Clay Chaplin is an electronic music composer and innovator, video artist and an instructor at California Institute of the Arts. He is also an inventor who has worked on ways to use networked computers to allow the movement of the human body to control the creation of music through the triggering of samples or random sounds and has invented a musical instrument designed for this purpose called “Stupid Thing.â€
Clay Chaplin, from the California Institute of the Arts, talks about the digital recording studio class at Cal Arts. The class is made up of primarily music technology students. However, Chaplin points out that the studio is a space available to all music students. There are many students from other areas of interest such as world music and jazz. Additionally, he explains that student experience varies. There are experienced and new students. The challenge is blending those and creating an atmosphere where students exchange ideas on their own. Chaplin also comments on why the studio is digital. The studio needs to keep up with the current industry set up. Learning the industry standard tools is important. However, Chaplin explains that the studio is still a blend of analog and digital. He touches on the fact that students are quite computer savvy as well. Chaplin also stresses microphone techniques. He comes from a purist approach. Also in this segment, some students from the digital recording studio class talk about their experiences. One student explains that a personal laptop studio is completely different from working in a real studio. It is of an entirely different quality. The student also points out that exposure to recording allows one to communicate on the same level. He also talks about his approach. He comes from the background of a lot of plug ins. His opinion on records versus CDs is covered as well. Another student talks about his approach too. He tends to be of the purist approach like Chaplin.
Clay Chaplin, from the California Institute of the Arts, discusses learning recording techniques. Chaplin stresses listening. He also explains that one can learn it from scratch. Chaplin points out that the best way to learn is through experience. The room is open all the time. Students should learn while they can still make mistakes. Also, Chaplin explains that he teaches gear while giving students a technical background. The difficulty with teaching recording techniques is that each student has a different purpose for taking the class. Also in this segment, Chaplin emphasizes that one must also have a certain knack for it. Therefore, Cal Arts attempts to train musician engineers.
