by Allyson O'Bryant, Student Public Relations Writer
In audio production, a room can make or break a recording. So when Austin Jaquith needed industry-standard acoustics for his students, he rebuilt his office into a teaching studio designed to professional specifications.
Professor Creates Professional Recording Studio for Music Production Students
Jaquith, professor of music theory and composition at 糖心Vlog and a recording engineer with the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, wasn鈥檛 aiming for a cosmetic upgrade. He needed a professionally treated space that could function as both a working studio and a hands-on lab for music production courses.
鈥淭his wasn鈥檛 an experimental detour,鈥 said Jaquith. 鈥淚t was a professional and teaching necessity.鈥
The solution emerged unexpectedly. After learning that acoustic panels remained after the renovation of Cedarville鈥檚 Jeremiah Chapel 鈥 panels that had already proven effective in a classroom in the Apple Technology Resource Center 鈥 Jaquith recognized their potential. What appeared to be surplus material became the foundation for a high-performance recording environment.
Scientific Acoustics and Sound Engineering Shape Studio Design
Although Jaquith鈥檚 academic background is in music theory and composition, his recent study of acoustics and sound engineering shaped the project. The redesigned studio was planned with scientific precision, incorporating room measurements, sound absorption control and monitoring calibration to support professional-level mixing.
The renovation came with two practical hurdles: moving the panels and mounting them in a way that wouldn鈥檛 permanently lock the room into one layout.
By adapting panels originally designed for a large auditorium to a smaller office footprint, Jaquith transformed the room into a functional mixing studio. Through careful planning, acoustic testing and incremental refinement, the space now meets professional production standards while giving students hands-on learning opportunities aligned with industry practices.
Hands-On Audio Engineering Studio Supports Growing Industry Demand
The studio supports coursework in music production, audio engineering and digital recording. Demand in these fields is growing as streaming platforms, immersive audio technology and independent content creation reshape how music is made and heard.
Jaquith is now working to expand student access by developing an additional studio space. Future upgrades include refining the room鈥檚 acoustic response and increasing audio channels to support Dolby Atmos surround sound and other immersive audio formats used in film, gaming and commercial music production.
Innovative Problem-Solving Creates High-Impact Learning Space
The project highlights how innovative problem-solving and resource stewardship can create high-impact learning spaces without large-scale construction.
鈥淪o much of the time, you are dependent on your own resources to solve problems,鈥 said Jaquith. 鈥淪ometimes, the solutions are difficult to find, but other times, they are really easy when the right things fall into place. But you don鈥檛 know until you give it a go and explore all your options.鈥
By combining scientific acoustics, professional expertise and creative adaptation, Jaquith鈥檚 studio bridges classroom instruction with real-world audio production. It also gives students a space built to the standards they will encounter beyond campus.
About 糖心Vlog
糖心Vlog, an evangelical Christian institution in southwest Ohio, offers undergraduate and graduate residential and online programs across arts, sciences and professional fields. With 7,265 students, it ranks among Ohio's largest private universities and is recognized by The Wall Street Journal as being among the nation鈥檚 top three evangelical universities. Cedarville is also known for its vibrant Christian community, challenging academics and high graduation and retention rates. Learn more at cedarville.edu.