Satisfying curriculum and rewarding curiosity—A case study in recording studios for education, experimentation, and verification

Abstract

While the acoustic performance goals of a recording studio in an academic setting have much in common with those of a commercial studio, the school diverges quickly from the business. The owner, users, and activities unique to the academy shift and expand priorities, motivating additionaldesign features. Students of audio learn to practice critical thinking informed by critical listening. It is not enough, however, that recording studios for education offer spaces withbest-in-class acoustics for listening and sound recording. Present and future generations of creative recordists must master problem solving that includes acoustic sleuthing, exploring a deliberately wide vocabulary of sonic spaces on campus to prepare them for success working in the wide range of architectural forms that await them in the course of future professional work. The snapshot of acoustic features presented here is the current solution to the ever-evolving curricular demands of one successful sound recording program.