What criteria to look at when letting ppl in a studio

[Silence]

they dont pay here, universities are free for all, damn communists

the problem is that this is the department of Computer and system sciences and more specifically the "Computer Game Development" program.

But i was, more or less asked to try to find out if there is any objectively measurable way to see if we could start letting ppl use a resource normally reserved for the 3:d year students. The problem is that we want to see if the best course of action would be to let them in to have fun or to let them use the "less" advanced equipment in preparation for the bigger studio.

The problem is that we only have 1 studio at the moment but we do have a bunch of students that do know how to use the studio. The problem is, nobody wants to arbitrarily give students access to the studio. They´d rather that there would be a measurable way to let ppl learn what they need to learn in order to use the studio and make most of the time.

One aspect one must look at is that it isnt fair to a experienced student to have to wait a week cuz another student is learning in the studio when the work, the less experienced student, needs to do is possible in another studio or the normal school computers. So just letting everybody in isnt as simple as one would think. The next part of the problem is that this is a resource that is a bit more complex than what we, in the requirements, state before getting in to the course. We want to open up the studio to more ppl and to spark an interest so they might let us build another studio. So how do we give them the "intro course" type solution and in the same time ensure that we´ve tried to give them the necessary info for them not to be confused and irritated.

All of these "assumptions" i seem to make are based in experience and we´ve tried alot of the other solutions and i just want to cover the bases and ask ppl here on the forum if they have and point of view new to me.

im sorry if i didnt explain that well in the first post. and i want to thank everyone for commenting, good or bad.

and i would like to point out that university = free and to not forget that even in schools where u pay to study there are sections and places where u, as a student, arent allowed to be even though u "payed". so it isnt as simple as "I pay cash, let me into the teachers lounge now biiiitchens...and give me the goddamn electron-microscope...lets fuck around with it..."

peace!

[vicz]

Couldn't you create a 'nursery' area where students could cut their teeth by playing with some workstations and cheapo laptops first? Maybe Korg or Yamaha might sponsor you a keyboard or two. And a few copies of Live from Ableton maybe? More serious students could then be given access to the grownup studio.

[Forge.]

okay that makes it clearer. In Australia where I live University feels free to a lot of people because they are young and don't fully understand the implications of "buy now pay later" because you have to pay it all back and it's actually a lot of money when you work it out. Not sure what country you're in but it sounds cool!

My 2c: you live in a perfect time for that - the first year students could use general use computers with PT LE, Reason and Live installed and only accessible on the logins of the students who are on those courses. I was at a university here where they had "labs" with just iMacs and an MBox sound card with academic multi-licenses on them that anyone on those courses could use.

It makes total sense to start people out like that with just software and let them "upgrade" and use the real deal when they've shown they are into it enough etc….

But even if the Uni doesn't have the cash for all those workstations, you could even use just software that is only accessible to a certain amount of logins. Personally I think despite this being the Ableton forum and me being an Ableton trainer, if I had to choose just one program that could run on any computer without needing external hardware etc for 1st year students I'd probably choose Reason. Reason is a perfect entry level program that also gets people used to the hardware paradigm, albeit in a 'virtual' way. In other words, there is a virtual mixer, virtual samplers, synths, and since you can finally sample now in Reason 5 it will introduce people to the concepts before they meet the real racks and mixers etc in real life.

The other benefit of Reason is it is incredibly stable and runs well on low powered computers, so they could probably even use it on the library computers if it was enabled for their login.

Pro-tools is the only other program they should probably learn because it is so widespread as industry standard, but then you have hardware to consider as well which will bump up the cost.

If you have no funds whatsoever then I'm not sure what to suggest - how can you not let people use the gear if it means they have no other way of trying it out, but at the same time I realise there just aren't enough studio hours to serve everyone.

In that situation I'd probably suggest letting the 3rd year or post grad students use the studio out of hours when it's unsupervised and make them sign something to say they are responsible for damage etc….

[starving student]

I recommend you call Al Sharpton or Beatsme, either one will sort you out.


ps. computers aren't state of the art anymore.

[3phase]

Couldn't you create a 'nursery' area where students could cut their teeth by playing with some workstations and cheapo laptops first? Maybe Korg or Yamaha might sponsor you a keyboard or two. And a few copies of Live from Ableton maybe? More serious students could then be given access to the grownup studio.

i lately build a studio for an university.. the nursery holds 3 protools HD systemms with one clavia stage piano each and lot of toy software on the associated macs.. logic, cubase, digital preformer melodyne..even ableton life was in the package !

thats the minimum you should have in an university because evreything else anybody has at home.. propper keyboard..protools.. and additional market leading software

and for the wicked.. a corner with headphones and a kyma system

[Silence]

Kick ass!! great tips!...

We do have a nursery, we do have "driving license" type program for the nursery wich is the route ive gone for so far!

We do have Pro Tools 9/8 Ableton Live 8, Reason 4 (soon 5) and Record 1.0 (soon to be 1.5) Logic 9 and CS5 Masterclass + Final Cut and all that shenanigans.
We do even have proper professional sound libraries and as i said...a moog voyager but we have the Nord wave and.....wait for it...BAM... A theremin! (dont ask me why...)... and of course we´ll be upgrading now that im here...


@abletontrainer.com + vicz + 3phase: your suggestions are sort of what we´re doing now and it sounds sensible, given the context an requirements from "the man"

@starving student: computers? state of art? its like saying a hammers state of art... ...so if i ever suggested it, balls on my face...

peace!

[3phase]

funny that you ask that o a forum where people hang out that no responsible person would leave alone in a studio.. theese homerecorders steel what you cant nail to the walls..


so better secure the equipment.. and make sure that only beginners that still have respct for the machines are allowe to enter... theese homerecorders can do it at home anyway

that was of cause a joke... dont trust anybody,,and especially not grade students..

but to be more constructiv.. loose materials like mikes locked away.. secure bolds for rack equipment.. and securing computers and keyboard, speakerss by kensington locks helps aganinst the spontanius take away criminals.. but not
for the pro buglar fractio..

a smart number lock that has an individual number for the booked user that night ( and dont lets him in anymore when he/she has a pie after 00:00 clock ) )

[LoopStationZebra]

I just don't get the parameters/goals here.

and i would like to point out that university = free and to not forget that even in schools where u pay to study there are sections and places where u, as a student, arent allowed to be even though u "payed". so it isnt as simple as "I pay cash, let me into the teachers lounge now biiiitchens...and give me the goddamn electron-microscope...lets fuck around with it..."

Whether it's free or not free, I know of no higher Ed institution that simple opens up any kind of gear to a student just because they are a student. It seems as though you are exploring whether or not you should? Is that the crux of this? Some sort of expanded socialist audio production and engineering initiative?

Well.

You shouldn't.

But hey, it's your money. Or, rather, the taxpayers' money.

[starving student]

make them supply their own cables, that'll show'em and leave all the Berihnger stuff outside of locked cabinets.

and don't believe what they say about hiphop, its harmless

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIKlji2C_as

[tinymachines]

At the University of Texas they have a tech lab that has a recording studio in it. Students and faculty both work in the tech lab. The requirements to use their recording studio is that you be a member of the lab, and are using the studio for "lab uses". Or, you are bringing someone else in, who you vouch for, and supervise while they are there. There can never be someone unsupervised who isn't a memeber of the tech lab. I know this because I got kicked out of it when my girlfriend was in the other room doing work a few years ago. Let me tell you, it sucked and I lost all of my recordings.

[Silence]

I think i got my will through! wuhu!

Thanx all and if u´ve got more, bring em!!

[H20nly]

shock collars.



if they act up ZAP!

after a couple of jolts they'll behave or drop out.

[Piplodocus]

I agree with the "nursery" idea. If people can prove in the "baby area" they're not wasting everyones time, then they're allowed to start getting gradually easier access to the better toys to play with.

They respect the stuff and they get rewarded for it..

Or tell them anything that gets broken gets stuffed up their ass. They certainly won't spill drink in the mixer then.