Gus Dudgeon Foundation + James Summer Course 2019 - University of South Wales

The Gus Dudgeon Foundation and JAMES are extremely pleased to confirm that their Post Graduate Summer Course will once again run in 2019. This year, bigger and better, with two individual weeks running at two universities!

The first beginning on 7 July at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge and the second on 29 July at University of South Wales where the students will actually be using Gus’ restored MCI console.

Working with industry professionals, this course offers selected students from JAMES accredited university courses the opportunity to experience the recording and mixing process in a real-life situation.

PMC, once again sponsoring the event for 2019, are providing nearfield monitors for the students to use during the week.

Also, Sonnox will be awarding the best performing student from each course, a Sonnox ‘Elite Collection’ of Oxford Plug-ins, and Steinberg, Wavelab Pro 9.5 software.

Huge thanks to all sponsors!

The Gus Dudgeon Foundation and JAMES are extremely pleased to confirm that their Post Graduate Summer Course will once again take place at Leeds Beckett University beginning on 9 July 2018.

Now in its eighth year, the course will again be led by renowned producer and Leeds Beckett Senior Lecturer Ken Scott who will guide thirteen top graduating students from JAMES-accredited courses through five days of recording on both analogue and digital systems. 

Ken Scott is responsible for recordings by such world-renowned artists as The Beatles, David Bowie, Elton John, Pink Floyd and Supertramp. 

This year Leeds band Heir will be recorded during the Masterclass week.

Many thanks once again to our sponsors SSL, KMR Audio and PMC.

The Producer

GEORGE SHILLING

George Shilling is a renowned record producer with over 30 years experience. After a brief spell at the Royal College of Music, he landed a job at Livingston Studios under the watchful eye of legendary engineer Jerry Boys. George hit the big time as the recording engineer on The Only Way Is Up by Yazz, then co-produced I’m Free by The Soup Dragons.

Other credits include Texas, Primal Scream, Blur, Ocean Colour Scene, Mike Oldfield, Johnny Hallyday, Mary J. Blige, Steve Winwood, Porcupine Tree, Teenage Fanclub and Frank Turner and he has collaborated with producers John Leckie, Gil Norton and Mark Hollis.

He has worked in studios in China, Japan, Colombia, New York and all round Europe. He now works mainly from his own studio (currently located in gorgeous South Devon) but in recent years has run sessions at Abbey Road, Real World and Sawmills.

George is also a very experienced writer and has published hundreds of gear and software reviews in the pro-audio press, and written articles for Sonnox and Waves’ websites. He has gleaned many techniques and philosophies from his interviews with other producers for RecordProduction.com and Resolution Magazine including Pete Waterman and Tony Visconti.

George is an accomplished cellist, arranger and composer, and received extensive media coverage when he arranged and performed cello parts for Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath. George has delivered guest lectures, masterclasses and workshops at a raft of UK universities.

georgeshilling.com
www.facebook.com/GeoShilling
twitter.com/George_Shilling

The Artist

JAMES PASSEY

James Passey is a naturally gifted songwriter and musician. Picking up a guitar at the age of 15 he began writing songs almost immediately, inspired by artists such as Noel Gallagher, Lee Mavers (The La’s), Ryan Adams, Elliott Smith, Paul Weller, John Lennon and George Harrison.

James has had no formal musical education, instead with a natural ear for melody, he chose to learn & hone his writing skills playing in bands. His first band The Sweet Leaves were signed to Metropolis Music & supported well known bands including Kula Shaker, Travis, Reef and Cerys Matthews.

James left the music industry for a few years to travel & pursue other interests but started writing in earnest again last year. His initial raw demos were picked up by several industry people and organisations including Chris Gabbitas at Clintons Solicitors (2 x Grammy award winner), Bob Patmore (producer / label owner) and Simon Davis (Soundnet).

www.jamespassey.com
www.facebook.com/james.passey.1

Summer Course 2019 Students

ANDREW HENSHAW
Anglia Ruskin University
“This nomination is in recognition of Andy’s excellent achievements in Audio and Music Technology and his excellent teamwork.”

ROSS GALLACHER Glasgow Caledonian University
“Ross is an excellent student who is very engaged in the course and the subject of audio and is making the most out of his time at University.”

TOM PADDON
University of Huddersfield
“A highly dedicated student with a strong interest in both performance and production, and a good attitude.”

BEN ALLIM University of Portsmouth
“In addition to Ben's recordings of his own and others' work, he has a successful band with high quality recordings and is committed to developing his career in the industry.”

JACK ARROWSMITH Leeds College of Music
“The course team and I have always found Jack to be diligent and nothing less than polite and professional to work with, and therefore warmly recommend him for this opportunity.

JACK HANCOCK
West Suffolk College
“Jack is very conscientious student with a love of scoring for film, but equally very capable in the studio and will really embrace this fantastic opportunity.”

WILL MASON Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts
“Will is a mature student, with a measured, thoughtful outlook, excellent technical and musical skills and a clear plan for his future career.”

SEAN HICKS University of South Wales
"Sean has been a committed student who has always looked for opportunities to expand and further his knowledge. He has acted as class rep for the entire three years and performed those duties well."

The Course

DAY 1-

The Gus Dudgeon Foundation/JAMES Summer School at University of South Wales started off with setting up for recording with James Passey and his band. The students helped choose and place the drum mics, connected up DI boxes and headphones, and were thrilled to see Gus’s vintage MCI console in action.

George Shilling encouraged them to discuss people skills and keeping clients happy – as well as recording techniques! Later, they helped with drum editing – and learned various tips and tricks during the day.

DAY 2-

George Shilling had some of the students set up for bass overdubbing in the SSL Duality room, James Passey went down to the MIDI Labs to work with students on keyboard parts, and some of the other students stayed in the MCI room, used their initiative and cracked on with miking up amps and recording guitar overdubs, making some useful decisions. Later, everyone returned to the MCI room to track the second song with a full band setup.

DAY 3-

Day three started with George Shilling feeding back some observations, hints and tips to the students, before recording continued. In the MCI room James Passey set up to record rhythm guitars, while some of the students moved into the SSL Duality room to work on keyboard parts. Phil Harding from JAMES joined us for lunch. James P then went out into the recording room to lay down acoustic guitar and we reconvened to mic up and record the Yamaha grand piano.

Day 4

Overdubs continued with further acoustic and electric guitar recording, then lead vocals. Some students worked on synth parts and sounds, and percussion recording. George suggested mic techniques for recording simultaneous vocals and acoustic guitar, and the students set up and captured a new acoustic song with James, while George took the edited and comped vocals and showed others some editing techniques to correct pitch and timing details.

DAY 5-

The final day of the Gus Dudgeon Foundation/JAMES Summer School consisted of some editing and tidying of guitar parts, bringing together all the synth and percussion parts and making a few arrangement decisions, and adding some harmony vocals.

A last-minute simple melodic piano part was played by producer George Shilling, who presented the prizes of Steinberg Wavelab Pro 9.5 and Sonnox Elite Collection of Oxford Plug-ins to the top two students of the week - Ben Allim and Will Mason. George then mixed the main song through the great sounding MCI console. Well done team and many thanks again to this year's sponsors.

SSL have just confirmed that they have awarded each student on the Gus Dudgeon Foundation/JAMES Summer Course at University of South Wales, an SSL Native Essentials Bundle! Massive thanks to all 2019 sponsors.