Booth Library is offering a new way for Eastern students to record music, creating more music options this semester.

The purpose of these new recording places is to help promote more interest in Booth Library.

Stacey Knight-Davis, the head of library technology services, is in charge on these new recording rooms in the fourth floor of Booth.

“This was part of a Redden grant project,” Knight-Davis said. “This one was written to encourage people to come to Booth Library to use our music collections and also to learn how to play and learn how to make their own music here at the library.”

Booth library had previously offered two digital Yamaha pianos students could use. Now, students will have access to not only the digital pianos, but also two electric guitars and advanced amplifier emulator software used for the guitars.

Students can also access over 64 amplifiers, 77 cabinets and 113 effects.

“What we did with the grant is we brought in some Mac Minis that were actually transferred to us from CATS (Center for Academic Technology Support) for this project,” Knight-Davis said. “The piano is hooked up into the computer and the guitar runs up to (a Behringer guitar link) next to the computer.”

For the guitar, students can access different apps to help monitor and control the tempo of the sound as well as maintaining its pitch.

“What we’ve got for the guitars is we’ve got a really simple program called Ampkit,” Knight-Davis said. “(It) includes many, many different amplifiers, speaker cabinets and effects and you can turn off and on and recombine them in many different ways.”

Other than Ampkit, students will also have access to two other programs, Pod Farm two and Guitar Rig, which offer even more effects for students test.

All of the equipment in these rooms all connected to a large monitor, where students can see what they record and are able to edit as well.

“You can record from the guitar, you can record from the piano, “ Knight-Davis said. “You can lay down tracks from both in Garageband if you want to, there’s all kinds of loops and effect you can use in Garageband.”

Students can use the equipment Booth has provided or bring their own.

Anyone who wants to access the room can bring their own equipment if it is compatible with the cables used to record the audio.

“We haven’t had too many people in yet,” Knight-Davis said. “We’ve have had at least one person while I’ve been working.”

These room are available to all students, and any student who wishes to reserve one of the rooms must do so on a first come first serve basis.

Luis Martinez can be reached at 581-2812 or lpmartinez@eiu.edu