The DARC recording studio is available to rent for Digital Artist and Expert Digital Artist members to use for all their audio needs. The recording studio consists of two adjoining soundproofed spaces, the recording booth and the control room. The recording studio is furnished with an ergonomic desk chair, a large desk surface and fitted with an iMac computer with audio and video editing software, audio interfaces, display options, microphones, headphones and surround sound speaker capabilities. This is a specialist space with various experience level requirements to use and operate.
A DARC Digital Artist or Expert Digital Artist membership is required for access. Recording studio bookings are made on a block booking system.
Cancellations must be made 48 hours in advance. If less than 48 hours’ notice is given, members will be billed the full price of the rental. If a member does not show up for their booking, a no-show penalty fee of $30 will be charged.
Recording studio bookings are available to Digital Artist and Expert Digital Artist members only. Please include your desired block booking time and rental package in your booking request. For general inquiries, please email tech@digitalartsresourcecentre.ca.
All DARC members must act in accordance with our COVID 19 protocols and security measures outlined below. DARC is taking every precaution necessary to ensure the safety of our staff and membership. DARC is only taking bookings for fully vaccinated members (all members of your booking party must also be fully vaccinated). The failure to abide by our COVID 19 protocols will result in the nullification of membership.
* Please note that our recording studio has a maximum capacity of six persons total (recording booth: 4 persons, recording studio control room: 2 persons)
• Commercial productions for which the director/creator does not retain copyright and artistic control, director/creator is being paid under commercial contract for content and for which the production/work is being produced for a commercial client or for the purpose of advertising or promotion.
The DARC block booking system offers four blocks in our recording studio per day. Rates vary depending on the space and configuration used. Blocks are booked for the time slots listed below, regardless of whether you need the entire block. This helps us keep our studio well maintained, clean and available when our members need it.
Members are welcome to book more than one block at a time. When booking an overnight session you’ll be required to perform our after hours rules and security procedure. Fees must be paid in advance of all bookings.
DARC reserves the right to cancel bookings but will notify you as soon as possible in the event of any cancellations. DARC reserves the right to change these terms at any time.
The Basic Recording Package is intended for simple recording usage. This package gains members access to the recording studio booth only. This package does not come with access to the audio control room. Digital Artist/Expert Digital Artist members do not have to meet any technical skill requirements to access this package.
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Intended Use:
The Audio Package is intended for simple audio editing. This package gains members access to the recording studio control room only. The Audio Editing Package includes our simple, user friendly sound system (members do not have to have extensive audio post-production skills to have success in this space). This package does not come with access to the recording booth. Digital Artist/Expert Digital Artist members do not have to meet any technical skill requirements to access this package.
Package Includes:
Intended Use:
The Deluxe Audio Package is intended for intermediate to advanced audio work only. This package gains users access to the entire recording studio (the audio control room and recording booth). With this package, the control room is wired for use for up to 9.2 surround sound. Members may use the recording studio without a technician but must meet DARC’s technical skill requirements and be granted access by technical staff. Members who do not meet technical skill requirements must hire a DARC technician to work alongside in the studio.
*Payment for rental package and technician is due before your recording session begins.
Package Includes:
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Intended Use:
* For deluxe audio package, members who do not meet technical skill requirements must hire a DARC technician to work alongside in the studio. In this case, members must pay regular block booking fees + a minimum $35/hr technician fee.
Members who have been determined to not meet DARC’s technical skill requirements to operate the recording studio alone must hire a DARC technician. DARC technicians have been trained by DARC technical staff in expertly operating the recording studio. Members cannot use their own technicians unless those technicians have been trained and or approved by DARC technical staff. DARC technicians are to be paid a minimum of $35/hr for their services.
The recording booth is a non-rectangular space shaped to cut down on the possibility of standing waves, and features treatment to control the amount of reflectivity on the walls and ceiling. The control room has also been constructed to reduce standing waves, and has been treated to control diffusion and reflectivity to help ensure a clear monitoring environment. There are shared windows between the two room and lines running from one room to the other for mic inputs, headphone feeds, talkback and other connections.
There is a patch panel in the recording booth for up to 12 X XLR microphone inputs, and 4 X ¼” TS passive DI inputs leading to the audio interface in the control room. There is 1 X stereo headphone feed returning to the recording booth from the audio interface control room, and capacity for use with up to 6 headphones in the booth. A system for talkback from control room to recording booth has also been implemented.
For intermediate to advanced work, the control room is wired for use for up to 9.2 Surround Sound. There are three Focal Trio6 Be monitors in the Front Left, Front Center and Front Right positions. There are two Mackie MRS10 subs and the remainder of the Surround Sound system consists of six Mackie MR624 monitors. For basic projects, there is also simple sound system, consisting of a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 audio interface, connected to 2 X KRK RPG2 Rockit 8 powered studio monitors. Please note that this simpler system is completely separate from the more advanced Surround Sound system.
The control room has an iMac loaded with music and video production software. With the Deluxe Audio Package there are two audio interfaces, a Focusrite Clarett 8PreX and a Focusrite Clarett 8Pre, for a total of 16 X analog (XLR) inputs and 16 X (1/4”TRS) analog outputs. Two of the analog inputs can be used as instrument DI inputs inside the control room. The outputs are patched into the Surround Sound speaker system and the headphone returns. The interfaces are connected together through ADAT lightpipe, allowing for sample rates of 48kHz and are connected to the computer using Thunderbolt 3.
For basic projects, accessing the Audio Editing Package, there is also a simple sound system, consisting of a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 audio interface, connected to 2 X KRK RPG2 Rockit 8 powered studio monitors. Please note that this simpler system is completely separate from the more advanced Surround Sound system.
Note: For very basic projects, there is 1 X Blue Yeti USB mic located in the recording booth, for use in very basic voice recordings, such as for podcasting. It is capable of recording a mono (omni, cardioid, figure-8) or stereo (left to right XY) signal and can be connected via USB directly to a Member’s phone, tablet or laptop (adapters may be required). It does not allow for a connection between recording booth and the control room.
2017 iMac 18.3
Headphones
There are several sets of Sony 7506 headphones and one set of Beyerdynamic 880 Pro headphones available.
Controllers
There is a Mackie MCU Pro Controller (with Motorized faders) for use with DAWs and other software for hands-on mixing and control. There is also a Nektar Panorama P6 MIDI/USB keyboard controller for tight integration with recording and music creation software.
Visual Displays
There is a projector and screen surface that allows for the video footage to have its own screen, separate from the display screen on the iMac. There is also a separate monitor screen that can be positioned at the window to the Recording Booth; this can be used to help with such things as Automatic Dialogue Replacement or with visual cues for voiceover talent.
Current available post-production software (only on macOS) consists of:
