Sound Recording

McGill University

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Booking Rules and SR Policies

Please read the full document, as there are several changes while Pollack Hall and Studio A are closed.

Here is a summary of the new policies:

  • SR1 weekly 6hr slots move from UHall to TetLab
  • SR1 only books Studio 22 ad-hoc within a 48hr window, priority goes to SR2
  • SR1 no longer uses Imlab, unless they collaborate with an SR2 or PhD
  • SR2 is moving their weekly 6hr slots (evenings/weekends) from 22 to IMLab in the new year.
  • PhD/Faculty have Imlab booking priority Mon-Fri during the day (9-6pm).
  • SR2 will ditch their UHall slots and replace them with ad-hoc 22 and/or IMLab bookings
  • SR2 can book TETLab ad hoc, but only within a 48hr window, giving priority to SR1
  • Ad-hoc bookings for mixing-only sessions are 4 hours max. 1 session per week per student
  • Second/additional ad-hoc bookings can be done within 48hrs when rooms are open.
  • DCS studio E-521/522 can be booked in the evenings, 1 session/week – see details below

Full Booking Rules:

Sound Recording Calendars: The following spaces are booked using booking.music.mcgill.ca: Studio A, University Hall Rooms 9 and 10, Studio 22, Pollack Media Centre (PMC), Tanna Booth, IMLAB, Redpath Studio and TET Lab. Use your name as the name of the event. Also, include a brief description of the purpose of the booking.

Studio A has a unique booking system where SR1 and SR2 have regular weekly timeslots. OVernights remain empty and available, can be booked the same as other studios (One session per week max.)

Use the Booking system for each microphone and piece of equipment stored in E-111 and Jerry’s Office. Use your name or initials as the name of the event and list all the equipment you will be taking in the event description. You can add microphones to your studio booking as well, using the change (+) function. For location recordings, indicate where you are recording, and the ensemble.

Drum Kits – We have a Yamaha kit in Redpath, and a Sonor kit in -2. These are available to be used in othere spaces but it should be cleared with other users first.

Users of studios have priority for the equipment stored in that studio. You must get permission from the studio user to borrow equipment from another studio to use in your session elsewhere in the building. Notate this equipment in that user’s booking after getting permission.This mainly concerns microphone stands and cables, NOT mic preamps or large items that should always remain in place.

PMC special considerations: Booking priority goes to video activities and concert recordings/dress rehearsal sound checks. People who need the room for video work may take your personal slots, they will contact you if that’s the case. Your booking is confirmed 3 days in advance, at that point it may not be repurposed for video. Be sure to provide a detailed description of your activities in the booking calendar. Try to limit your bookings in PMC to concert recordings and portfolio recordings in Pollack Hall to avoid conflicts. In the rare case that your personal slot is taken, you can setup a mobile rig backstage.

Redpath Studio: Booking priority goes to concert recordings/dress rehearsal sound checks. Occasionally, video work/webcasting may share the space, they will contact you if that’s the case. Upon signing up to record a Redpath Concert, please book the studio immediately to avoid any conflicts. Be sure to provide a detailed description of your activities in the booking calendar.

Sound Recording Calendar Booking Rules Quick Reference:

  • Time limits:
    • Recording sessions: 6hrs max (or overnight)
    • Mixing sessions: 4hrs max (except for TETlab slots)
  • You can only make bookings 45 days in advance.
    • TETLab for non-TET use: only book 48 hours in advance, this way priority access goes to SR1 students
  • You can only make 1 booking per week in each studio or space. However, if a studio is free within 48hrs beforehand, students can make a second booking last minute and use the space. Please update the booking system accordingly.
  • SR1 students have limited access to Studio 22. For Imlab, feel free to collaborate with an SR2 or PhD student in order to experience the space and collaborate on recording projects and research activities.
  • Studio 22 and IMlab are PhD and Faculty priority during the day. SR2 can book evenings after 6pm, and weekends all day/evening. SR2s will have one fixed weekly timeslot in Imlab, and can also book Studio 22 ad hoc, once per week (evenings/weekends only). Again, if a studio is free within 48hrs beforehand, students can make a second/additional booking last minute and use the space.
  • Hall Bookings, including U Hall Atrium done through production.music@mcgill.ca:
    • Recording sessions: max 6hrs (or overnight)
    • Be sure to indicate whether or not a piano is needed.
    • When sending in your booking requests, please include the name of all musicians, their instruments and who if they are a current McGill student or not. 
    • For longer bookings two SRs can book back to back sessions and share the time.
    • NOTE – Atrium is now available 9am-7pm, Mon-Fri and 11am -7pm Sat/Sun.
  • You can only make bookings 45 days in advance, except for special circumstances (ask Area Coordinator for permission)
    • Check booking.music.mcgill.ca calendar before requesting a Hall booking. Clara/Studio B is reserved for Q year students.
  • You can only make 1 booking per week in each Hall (Redpath, Tanna, Pollack, U Hall). For exceptions, please ask a faculty member for approval.

Sound Recording Policy:

This document serves to provide basic information to our students. As with any set of guidelines and regulations, there will be exceptions along the way, so please ask if you have any questions or concerns.

Keys and Card access – card access is arranged through the Building Director’s Office, as are key assignments for the various halls and sound recording spaces. A cash deposit is no longer required. SR access is a privilege and responsibility to use and care for expensive equipment and facilities, and with that we expect students to be vigilant of misuse and security, and to always lock doors behind them.

Studio Use: The rooms, equipment and patchbays must be returned to their normal state after each session, and all microphones, cables, and stands must be put away. Troubleshooting – please try and use the rooms without disconnecting cables etc. If any configuration is temporarily changed, please restore the connections to their normal state before leaving the studio.

Food and Drink – All studios must be kept clean and free of food and coffee containers. Consumption of food is not permitted within the studios. Water bottles are permitted but should be kept closed as much as possible. As such, garbage cans should also be kept OUTSIDE the studio doors.

Studio A Time is separated into 24 timeslots for students’ individual use, with one slot for each SR1, and 1 slot for each SR2. SR2s will draw up a schedule in the first week of September, before the first weekly meeting, and SR1s can choose their slots accordingly. We try to avoid overnight slots, unless a student prefers that timeslot. This process is generally left up to the students unless there is a need for faculty participation/intervention. the remaining open timeslots should be shared fairly, in an equitable rotation. The schedule is set for the Fall term, and usually changes for the Winter term, as class times differ.

TETlab: The Technical Ear Training lab is primarily meant to support the TET class MUSR 629. SR1s will have regular weekly slots now that the Studio A Mac and Horus are available in that room. For TET work, SR1s can book as many slots per week as needed to fulfill their lab work. It is also available for bookings outside of TET use, but bookings must be done within the 48 hours before the session time, to allow priority for SR1. TET students may book for TET use PLUS one session each week for other use (editing/mixing etc). Again, additional bookings are allowed last minute based on availability.

All Other Studios: The other studios work differently. Each student is allowed to book one session per week in each of Tanna, Redpath, U Hall Rooms 9 and 10. Pollack Media Center (PMC). In order to let all students have equal access, mixing sessions in these studios should be kept to four-hour blocks, and recordings in six hour blocks. Priority for these studios goes to any student that has signed up to record a concert in one of the halls, and any student recording more than one concert in the same week is allowed multiple bookings of the associated control room. Be sure to book the control room on the SR calendar when signing up for a concert recording.

DCS Rooms E 521/522: These rooms can be booked through the booking system on the DCS tab, rooms would be E522 for the control room and E521 for the studio. The bookings will show up in the calendar right away, but as “pending approval”. Richard McKenzie then goes through and approves everything. Bookings should be in the late evenings since there is noise from practice rooms below until the building closes. You can try earlier if ambient noise isnt an issue (guitar amps, drums, close piano recordings). But we should stick to evening hours, to give Composition students priority during daytime.

Halls: Hall bookings for recording sessions must be done through C&P: production.music@mcgill.ca. C&P requires that would specify whether or not you need a piano for your recording, as they track hours of usage to schedule tunings. Students will be given viewing access to the hall schedules after having completed an orientation session with a C&P staff member. Additionally, SR students must have completed a stage orientation with the Technical Director of C&P before using the halls. For these studios and halls, students can book sessions up to 45 days in advance. Longer sessions, and bookings beyond the 45-day window are possible, but require SR faculty approval, and suitable justification.

It is recommended that longer sessions be booked as a team recording, i.e two students can book two slots back to back in order to have a shared 12-hour timeslot. Last minute bookings – anyone finding a studio unused can certainly use it, but it is expected that the SR calendar is updated so we have a record of who was in which space, and at what times. For last minute use of C&P controlled rooms (Halls), an email should be sent to C&P copying the SR area coordinator, so the C&P schedule can be updated. Unauthorized last minute use of the halls is not permitted.

Studio Cleaning – it is in our best interest not to have any cleaning staff in our spaces, so students are expected to keep the spaces clean. This includes removal of garbage, weekly vacuuming, and dusting of consoles and equipment. SR2 is responsible for Studio A, SR1 is Redpath and TETlab, and PhDs are responsible for the minus 2 spaces – Studio 22, IMlab control room and live room. The main Webcasters should coordinate cleaning of PMC – but not do all the cleaning themselves. For Hall bookings, stage must be clean and tidy when finished, and the Hall should be properly LOCKED UP before leaving.

Studio Maintenance – all technical issues and repair requests should be brought to the immediate attention of the SR technician via email copying the area coordinator, and any other relevant faculty/staff. These reports need to be made in a timely manner, as there are many studios and only one technician: jerry.catanescu@mcgill.ca, also please copy richard.king@mcgill.ca.

Audio Engineering Society McGill Student Section – we expect all of our students to be members of the AES and to support the activities of our student section. Student membership is quite affordable and there are many benefits to membership including scholarships and job opportunities. Officers of the section are selected each year.

Concert Recording/Live Sound – The coordinators of Concert Recording and Live Sound Reinforcement will expect help from all masters students in covering all the recording and live sound events. This work is a paid, and all students should sign up with the C&P office to receive payments as direct deposit. More details on this process will be provided by the C&P office. All concert recordings are to be archived on the MLAPS server, following a specific filenaming convention which will be provided by the coordinator. All files must be named using this established protocol. Any questions should be directed to the coordinator. We ask that each student commit to at least three concert recordings and one live sound event each term.

The call time for concert recording and live sound is One Hour before the event begins. This means all mics checked and live mix ready to go with basic settings BEFORE taking a break to run and get food etc. For webcasts, this includes checking the MC mic split if needed, also please ask if there will be an MC.

A Live sound workshop will be held at the beginning of the fall term so that all students will have the same basic skills and feel confident undertaking the more simple live sound obligations. The live sound coordinator is always available for questions and advice, and help with setups whenever possible.

Pianos – C&P asks that you request the use of a piano when you ask for a hall – this way they can track the use of each instrument and plan tunings/maintenance accordingly. For the Studio A piano, please let us know if it needs attention, we will contact the technician.

CIRMMT – SR students can apply for CIRMMT memberships, so that they may use the equipment and book the labs, under the name of a faculty sponsor. As such, students are strongly encouraged to attend CIRMMT lectures and workshops, and to participate in CIRMMT events where appropriate. An orientation session is required before any bookings may take place. CIRMMT will support two major SR class projects per term, and these need to be confirmed at the beginning of each term. All other CIRMMT use must be research related, and SR students must present their intended research proposal to the SR area chair or SR Faculty for approval before a CIRMMT booking may be initiated. Any student working directly on a faculty member’s research project will be given direct access. Additionally, any single piece of CIRRMT equipment may be signed out for training, under the HQP initiative, as it is in CIRMMT’s best interest to have highly qualified personnel available to operate the equipment, such as measurement equipment, consoles, and video cameras. A signature from a faculty sponsor is still required.

Paid Recording Work – Schulich School Halls, studios, and equipment are reserved for the academic enrichment of the students, and official recording work booked through the C&P office, including demo recordings. Students can not charge musicians for their time or the studio when working on a project using McGill resources, only official demos booked via the production office will result in payment to the SR student. Students should not charge musicians for their time on academic projects including the portfolio and production project. This is separate from work done on commercial/non-academic projects without using McGill resources (at home or in studios off campus), where we expect that you would charge for your time as a professional, not related to course work.

Recording Projects for Public Release – McGill sound recording students using McGill studios are offering a very valuable product to the musicians they work with. As a result, we need to ensure that we are not undercutting or taking away work from the local studios in Montreal. When you work with an artist using McGill resources, that artist can publicly release up to 2 tracks for free. For projects involving the public release of 3 or more tracks, the artist must negotiate a fee for the recordings with the faculty (contact Richard King). The fee is based on a charge of $200 per track, but it is negotiable and cost per track goes down as the track number increases, e.g. ten tracks would be $1000 or $100/track. We also take into consideration the artists’ funding/financial resources.

Recording projects are “publicly released” when they are made available, for sale or for free, to a large audience. This includes distributing to streaming services, posting on Bandcamp, YouTube, Facebook, etc. “Audition tapes” are for a small audience and generally do not fall under this classification. When in doubt, just ask!

Class recording projects – It is expected that students participate in the various class projects throughout the year, outside of class time. These projects involve the Orchestra, Opera, Big Band, Film Scoring, and projects with and without video. Faculty will give fair warning of the dates of these events, so that students may plan their schedules accordingly. Many of these projects involve evening and weekend commitments. One or two students should still sign up for payment, and will be responsible for delivery of mixes to MLAPS for the Library and Video production, etc.

Projects with video – please upload complete live mixes for each concert (with pre and post audio) immediately so the video assets can be prepared for upload to our YouTube channel without delay.

Team Recording Sessions used for Portfolio Submission – Here are the criteria for the equitable sharing of recorded content regarding portfolio submissions. Two (or more) students may submit recordings from a single recording session, as long as all parties are equally involved:

  • Taking part in the planning, microphone selection and pickup, studio/stage layout and setup, tear down and equipment return.
  • Actively working on the sound and balance during the sound check.
  • Taking turns leading the recording session, engaging with the musicians in the role of producer, collaborating and giving feedback on their performance. Ideally each student would submit a separate track from the same session, whenever possible.

If these criteria are not met, a conversation with your instructor (670 or 671) should be had before portfolio submissions. Of course there will be exceptions, and as long as all parties are agreeable, we can offer some flexibility. We just need to approve the conditions beforehand. For instance:  

  • A highly complex session with a lot of overdubs, where only one song or track was completed. In this case both students may submit the same track, as long as the mixes are done separately. Comparing mixing results is of course allowable, while the work is on progress.
  • A common scenario might be a schedule conflict where Student 1 picks up mics and does the setup, Student 2 joins for the record and is actively engaged in soundcheck and working with the artists, then Student 1 leaves before the end so Student 2 is responsible for the teardown and returning equipment.
  • Class projects: Faculty members leading class recording projects will decide whether or not the material can be used as a portfolio entry. This will be case by case.
  • SR1s often “assist” or collaborate with SR2s, following the lead of the senior team member. SR1s and SR2s also work with PhDs in Imlab and the Vat system. These multitracks can be shared, however the junior team member is first required to obtain permission from the lead engineer, and in the portfolio writeup they need to accurately describe their role during the recording session. A submission of this type would be viewed as a “mix only” track, and should not count for more than one or possibly two tracks on the portfolio. We want the majority of submissions to have been both recorded and mixed by the submitting candidate.

Any other exceptions or scenarios are open for discussion, and should be mostly possible as long as everyone involved is aware of, and comfortable with the arrangement.

Weekly SR meeting – Every Thursday SR holds a general meeting at Noon, normally on Zoom. It is expected that all masters students are present (optional for PhD students). Notice should be given if a student is unable to attend, and it is their responsibility to find out if they missed any important announcements. The meetings are 60minutes or less, beginning with Faculty and staff announcements and concerns, discussion of any technical issues, followed by any student issues. Agenda items may be submitted in advance to the area coordinator.

If a student has any issue with SR policy they are encouraged to discuss it with the Area Coordinator or one of the SR faculty. Thank you for your cooperation.