To update the production labs used by advanced students and Moore Media Records, the School of Broadcast and Cinematic Arts will upgrade lab equipment in Moore 184.

Audio Unit Head Heather Polinsky said the audio recording studio's regular mixing console will be replaced by an Avid S6 control surface. She said the control surface is a better controller of the Pro Tools software, making music production easier for Moore Media Records. Polinsky said the project will cost $140,000.

“We’re bringing the lab more in line with what recording studios are using,” Polinsky said.

Polinsky said the department received suggestions from alumni to select the technology. The lab is used for BCA 421: Advanced Audio Production and by Moore Media Records, in addition to being used for graduate student projects and undergraduate independent studies.

She said they will have some video capability in the lab and could potentially do some film scoring for student projects. They will install a 42-inch display screen in the lab that will also help with the instruction in BCA 421.

BCA courses focus more on skill and technique, but since BCA 421 is an advanced audio class, some sophisticated technology and software is necessary.

“It’s not necessarily going to change the content (of the class), but it is a drastic change to the workflow of the lab,” Polinsky said. “I would say that students are probably going to have a higher learning curve coming into the class, but the same basic skills and techniques are going to be taught. It will be more in line with what’s happening in the industry.”

Polinsky said Ball State University and Ohio University have audio recording programs, and this upgrade will make CMU’s program more competitive with other programs.

Novi senior Patrick Budesky, production manager of Moore Media Records, said he's happy the technology is being updated to reflect industry standards.

"Keeping up to date is really important and it's in everyone's best interest-CMU's, MMR's, BCA students'-to give students the most worthwhile learning experience...and (the new technology) will definitely facilitate that," he said.

The project is scheduled to begin May 1 and has to be complete by May 15 because the lab might be used during the summer, leaving about two weeks for the project to be completed.

Department Chair Peter Orlik said the money for the project is coming from the regular BCA equipment account and the BCA BEST Equipment Fund, which consists of money from alumni and other donors.

Orlik said the current technology in the lab is outdated. Some of it is no longer supported by manufacturers.

The Farmington Hills office of AVI Systems will install the equipment with help from and the BCA contract engineer.

“I’ve been asking for the funds to do this for a couple years, so now we have some funding to do it,” Polinsky said. “We’ve needed to get to that next step from a stand-alone mixing console to a control surface for a while. We did some upgrades to the lab in 2008, but they weren’t nearly as extensive as this is going to be,” Polinsky said.