New music lab is state-of-the-art

Undergraduate music students at Penn now have access to a brand-new, state-of-the-art computer lab, according to Music Professor and lab administrator Cristle Judd. "[It's significant] both in terms of equipment and software," she said, adding that other academic institutions will soon match or surpass the lab's unparalleled technology. Installed at the beginning of this semester in room 306 of the Music Building, the lab officially opens this week and is currently only available to students in Music 71 and 171. Judd said she hopes to open the lab to all music students in the fall. And eventually, she envisions having two workstations for public access. The lab now contains 11 workstations, a laser printer and a LCD panel projector set up by Educational Technology Services. Each station includes a big-screen computer and MIDI interface card linked to a synthesizer. There are also computer software programs for sequencing, music fundamentals and aural training. Such a setup allows students to come in at their own convenience to practice their lessons or hear samples from their textbooks, Judd said. "It's always better to supplement the learning of notes with sound," she added. "The great thing about computers is that you can go at your own pace," College junior Kushol Gupta said. Judd agreed, mentioning that each individual student works on a different level of musical ability. "The lab gives them a chance to drill things at their own speed," she said. The project to build the lab began with Judd's arrival at the University in the spring of 1994. With funding from the School of Arts and Science's Instructional Computing Development Fund, she purchased two synthesizers and Macintosh computers for trial use. Responding to the success and popularity of the two mini-stations, Judd drafted another proposal in an attempt to obtain a larger grant. With a Pew Grant from the College of Arts and Sciences and additional funding from the Music Department, Judd expanded the music lab to its present state. The music lab is geared toward undergraduate study. Graduate students are taught how to use the lab mainly for teaching purposes. Since the lab contains a great deal of sophisticated equipment, security is a key concern. Therefore, the lab will hold restricted hours of operation, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Students are also required to sign out a key and headphones with their identification cards, as the door is locked at all times. Gupta said he felt the lab was a "very effective program." And Judd was also pleased with the project's completion. "We were behind, but now we've leaped forward to be on the cutting edge," Judd explained.