World-Class Facilities to Rival Any in the Country
Opened in August of 2015, the R. Milton & Denice Johnson Center features state-of-the-art screening theaters, computer labs, mixing suites, digital production and animation studios, motion picture sound stages, research laboratories, student meeting space, offices, classrooms and the 950-seat Harrington Place Dining. With multi-functional spaces offering classroom, lab, performance, production and research options, the new building is designed for interdisciplinary collaborations among the music business, audio engineering technology, entertainment industry studies, songwriting, motion pictures and media studies programs.
Remote Computer Lab
In January of 2021 the Curb College gave students access to a fully virtual computer lab able to be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection. The system includes 77 individual computers built specifically for audio and video editing, as well as 10 computers built to handle 4k video editing workflows and higher. All systems are connected to 1.6 petabytes worth of storage space on the Belmont Avid NEXIS Server and are pre-loaded with industry standard software Avid Media Composer and Avid Pro Tools. The virtual lab is open 24 hours a day and seven days a week. Students can login from a web browser and remote control one of these systems to work on their projects or attend class in a virtual environment with almost zero latency.
Johnson Center First Floor
Theater and audio mix stages, television control room, Motion Pictures and Media Studies equipment storage and check-out, standard classrooms
This 250 seat theater/mixing stage is equipped with a state-of-the art Dolby Atmos immersive audio system. The Dolby Corp. provided an Atmos Rendering and Mastering Unit (Dolby RMU) that allows faculty to teach the process of creating and compiling movies in Dolby Atmos, as well as traditional 7.1 and 5.1 surround sound formats. Belmont Motion Pictures was the first university-based film program capable of showing commercial films and developing and producing theater-ready films in the Atmos format in the world and remains one of the only with a cinema sized Atmos mixing environment.
Equipment includes:
- Dolby Atmos Immersive Audio System for Play Back
- Avid S6 Mix Console for dual users
- Dolby Rendering and Mastering Unit for Dolby Atmos Mix Authoring
- 60 JBL Monitors
- 4k Christie CP4220 Digital Cinema Projector
- Christie Digital Cinema Server
- Connection to Avid NEXIS Server
- Rednet Connectivity through Dante Network
- BlackMagic 4k Extreme Video Playback System
This 50 seat theatre serves as a screening room for motion pictures, a mix theater for audio mixing for motion pictures and a lecture theater.
Equipment includes:
- Avid S6 Mix Console
- Equipped for creating 7.1 audio mix
- 4k Christie CP4220 Digital Cinema Projector
- Christie Digital Cinema Server
- Connection to Avid NEXIS Server
- Rednet Connectivity through Dante Network
- BlackMagic 4k Extreme Video Playback System
The TV Production Control Room allows students to control multiple live audio and videos signals for broadcast from the TV Production studio on the 4th Floor.
The Belmont Vision Office is home to Belmont’s award winning student news publication. The space includes workstations for student reporters, meeting space for editorial meetings and a green screen for online video news broadcasts.
Johnson Center Third Floor
Two 25-seat Audio Engineering computer labs, 12 audio editing suites, two motion picture group-editing suites, color correction and grading suite, the dean’s suite, the offices of the Curb College department chairs, faculty offices, conference rooms, standard classrooms
The Johnson Center has multiple computer labs for classroom and student use including:
- Two Audio Editing Labs with 25 iMacs
- A Motion Pictures Editing Lab with 25 iMacs
- A Media Studies Editing Lab with 25 iMacs.
Students have access to 20 individual and 8 small group edit bays where they can view, process, synchronize, edit and mix video and audio program material.
Equipment includes:
- 12 individual audio editing suites equipped with 27 inch Retina Display iMacs, Focusrite Audio interface, M-Audio Midi Keyboard, and AKG Studio Microphone.
- 8 individual picture editing suites equipped with Mac Pro Computers and 27 inch 4k monitors.
- 8 advanced group editing suites equipped with Mac Pro Computers, two HD work monitors and 27 inch 4k producer monitor.
- All directly connected to the Avid NEXIS server.
This suite allows faculty and students to perform color grading and correction of video elements. Student can also output their projects for delivery in almost any format including DCP (Digital Cinema Package) for viewing in theaters as well as a variety of digital formats for posting to the web or creating Blu-Rays.
Equipment includes:
- DaVinci Resolve Studio 17
- DaVinci Resolve Advanced Panel
- 4k Sony Projector
- 4k Sony Grading Monitor
- CineAsset DCP Creation Software
- Connection to Avid NEXIS server
Johnson Center Fourth Floor
Sound stage, foley stage, 7.1-channel audio mixing stage, TV studio, anechoic chamber and motion capture space, eight picture editing suites, four motion picture group-editing suites, two 25-seat computer labs, “writer’s room”, white board room, green room, standard classrooms, faculty offices
This 2,500 square foot sound stage allows students an indoor space to build sets for the filming of single and multiple camera motion pictures. The stage is adjoined by an equally large warehouse space for set storage and construction.
The TV Studio allows students to produce and capture student newscasts, commentators, product shots and small interview productions. It houses a semi-permanent news set, Chroma key backgrounds and cyclorama curtains so cameras can capture video and audio of multiple actors.
This multipurpose space can be used as an echo-free chamber allowing students to experiment and take measurements with audio equipment. It can also be used as a motion capture studio allowing students to create live-action computer-generated imagery, allowing for 3D animation, digital compositing and motion graphics for any production.
This space serves as a mixing studio for audio in traditional 7.1 and 5.1 surround sound formats and a lecture classroom.
Equipment includes:
- Avid S6 Mix Console
- Mix Stage is equipped for creating 7.1 audio mixes
- 2k Christie Digital Projector
- Connection to Avid NEXIS Server
- Rednet Connectivity through Dante Network
- BlackMagic 4k Extreme Video Playback System
In this recording studio, students capture dialog, sound effects, and atmospherics for the replacement and enhancement of sounds in audio, video, and film production. The Foley Stage includes six different “pits” with a variety of changeable surfaces for recording footsteps as well as hundreds of “props” for creating sounds.
Equipment includes:
- Avid Artist Control
- Connection to Avid NEXIS Server
- Rednet Connectivity through Dante Network
- BlackMagic 4k Extreme Video Playback System
Robert E. Mulloy Studios
The Robert E. Mulloy Student Studios are located in the basement of the Massey Business Center on Belmont’s main campus. The Center consists of a nine-thousand square foot multi-studio complex featuring both classroom teaching labs which are intended solely for the use of Belmont students.
Studio A is a traditional tracking studio optimized for music production. It features a large tracking studio with three isolation booths that reduce sound bleed when recording in a group. In this space, students recieve hands on interactive classroom experience and have the ability to reserve the room for class assignments.
Equipment includes:
- Large Frame Vintage Neve 88VR Analog Recording Console
- Large Stereo Monitoring system in an Acoustically Designed control room
- Vintage Outboard recording gear for classic sound
- RedNet networked audio interface for connection to other rooms in the future
Studio B is a high end music mixing room. It features a state-of-the-art mix console and has professionally designed control room acoustics. In this space, students recieve hands on interactive classroom experience and have the ability to reserve the room for class assignments.
Equipment includes:
- Avid S3 digital console that connects directly with Pro Tools recording software to control all of its functions.
- Classic outboard recording gear as well as studio “plugins” designed to replicate the classic gear right inside the software.
- Connected small isolation booth for overdubs
Studio C is primarily designed to be an overdub room, or where vocals or extra guitar parts are added into a recording after the full band has already recorded together. It features a small control room paired with an isolation booth.
Equipment includes:
- Avid Artist 8 Fader Mixing surface with a Pro Tools system
- Classic recording gear for a vintage recording setup while overdubbing
Studio D is primarily designed to be a music mixing and editing room capable of mixing in stereo. This room operates completely in the digital domain with no analog gear and utilizes a digital audio interface capable of replicating dozens of classic traditional outboard gear right inside the Pro Tools recording system.
The Mulloy Student Studio also has several rooms designed to be small audio editing spaces. Students utilize these to privately work on projects after class. Each editing room has a Pro Tools System with a full complement of software plugins.
Oceanway Studios Nashville
Ocean Way Nashville Recording Studios, located on historic 17th Avenue, was designed by award-winning recording engineer Allen Sides. Built in a reconditioned, gray stone church and purchased by Belmont University in 2001, the facility consists of three studios and features classic recording consoles and state-of-the-art equipment. The only Nashville recording studio facility to receive two prestigious Mix Foundation Tech Awards, Ocean Way Nashville now serves as a world-class teaching laboratory while still serving an impressive client roster. Click here to visit the studio website
34 Music Square East:
Historic Columbia Studio A & Quonset Hut
Belmont University and the Curb Family Foundation completed the renovation of Columbia Studio A at 34 Music Square East in 2014, creating another classroom and hands-on learning lab for students in Belmont’s Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business. Columbia A, along with the neighboring Quonset Hut, have provided the sonic landscape for many of this generation’s biggest hits and greatest artists, including Bob Dylan, Buddy Holly, Loretta Lynn, Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline and Brenda Lee.
Contact Us
Curb College of Entertainment & Music Business
1909 15th Avenue South
Nashville, TN 37212
Phone: (615) 460-5504