We’re here in Edmonton, Alberta with Paul Johnston, head of recording at MacEwan University.
Today we take a peek inside Studio A to see what’s next for the future of recording education.
►Filmed in Studio A @ MacEwan University courtesy of Bent River Records
Paul shares the outcomes for his course. His program equips students with a foundation in audio that will lead graduates to a variety of positions in audio production, television, or game development.
Paul reflects on his first recording setup, and how the art of recording has changed since he first got into recording on Digital Audio Tape (DAT).
When asked about his favourite instrument to record, he replied, “It’s more about the player than the instrument.” Paul explains that what excites him most about recording is when an artist plays something truly moving, regardless of instrument or genre.
Paul feels strongly that formal recording education gives students a unique experience that will translate to home studio production. He explains traditional internship opportunities aren’t as common as they used to be, and that his course aims to fill this need.
He mentions that other recording programs in the past may not have been successful and that this has led some studios to hold a bias against students coming from recording programs, wary of what false information they may have been taught.
Paul emphasizes the importance of excellence stating, the best way to get clients is through referrals, as a happy client will refer a great engineer to their friends.
He recognizes that there are producers making waves today that aren’t formally trained, but he truly believes that musical education is key to improving ones abilities in the studio.
The students of his course will learn how to record ensembles, add overdubs, mix recordings, and manage a recording session, Pauls explains that while students learn many skills in the program, students will need to apply these skills in combination to provide value in new and interesting ways due to the decrease in commercial studio positions.
“The greatest skill in the music industry is the ability to stay employed”
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We explore the studio closure phenomenon which Paul feels is unrelated to the pandemic. He pointed out that many more people are recording today as it, “may be the one way to express themselves musically.”
He concluded saying: “Home computers and the rise of technology has made recording available to everyone […] I don’t see that being a problem for recording studios because it’s not the same thing.”
Next we travel to Royal Studio where MacEwan recording graduate, Arnel shows us the studio space he’s built.
