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Studios & Equipment
Our audio engineering classes are kept small to allow you plenty of time to work directly on our studio equipment with the instructors. We offer world-class “studio-standard” analog and digital gear for you to learn recording and music production techniques on. In addition, we bring in two working professional bands for you to record as final projects over 10 class days. You’ll spend additional time learning to edit, mix and master these tracks. During the recording sessions you’ll be learning proper mic placement using our collection of high-end microphones and how to route them through one of our two recording consoles and racks of analog preamps, equalizers, compressors and various effects.
Every student will also have access to their own Mac computer with digital interface and MIDI controller loaded with Pro Tools, Melodyne and access to all of the Universal Audio plug-ins. Read through our microphone and tracking equipment list below and click on the links above to view our studios and labs. Learn on actual studio equipment instead of just looking at pictures of it in a classroom.
Studios at Dark Horse Institute
The SSL Recording Studio
The SSL Studio based around our SSL 6056E/G+ console in a spacious acoustically treated control room. Connected to this are two isolation rooms and our main live room, great for recording drums and strings. You also have access to our 7’ Yamaha grand piano — a standard on hundreds of pop music releases, available for artists and audio engineering students to record on or just to play after hours.
SSL consoles are some of the most coveted audio recording and mixing desks in the world — walk into most major studios and there will be an SSL. You’ll have regular hands-on access to our SSL during your audio engineering courses at Dark Horse Institute. You’ll also have a chance to use it during at least one of your full band recording projects.
The SSL 6056E/G+ console is a 56 channel 6056 E series console from Solid State Logic with a G+ series computer for VCA based automation. Eight channels carry modified G Series channel strips with Black EQ and every channel includes the onboard compression, EQ, and routing flexibility that have made the SSL so popular as a mixing platform. It also has the infamous master buss compressor that gives your studio mixes that perfect finishing touch, emulated by numerous plugins and copied by many outboard units.
Also in the studio is a Pro Tools rig and full rack of outboard gear used every day by top audio engineers around the world, designed and made by legendary names such as API, Rupert Neve, Summit, DBX, Brent Averill and more.
Automation
- G+ VCA Automation with Total Recall on 56 channels plus 8 Groups and 3 Stereo Mix paths
Processing
- (1) API 3124+ 4 Ch Preamp
- (2) Brent Averill 1073 Neve Preamp
- (1) DBX 786 2 Ch Preamp
- (4) SPL Transient Designer
- (1) Summit 2 Ch Preamp
- (1) Roland SRV-330
- (2) Lexicon PCM-80
- (1) TC 2290 Digital Effects Processor
- (1) ADL Tube Compressor/Limiter
- (1) Amek 9098 Stereo Compressor/Limiter
- (1) Yamaha 1500 Delay
The Trident Recording Studio
Yes, this is the twin sister of the Trident Series 80b recording console at Dark Horse Recording in The Lodge – another Series 80b console modified by electronics genius Bud Wyatt, with many of the same modifications; EQ, mix, summing amp, IC chip upgrades, solo safes, etc. It features a 40-input, 24 monitor and 24-bus custom external patch bay. Input and monitor sections can be linked for a total of 64 channels during mix-down.
This recording console is the brand of choice for nearly half a century’s worth of world-renowned recording artists.
Automation
- AMS / Neve Flying Faders 40 channels plus Master Fader and one group fader
Processing
- (2) Amek 9098 Preamp
- (4) Vintech X81 Neve Style Preamp
- (1) Busboy Stereo SSL Style Compressor
- (2) Urei La-4 Compressor
- (1) ADL Tube Compressor/Limiter
- (2) EL-8 Distressor
- (1) UA 1176LN
- (1) Summit EQF-100
- (3) DBX 902 De-Esser
- (4) DBX 903 Compressor
- (2) DBX 904 Gate
- (4) Aphex EQF
- (4) Aphex CX-1 Compression
- (1) Roland SRV-330
Additional Equipment
Microphones
(2) AKG C-451EB
(2) AKG D-112
(4) AKG 414 TLII
(1) Aston Origin
(1) Aston Spirit
(4) Audio Technica 350
(4) Audio Technica 4033
(2) Audio Technica 4050
(2) Avantone CV-12
(2) Cascade Fat Head Ribbon
(1) Cascade X-15 Stereo Ribbon
(1) Crown PZM
(1) Electrovoice RE-20
(2) Lewitt LCT 441 FLEX
(2) Lewitt LCT 140 AIR
(1) Lewitt MTP 440 DM
(1) Lewitt LCT 640 TS
(2) Microtech Gefell M200
(2) Microtech Gefell M-70
(1) Microtech Gefell M-900
(3) Microtech Gefell UM-92 Tube
(2) Microtech Gefell M-71
(4) Miktek Drum Pack (x3 PM10, PM11)
(2) Neumann M-147 Tube
(1) Neumann U-87
(2) Neumann M-582 Tube
(1) Peavey PVM 45
(2) Rode NT5
(2) Royer R122
(1) Sennheiser e835
(1) Sennheiser MD 441-U
(9) Sennheiser MD 421
(1) Shure Beta 52
(1) Shure Beta 57
(1) Shure Beta 58
(2) Shure SM-7
(1) Shure SM-54
(13) Shure SM-57
(4) Shure SM-81
(3) Shure KSM-44
(2) Shure KSM-32
(2) Shure KSM-141
(1) Shure KSM-137
(1) Sontronics Aria
(1) Sontronics Delta 2
(1) Sontronics Orpheus
(1) Sontronics Halo
(1) Sontronics Corona
(1) Sontronics STC-3
(1) Sontronics Solo
(1) Sontronics Mercurcy
(6) Sontronics Drum Pack (DM-1B, DM-1S, x2 DM-1T, x2 STC-1)
(2) Sony ECM-33F
(2) Teegarden Audio MagicDI
(2) Teegarden Audio PPC-125
(1) Teegarden Audio PAC-116
(1) TOA RD-14
Nearfield Monitoring
Emotiva Monitors
Genelec 1031
Mackie HR 824
Yamaha NS-10
Instruments
Yamaha C7 Grand Piano
Recording
(2) Digidesign Protools HDx Systems
(1) Digidesign Protools HDx Native System
(1) Otari Radar II Hard Disk Recorders
(2) Otari MTR-90 II 24-track Analog Recorders
(26) UA Solo Audio Interface
(3) Universal Audio Apollo 16
(1) Universal Audio Apollo x4
(1) Universal Audio Apollo Twin
Two-Track Mix Programs
(2) Panasonic 3700 DAT Recorders
(1) Panasonic 3800 DAT Recorder
(2) Alesis Masterlink High Resolution Hard Disc Recorders
(1) Tascam CD-RW5000 Recorder
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