Music to their ears at Widener University
School unveils new recording studio in Freedom Hall
CHESTER » Widener University took the wraps off its new recording studio and home of the university radio station Widecast Friday, giving students the opportunity to work in a facility with professional-grade audio and video on the level of a working studio.
“They have state-of-theart facilities and equipment in there that allow them to use it for a learning space,” said Widener University President Dr. Julie Wollman. “They’re really learning what they need to walk right into a job with handson access.”
Production of the Widecast radio station, which can be found on the Widecast app on iPhone and Android or on widecastradio.com, features a bright new shimmering production thanks to the quality recording equipment in the studio. Wollman said the school was able to free up funds for an update.
“We wanted to emulate as professional as we could. We do some great student films, but one thing that has always suffered is sound,” said Dwight Dewerth-Pallmeyer, associate professor of communication studies and digital media informatics. “Sound is so important and so if that’s not clean, the whole product is not clean.”
Additions include a brand new MIDI keyboard, 4K-capable computers, a touchscreen virtual mixing board, top notice audio monitors, a soundproof recording booth, Avid Pro Tools HD software and $3,500 Neumann U87 microphones.
Dewerth-Pallmeyer gave much credit for fine-tuning the audio and bringing order to the radio station to senior student Paul Keenan, 23, a communication studies major and aspiring broadcaster.
“I did some customizations to make sure we sound top notch,” Keenan said.
Combined with a curved green screen in the next room that was assembled by a Hollywood firm focused on special effects in movie-making, students have access to the best tools money can buy.
“I can come in here and use the green screen to record something for a music video that I may be working on with a few friends if I need to come in here and do a voice-over for a documentary or a package I’m working on,” said Andrew Proctor, 20, a junior communications major at Widener. “Having these facilities open to use really gives that feel of working in the real world.”
Proctor and fellow students produce a weekly NFL radio show called The DubU Sports Show Wednesdays from 4-5 p.m. on Widecast.
Additionally, Widener students now have the capacity to create university commercials in house that advertise the variety of majors and services offered.
“We engaged some of our communications studies students to actual voice the commercials and produce them with us,” said Greg Potter, the executive director of university relations. “Kids participate in a real (production) and can put it on their resume.”