Moody Media Lab

The Moody Media Lab Audio Booth provides a professional environment for audio recording of all sorts including vocal, instrumental, and foley work. Featuring industry standard microphones, USB mixer with additional inputs, and professional recording programs, our audio booths can be used for any creative audio project you have in mind! This guide will provide details for setting up the audio booth to successfully record your new podcast, hit single, film dubbing, and more! If you're looking for help with audio production, editing, or ideas, we have other guides that can provide you with more details on that.

Lamppost: Media Lab Basics
This guide introduces the basics of audio production through detailed instructions on setting up the audio booth space in the Moody Media Lab. It is intended as a supplement to your exploration of the space and the joys of creative modes of thinking through audio recording. If you would like to dive further into concepts explored here, explore our other guides listed below to expand your understanding of the audio booth and audio production to light bulb and spotlight levels of literacy. To learn more about our library literacies initiative and our tiered approach to literacies, see our guide.

Set Up

Step 1

Turn on lights and vent with the controller.

Step 2

Accept the media lab terms of use and log onto the computer using your BearID.

Step 3

Confirm the Scarlett 6i6 is setup correctly.

1. Phantom power is turned on (red light on to the right of the microphone input)
2. Gain and volume are set to desired levels.
3. Scarlett 6i6 is selected as input and output in system preferences.

Step 4

Open the recording program of your choice and check that the Scarlett 6i6 is set as the input and output options for the program.

We have a few program options for your recording needs currently installed:

1. Audacity: Free, open source recording program for single track recording. Best for beginners and those interested in recording single vocals or one instrument at a time.
2. Audition: Part of the Adobe Creative Suite, Audition is the audio recording program that can be easily integrated with your other Creative Suite projects, particularly if you are filmmaker using Premiere Pro.
3. Garageband: An Apple program that straddles the line between simplicity and complexity and can allow for additional recording options that Audacity may not have will being a bit more user friendly than Audition. If you have an Apple computer, this may be a good option for you if you plan on editing outside of the booth or recording things on your own time outside of the Media Lab.

Step 5

Export your audio to Box or USB.

Clean Up

Clean up is as easy as 1, 2, 3! Simply follow the steps below to leave the audio booth ready for the next patron to quickly and easily record a their audio project!

Step 1

Log out of the computer.

Step 2

Return gain to mid range and monitor volume off.

Step 3

Ensure the mixer is plugged back into USB hub if you used your own laptop.

Step 4

Reset the space by returning the microphone to its original position, tuck in chairs, and turn off the lights and vent with the controller.