Allan Hancock class will help local musicians record professional demos — for free

An Allan Hancock College class this spring will help local musicians who want to turn their garage band jam sessions into professionally recorded demo tracks.

The class, taught by professor of music Christopher Diaz, will explore the use of digital audio software for recording music and producing audio for video projects, as well as the use of digital signal processors for mixing and mastering recordings, according to a news release.

The students will use a special studio at the college’s Santa Maria campus that features some of the industry’s premier recording technology, including a solid-state Logic XL desktop mixing console, a Lexicon 224 digital reverberater and effects processor, Audio Technica, Neumann U87 and AKG C12 condenser microphones, monitors and keyboards, according to the release. The room for the musicians features a baby grand piano and can fit an entire symphony.

Students will be able to mix up to 30 tracks simultaneously.

“We would like our recording program at Hancock to be as close to a real-world experience as possible,” Diaz said in the release. “By teaching a recording class through the perspective of a commercially functioning recording studio, we hope to provide a unique opportunity to the Central Coast academic community.”

Recording will take place during class times, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12:45 to 3:15 p.m. Musicians will have the opportunity to visit the studio and record on Tuesdays, and then recording arts students will provide the visiting artists with a free professional demo album during the Thursday class session.

“I recently moved to Santa Maria, and as soon as I arrived, I noticed how multicultural and diverse music is in this area,” Diaz said of why he was inspired to teach the class. “We want to hear all genres of music in the studio: rock, hip-hop, mariachi, pop, country, folk, electronic, acoustic, classical and choral. The best learning opportunities come from the most unique musical ensembles, so we are interested in everything.”

The first Sound Production Techniques class begins Jan. 23. To schedule a studio session, contact Diaz at christop.diaz4@hancockcollege.edu.

This story was originally published January 10, 2018 at 11:35 AM with the headline "Allan Hancock class will help local musicians record professional demos — for free."