Regulations and information regarding studios and workstations at Birmingham Conservatoire.
Studio Hygiene and Operational Guidance
Please follow these guidelines to help reduce the spread of infection. Alcohol wipes and hand gels can be found in the studio zone and rooms.
General Issues
All the studios and workstations in the Conservatoire are under heavy demand from a variety of undergraduate, postgraduate, and staff users. The regulations below are in place to aid the smooth-running of our studios, help you work efficiently, and create a supportive studio culture. It is imperative for all concerned that you work in a way that is considerate to your fellow users and yourself.
General Regulations
• Keys should be signed in and out of the security desk, and should be returned immediately following your session. Keys should not leave the building, or be kept when your session has finished. You should never leave a studio unlocked.
• Except for capped bottles, food and drink is not allowed in any studio space.
• If you find evidence of food and drink upon entering the studio spaces it is your responsibility to remove the items to avoid any implication of guilt.
• If you find a studio or lab space to be in a mess or any equipment not working at the start of your session you must report it immediately to a member of staff.
• All studios and lab spaces should be left clean and tidy with all rubbish removed or placed in a bin.
• Theft of Conservatoire Property (inc software) and Vandalism of studios, live rooms, official notices will result in instant severe disciplinary action.
• You must not harass fellow students. If you have not booked a studio space, you have no rights over it, no matter how important you feel your project might be.
• You may not use live rooms as rehearsal studios.
• External parties may be brought into the studio, but it is up to you vet their suitability and should be registered with security upon arrival.
• Do not advertise externally for ensembles to record. You may not charge external parties or fellow students for recording.
Mic Store procedures
In addition to the basic set of mics provided in each of the live rooms we have 3 levels of additional mic collections available in the mic storeroom.
A mic cupboard for Year 2 students and a mic cupboard for Year 3 students. A list of what should be in the cupboards is posted on the door fronts.
An additional ‘boutique’ mic cupboard houses some of our more delicate or very expensive collection. This collection is generally reserved for Post Grads and 3rd Years. Access to the boutique cupboard is by staff only, therefore, collection and returns is handled via one of the 2 Music Tech lockers.
All cupboard keys are signed out from security at reception.
Studio Equipment
• To reduce the spread of infections you must clean studio equipment before and after use with the relevant cleaning materials provided.
• Other than where you plug into a patchbay or DI box, you should not patch your own equipment into a studio.
• Never unplug or replug installed studio cables, including computer monitors or other equipment.
• Equipment should not be moved from a studio without the authorisation of a member of staff.
• All studios should be left with desks zeroed and Macs logged out.
• All equipment, including mics, headphones, drum kit, amps, stands and cables should be returned to their correct storage areas following a session.
• You may not take equipment out of the Conservatoire building without express permission of a member of staff and appropriate insurance in place.
Computers
• The University’s standard regulations regarding computer use apply to all machines.
• All local disks on all machines are scratch disks. Any material may be deleted freely by any user. You should ensure that all your data is backed up to your own personal hard disk and the server file space.
• If anything does not work, ask for help!
Studio Booking
Booking for all projects should be made at least 7 days in advance. This allows you to plan ahead for a time when you, your assistant engineer, your performers and the studio are all simultaneously available. Booking is made via the online booking form https://conservatoire.siso.co/index.php All bookings for all studio spaces are viewable at this URL.
If you wish to make your recording in one of the concert halls, you can book this via the events office. You must plan well ahead to be able to do this!
• You may not book more than 3 contiguous hours in any studio space, up to a maximum of 6 hours in any week.
• You may not book more than 3 contiguous hours in any live room, up to a maximum of 6 hours in any two-week period.
• You may not book more than 3 contiguous hours on an iMac.
• Special projects that require more studio time may be booked. These are by special arrangement using the 3 hour extension request box on the studio booking form, and must be authorised by a member of staff. Extended bookings may not be made within 2 weeks of an assignment deadline.
• Any slots not booked out by users may be taken on an a first-come basis if a studio is vacant.
Penalties for contravening regulations
We will always try to find an amiable solution to problems that may arise in the studios, but iIf you are deemed to be in breach of the studio regulations, you can expect to be faced with the following disciplinary actions, in line with BCU regulations, depending on the nature of the offence and your previous record in the studio.
1. An official verbal warning from the Head or Assistant Head of Music Technology.
2. A short-term ban from the studio facilities, together with a written warning.
3. An indefinite ban from the studio facilities, together with a written warning.
4. Expulsion from BCU.