The new dBs Music premises recently opened on St Thomas Street, Bristol to cater for a range of Higher Education Degree pathways in Sound Engineering, Music Production and Game Audio. The new facility features five studios, music ICT classrooms and a lecture theatre that will provide music production training for students across the West of England. dBs Music is also an authorised training centre for Ableton, Apple Logic and Avid Pro Tools.
HHB has been a long-term supplier to dBs Music and recently supplied a package of music technology equipment that includes an API 1608 analogue recording consoles with 17 motorised faders fitted with moving fader automation, Avid Pro Tools HDX systems, two sets of SSL XDesk controllers with UAD Apollo and Avid Artist controllers and various outboard processors from Universal Audio and Warm Audio. This is in addition to a Genelec 5.1 monitoring system and video projectors, a comprehensive set of microphones and accessories and synthesisers from Korg, Dave Smith, Moog and Arturia.
The API 1608 is the first console of its kind to be installed in a UK educational facility and will be used with the latest Pro Tools HDX hardware and version 11 software. dBs Music wanted to install a premier analogue mixing console in Studio 3 and after considering the main contenders, decided on the API 1608.
The installation of the API 1608 allows dBs Music's students to enrol in the API Visionary Scholarship Program, an international education scheme open to any student studying at a facility that has an API console installed.
Ben Philcox, centre manager for the new HE facility, comments, "We are thrilled to bring such a ground-breaking facility to Bristol, that offers both state-of-the-art studio technology with student focussed learning environments that encourage higher level creativity and academic progression. The focal point of the facility is Studio 3, which offers the UK's only API 1608 recording console in education. This brings unparalleled tracking capability to music production training and students will literally be learning on the best. We're also really excited about the API scholarship, which all our students now have an opportunity to apply for."
(Jim Evans)
