The tired old Mackie mixers that were in Specs Howard’s Production studio are (as Ernie Harwell would say) LOOOOOOONG gone! So are the well-worn countertops, carpeting and off-white paint. They are gone forever!
In place now is custom-designed broadcast furniture featuring some serious audio consoles for radio, new microphones, new equipment and yes, a completely new wiring job by yours truly.
The project has actually been in the planning stage for years, but this year, we really got serious about it! It looks and sounds totally cool and it also rivals some stations in town here in the Detroit area.
There are in fact, TWO audio consoles, two Enco DAD Workstations (with Adobe Audition editors) and a couple of new rack pods loaded with some familar equipment so we can continue to bridge the past with the present.
Also being renovated at this very moment are the Newsroom right next door and one of the on-campus radio stations.
None of this happened by accident. As mentioned, lot of planning went into the project. Tom Profit (who I’m sure you all know!), Rod Graham of "Graham Studios" along with myself were all involved in the planning process, along with some of our other equipment suppliers earlier in the year. As far as wiring, yes, I did all that part of the "grunt work" myself.
At this exact moment, I don’t have ALL the finer details in place yet, but if some (or two) wanted to cut a spot in there tomorrow, they could do it.
Let me tell you, there were various unexpected delays mostly beyond my control, and many minor technical problems I had to solve as we put the studio together. I wished it could have been smoother and faster like our 21 "practice studios," but THIS STUDIO is totally unique! There is not another one like it anywhere.
While we’re dropping names, I want to thank our newly appointed Radio Department Supervisor, Sue Kinney and the entire Radio/Audio Department for their incredible patience during this delayed project! These people are among the best I have ever worked with anywhere. And one (or maybe two) more names: Beloved, long-time radio Instructor, Bob Palmateer is back teaching at Specs Howard on a full time basis! I know a lot of grads thought highly of him as did I. Also, Krystle Klein has left us for now for some additional schooling, but she enjoyed a real love-fest for a few years with a number of the classes she taught. Good luck to her!
This all relates to what I do for the school, especially now with a pretty intense amount of work I’m facing right now. Without the support of everyone starting with Mr. Howard right down to our maintenance man, I would not be in a very good frame of mind to do both the quantity and the quality of work I do. Thanks everyone!
-Bob Burnham
