Final project: Resources for the 'Create' option

The following post contains some technical resources available to those recording songs for the final project ...

The Media Teaching Lab in Comm
In the Communication bldg. is the campus Media Teaching Lab, a resource for audio-visual equipment and editing software. The storeroom for checking out equipment is downstairs on the first floor; the office and editing bays are upstairs. To access any of these services, you MUST adhere to their strict policies …

Before accessing anything in the Media Lab, you must register your student ID here. 
(Do this immediately so that it will be processed soon!)

Checking out equipment — Once registered, any UCSD undergrad may check out a variety of multimedia gear from the lab, including video cameras, microphones, and digital audio recorders. A good option for many of you will be the Tascam DR-05, a fairly simple and intuitive digital audio recorder, from which you can easily upload files to your computer for later editing and/or final delivery. View available equipment and check it out here. (Equipment tends to be difficult to come by toward the end of the quarter, so plan and work early!)

Editing video — If you shoot video and wish to edit it (which is absolutely not a requirement for the assignment), registered students can use the computers and software in the MTL editing rooms on the second floor. However, access to these is limited to students who have completed COMM 101. (If, say, you’re working in pairs and one of you has completed 101 but the other hasn’t, you can both use the editing room. At least one student must be in the room who’s been cleared on the machines.) View available rooms and make reservations here. (As above, these fill up quickly, so plan ahead!) Note: the MTL editing rooms do NOT have GarageBand audio software.

The Digital Media Lab in Geisel Library
An amazing resource on the east side of the second (ground) floor. This room has numerous VR and 3D-printing services, but they also have two Macs with GarageBand for audio composition and editing. Students may walk in and use the computers, if available, but you might be safer reserving them for the time needed, which you can do here through the regular study-room reservation system here (click View All, click Digital Media Map, the Macs you want are Pod 3 and Pod 4).

GarageBand assistance
Online — YouTube and elsewhere abound with GarageBand tutorials. (As with anything on the web, source and view at your own risk. Some are better than others.) Apple’s official support pages can be accessed here; they include separate manuals for the app on desktops, iPads, and iPhones.

The Apple store @ UTC — Has regularly scheduled classes related to Apple software apps, including several related to music-making and recording (“Music Skills: Getting Started With GarageBand” may be most relevant for some of you). See the schedule here (and make sure you're selecting a class at your desired location!).

Physical space
If you require a place in which to record your song — if, for instance, you can’t disturb neighbors or roommates with your playing and/or shouting — try to work it out with friends and family. Alas, rooms and equipment in the music dept. can be accessed by declared majors only, but if you need a campus location, let me know.

REMEMBER: The assignment calls for the existence of a recorded song, NOT a technically sophisticated or even proficient one! Do not let any fears of sounding “bad” stop you from pursuing this option, if it’s how you feel you can best explore and understand the concepts of the course. In the end, THAT is what is most important for you to demonstrate!