MUM Opens New Music Studio on Campus

Big news for music and film students — we now have a sound studio on campus! Nestled in Verrill Hall, where our two film studios are located, the music studio is a welcome addition to campus, giving MIU students yet another dedicated space to create. Media & Communications instructor Cody Olivas gives us the details on the new studio and what it offers students.

Brianna – Tell me a bit about the new music studio. What equipment is there and what types of projects are students now able to work on?

Cody – The studio was built with both music and postproduction sound design in mind. In the control room we have an Argosy Console with an iMac dual display system powered with the Universal Audio Apollo 8P audio interface. A Big Knob Command Center and talkback system to route sound through our Yamaha HS-8 and HS-5 speakers. The sound stage is equipped with a big screen monitor for displaying video while recording Foley or ADR (automated dialogue replacement). Multiple floor surfaces have been designed to give us the most for our Foley footsteps. Shelves of props for sounds are always being added as well. We have a selection of microphones and cables to assist in the recordings.

Note: Foley is a term for the process of making sound effects in a studio which will be used in a film. For example, the sound of someone walking on leaves will often be made in a studio as it captures the authentic, unmuffled sound better than the actual audio recorded from the film shoot. A sound effects artist will watch the film footage on screen in the studio and time their steps to match the actor’s.

Brianna – What was the process of setting up the studio like?

Cody – The process of setting up the studio started with the design which I submitted to the contractors I worked with. I’ve designed a few studios in the recent past so it was a fun process for me. I did most of [the set up] on my own.

Brianna – What courses can prospective music students look forward to taking as part of the Media & Communications major?

Cody – If prospective students are looking to get hands on experience in a studio for music I would recommend the Digital Music Production course in which we cover all of the basics of using Ableton Live and recording live musicians. If they are looking to learn more about sound design for motion picture I would recommend the Sound Design for Media Course in which we cover very specific tasks using Pro Tools to cue and record Foley, ADR and VO (voice overs) as well as incorporating sound effects, music and score.

Brianna – And what has your experience been like teaching these courses?

Cody – So far my experience teaching these courses has proven to be invaluable to the students. The majority of the film students are often unaware of the importance of sound design and what actually goes into it until they do it themselves. Each student has gained valuable knowledge as a film maker by learning the specifics of the postproduction workflow which has greatly improved their on set abilities as well as their story telling capabilities. Students that have taken the Digital Music Production course have benefited greatly as well. Teaching them to use Ableton Live has simplified their ability to express themselves creatively and audibly. I have students that have completely fallen in love with audio production, so much so that not only has it been a life change for them but a career change as well. I have students that have gained regional, national, and international recognition with their songs gaining over 100k followers on SoundCloud and other media platforms.

Brianna – For those unfamiliar with our campus, could you give a run through of all the creative studio spaces we now have at MIU?

Cody – As of now MIU is equipped with one sound studio and two film/video studios. Each film studio is equipped with infinite green screen and large black curtains for various needs. There are also several flats students can use to create their own set designs. In the near future there will be three editing bays and one more mixing room for audio. They are all in Verrill Hall.

Digital Music students are already enjoying using our new studio space, with the Sound Design for Media course offered just last month, and various independent student projects happening on an ongoing basis.