Facilities
RAC has been committed to providing the most advanced training in digital arts for over 27 years. Highly motivated and creative individuals from around the globe have been coming to RAC because of its reputation for developing some of the most employable human resources in the world of sound and music, game design, and digital media.
RAC students benefit from a tremendous amount of hands-on access while working in state of the art production studios and labs every day of the week. RAC's training method ensures technical proficiency and competency for all of our graduates.
RAC has a one student per workstation ratio. Our Digital Sound and Music facilities include over 30 studios, workstations, and labs at each RAC campus. Our Digital Media and Game Design students work in studio labs that feature the latest in industry standard computer and software technologies.
RAC colleges are located in the heart of Toronto and Montreal; two of Canada’s most vibrant cities and hot spots for the digital arts industry. RAC students are exposed to the creative arts industries as well as benefit by receiving training from some of the industry's top pros.
Montréal
Computer Lab Studio:
The 22 individual stations in the computer lab at RAC are each equipped with powerful Mac computers, industry standard digital I/O interfaces, and MIDI keyboard controllers. Digital Performer, Pro Tools and Reason software is installed on each station as host to both digital and “virtual” platforms. In our computer labs, RAC students transform creative inspirations into fabulous and impressive results. The only limit is one’s imagination. Mixing, editing, sound designing and composing are only a few of the learning outcomes achieved by the willing and creative student in our computer lab studio.
Recording and Mixing Studios and Theatres:
In each of RAC Montréal’s 4 recording studios, we have small to medium format digital and analog audio consoles. It is on a variety of formats that all basic to advanced level concepts are taught by our instructional staff. All studios are equipped with Mac computers, the latest versions of DAWs, and an assortment of auxiliary equipment. Students gain hands-on experience miking instruments, recording, editing, mixing, and mastering. As these competences are developed, students are able to transfer these skills and this knowledge to numerous production formats. Regardless of the size, age or model of equipment, RAC grads are able to face the challenges of: post-production work for film, TV, and interactive games; studio recording; broadcast production; and live sound reinforcement.
Studio A’s control room is a mix theatre layout featuring a medium format digital console, latest generation DAW, and numerous processing devices. It was built with a very advanced “floating studio” design. Connected to it is a large live sound room. This set-up permits a number of activities including band recording, Foley, student labs, inspiring technology demonstrations and insightful tutorials given by our instructors. It’s like an observation gallery and top-notch studio wrapped into one. RAC students, guests and musicians have plenty of room to witness a production in progress. From microphone placement up to the final mastering of a project, RAC students and guest musicians profit from this professional studio.
Studio B has a 32 channel analog console, latest generation DAW, and several signal processing devices. The attached live room and control room theatre seating is perfect for sessions, student labs, tutorials, and demonstrations. Studio B is ideal for exploring the analog realm, which is critical for the understanding of the fundamental concepts that are transferable across digital and virtual platforms. The elaborate analog patch bay in Studio B is just one example of this.
Studio C is a warm and sophisticated working environment with all the tools required to host anything from a simple project up to a demanding professional job. Equipped with a mid size digital mixer, powerful Mac computer, industry standard digital I/O interface, MIDI keyboard controller, internal digital processors, and a magnificent view over old Montreal, this environment is perfectly suited for editing, mixing, production and post-production work.
Studio D hosts 5 stations, each equipped with a small format digital mixer/controller, powerful Mac computers, industry standard digital I/O interfaces, MIDI keyboard controllers, and plenty of DSP. Able to host 10 to 15 students at a time, Studio D is a great studio lab where students can work in pairs to compare, discuss and collaborate on their sound and music recording projects.
Toronto
RAC Toronto Studios and Facilities
The Digital Entertainment studios and training facilities at RAC’s Toronto Campus occupy one of the most extensive post production facilities in Toronto. Some of the mix theatres and studios were originally built by film and media giant Technicolor. The theatres and studios have been re-purposed for educational use, to the unique benefit of RAC students in Sound, Digital and Game Design. RAC's extensive studios, computer labs and lecture theatre provide an ideal hands-on learning environment.
Recording and Mix Theatres include:
- Lafont Theatre: the centre-piece is a stunning 5.1 surround sound mix theatre with a massive 160 channel Lafont mixing console.
- Foley studio complete with advanced sound-effects tools and props. This room is a favourite amongst top foley artists.
- Neve/C-24 Studio: the front end to a great live recording studio, this control room includes a classic fully discreet vintage 24 input Neve console and a Focusrite designed Control 24 controller for the HD system.
- Red Room: Features a Protools system, Yamaha digital console, Reason, DP, and lots of room to do overdubs, mix, and design. Other Protools-centric stations fitted with O1V /96 console/controllers will soon be added to this room.
- Lecture Theatre: a 5.1 room, designed as a fully functioning theatre that allows all sound, game, and digital classes to review content in truly impressive surroundings. Game design students will be very inspired when they hear the soundtracks to their interactive projects.
Additional facility features at RAC Toronto include:
- Video projection technology to enhance the instructional process
- “Floating studio” design found only in very high-end recording facilities and theatres.
- Complete facility interconnectivity so that projects can easily transfer to any studio or station within the facility.
Computer Labs: Our open concept computer labs offer state-of-the-industry hardware and software applications, delivered on the Mac OS platform. Individual high-powered workstations allow the free flow of creative ideas to blend with the conceptual learning process.
Lecture Theatre: Originally designed as a Movie screening studio for the Toronto Film Festival, our newly renovated Lecture Hall provides an array of multimedia capabilities in a comfortable learning environment.
