“Duality is used to illustrate a wide variety of modern recording methods and techniques”
OTTAWA, CANADA – Algonquin College has installed a Solid State Logic Duality Console to deliver real-world experience for students enrolled in its Music Industry Arts (MIA) program. Located in Canada’s capital, Ottawa, Algonquin College began its music production and business diploma program in 2010, recently constructing a large studio with a teaching-oriented control room to house the Duality.
“The aim of the MIA program is to prepare students for the myriad of Music Industry employment possibilities that the real world has to offer,” says Colin Mills, Program Coordinator and Professor of Music Business Program for the MIA. “To that end, as the centrepiece of the MIA control room, Duality is used to illustrate a wide variety of modern recording methods and techniques. The console is uniquely flexible in that it can be configured to emulate console architectures ranging from traditional analogue to contemporary DAW controller. Between group sessions and personal studio time, students learn how to apply these skills in order to create professional-calibre recordings.”
The MIA is considered a “non-semestered diploma program,” according to Mills, which essentially condenses the normal two-year, four-semester learning regimen into three semesters that run over 12 consecutive months. Each year, the program intakes up to 75 students who receive their diploma after a single, very busy year. Duality became the best choice for this intensive program because of its ability to address all aspects of music production with a straightforward, industry-standard user interface and powerful DAW controller.
“The mission of the MIA program is to prepare students for a career in the Music Industry,” states Mills. “The content of our program is about 60 percent audio production and 40 percent the business of music. We find that giving our students a full understanding of how the industry works will prepare them for various career options. On the production side, Duality delivers a ‘best of all worlds engineering experience’ that is consistent with our mission.”
The Duality is mainly used for all three levels of the program’s “Recording, Engineering, Production” course, which runs all year. “Students are in the studio with the SSL for 10 hours per week in the Recording, Engineering, Production course alone,” relates Mills. “We offer other classes that reference Duality workflow that include our ‘Digital Audio Concepts’ and ‘Production Theory’ courses, each of which has two levels. Additionally, after the halfway point of the first 15-week semester, each student is required to give 15 hours of studio time on the Duality per semester. Most of these student sessions run immediately after class, overnight and all weekend, so our studio ends up in use 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The console works flawlessly, day-in and day-out, delivering great sound. It’s also great that the console is backed by SSL, a company that actually responds immediately to any question or problem. With our schedule, there really is no other console but Duality for our program.”
Solid State Logic is the world’s leading manufacturer of analogue and digital audio consoles and provider of creative tools for music, broadcast, live and post production professionals. For more information about our award-winning products, please visit: www.solidstatelogic.com.
