Studios & Equipment

Info for studio users

CMC building/studio access

The main CMC studios are on the 3rd floor of Prentis Hall, located at 632 W 125th St. There is a campus shuttle that is supposed to stop at Prentis, but service is unreliable. The 125th street 1 subway lets you out 1/2 block from Prentis. There are also various buses (M4, M104, M60) that will take you to the general area. Prentis is about a 15 minute walk from main campus.

Signing out CMC equipment

The CMC has a variety of sound recording and reinforcement equipment available for checkout to qualified CMC studio users and students. Equipment is only for the use of CMC studio users and students. Equipment can be reserved using the username and password provided to you by your professor or a member of the CMC staff.

CMC and Columbia mailing lists

The CMC runs a number of mailing lists that may be of interest to studio users.

  • cmc-users — general studio announcements, studio closing, equipment info, etc. All studio users are required to subscribe to this list!
  • cmc-announcements — a public list for sending out info about CMC-related events. Please cmc [at] music.columbia.edu (send us) events you’d like posted to the list.

Can I use CMC facilities without taking a CMC course?

No. You must first learn how to properly use the CMC facilities by taking a course with our trained staff before you can gain access to any of our studios. After you have completed a course, you may continue to have limited access to some of our facilities for the duration of your studies at Columbia.

Can I rent time in the CMC recording studio?

Generally, no. Only students who have taken our Sound Recording course may have access to the CMC recording studio. Students currently enrolled in the class have priority over students from previous semesters. However, exceptions are occassionally made for projects from other Columbia University schools and departments, or for exceptional projects from outside of Columbia. Contact our cmc [at] music.columbia.edu (Studio Manager) for details.

Can I borrow CMC equipment for my performance gig?

Generally, no. CMC equipment may only be used for CMC-affiliated concerts/performances. If the performance is within the Columbia University community, you should inquire within your academic department or contact the Audio Visual Technical Services in Lerner Hall for appropriate sound equipment.