PreSonus Blog

Alchemea

Just got back from another session at Alchemea. This is very well known sound engineering college in London, who invite me to go guest lecture there every few months. I used to be a professional lecturer in Music Technology at Stroud College in Gloucestershire, UK, and I really love teaching, but since going to work for PreSonus I don’t get much chance to teach any more. So I love doing these small guest lecture days, since it gets me back in a classroom working with students, which is a great feeling.

In this case I went in with a StudioLive 24.4.2 and a 1602 and gave the Live Sound Engineering students an introductory class on what makes them so great for live work. The students are always really amazed at how much easier they are to learn than the standard digital desks they normally have to work on, and these guys were no exception. And passing around the iPad so they can take full control of the desk always blows their minds completely. The killer though is when somebody asks how much they cost – watching their jaws drop when they find out is always priceless.

I love that part because I remember what it was like when I was in my late teens / early twenties and trying to get into the music business. I would have killed to get my hands on a mixing desk and recording system at this kind of price, but back then you were talking high five figures just to get anything that might work, and well into six figures to get something decent. When the first VST computer systems were released it was a revolution in putting power into the hands of normal people, and with these desks we have taken that further than anyone ever dreamed.

Silly as it might sound, it makes me pretty proud to be part of that. And to be able to empower young people at colleges like Alchemea makes me release that we are doing something very worthwhile here.

P.S. If you are a teacher or student and would like me to come guest lecture at your college, shoot me a mail and let’s see what we can do.