Today Peachpit Press ships Logic Pro 9 Advanced Music Production by David Dvorin with Robert Brock. This book serves as Apple’s official text for the Logic Pro 9 Level Two certification. The Conservatory played a big role in this book with CRAS instructor Robert Brock working as a contributing writer and CRAS graduate Brandon Jaehne offering-up an original song for one of the books tutorials.

Brock found Jaehne’s song Gibsonia posted on CRAS Connect, the Conservatory’s online system for enrolled students which features a discussion forum where students can post projects they’re working on for other students to listen to and review. Jaehne and fellow CRAS student Matthew Craft had recorded the song in their apartment during their first weeks at school using the MacBook laptop, Logic Pro, Fastrack Pro audio interface and the microphone they had each received when they started school. Brock felt Gibsonia was perfect for an exercise he was writing for the book which involved how to move projects between Logic and Pro Tools. Drums were later added to the song which were performed by CRAS music director Joe Morris and recorded by CRAS students as part of a session/class in the Conservatory’s Studio D at the Gilbert location.

The Conservatory currently offers Logic Level One certification as part of an optional incentive based program where students that meet certain academic criteria can receive the level one book and take the certification test at no cost. A program to offer Logic Level Two certification based upon this new book will be available later this year.

Mike Jones with the Fender G-DEC 3 at the NAMM show

CRAS director of education Mike Jones can finally talk about what he’s been doing in his spare time while at his home studio for the last several months. It turns out he’s been mixing away for Fender in order to provide recording and mixing services for audio loops that are part of their new G-DEC 3 guitar amplifier which was just announced at the NAMM show. Mike mixed tracks from artists such as Eric Johnson, Hatebreed and Sepultura. CRAS instructor Chris Gough also provided his own musical content for the amp which was recorded in Conservatory studios with the help of CRAS students. In addition CRAS students Jacob Dalton and Eric Molinari also happened to be interning at Fender headquarters and put many hours into testing the amp while providing feedback to Fender. Check out the Fender G-DEC 3 amp and hear what Mike and the rest of the CRAS gang have been up to.

CRAS interns Stephen Hernandez and Danielle Walker work at the SPARS booth at the NAMM show.

In January the Conservatory descended on the 2010 NAMM show. CRAS directors, internship coordinators, teachers, techs, students and graduates mingled in and out of the massive trade show. CRAS sponsored a class in cooperation with SPARS (Society of Professional Audio Recording Services) in NAMM’s new Hot Zone, and provided multiple current students as interns for the event. Oustide of the show, CRAS internship coordinators toured LA area studios and met with studio managers to further foster the great relationship CRAS has with the audio community. See photos and videos from the fun here.

The Conservatory rings in the new year by issuing Apple MacBook Pro laptops for the first time since starting the laptop program two years prior. Shown here are students in the 1/8/2010 start date receiving their new MacBook Pros at the computer orientation class. Prior to 2010 CRAS issued MacBook computers which have been an amazing performer for students and faculty. The change to the MacBook Pro was in part necessary because Apple discontinued the use of the Firewire interface on the latest iteration of the MacBook model. Firewire is a protocol commonly used in professional audio for connecting computers with a wide range of audio interfaces. Firewire also allows the computer to be used in target disk mode, which lets the computer act as a battery powered hard drive for troubleshooting and file transfers. Like the MacBook before it, the MacBook Pro will serve CRAS students well both at school and into their career. Check out more photos of the first class using the MacBook Pros here.

Game sound instructor's Dave Kalberg (far left) and Sean Condlking (far right) flank Rainbow Studios Karen Murow Waller and Dave Lowmiller

On December 16th 2009, Rainbow Studios Dave Lowmilller and Karen Muro Waller talked game audio with CRAS students in an after hours special event that drew a packed house. The duo talked about everything from the production process, technical tools they use and shared insight into how they achieve the motor sport racing sounds Rainbow is known for in titles such as MX vs ATV and Cars. They also showed the other side of Rainbow by explaining sound design in the Wii hit Deadly Creatures as well as techniques for capturing weapon sounds. CRAS integrates game audio into its master recording program and graduates have enjoyed success with audio credits on titles from the Modern Warfare, Call of Duty, Halo, and Saints Row series just to name a few.

The Conservatory will be hosting a no-cost, 2-hour class (1:30pm to 3:30pm) on January 16th at the NAMM Convention in Anaheim California. The H.O.T. Zone (Hands On Training) is in collaboration with SPARS (Society of Professional Recording Services) and will be taught by CRAS instructor Robert Brock. H.O.T. Zone attendees will have access to the NAMM show floor and can register for a gear giveaway including a Sennheiser microphone, Sennheiser headphones and an M-Audio Fast Track Pro. Registration is free through the SPARS website.

Students set up and record Leon Santiago and the One Take Ponies as part of their Cycle 9 SSL class

l to r: Matt Kornick, Chris Houston, Jonathan Skeen, Martin Valencia, Josh Mellott, Mike Bangs, John Deskin, Scot Osborne, Vince Luchetta; on top: Brandon Rinas

The CRAS grads pictured above are all employed by Sound Image in San Diego and have worked with some of the top names in music. Congrats to all who have turned their dreams and internships into audio careers.

Josh Valentine - 2003 Graduate
Aerosmith - Technician
Lenny Kravitz - PA Technician
Brian Wilson - Monitor Technician
Dropping Daylight - Monitor and FOH Engineer
Def Leppard - PA technician

Andrew Cawley - 2003 Graduate
Jimmy Buffett - Monitor Technician/PA Technician
Gwen Stefani - PA Technician
No Doubt - PA Technician/ Monitor Technician
Jacks Mannequin - Monitor Technician
Santana - PA Technician

Mike Bangs - 2004 Graduate
Aerosmith - Monitor Technician/ Crew Chief
Katy Perry - FOH and Monitor Engineer/ Production Manager
Kenna - FOH Engineer/ Production Manager
Boz Scaggs - Monitor Engineer
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Monitor Technician
Babyface - Monitor Engineer
Billy Bob Thornton - Monitor Engineer


Matt Kornick - 2004 Graduate
Jimmy Buffett - PA Technician
Jason Mraz - PA System Technician/Crew Chief
Santana - PA Technician

Chris Houston - 2009 Graduate
Sound Image Shop Technician

Martin Valencia - 2009 Graduate
Sound Image Shop Technician

Scott Taylor - 2009 Graduate
Sound Image Shop Technician

Jonathan Skeen - 2008 Graduate
Sound Image Inventory Manager

Brandon Rinas - 2005 Graduate
String Cheese - Monitor Technician
Rascal Flatts - Monitor Technician
Sound Image Contracting Division Design Engineer

Scot Osborne - 2005 Graduate
Crickett Amphitheatre - PA Delay Technician

Josh Mellott - 2007 Graduate
Bob Dylan - Monitor Technician
Crosby, Stills, and Nash - Monitor Technician

John Deskin - 2007 Graduate
Santana - Monitor Technician/PA Technician
Van Morrison - Monitor Technician
Jimmy Buffett - PA Technician
Jason Mraz - Monitor Technician
Salvador Santana - Monitor Engineer

Vince Luchetta - 2008 Graduate
Jimmy Buffett - Monitor Technician/PA Technician
Boz Scaggs - Monitor Technician
L.L. Cool J. - Monitor Technician
John Legend - Monitor Technician/ PA Technician

Once Conservatory students reach the halfway point of their studies, students with a B or better grade average in the Digital Recording 101 course are offered the opportunity to gain Apple’s Logic 9 level 1 end user certification. The Conservatory picks up the cost of the book and the certification test which is over a $200 value. The new Apple Pro Training Series Logic 9 level 1 certification book just started shipping this month and CRAS has just issued its first set of books to qualifying students. Students work through the book on their issued MacBook computers which have Logic 9 pre-installed.  By the time participants start working with the book they’ve already had extensive exposure to Logic and their path to certification is further supported through CRAS Connect, the Conservatory’s online system that is available to enrolled students. The Logic 9 course on CRAS connect offers quick connectivity to any of the Conservatory’s three Apple Logic certified instructors including one that was the technical editor on the certification book and leads the Logic Train-the-Trainer classes that all Logic certified instructors must attend. Having an Apple certification in Logic  helps Conservatory graduates stand out in the competitive field of audio production.

Tannoy utilized CRAS’s live sound room to show off their sound reinforcement products on November 5th, 2009. This included a demonstration of the amazing Qflex series of speaker which through digital control can steer an acoustic beam to specific points in a room. View some pics from the event here.