College Recording Studio opens for Business

The ever-expanding South Devon College can now add a “very professional” recording studio to its facilities and services at their Vantage Point campus in Paignton, according to the students that now use it daily.

Two eager Music lecturers at the College, Dan Taylor and Pete Day, no stranger to many a professional recording studio, designed the new College studios themselves last year and even helped build them, completing the studio just a few weeks ago. Lecturer Dan Taylor is a qualified Sound Engineer with 14 years experience working as a DJ and music producer, whilst also setting up dance music events and working as a researcher and audio editor with BBC Radio Devon. College Recording Studio tutor Pete Day has recorded songs for various recording artists, including Aussie pop sensation Kylie Minogue and world famous dance act ‘Faithless’. He has also worked with Dido, Atomic Kitten and Lemar and has even spent time working at New York’s Unique Studios. Pete has already had good will messages for the new studio from former colleagues in the Music business, including: former Pop Idol judge and seasoned Record Producer Pete Waterman OBE; prominent UK record producer Phil Harding; and famous former OMD front man and founder of Atomic Kitten, Andy McCluskey. The two lecturers worked “tirelessly” to create the design, as Pete Day explains:

“We really wanted to give the students a real taste of what it’s like to work in a professional recording studio and we also wanted to be able to teach classic recording techniques using the latest production methods. The new studio provides all this. I’m proud to say that it’s actually a really high-quality studio and tailor made for learning Music students. It’s not too complicated and contains the latest software and most up-to-date equipment, including an excellent set of microphones.

Dan and I worked tirelessly, a lot of hours in fact, to help put our designs into practice, and we’re not the only ones proud of it. The students have a real respect for the work that has gone into it, and their appreciation is reflected in how often they want to use it!”

The students themselves were full of praise for their new facility, with Clyde Matthews, 16 from Torquay; Stacie Wright, 17 from Paignton; Josh Brown, 16 from Brixham; and Soli Ankers, 18 from Brixham all saying:

“The studio is really impressive, it’s a very modern production environment and the guys did a great job designing it. It has a top-of-the range look and a very professional feel to it. It actually makes you feel better to work in it and not once do you think you are in a learning environment - we actually feel like we’re in a mature, professional and real working situation. It’s great to have the chance to use it!”

The studio is not only a home to the College’s Music learners, but is also open to the public to hire at the relatively low cost of £100 a day; this includes your own technician for the day to help with equipment. Some people have even bought a day’s recording time in there as a birthday present to loved ones. For more information on hiring the studios call 01803 540765 or email peterday@southdevon.ac.uk. For more information on Music courses at South Devon College call free on 08000 380 123 or visit www.southdevon.ac.uk.