

On the other hand, the price difference between a basic multitrack setup and a stereo-only setup isn't prohibitive. With a computer-based system, the biggest difference is that you need an audio interface with multiple inputs and outputs for your computer. The sound cards that are bundled with PCs (as well as with the onboard audio circuits in most Macs) are meant for playing computer games and Web-site sounds, rather than for recording and playing serious music. Their sound quality and feature set reflect that. Fortunately, you can now buy a good audio interface with multiple inputs and outputs for a very reasonable price. So you might as well go multitrack.

Having identified your initial goals, your next step is to get an overview of the tools that go into building a basic recording studio. The heart of most studios is a multitrack recording device. Here, you have several options, but in general, your best choice is to get either a portable digital studio (PDS), a computer-based system, or both.

Portable digital studios are one-piece hardware devices that combine a mixer with faders (sliders) and knobs, effects processors, mic preamps, effects processing, audio (often both digital and analog) inputs and outputs, and a multitrack recording device that saves data to a hard drive or other digital storage, much the way a computer does. Most newer units either provide a CD burner or can connect to an external CD burner for a computer. You can get products of this type from companies such as Roland, Korg, Yamaha, and Tascam (see Fig. 1).

A PDS has many advantages over a computer-based system. To begin with, it is an all-in-one solution for recording, editing, and playing back audio. Aside from acoustic treatment for the room, you will need to get instruments, microphones, speakers, stands, and a few cables. A PDS is easy to set up, with minimal wiring, and if you are doing a lot of off-campus recording or intend to record often in multiple areas of the school, that can be a big advantage.

The amount of editing (including fixing mistakes, adjusting timbres, adding effects) that you can do on a PDS varies widely between models. Some have extensive editing capabilities, lots of effects, loads of inputs and outputs, and a nice monitor screen. Some can attach to a computer monitor and mouse, and those devices increasingly have computer interfaces that let you transfer digital audio directly to and from a Mac or a PC. Others have fewer features, but they cost a lot less and sound just as good.

Many portable digital studios have onboard automation, so you can record mixing and processing moves, save them, and come back to them later. That feature is perfect for teachers, who use the same recorder for multiple classes. Regardless of whether a PDS has onboard automation, most have MIDI ports so you can automate their functions from a computer. Furthermore, some PDS models connect to a computer directly (usually via USB), which allows you to have the best of both worlds.

On the other hand, a PDS that has extensive editing capabilities can be expensive, and most are closed systems. Unlike a computer, they usually aren't expandable, although some allow you to add another disk drive. The PDS does what it is supposed to do, but in most cases, it won't grow as your program does. The exception is the Roland VS series units, which accept expansion cards that let you run effects-processing software, just like the plug-ins available for computer-based audio programs. Finally, PDSs are strictly audio recorders and processors and cannot host software synthesizers and other MIDI software. For that, you need either a Mac, a PC, or specialized hardware called DSP hosts.

Most on-campus studios are based on computers for several reasons. First, the music department may already have a computer — a significant financial advantage. Second, computers are far more flexible than portable digital studios and other dedicated recorders, because they can be used to teach composition, ear training, theory, instrumental performance, and more. In addition, computers can record MIDI performance data and work with synthesizers, whereas portable digital studios record only audio.

The downsides to having a Mac- or PC-based system (as opposed to a portable digital studio) are that computer-based systems are less portable, they cost more, maintaining them can be problematic, the potential for crashes is greater, and there are more things to hook up and install.

Portability won't be a big issue if all you need to do is occasionally bring your desktop computer to the theater down the hall to record. Using a laptop instead of a desktop computer would also solve the portability problem, if you can acquire one. But most schools are more likely to have access to desktop computers.

If you can use an existing computer at school or obtain a donated one, then a computer could be less expensive than a portable digital studio — at least, in the short term. Of course, you will still have to buy software, but not necessarily expensive professional-level software. If you have to start from scratch, a computer could prove more expensive than a PDS because you have to buy the computer, the software, and an audio and MIDI interface to connect your sound sources to your computer. But again, a computer can do far more for your music program than a PDS can.

First, you will need to decide which type of computer-based multitrack-recording software and hardware to buy. Sometimes you can get hardware and software in one bundle, but it's worth looking at them separately first.

FIG. 2: Adobe’s Audition is an easy-to-use yet powerful audio editor for Windows.

There are several types of multitrack audio-recording programs, but the fundamental distinction can be drawn between software that records only audio and software that also records MIDI. The first type is usually called a multitrack audio editor, and examples include Sony Digital Media's Vegas and Adobe Audition (formerly Syntrillium Cool Edit Pro) for Windows (see Fig. 2), and BIAS Deck for the Macintosh. To some extent, these programs follow the paradigm of a traditional multitrack tape recorder: you record entire audio parts, overdub new parts, and eventually combine the tracks in a software mixer to create the final stereo product.

A variation on that theme is the loop sequencer, which allows you to record, edit, assemble, and play clips of audio that are looped so that they can be played continuously from start to finish, and back to start again. These audio loops are played in a user-defined order, or sequence — hence the name. An example of a loop sequencer is Sony Acid Pro for Windows (see Fig. 3). Apple's new Soundtrack Pro for the Mac provides powerful looping features but is like a classic multitrack audio editor in other ways, so it can handle a wide variety of audio-editing tasks.

FIG. 3: Many students may already be familiar with Sony Digital Media’s popular Acid Pro, the quintessential loop sequencer for Windows.

Loop sequencers are handy for creating many types of music, but they are especially popular with the electronic-dance-music crowd because that music is often based on repeating sound loops. Most loop sequencers don't record MIDI tracks, although some of their features may be MIDI controllable.

Programs that record MIDI tracks are traditionally called sequencers. The early sequencers recorded only MIDI data, but almost all modern programs of this type are called digital audio sequencers because they record audio and MIDI tracks, combining the functions of an audio editor and a sequencer. These digital audio sequencers are the most popular choice for putting in small studios because their MIDI features allow integration with synthesizers (among other things). In addition, the combination of MIDI and audio features makes them the most flexible and powerful tool for the money. That's a big plus at a school where you want to do a lot of things with relatively few tools.

Many modern digital audio sequencers, such as Cakewalk Sonar for Windows, also have loop-sequencing features. Ableton Live for Mac and Windows began as a loop sequencer with specialized features for use in live performance, but it has since added MIDI sequencing to its audio feature set to become a true digital audio sequencer with a distinctive, easy-to-use, looping-oriented user interface. (For more about MIDI sequencing, see the feature story “Sequence-Stration” in the Fall 2003 issue of MET. You can download the story for free at www.metmagazine.com.)

The primary benefits of using a digital audio sequencer are its combination of having detailed editing features, extensive MIDI features, and the ability to expand your capabilities with additional hardware or software. A computer-based system allows you to see all your tracks, effects, and edits right on the screen. Some higher-end portable digital studios also let you do that, but many don't. Computer-based systems record their files in a format that can be easily backed up and, in many cases, can save audio and MIDI files in standard formats that can be opened in other programs.

FIG. 4: Digidesign’s Pro Tools LE digital audio sequencer offers solid MIDI features but is best known for its audio‑editing features. Its sibling, Pro Tools HD, is the leading pro-audio production system, so learning to use Pro Tools is essential for students who are considering a career in music production.

Some of the most popular pro-level digital audio sequencers are Steinberg Cubase, Digidesign Pro Tools (Mac and Windows; see Fig. 4), Mark of the Unicorn Digital Performer (Mac), Cakewalk Sonar and Project 5 (Windows), Magix Samplitude (Windows), Apple Logic (Mac), and Ableton Live (Mac and Windows). There are several lower-cost options that are worth considering, such as entry-level versions of the major digital audio sequencers and programs from companies like Bremmers, Steinberg, PG Music, Mackie, Midisoft, and Magix. The best-known programs are Apple GarageBand 3 for the Mac and Cakewalk Home Studio for Windows, but don't overlook the others. For detailed information about low-cost digital audio sequencers, see “Sequencing on a Shoestring” in the September 2005 issue of Electronic Musician magazine.

You should also investigate the world of shareware; it's amazing what you can find if you look around the Web and try out some demo programs. Remember, you're on the honor system to pay the shareware fees if you decide to use the software. Most shareware fees are quite low, and the authors worked hard to write that software, so they deserve your support. (See “Too Much Good Stuff” in the August 2003 issue of Electronic Musician for a discussion of an assortment of shareware and freeware programs; the article can also be downloaded for free from EM's Web site.)

Most digital audio sequencers and other audio-editing programs come with the basic features you need, but you might want more as your studio program grows. Plug-ins are software that add new functions to a host program, such as a sequencer or an audio editor. Many plug-ins are software equivalents of electronic musical instruments and signal processors, including synthesizers, reverbs, compressors (see Fig. 5), and equalizers. Others provide unusual types of processing or offer specialized features, such as test meters. You can apply any number of plug-in effects to each track individually, and you can always buy more plug-in effects to shape your music in the future. It's easy to see why plug-ins are hot items in the world of computer-based studios.

FIG. 5: PSPaudioware’s PSP VintageWarmer plug-in emulates the highly pleasing sonic “warmth” -typically provided by vintage, vacuum-tube-based analog -compressors. It works with Mac and PC host programs that support VST, DirectX, or MAS plug-ins.

All of the top digital audio sequencers and audio editors have plug-in architectures, but you cannot use the same plug-in with every program. Each host program supports specific plug-in formats. Some formats are widely supported, such as VST, and some are specific to one program, such as RTAS (which is supported only by Digidesign) and MAS (which is exclusive to MOTU's Digital Performer). Mac OS X offers a native plug-in format called Audio Units (AU), which is supported by almost all modern digital audio sequencers for the Mac. Similarly, Microsoft's DirectX format is supported by a number of Windows programs.

There are so many manufacturers of plug-ins that it's impossible to name them all here. Tables listing most of the available plug-ins and their features are, however, published in Electronic Musician magazine's annual Computer Music Product Guide.

The audio interface routes audio signals to and from the computer, including conversion between digital and analog formats, so it directly affects sound quality. Which audio interface you ultimately purchase depends on what your needs are. Some audio interfaces, for example, have only two audio inputs and two outputs, and if you have decided on a buying multitrack system, those won't be adequate for your purposes. Other audio interfaces have 16 or more sets of inputs and outputs, which is what you'll need for a true multitrack studio. Some interfaces have two budget mic preamps, some have eight expensive ones. A few, such as the expensive and powerful Digidesign Digi002, double as mixers and MIDI control surfaces.

FIG. 6: M-Audio’s FireWire 1814 audio interface features 18 inputs, 14 outputs, and 2 mic preamps and connects to a Mac or PC via FireWire. It also sports a one-in, one-out MIDI interface.

Many interfaces can handle MIDI input and output, as well as audio I/O. If you choose an interface that lacks MIDI capabilities, you will need a separate MIDI interface. If you have multiple MIDI devices, you will almost certainly need a separate MIDI interface that has several inputs and outputs, because it's inadvisable to chain more than three MIDI devices from the same MIDI input or output.

You also have to consider what will work best with your computer hardware. For example, some interfaces connect to computers via FireWire, which is superior to USB for that purpose (see Fig. 6). The difference between the two is more than just their transfer speeds: FireWire transfers data in a way that works better than USB for streaming digital audio between devices, so FireWire interfaces can usually handle more channels of audio than USB interfaces can. USB is on most PCs and Macs; FireWire is standard equipment on Macs and is found on an increasing number of PCs.

Almost all audio interfaces come bundled with recording software, but it might not be the software you want to use. In some cases, such as Digidesign's hardware, the bundled software is excellent. In other cases, you'll need to buy additional software, which isn't a bad thing if you really like the hardware interface and can afford extra software. Certain M-Audio interfaces now work with a special version of Pro Tools LE called Pro Tools M-Powered. That software, however, is a separate purchase.

It's a good thing that large-capacity hard drives are inexpensive right now, because audio files take up a lot of space. In addition, most multitrack-recording programs recommend that you have a separate hard drive on which to store your audio. The reason for this is that digital audio editing involves constant writing to and erasing from the drive, which scatters bits and pieces of files in a process called fragmentation. Fragmentation occurs on any drive, but it happens quickly with audio. Religiously using disk-optimization software (such as Symantec's Norton Utilities for Mac and Windows, and Micromat Tech Tools Pro for Mac) will remedy the problem, but your computer will be much more stable if the worst fragmentation occurs on a separate audio drive, rather than on the drive that holds your operating system and music applications

With a computer-based system, you will need a CD-R or DVD-R drive; CD or DVD recording, or burning, software; and possibly 2-track (stereo) editing software to further prepare your audio files for mastering a CD. (Mastering is the process of assembling all of the mixed songs in the desired order and adding some final processing — usually adjusting overall levels and timbre with EQ, compression, and volume controls — to optimize the sound and make the songs come together as a unified project.) Fortunately, an increasing number of audio editors and digital audio sequencers include these functions. Most CD-R and DVD-R drives come with burning software, and new Macintosh machines come with iTunes preinstalled, which gives you the basic burning tools for creating audio CDs.

Other than acoustic and electroacoustic instruments, only two things in the studio directly create or reproduce sound: mics and speakers, collectively called transducers. You'll need some of each.

Powered speakers — those with built-in amplification — are the rage nowadays, and for good reason. They save you a lot of hassle and having to do extra wiring, they're cost-effective, and the power amps are usually designed to match the speakers and the enclosures and vice-versa, and their variety and price range are wide.

Keep in mind that recording-studio speakers are not designed to do the same thing that consumer speakers do. Except for audiophile models, consumer speakers are supposed to cover up sonic flaws and make recordings sound pleasing to the ear. Professional speakers, also known as studio reference monitors, are supposed to reveal exactly what's in the recording — if the recording is sonically problematic, you need to hear that. Most reference monitors are designed to be used at a distance of approximately one meter, so they are often referred to as close-field or near-field monitors. Some experienced recording engineers use consumer speakers because they know the speakers well enough to anticipate how the music will sound on other speakers. You probably can't pull that off, and your students certainly can't, so buy studio reference monitors.

You'll need at least two cardioid or supercardioid microphones for studio vocals and for instruments, and a matched pair of mics to record live performances, such as a choir, in stereo. Fortunately, your mic collection can start small and grow as your needs increase. You can get a serviceable, if less than brilliant, studio mic for less than $150, though you get much better sound quality from more expensive ($400 and up) mics. You can't always tell by the price, though, and you'll find plenty of choices at any music store.

Unlike when purchasing other types of gear, you need to try speakers and mics in your own environment to get a true sense of whether they're really what you want. Each mic model sounds different. Furthermore, mics and mic preamps must work as a team, and sometimes a good mic and a good mic preamp just don't get along sonically. Similarly, some speakers sound better on certain types of music and in certain physical spaces. So try before you buy.

Regardless of whether you choose a portable digital studio or a computer-based system, you will need some additional gear to complete your studio. You will need mic cables, mic stands, keyboard stands, and instrument cables for guitars and keyboards. You'll also have to purchase blank CD-R media and labels, power strips with surge/spike protection, heavy-duty AC extension cords, and so on. Remember to account for those items in your budget.

A MIDI master keyboard controller is essential to most composing and production environments, and it is necessary to have one in order to get the most out of your multitrack workstation. If your controller doesn't contain a synthesizer, you'll need to get a separate hardware or software synthesizer. A master keyboard doesn't have to cost a fortune, especially if you have a sound module or software synth and therefore don't need a sophisticated synthesizer. Manufacturers of such modules and synths include Roland, Korg, Yamaha, M-Audio, and Studiologic.

Your recording room can cause all sorts of sonic headaches. You have at least three types of challenges: keeping desired sound where you want it in the room, keeping undesired sound out, and adjusting the sonic balance of the room to prevent acoustical problems.

With a little resourcefulness, elbow grease, and common materials such as blankets and plywood, you and your students can fashion acoustical materials that are good enough to get you started. The end result might not be up to professional standards, but we teachers are good at making do. If you can come up with the money for professionally manufactured acoustical materials, you can get even better results.

Recording in the small studio has become a major area of growth in the music world, and information sources abound. Electronic Musician, MET's sister publication, is dedicated almost entirely to that subject. EM also publishes two annual buyer's guide — the Personal Studio Buyer's Guide and Computer Music Product Guide — which feature tables listing the available recording products for someone who is building a school recording studio. You can buy the most recently published versions of both guides at most major chain bookstores and from Prism Books, and you can download all of the charts of the previous year's version for free from the EM Web site (www.emusician.com). Books about recording are widely available, and the Web is an excellent source.

You should also explore local music stores and mail-order companies such as Sweetwater Sound and Musician's Friend. In addition, companies such as SoundTree and Lentine's specialize in supplying school music departments and can offer excellent advice.

The most important advice I can give you about planning your on-campus studio is to take your time, plan carefully, and don't be intimidated by all the choices you have. There are plenty of people to talk with and get advice from, and there are many resources available to obtain help from. And remember, although it pays to think ahead, you don't have to do it all at once. You can and probably will build your on-campus studio a few pieces at a time.

I hope you will seriously consider building an on-campus studio, however small. Your program and, most important, your students will benefit greatly from it.

Cory Cullinan (cory@pictoriarecords.com) was Pinewood School's music teacher and Arts, Communication, and Technology chairperson. He is CEO, composer, teacher, and janitor of Pictoria Records (www.pictoriarecords.com). Steve Oppenheimer is the editor in chief of MET and Electronic Musician magazines.

Ableton/M-Audio (distributor) tel. (626) 633-9050 or (800) 969-6434; fax (626) 633-9060; email info@m-audio.com; Web www.ableton.com

Adobe Systems tel. (650) 961-4400, tech. support (650) 961-0911; Web www.adobe.com

Apple Computer tel. (408) 996-1010; fax (408) 974-6615; Web www.apple.com

BIAS tel. (707) 782-1866 or (800) 775-BIAS; fax (707) 782-1874; email sales@bias-inc.com; Web www.bias-inc.com

Bremmers Audio Design email info@multitrackstudio.com; Web www.multitrackstudio.com

Cakewalk tel. (617) 423-9004 or (888) CAKEWALK; fax (617) 423-9007; email sales@cakewalk.com; Web www.cakewalk.com

Digidesign tel. (650) 731-6300 or (800) 333-2137; fax (650) 731-6399; email prodinfo@digidesign.com; Web www.digidesign.com

Korg USA, Inc. tel. (631) 390-6500; fax (631) 390-6501; Web www.korg.com

Lentine's Music tel. (800) 822-6752; fax (216) 691-2707; Web www.lentine.com

Loud Technologies, Inc./Mackie tel. (425) 487-4333 or (800) 898-3211; fax (425) 487-4337; email sales@mackie.com; Web www.mackie.com

Magix Entertainment Corp. USA/Synthax (distributor) tel. (330) 259-0308; fax (330) 259-0315; email support@magix.net; Web www.magix.net

Mark of the Unicorn (MOTU) tel. (617) 576-2760; fax (617) 576-3609; email info@motu.com; Web www.motu.com

M-Audio tel. (626) 633-9050 or (800) 969-6434; fax (626) 633-9060; email info@m-audio.com; Web www.m-audio.com

MicroMat Computer Systems tel. (707) 566-3831 or (800) 829-6227; fax (707) 566-3871; email info@micromat.com; Web www.micromat.com

Midisoft tel. (310) 602-5000; Web www.iddincusa.com/idd

Music Industries Corp. (Studiologic) tel. (516) 794-1888 or (800) 431-6699; fax (516) 794-4099; email mail@musicindustries.com; Web www.musicindustries.com

Musician's Friend tel. (800) 391-8762; Web www.musiciansfriend.com Symantec Web www.symantec.com

PG Music tel. (250) 475-2874; fax (250) 475-2937; email info@pgmusic.com; Web www.pgmusic.com

Roland Corporation U.S. tel. (323) 890-3700; fax (323) 890-3701; Web www.rolandus.com

Sony Pictures Digital Media Software tel. (608) 204-7680 or (800) 577-6642; fax (608) 250-1745; Web mediasoftware.sonypictures.com

SoundTree tel. (800) 963-TREE (8733) or (631) 393-8535; fax (631) 393-8548; Web www.soundtree.com

Steinberg tel. (877) 253-3900; email info@steinberg.net; Web www.steinberg.net

Sweetwater Sound tel. (219) 432-8176 or (800) 222-4700; fax (219) 432-1758; email sales@sweetwater.com; Web www.sweetwater.com

Tascam tel. (323) 726-0303; fax (323) 727-7635; Web www.tascam.com

Yamaha Corporation of America tel. (714) 522-9011; fax (714) 739-2680; email infostation@yamaha.com; Web www.yamaha.com