Aviom Supports Digital Audio Arts Degree Program at University of Lethbridge, Alberta

The University of Lethbridge, in Alberta, Canada, recently installed an Aviom Pro16 personal mixing system to serve a multitude of functions for the school including music recording, theatre production, and traditional campus events. Primarily purchased to support the university's new educational and commercial studio, the A-16II personal mixers are also included in the curriculum for the school's new bachelor of music in digital audio arts program.

The Aviom personal mixers afford students the ability to quickly and easily create their own cue mixes from content provided by an SSL Duality Console. Because the A-16IIs simplify the job of monitor mixing, they allow the production students to place their full attention on recording procedures.

"The Aviom personal mixers take away the need for beginner students to worry about monitor mixes, giving them time to focus on other production steps," says Thilo Schaller, assistant professor. "The gear just does what is asked of it without the need for complicated programming."

AN-16/i input modules are not only stationed inside the studio but also three floors below in the recital hall, so music students are able to learn the techniques required for both the advanced audio production techniques and on-site audio capture classes. Additional inputs can be found in racks alongside an Aviom A-16D Pro A-Net distributor in a rack room to support the personal mixers. With input modules stationed throughout the campus on moveable racks that can be positioned in any area, the university can access the system for use with live productions at the theatre as well as other school spirit events. While the personal mixers are currently only in use at the studio, the theatre department has expressed interest in borrowing the full system from the music program for upcoming productions.

"One of the big reasons we chose Aviom is the expandability of the network," says Chris Morris, faculty of fine arts technical specialist. "Another deciding factor was its ability to run audio and be powered at the same time through a single Cat 5 cable. This is really key for us, especially in the studio where space is limited."

In addition to being used for student recordings, the personal mixers are in place for use on commercial projects at the studio. The university recently hosted Trevor Panczack and the Rough Stock, a local band, which recorded its new album at the studio. The producer, Mike Clute, was brought in from Nashville to test-drive the studio for the school and to make sure it was up to full commercial recording standards.

Offering several undergraduate degree programs, including a BA in music, the school's new digital audio arts program was started just over a year ago and is already widely accepted across the country. The degree covers all areas of audio production from music recording to audio for film. It also explains the essentials of production from cognition and acoustics of sound to sound synthesis. The recording studio associated with the program was used for the first time this past fall semester.