Over 300 Visitors to Windmill Lane Recording Studios on Culture Night

This year, music lovers from all over Dublin had the unique opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes look into Windmill Lane Recording Studios and its 40 years of music history when it opened to the Public for first time as part of Culture Night on 23 September.

More than 300 eager visitors experienced live music, interactive demonstrations on mixing in Studio 2 and the Surround Sound Studio, learnt about creating video games and films, and had demos of the studio’s state-of-the-art equipment.

Highlights of the evening included a talk from Stuart Clark of Hotpress, plus staff photographers, who gave an insight in to the world of rock and roll; and a great live performance from Moya Brennan who sang some of her most moving songs to a packed audience in Studio 1.

Paddy Murphy from Open Emotion Studios talks to Pulse College

Pulse's lecturers and tutors include a number of high profile industry experts with interesting and varied careers. In this section of our newsletter we delve into their stories to learn about their experiences and, if we're lucky, uncover some of the secrets of their success.

Paddy Murphy is the lead sound director and CEO of Open Emotion Studios Ltd. He has created music for over 11 released games including Mad Blocker Alpha, Ninjamurai and Revoltin' Youth and is currently writing the scores for another six projects. He has an extensive knowledge of Game Design and uses this encyclopedic knowledge of game design for making executive game-play and artistic design related decisions.

Before taking on the huge challenge of setting up the hugely successful Open Emotion Studios he managed a Gamestop store in Limerick for over two years, while studying video production and manipulation in Limerick Senior College… and by night he was in a band called Verfield for nearly five years. We are delighted he found the time to give us a first hand look into the Videogame industry in Ireland.

Q1. You started off your creative career studying video production and media manipulation. How did this help you go on to set up one of Ireland's leading video game companies?

To be honest at first it felt like it wasn't a really useful skill. When we started the company, I was mainly doing the composing and the main brunt of the sales and management tasks - my skills from Management in Gamestop and writing music with Verfield aided me in becoming adept with these parts of my job role. It wasn't until we made Mad Blocker Alpha and a trailer had to be created that my Video Production and Manipulation skills came into play, but I was really glad to have done it as I was familiar with programs like After Effects and Flash.

Q2. How did Open Emotions come into being in 2009?

Back in November 2009, I had just been let go from my job in Gamestop due to the lack of available hours. With nothing to lose, I approached a group of my friends with the idea of starting a small video game studio. Colm English (Lead Programmer) and Mike Naughton (Lead Artist) came on board and together we put out one flash game per month for the first few months of 2010 - this kept the roof over our heads until we received an investment from some local businessmen. After the success of Goldies Revenge, we met with Sony and they suggested we move onto PSP Minis development which is when we decided to create Mad Blocker Alpha - We took on another programmer from Dublin, Eoghan O'Donovan, who now runs the Dublin branch of Open Emotion in the Digital Hub. Our company has continued to grow since then and we now have 10 employees in total and expect to have 3-5 more by the end of 2011. I think it's our collective love of videogames that makes doing this job so easy :)

I think it's our collective love of videogames that makes doing this job so easy :)
Q3. You're the lead sound director for the company. Can you tell us what this involved?

Originally, I was less of a sound director and more of a straight up composer. However, in the most recent titles (Revoltin' Youth, I Kill Zombies) we've worked with other musicians such as George & Jonathan (a successful New York based chiptune act) and Fabrice Favre (an amazingly talented composer who has played live on tours with artists such as Serj Tankian and Scars on Broadway) and during those projects it kind of became my role to oversee all aspects of the sound and music. I will often sit there for hours just synching the sound effects to the music to make sure it all fits and it's my goal to try and discern what might be uncomfortable audibly to the player. I still like to get my hands dirty and record some tracks though and I am looking forward to being much more involved, once again, in the audio development on our next six titles.

Q4. How important is creating the musical score to the overall success of a video game concept?

Hugely important - The musical score will often set the tone for a level, area and most importantly the game itself. Without the chip-tune soundtrack, I'm not sure what we could have done in Revoltin' Youth; and Mad Blocker Alpha's disjointed soundtrack is reminiscent of the twisted world it's set in. Also, the sound effects are vital to delivering feedback to the player - i.e. you're doing great (cheer), you failed (explosion and booing) - it's the sound director's job to ensure that the player never struggles to sync the visuals up to what they hear.

Q5. In 2010 you switched focus to console games. Why the change?

We received a tremendous opportunity from Sony Europe to work on titles for the PSP and PS3 in mid 2010 so we made it our goal to deliver top notch games to those platforms. It worked out really well and we've since received further support from Sony as well as a chance to develop for their new handheld, the Playstation Vita. We have also received a publishing deal to develop a series of games to the PC platform through Steam, but I can't talk too much about that now, ha ha... Keep your eyes peeled for an announcement :)

Q6. The success of Mad Blocker catapulted you to another league, with over 2 million plays worldwide. What do you think made it so successful?

With Mad Blocker I think it was 60% luck and 40% hard work... You never really expect your first game to be picked up in the way Mad Blocker was. I think we were very lucky, but we created a game that had a lot of familiar elements (a simple falling block puzzle game) with a very unique audio and visual twist... I don't think people had really experienced a puzzle game quite like it beforehand.

Q7. This was followed by Goldies Revenge which had over 6 million plays. How do you keep coming up with new and exciting video game concepts?

In our company it's more about trying to reign in the concepts. It's the kind of work environment that just generates good ideas. We all laugh and joke and discuss silly concepts and sometimes these develop and become a great idea, and sometimes they just go back in the box. To give you an idea of how long some titles can take to come to fruition, I created something back in November 2009 which we benched as it was a bit big to tackle at that point. We are now, two years on, looking at developing that I.P. as part of the Steam publishing deal. So yeah, sometimes it's all about creating stuff, saving it up and then using the right idea at the right time.

The musical score will often set the tone for a level, area and most importantly the game itself.
Q8. You released Mad Blocker Alpha for PS2 during the height of the hacking scandal. How did this impact your company?

Strangely enough, it actually worked in our favour. We had just released Mad Blocker Alpha in the US on the 19th of April (The day the PSN crashed on PS3) and we think that we would have had very little visibility at launch. However, when the PSN went down we got a lot more attention from sites like USA Today, IGN and the BBC. When the PSN came back up, every user had access to Playstation Plus offers... including Mad Blocker Alpha, so we had a huge sales spike in the first two weeks of the PSN's return... I guess we were just very lucky :)

Q9. You bring a wealth of industry knowledge to talks you give here in Pulse. Can you tell us briefly what students can expect?

Well thanks for the compliment. I must say that a lot of my knowledge is gleaned by listening to the amazing talks at GDC Europe every year and also staying in contact with amazing people like Mark Rein (VP, Epic Games), Cliff Bleszinski (Creator, Gears of War), Brian Gomez (Lead Designer, Silent Hill Downpour) and more. Generally when I talk to a class or a group, I simply try to give people a better insight into the games industry and my favorite part of it, the game design process.

Q10. The gaming industry in Ireland appears to be a growing recruitment sector. How do you see the future of Irish games developing?

I can only see things getting better, so long as there is constant support from government initiatives, such as Enterprise Ireland's Competitive Start Fund, which helped us a lot in growing our company to the next stage and securing a publishing deal. I think it's the responsibility of the developers, people like myself and also other CEOs, Lead Programmers, Art Directors and so on to deliver knowledge and insight to students and people looking to break into the industry. If we can do that, Ireland's indigenous game sector will grow at an unbelievable pace.

Windmill Lane Recording Studios Opens Doors for Culture Night: 23 September

On 23 September, the doors of Windmill Lane Recording Studios will be open to the public from 6:30pm as part of Culture Night 2011.
There will be a range of demonstrations and talks in Windmill’s Audio and Film Studios as well as its Videogaming lab. Studio 1, meanwhile, will play host to live gigs with Moya Brennan and friends, and talks by Stuart Clark of Hot Press about the world of music. More details to follow closer to the night!
Considered ‘the Abbey Road of Ireland’, with a rich history spanning over 40 years, Windmill Lane has become a place of pilgrimage for fans of Ireland’s biggest export, U2. The Ringsend building where the studio is based has a checkered history: originally a power station for the Dublin United Tramways Company, it was later transformed into a Bovril factory, then a plush snooker hall, and now houses the studios which have hosted recording artists as diverse as Thin Lizzy, The Script and Lady Gaga.
Mark your diaries:
When: Culture Night, Friday 23 September, 6:30pm-11pm
Where: Windmill Lane Recording Studios, 20 Ringsend Road, Dublin 4

For further details on Windmill Lane Recording Studios, please contact:
Naomi Moore, Director, Windmill Lane Recording Studios
20 Ringsend Road, Dublin 4
Ph: +353 (0)1 668 5567
Email: naomi@windmilllanerecording.com
Web: www.windmilllanerecording.com

For further details on Culture Night 2011, please visit:
www.culturenight.ie

Fiachra Trench: Guest Lecturer Profile

Pulse's lecturers and tutors include a number of high profile industry experts with interesting and varied careers. In this section of our newsletter we delve into their stories to learn about their experiences and, if we're lucky, uncover some of the secrets of their success.

Fiachra Trench is a composer, arranger, producer, keyboardist and musical director. His scores for film and television include: A Love Divided, The Boys and Girl from County Clare (IFTA Nomination 2006), Dear Sarah and People's Century, and he collaborated on Pearl Harbor, Die Hard and Into the West. Arrangement credits include: Altan, Paul Brady, The Boomtown Rats, The Chieftains, The Corrs, Phil Lynott/Thin Lizzy (including brass and strings on the original 'Old Town'), Paul McCartney/Wings, Van Morrison, The Pogues and Wet Wet Wet.

Ahead of RTÉ Concert Orchestra's "A Celebration of Fiachra Trench" at the National Concert Hall on September 8th, Fiachra talked to us about his early interest in music, his studies in America, and how he played at the Playboy Club on Saturday nights followed by Church on a Sunday morning…

Q1. You were surrounded by music growing up, with your mother giving you your first Piano lessons as a child. How did your parents' musicality impact on your later work?

My parents were extremely supportive of my early interest and continued to be so when it became clear that I was destined for a career in music. They were both amateur musicians, and from an early age I can remember them playing piano duets at home and at social gatherings. My mother, Bea Orpen, was a painter, a graphic designer and an art teacher/lecturer, but in her youth had thought about a career in music. She played the organ regularly at St Patrick's Church, Slane, Co. Meath, until a few years before her death.

Q2. Is piano your instrument of choice?

The short answer is yes, piano and anything else with black and white keys, but along the way I thought about taking up the clarinet and, briefly, tried out the french horn and trombone.

From secondary school in Waterford onwards I studied organ. During my years at Trinity my organ teacher at the Royal Irish Academy of Music was George Hewson; he had been my mother's organ teacher about 30 years earlier!

What was amazing to me at the concert was hearing the orchestra play right through a movement without the breaks!
Q3. Your first experience of the RTÉ Symphony Orchestra had a big impact on you. Tell us a bit about this experience.

In 1955 the Radio Éireann Symphony Orchestra, as it was called before television arrived in 1961, played a concert for schools in Waterford. This was my first experience of "live" orchestral music and I was enthralled. The programme included Handel's Water Music and Tchaikovsky's Sixth Symphony. The Tchaikovsky I knew from my parents' record collection, but this was in the days before long-playing 331/3 r.p.m. vinyl: the maximum duration on a 78 r.p.m. disc was less than five minutes, so with extended works like symphonies, the music would fade at the end of a disc, the next disc on the auto changer would drop down and the music would fade up. So I came to know this music in short chunks. What was amazing to me at the concert was hearing the orchestra play right through a movement without the breaks!

Q4. With your love of music, what made you choose to study Natural Science in Trinity?

I guess at the time neither I nor my parents thought there was a steady career in music. I had notions of becoming a farmer (my father's sister was a farmer) or working in some aspect of agriculture. So I did a science degree, majoring in organic chemistry. The irony is that I am now ardently pro organic farming and anti the widespread use of chemicals in food production.

Q5. You continued your studies in two prominent American colleges, Georgia and Cincinnati. Tell us about this experience.

Much to my amazement (and, I imagine, to the Professor of Chemistry's amazement) I completed my science studies, while playing in jazz groups, working as musical director with TCD Players, studying organ and theory/composition at the Academy of Music, and winning First Prize for an original composition at the Feis Ceoil in 1962.

Upon graduating from Trinity, I was fortunate to obtain a scholarship to further my music studies for a year at the University of Georgia. This was in 1963: the year J.F. Kennedy was assassinated and the token integration of college campuses was beginning.

I then obtained a Graduate Assistantship to the College-Conservatory of Music, University of Cincinnati, where I studied for a further two years, leading to a Master of Music degree.

Q6. Cincinnati has a renowned Symphony Orchestra. How did this fuel your passion for music?

As a music student I was able to attend concerts by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra at discounted prices and sometimes for free. I heard so much wonderful music in those two years. Apart from the symphony concerts, I also saw and heard great jazz from the likes of Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie, Horace Silver, Art Farmer, Betty Carter, Roland Kirk...


Q7. You went on to find gig work while you were studying, but in two areas that couldn't be more different - one in a Church and the other in the Playboy Club! You must have some funny stories of those times.

It's true: Saturday nights at the Playboy Club and Sunday mornings playing organ for church services. Once I took some much-needed, erm, chemical help on the Sunday morning. The choir used to sing the opening hymn while processing from the back of the church. On this occasion they arrived breathless at the choir stalls; clearly my heart must have been racing and so were my hands and feet!

Q8. You then went on to do a nine-month tour of US and NATO bases. What was that like?

I was playing with an American band at bases in Germany and Italy. The band was led by Dave Matthews (no, not that Dave Matthews), a college friend at Cincinnati. We played the hits of the day and jazz and swing for listening/dancing and we accompanied touring cabaret acts. At most places we were resident for two weeks or a month, but we did three months at the NATO base in Naples and, for some of that time, played outside looking out on Capri and Ischia and the Bay of Naples as dusk fell. Magic.

Q9. You went from playing tea dances in the Empire ballroom to becoming one of Ireland's most reputed Composers and Producers, working with some of the world's most acclaimed musicians. How did you make this transition?

I came back to Ireland briefly in 1967. I still thought my musical career might be in composing concert music and on a scholarship from the Arts Council I went to London for further music studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. But the money quickly ran out, so I played with a succession of dance bands. Gradually I moved into working as a music copyist (music notation software was a few decades away) and playing keyboards on recording sessions. And from about 1970 onwards I started to work as an arranger, an orchestrator, a songwriter, a film composer, and producer. I moved back to Ireland in 1991 and have continued in most of these roles. I shall always be grateful for the experience I gained in the USA, in Europe and particularly in London.

Q10. The artists you've worked with come from very different genres - from The Pogues to Kate Bush to Wet Wet Wet. Can you tell us about the different approaches you brought to each?

Most of my arranging work has involved adding strings/brass etc. to existing tracks. (The Americans have a good word for it: 'sweetening'.) My approach does not vary greatly. I always strive to use and enhance elements within the track. Of course, the amount of enhancement can vary greatly — from minimal (for example, the strings on Thin Lizzy's "Sweet Marie" are only heard on the bridge at about two-thirds of the way into the track) to full-on Technicolor (strings, jazz brass group, chamber brass group, choir and percussion on Van Morrison's "Avalon of the Heart").

Q11. You give lectures on our degree course. How did you get involved with Pulse?

I got to know Tony and Aidan when recording string overdubs at Pulse and during my involvement with Screen Training Ireland's Film and Television Scoring Programme. They invited me to be a guest lecturer, and I have enjoyed talking about my work with students at Pulse. (I prefer to call it a 'talk' rather than a 'lecture'.)

Q12. You have an amazing new project being launched in the National Concert Hall. What can you tell us about it?

At the National Concert Hall on September 8th the RTÉ Concert Orchestra is presenting A Celebration of Fiachra Trench, a concert of some of my compositions and arrangements from the past 40 years. The guests taking part will include Altan, Paul Brady, Marti Pellow, Declan O'Rourke and Brian Kennedy.

Q13. Do you have any other exciting projects in the pipeline you can share with us?

My life-partner, singer Carmel McCreagh, and I embarked on a new career together about 15 years ago (though we had often performed at informal get-togethers before then): we formed a band, we recorded and released an album, Nice Girl, of jazz songs and originals and were thrilled when the album received four-star reviews in the Irish Times and the Sunday Tribune (see Carmel's blog for info/reviews: http://www.carmelmccreagh.com/blog). We've been playing festivals and venues throughout Ireland. Carmel will join me on stage for two songs from Nice Girl at the NCH concert. We're now working on a second album featuring new arrangements of songs by Johnny Mercer, one of the greatest lyricists of the twentieth century.

Pulse College 'Gangsters and Molls' End of Year Party

As all Pulse students past and present are well aware, every year with the help of a dedicated group of volunteers, the college organises an infamous themed end-of-year party. This year, the bar in the beautiful grounds of Griffith College's South Circular Road Campus was the chosen venue.

The Party
The 'Gangsters and Molls' theme added a touch of glamour to the evening, and the party was once again a resounding success. A big thank you must go out to Lisa Fox, Michelle Dooley and Francesca De Buyl who gave up valuable time out of their studies to help with the preparations and decorations, ensuring the show ran smoothly. Students were treated to a wine reception in the Titanic Bar by Griffith College CEO Tomás Mac Eochagáin before the party got underway.

The Awards
The evening's award ceremony saw students from across all of our courses recognised for their achievements throughout the year. The engraved crystal awards were presented by Director Naomi Moore and Tutor Niall McMonagle to the following students:

Full-time Year 1, Red: Stephen Dunn
Full-time Year 1, Blue: Eamonn Conway
Full-time Year 2: Lisa Fox
Best Live Sound Year 2: Ciaran Dunne
Best Mix Year 2: Red C
Degree Year 1: Amy Millar
Degree Year 2: Richie Naughton
Part-time Year 1: David Stroud
Part-time Year 2: Shane O'Connor
Part-time Year 3: Dominic McGinley
Film: Eva Szalai
Game: Emma Kenny
The Entertainment
Bryan's band Art in Motion kickstarted the evening's entertainment, followed by the 2nd Year band led by Ross Stack. To close off the evening, an impromptu session was led by our very own Mick Garry, joined on stage by a number of talented students and tutors.

Jason Duffy: Guest Lecturer Profile

Pulse has a renowned list of high profile experts, Many of whom have interesting and varied careers, who regularly lecture on our courses. In this section of our news letter we aim to delve into their background to get tips on how to succeed in the professional environment.

Irish born drummer and renowned self taught session musician Jason Duffy has been playing music from the tender age of the age of 11. He has toured extensively with internationally acclaimed Irish artists such The Corrs, Michael Flatley, Bono, Sharon Shannon, Niamh Kavanagh, The Waterboys, Imelda May, Damian Dempsey, Sharon Corr and many many more. His career highlights include playing drums for the world famous and technically challenging “Lord of the Dance” tour. Jason is internationally considered as one of the greatest drummers to come out of Ireland. His master classes are a unique and fascinating experience for any Pulse student. We are delighted to get an insight into his successful career as a session musician

1. Your main work would be as a session musician. Can you explain what this entails?

You get called to do various different styles of music and you get to play with some amazing artists. The styles can range from playing on a movie sound track to playing on an album and everything in between really.

2. You’re a self taught musician, playing since the tender age of 11. How did you get started?

My father and elder brothers were musicians and there was always music in the house. I was going to gigs from an early age and it just started from there I guess.

3. To reach this level of skill requires amazing discipline. What keeps you motivated?

I love what I do and I’ve always wanted to do the best that I could on the instrument. I still practice and I’m still learning to this day and hopefully that will continue.

4. What are your musical influences?

Anything from Motown to Jazz to Latin, rock music, blues. I like all styles of music. I like a lot of different styles and a lot of drummers in particular. Some of the drummers would be Buddy Rich, Steve Gadd, Carlos Vega, and Vinnie Coluita.

5. You left school at 17 to play full time. It must have been quite a difficult choice, what prompted this decision?

I had already been playing gigs since the age of 14 so it was a natural progression to start playing music full time as that’s what I knew I wanted to do.

6. You have gone on to work with some of Ireland’s most renowned and diverse artists; from Damien Dempsey, Imelda May to Sharron Shannon. What was that like?

These guys are great to work for. I like a challenge of different styles and all these guys differ in their styles.

7. You come from the Duffy dynasty, Ireland’s most famous circus family. Not many people may be aware that they are renowned for being great musicians. Tell us about this fascinating legacy.

My father, the late Arthur Duffy and his brothers played music in the circus whilst performing also. In the wintertime during circus downtime they went out playing gigs. So there’s always been music in my family, going back a long time.

8. What has been your career highlight to date?

There have been many including playing with The Corrs and Bono at the G8 summit, playing with Michael Flatley from Madison Square Garden’s to Hyde Park, playing 25 nights sold-out with Michael Flatley in Wembley Arena. These are but a few highlights and I hope to have many more. I’ve been lucky.

9. You are always the lecturers’ first choice for the drum classes. What do you enjoy most about the teaching process?

I enjoy sharing whatever knowledge I have to help people who love music.

10. If students just left your class with one piece of knowledge, what would that be?

Keep an open mind and listen to as much music as possible.

11. You just got back from St Patrick Day’s in Dubai where you were playing with Sharron Corr. What future projects have you in the pipeline?

I play various festivals and shows over the summer with Sharon Shannon and Sharon Corr. I am currently working on a few studio projects that will be released next year. I’m also set to play at the Irish guitar festival in Drogheda on April 17th with Jimmy Smith and some of the world’s renowned guitar players I am really looking forward to that.

12. What is the most useful bit of advice you can give to Pulse College Graduates embarking on the career?

Just go for it and be positive.

Pulse College Launches Hi-Tech ‘Fiz Gig Summer Camps for Children

You’re never too young to learn about the exciting world of technology is the philosophy behind Pulse College’s new hi-tech summer camp ‘Fiz Gig, which will take place in the college’s world famous Windmill Lane Recording Studios in Ringsend, Dublin from the 13th of June. Pulse College, leaders in creative media education in Ireland, have introduced the Fiz Gig Summer Camp programme to open up the world of creative media to children and young teenagers aged 9 to 15 years. Staffed by experienced Pulse College lecturers, the week long Fiz Gig summer camps will give participants an insight into the processes and technologies involved in animation and video gaming production, as well as first-hand experience of using the technologies to create their own projects themselves. The camps will run from 9.30am to 3.30pm, Monday to Friday. Activities include web design, movie-making, online gaming and a host of hi-tech challenges.

“The Fiz Gig name represents an explosion of technology and we have designed these workshops so that they are practical, challenging and fun. We believe if children are introduced to advanced creative media technologies from a young age through hands on interactive activities, they will improve their skills and gain great insight into the world of creative media.” explains Naomi Moore, Director of Pulse College and organiser of Fizz Gigs.

Game design and technology is emerging as an exciting growth sector with computers and technology playing a bigger role in our everyday lives. The Irish games industry has grown 400% in the past seven years and it is now one of the fastest growing recruitment sectors in Ireland today. Fizz Gigs encourages the teaching and developing of young people’s creative and technological potential at an early stage and helps them to embrace this new dynamic and growing world.

Pulse College Launches Hi-Tech ‘Fiz Gig Summer Camps for Children

You’re never too young to learn about the exciting world of technology is the philosophy behind Pulse College’s new hi-tech summer camp ‘Fiz Gig, which will take place in the college’s world famous Windmill Lane Recording Studios in Ringsend, Dublin from the 13th of June. Pulse College, leaders in creative media education in Ireland, have introduced the Fiz Gig Summer Camp programme to open up the world of creative media to children and young teenagers aged 9 to 15 years. Staffed by experienced Pulse College lecturers, the week long Fiz Gig summer camps will give participants an insight into the processes and technologies involved in animation and video gaming production, as well as first-hand experience of using the technologies to create their own projects themselves. The camps will run from 9.30am to 3.30pm, Monday to Friday. Activities include web design, movie-making, online gaming and a host of hi-tech challenges.

“The Fiz Gig name represents an explosion of technology and we have designed these workshops so that they are practical, challenging and fun. We believe if children are introduced to advanced creative media technologies from a young age through hands on interactive activities, they will improve their skills and gain great insight into the world of creative media.” explains Naomi Moore, Director of Pulse College and organiser of Fizz Gigs.

Game design and technology is emerging as an exciting growth sector with computers and technology playing a bigger role in our everyday lives. The Irish games industry has grown 400% in the past seven years and it is now one of the fastest growing recruitment sectors in Ireland today. Fizz Gigs encourages the teaching and developing of young people’s creative and technological potential at an early stage and helps them to embrace this new dynamic and growing world.


- ENDS -

21 years of Pulse College with Tony Perrey

Pulse College are delighted to be turning 21 this year and to mark this significant milestone we are set to have an action packed year of exciting events ahead. To start the celebrations we have launched a unique range of short courses, we have developed a new open day format and with the success of the last Windmill Lane Seminar Series we aim to host these events on an ongoing basis. We talk to founder and director Tony Perrey to find out more about the beginnings of Pulse College and how it has become the leading creative media college expanding it’s course range to Video Game Design and Film.

1. Tell us a bit about your background.

I started off in a band when I was 17, and then landed a job in a music shop. Luckily, they were the guys who distributed products like Akai samplers, MIDI synths and drum machines. I fell in love with music technology and learnt a lot by demonstrating the products. From there, I set up Pulse with Aidan Alcock and another friend, Rob.

2. How did you start you musical career?

Well, after singing in a band at 17, I then learnt how to play keyboards in the music shop. From there I started gigging as a keyboard player over the next few years with a number of bands.

3. How did you become an audio professional?

Unfortunately, there were no courses available back when I was starting! I learnt mostly “on the job”, but had some great mentors over the years. I was also very lucky to have been trained by specialists from different manufacturers of pro audio products. These would include Akai, Avid, Apple and Meyer.

4. Where did the idea of setting up Pulse come from?

Well, we set up Pulse initially as a recording/production facility. However, we had been teaching courses in music technology previous to this and we realized that there was a demand for courses that would include both sound engineering and music technology. So almost from the beginning we were both a college and a commercial studio.

5. Can you tell us about the early years of Pulse?

We started with a small mixing console, an 8 - track analogue tape machine and an Atari computer running a very early version of Cubase. Initially, we started in my parent’s house in Drumcondra, doing music for ads and other small productions. After a few months, we rented a couple of small rooms in a building on Harrington St. This was around 1991 I believe (God, I feel old….). At that point, we developed a number of part time sound engineering courses, which became very popular. Over the next few years, our client list grew, as did our student numbers. We made the move to Pleasants Place around 1994 - 95 and concentrated on improving and developing both our courses and the studios.

6. 21 years teaching and working in music production. What has been your career highlight?

There have been quite a few moments, I suppose. From a teaching point of view, it’s an amazing feeling when someone plays you a recording that they have done, and it sounds amazing. I can’t wait to play it for the others! Also, when an ex – student comes in to do a commercial session, and they sit behind the console and confidently get to work. It’s great to remember back to when they started, and then to see this professional working at such a high level. Sometimes a past pupil will pop in for a cuppa and a chat and talk about what they’re doing, who they’re working with and may thank you for helping them get started. That really is a great feeling!

As to the commercial recording, it’s always a buzz when a big artist books in for a session. We’ve been lucky to have had some of the biggest artists in the world coming in to record with us. The acquisition of Windmill Lane Studios has been one of the very big highlights as well. It has such an incredible pedigree, and has played a major role in the Irish music scene over the last few decades. I still get goosebumps when I sit behind the Neve console in Studio 1!

7. 21 years as leaders of creative media education. What is your vision for the future of Pulse College?

We intend to develop the college into a full multimedia centre. Creative multimedia areas such as gaming, animation, graphics and film are really taking off in Ireland. We are developing exciting new courses and establishing strong industry links to make sure our students get the best training possible to take advantage of these growing industries.

8. Any advice for graduating students?

Your skills and knowledge are your biggest assets. Nurture and develop them constantly as you never stop learning in this field. Most people are nervous about taking on their first big project, and this is normal. Trust your training, and prepare. We are here to help, and are a resource for students, even after they have graduated.

Pulse College launch Mac for Beginners Course

Pulse College is delighted to launch the first in their series of short courses “Mac for Beginners” which will be run on the 15th of April. As Ireland’s leading creative media Pulse is constantly evolving and striving to come up with new creative course that are industry relevant. The “Mac for Beginners” course is aimed at those wishing to get the most out of their Mac. In simple, easy steps you will learn how to get started with Mac software, set up your Mac for email, printing, web browsing, file management and entertainment.

“With more people converting to Mac from pc, we designed the “Mac for Beginners Course” specifically to help smooth the transition” explains Naomi Moore, Director.

What you will learn

•Setting Up
•Getting Started
•Navigation
•Connecting your Devices
•Common problems and getting help
•Tips & Tricks

Lecture Profile

Shane Power is Pulse Colleges’ most experience Protools and Mac Instructor who is set to head up the “Mac for Beginner” course. Having being educated in one of the rare secondary schools to have a Mac lab he has never looked back. He has gone on to develop over 3 decades of experience working with Apple software and hardware. Shane explains to Pulse College news, the reasons behind the setting up “the Mac for Beginners” course and how it can help students get them most from their first Mac.
1. How long have you worked with Mac’s?
I've been using Mac's since 1984, I was lucky enough to have access to one in secondary school. The 'Mac Classic' was the first computer I ever used.
2. What makes you choose Mac over PC?
In the 18 years I've been using Mac's professionally, I've never had a major problem with them, no viruses, no loss of data. The last Mac Book Pro (Laptop) I bought, I used it for six years. PC users I know went through between two to four PC Laptops in that time. I find them to be extremely reliable and real workhorses.
3. Tell us the background of your Mac training.
I'm self taught I suppose. There wasn't a lot of 'technical support' available when I started using Mac's professionally, so I had to learn how to keep the machines running smoothly myself. For example, when I was running a commercial recording studio, everything needed to be up-to-date, ready and working. From taking a booking, to recording, invoicing, updating the company's website, whatever the task at hand. Learning the hard way has taught me some valuable lessons. These days there's a huge amount of support, training and information available through Apple's website and other online forums.
4. What make a Mac so different from a PC.?
As far as I'm aware, Apple are one of the very few companies who design their own operating system and software to run on their own hardware... to me it makes perfect sense that this adds up to a much better user experience. When you take your Mac out of the box for the first time, it's already loaded with all the software you need to start working with the Internet, Email, Music, Photos, Word Processing, Movies, Podcasts and more.
What are the main difficulties people have when they decide to move from PC to Mac?
Like any transition, it takes a little time to get used to where everything is on a Mac if you're used to working with a PC. Quitting and closing programs is different, menus look different etc. In my experience, once they've moved to a Mac, most people say that they don't know how they ever used anything else. There's a great 'Migration' software tool build into Mac's these days which makes it easy to transfer all your data from your old PC to your new Mac.
5. How do you feel the Mac for beginners course will help smooth the transition?
I hope the 'Mac for Beginners' course will give new Mac users a good basic understanding of how to get the most from their Ma and also teach them the basics of how to keep their Apple computer (and other devices) in good working condition for years to come.

Pulse College and CES join forces to help attract international students

C.E.S. in association with Pulse College is proud to launch an exciting suite of new English Language, Music and Video Game courses with aim of attracting international students from all corners of the world. Students will get to choose from two different course combinations; English Language with Music Production or English Language with Video Game Development.
Having trained over 40,000 students, CES is a leading and award winning English Language School. Pulse College, based in Windmill Lane Recording Studios, have been leaders in creative media education for over 20 years. Their combined experience will provide international students with a dynamic, innovative and interactive learning experience.
Located in world famous Windmill Lane Recording, the English Language with Music Production Course will provide students with access to the latest technology, where they will create and mix music in a professional recording environment. The aim is to provide a practical hands-on course, giving students a real working understanding of what it takes to be a sound engineer and music producer. The English Language and Video Game Development Course focuses on four main areas, English language, programming languages, sound and music for computer as well as games and application development. Using the latest technology, participants will learn the processes required to create Video Games and i-Phone content. Both courses are designed with beginners in mind and require no prior knowledge in music or gaming.
Directors Naomi Moore from Pulse College and Justin from CES provide an insight into the collaboration and what is hoped this unique concept will bring to the colleges.
Q1. Every business has been affected by the recession what noticeable changes both positive and negative have you seen in the education sector?Naomi Moore, Director, Pulse College/Windmill Lane Recording Studios: From an education sector point of view, the recession has led to an increase in demand for college places, particularly in the area of creative arts. The traditional school or college leaver still applies, but there has also been a shift the demographic of the applicant, and their needs are different. There is a much greater need for re-skilling and up-skilling now, and people are using their change in circumstance to turn their passions into their career. Access to funding has been a negative aspect. It is far more difficult to secure student loans and structures urgently need to be put in place by the new government to address the situation. We have reacted to the economic downturn by offering realistic payment plans based on individual needs.
Justin, Director of CES Language School Dublin: The English Language sector is totally 100% export so the difficulties in Ireland do not really affect our business. We are much more affected by what happens in other countries. The main changes that I have seen are that there is not as much pressure on wage demands and some costs are coming down. This has allowed us to control costs and to stop having to increase charges. One of the greatest problems that we had was the year on year demands for pay and host family rises that the ever increasing costs in Ireland were causing. With this stopped we have more control. The prices in Dublin had passed the costs in London and we were pricing ourselves out of the market. The negative side is that Ireland is now seen as a risk country and it has had a lot of negative publicity overseas. Nearly every agent that I would deal with overseas is aware of Ireland financial difficulties and this has a negative impact on the overall sell ability of programmes to Ireland.
Q2. Education has been one of the quickest sectors to bounce back from this recession. What can you attribute to this recovery?
Naomi: I feel it is because the employment landscape has changed. Since the industrial revolution, jobs in the banking or the legal professional were seen as a ‘safe job’ and people often chose those paths based on security as opposed to interest. Traditional industry no longer leads the way, digital media and the knowledge economy does. I honestly believe that it’s given people a totally different outlook on their futures and their livelihoods. The value, growth and reliance on all areas of digital media in our everyday lives has altered the perception of creative arts and its potential for lasting and rewarding careers. Digital media is the future, and people need to be educated, trained and up-skilled to be a part of it.
Justin: Our market is 100% export. Other countries are bouncing back quicker and this has helped us. I also see the switch happening. This happens when a recession hits. International Educational goes from being a luxury purchase to a necessity. Europe and Asia has a growing youth unemployment problem and parents want to invest in their children’s education and this helps English language training sector. People will always invest in Education when times are tough as they see this as a way of helping get the better job in the future
Q3. What made you decide to come up with this innovative and proactive idea of collaborating with other colleges to develop more creative course to help attract more foreign students?
Naomi: We initially expanded our programmes to cater for the skills shortages in various industries, in particular video game and media content production. It was also our intention to attract more international students and we engaged with Enterprise Ireland to assist us with this expansion to foreign markets. It was a logical step to partner with colleges abroad, who have knowledge and an established infrastructure. We are launching our first international college in India in September of this year. This will train students locally with transfer options for them to higher awards in our Dublin college. If we are to build up the knowledge economy in Ireland, attracting international students directly is also vital. We set about researching established international colleges which had built a reputation for excellence globally. It was also important to us that the pastoral care of international students is catered for and that there is a social and cultural element to all out programmers.
Justin: The market is changing and students are looking for something different. There is a need for English and creative media modules. There is a growing demand for animation / sound recording / Games development and this is what is current. It seemed only natural to try to tap into this.
Q4. You decided to join forces with CES how did this collaboration come about?
Naomi: I was introduced to Justin through a contact in Enterprise Ireland who felt that, together, we could offer high level English language courses coupled with either a game or music production module, based in Windmill Lane Recording Studios. We met and a partnership felt right immediately. This was because the combination of language and creativity has a perfect symmetry, the reputation of CES worldwide is outstanding and Windmill Lane Recording is internationally recognised.
Justin: I had a meeting with Lucia Reynolds from Enterprise Ireland, she had met Naomi and thought that we could do things together. She introduced us and the rest as they say is history!!It was great meeting Naomi and to see her enthusiasm. We could both see how this could work and both had the same outlook as to how this could work. If you do not try it will never happen.
Q5. What benefits do you feel these course collaborations will this have?
Naomi: We share the same ethos; train to the highest standards and ensure students leave with quality, useful, work-ready skills. Collaborating allows us both to expand our student base and to offer more to the participant. International students will return to their home countries with a grasp of English, a creative skill and an insight into the culture and uniqueness of Ireland.
Justin: New products and new courses!!! I always want to innovate and to try something new. This is a new product for the market and it will be interesting to see what happens. It will take a bit of time for this to get to market and get it into some sale brochures as no one else is offering this product and it is new for all of us. I have sent the information to all of the Failte Ireland offices and we are hoping that it will also go to all of the Enterprise Ireland offices soon. This will help add profile to both Pulse College and also CES.
Q6. What do international students have to do to sign up for these innovative courses?
Justin: To book a course, or find further information, they simply need to visit www.ces-schools.com or call +353-1-671-4233.To find out more about Pulse College, and Windmill Lane Recording Studios, visit www.pulsecollege.eu

Internationally renowned Techno Producer Donnacha Costello speaks at Windmill Lane Recording Seminar

Pulse College / Windmill Lane Recording Studios were delighted to have internationally renowned Music Producer Donnacha Costello as key note speaker at Windmill Lane Recording’s free seminar held on the 18th February. The seminar entitled “Modern electronic musicianship - a practical discussion” covered a range of practical issues from the techno/house aesthetic to electronic music production to live performance of electronic music to life as a modern working, touring electronic musician. With Brendan Rehill degree student who helped organise the seminar gives us insight into the tips and techniques Donnacha shared with the audience.

"Despite our numerous successful musical exports, one would still not expect to find out that one of the most respected Electronica producers in Europe is a Dublin native by the name of Donnacha Costello. Few people can claim to have created a genre landmark, but that is just what Costello delivered with his 2004 series of colour coded EPs, collectively known as 'Colorseries'. Releasing one track per month, Costello approached the project by embracing the limitations of classic analogue hardware, and recorded the instruments live, imbuing the series with an organic feel that much computer programmed Electronic music now lacks. With years of production, touring and business management behind him this seminar was, by Costello's own admission, a chance to share some of that experience and offer any advice that he could.

No art exists in a vacuum, and Costello gives heed to this by beginning the seminar with a brief and personal history of Electronic music. Opening the proceedings with House classic 'Love Can't Turn Around'by Farley Jackmaster Funk, Costello immediately sets about deconstructing preconceptions. Asking the audience to ignore the gaudy 80s video and clichéd lyrics, he draws attention to the raw, authentic groove that is the tracks foundation. As the history progresses, this authenticity is contrasted with the mainstream chart material that appeared on the back of the burgeoning underground scene, with one track using samples from Sesame Streetover a stale House beat.

The peak of Acid House's popularity saw another genre of music emerge in the form of Ambient Electronica. Artists such as 'Plastikman' and 'Aphex Twin' became renowned for their hard-hitting, unrelenting Techno material, as well as the sparse and glacially chilled-out soundscapes they created in their Ambient tracks. Bringing it up to modern day, Costello plays a selection of what he considers contemporary classics, highlighting that they each pay their dues to not only the authenticity and groove of early House and Techno, but also the textural complexity and emotion of Ambient music.

Inevitably, a seminar on Electronic music will turn to a discussion on technology. Costello is a self confessed hardware addict, blaming 'Top of the Pops' for exposing him to the sight of a 'Mini Moog' in action. His studio has since seen enough classic hardware to make even the most die-hard plug-in supporters jealous; from the Roland 'TR-909', '808', 'SH-101', 'TB-303' and 'Juno 60' to a monolithic custom built Synclavier synthesizer, he has owned it all. He has utilised modern hardware as well, such as the 'Tenori-On', 'Monome', 'Lemur' touch-screen controllers and Native Instruments 'Maschine' which sits in front of him throughout the seminar. If this wasn't enough to inspire envy, he is an expert at the modular visual programming language 'Max/MSP', a software environment where a user can create their own plug-ins and instruments of complexity limited only by the imagination.

Despite this dizzying list of gear, Costello emphasises a philosophy of simplicity. He reveals that when working, he prefers “to concentrate on one or two machines and push what I can out of them and when I get bored I change things around.” He is also a firm advocate of 'if it sounds good, it is good' - during a collaboration with a prominent German Electronica artist, Costello was surprised to find that this artist was using stock 'Ableton Live' string sounds in his compositions. Costello has adopted such streamlined workflows, switching to 'Ableton' as his primary production DAW, whereas previously he would sketch ideas in 'Ableton' before transferring to 'Pro Tools HD'. The reason for his change in workflow is simple – he can spend more time focusing on the music than anything else. At the heart of it though, Costello makes clear that there is no 'complete' set-up that he relies on. He simply chooses what will best facilitate his intended result.

In the closing section of the seminar, Costello gave rare insight into the business side of the Electronica industry. Warning the audience not to rely solely on the Internet as a promotional platform, he instead advises a balance between Internet promotion and good old fashioned meeting people. Somewhere in the middle is 'Twitter' which Costello regards as a great social network to... network... it's fluidity of conversation being its main strength. He tells how his recent reply to a 'tweet' about putting jam on toast, resulted in an offer to remix a track. Remixing is another vital promotional and networking tool in his opinion, allowing artists to promote each other while getting promotion themselves. Through it all, Costello makes it apparent that there is no magic formula for success, and that ambition and hard work are the key ingredients. He admits that things are tougher for the musicians starting their careers in the current industry conditions, but that it is still not impossible to earn a living. In his own career, his income stream has begun to depend more on his live performance than his musical releases, the music serving mainly as a promotional factor, keeping his name active in the scene.

The primary lesson of the seminar appears to be of balance – balance between the mechanical machine sound that characterise Electronica and portraying emotion, between embracing the new technologies while still realising the potential of the older and between being aware of the multitude of options available to the modern musician and the creative power that limitations can offer. Lastly, click here for his homemade chicken wing recipe" - Brendan Rehill Pulse College, Degree Student

Due to success of these free informative and interactive College/ Windmill Lane Recording Studios have now taken the decision to host theses seminars on a regular basis. The aim is to provide free practical industry relevant workshops and seminars to help keep attendees up to-date with all the technical trends and industry techniques.

Windmill Lane Seminar showcases the impact make up can have on a film production

With the huge success of Black Swan, the impact and transformational effect make up can have on a film production has never been more highlighted. Pulse College launched the start their 21st birthday celebrations with a unique collaboration with LA Make Up. As part of the Windmill Lane Seminar series the college hosted an interactive seminar on "Make-Up for Maximum Impact in Film & TV", with Sarah Jane Wai O’Flynn. The seminar focused on key areas of make up for film, from effective and obvious S.F.X. to natural beauty make-up to enhance the production and create effect. The focus of the seminar was to highlight the importance of make-up and the ability to turn the ordinary into iconic and take your production to a professional level. We talked to Pulse Film student Conor Bent who took the time to discuss what aspects of the seminar he found most valuable for his upcoming film projects.

"As a film production student I was naturally very interested in the makeup seminar. I was looking forward to finding out more about the process and its possibilities. I was not let down and surprised by the effects and transformations that were displayed. It was interesting to see the transformations happen in a short time. We were shown the example of the dramatic makeup from the film Black Swan. We were also shown a more subtle realistic effect transforming a fresh face into a beaten down and bloody visage. The demonstration definitely fired up my imagination for the creative possibilities of makeup for our own upcoming film productions. I look forward to collaborating with the students in the future in helping to bring stories and images to life" Conor Bent, Film Student.

Sarah Jane Wai O’ Flynn: has been working as a make-up artist for nearly ten years. After studying make-up for film and theatre in DLIADT she worked on King Arthur and TV show, Chance to Dance and TG4’s Paisean Faesin. Sarah worked in retail as national make-up artist for cult make-up brand, Pout Cosmetics, appearing on Off the Rails, City Channels, Fashion Forward and TV3’s, Ireland AM and also travelling to the UK for events and launches. She is now the spokesperson for top organic skincare and cosmetics line, Dr Haushka and has worked as spokesperson for leading highstreet brand, Rimmel. Sarah has collaborated on editorials for The Sunday Times, The Irish Independent, The Life Magazine, Image, Prudence, Social and Personal, The Evening Herald, The RTE Guide. Some of her corporate clients include, Toni and Guy, Clairol, Becks, as well as many personalities such as Caroline Morahan, Maura Durrane, Sile Seoige, Gavin Friday and Pamela Flood.

Pulse College’s Screen and creative writing Course Write here, Write Now, is back by popular demand.

Following the success of our last writing course Pulse College are delighted to once again be running WRITE HERE, WRITE NOW with the guidance of Award Winning Writer Farah Abushwesha. Giving a practical insight and helpful tips on writing including practical exercises including shooting a short film and industry guest speakers – this is one of the most practical hands on writing course in Ireland.

This unique writing course will provide students with a supportive environment that will encourage and allow natural writing talent to shine through. Write Here, Write Now is a five day intensive course which has an interactive and proactive approach rather than focusing on theory. It is aimed at inspiring, nurturing and stimulating you to create your own ideas and develop skills as a writer while encouraging you to have fun with the creative process. The extensive scope of the course aims to provide the students with the opportunity to draw from others. The structure of the course gives students an extensive range of hands on expertise to tap in on their own talent as well as established industry players.

Moderated by Farah Abushwesha, the course also includes guest speaker spots. Past industry guests included actor Bosco Hogan (Tudors, King Arthur, In the Name of the Father), writer and Niall Heery (IFTA awarded SMALL ENGINE REPAIRS), Producer and 1st AD John Wallace (IFTA winning featured REWIND, ONE HUNDRED MORNINGS, GARAGE), award-winning short film-makers David Freyne and Alan Brennan, documentary and pop promo maker Vittoria Colonna.

“I’ve designed a hands-on course that gets you to write and to think in a creative and filmic way. From day one you will learn to verbalise what your gut is telling you, trusting your intuition and build up the confidence to know that all writing is, is moving the thoughts from your brain to your fingertips. It’s fun and far from highbrow. There is no mystery involved. On a personal note, I’m very excited to be back teaching this course again – I get a real buzz from seeing people becoming inspired and fired up about storytelling” Farah Abushwesha

Farah Abushwesha is an award-winning writer producer and founding member of the BAFTA Rocliffe New Writing Forums which showcases new script writing talent at BAFTA, (past guests include Mike Newell, John Madden, and Richard Eyre). Her production work includes several high-profile, award winning short films and features including LATE BLOOMERS with William Hurt and Isabella Rossellini, CLEANSKIN with Sean Bean, MICRO MEN, THE SCOUTING BOOK FOR BOYS (Winner @ London Film Festival), SHE A CHINESE (Winner at Locarno), and various short films.

Windmill Lane Studios Host Eurovision Hopefuls

As part of this year’s national Eurosong competition, Eurovision hopefuls Don Mescal and Bling recently made use of Windmill Lane Recording Studios to rehearse their entry for Ireland’s eurovision song at the 2011 song contest. Experienced engineers and producers in the world famous Windmill Lane Recording Studios were impressed by the talent and commitment of both contestants who sadly missed out on clinching the spot as Ireland’s representatives by Jedward with their song, ‘Lipstick’.

“The talent this year is to a very high standard and we wish all the contests the best of luck” crew members at Windmill Lane Recording stated.

Don Mescal with the help and advice of mentor Ronan Hardiman performed 'Talking with Jennifer' (written by Ronan Hardiman and Don Mescal). Four piece band Bling, mentored by Willie Kavanagh sang 'Shine On' (written by Patrick Mahoney). Jedward’s song was selected on 'Eurosong 2011' on 'The Late Late Show' on Friday, February 11th and the pair will now go on to perform in Düsseldorf, Germany in May.

This year RTÉ decided to take a different approach to selecting this year's Eurovision entry. Five mentors were nominated with proven experience in the Irish music industry and asked to select an artist and a song each that they believe has the potential to be a Eurovision winner. Bling and Don Mescal now join a long list of iconic musicians who have recorded some of their greatest albums in the state of the art facilities, these include U2, The Cranberries and The Script to name a but a few.

Billy Farrell: Guest Lecturer Profile

After gigging for years with different bands whilst also working a day job, renowned producer Billy Farrell decided to pursue a career full time career in music. His first in studio job was with Pulse College's Tony Perrey for a girl band called FAB. He has since gone on to work with and co produce acclaimed albums for high profile artists from Bonnie Tyler, The Corrs, Brian Kennedy and Westlife to undertaking unique projects Wild Ocean 2 with John Hughes , which includes "The Mandela Suite", a 9 minute work cataloguing the life of Nelson Mandela. After setting up his own studio in 1998 his career has gone from strength to strength. Billy has joined the guest lecture team at Pulse College and his time is now divided between teaching and his studio work. We are delighted he has found time to talk to Pulse College news.

Q1. You started out your music career gigging part time. Tell us a bit about this experience.

I was the keyboard player with a Soul/Funk band called Shush. We gigged from around 1983 to 1992. I then left that band and set up a new band, Jacob's Ladder and gigged extensively until 1998 when I left to pursue Studio work. While with Jacob's Ladder, I was responsible for sound on stage which I controlled from a desk beside my Keyboard setup.

Q2. You gigged while working in a full time day job. Can you tell us about the work you did before you embarked on your musical career?

I actually worked in a Bank for 13 years... A bit of a switch I know!! For the last 10 years in the bank, I would have been gigging pretty much 4 nights a week with the band! Throughout those years, I realised my heart really wasn't in banking...

Q3. You took a huge leap to pursue your passion for music full time. What made you decide to make this huge decision?

Well, I had a very understanding wife who supported my decision...

Also, the more I progressed in music, I felt that I could make a career in the business. However, in the initial stages, I wasn't quite sure what direction it would take so I suppose it was a bit of a Leap of Faith!!

Q4. Where did your love of music come from?

I started out learning Piano when I was 4 and then switched to the church organ when I was 12. During all this time I suppose my interest and love for music just grew!! While I was studying music academically, I much preferred to sit down and try to play songs off the radio by ear.

Q5. You have been involved for a long time with Pulse College. Your first studio gig was with Tony for a girl band called FAB. What experience did you develop from this initial time in studio?

That project was a huge learning curve as it was the first real production job.
It was also a bit of a baptism of fire in learning how to deal with 4 girls with strong personalities!!! On the Production side, I learned a lot of studio techniques from Tony and also from Tim Martin who worked on part of the project. During this time, I set up my studio at home. Tony was a great help in putting it all together and advising on monitoring etc...

Q6. You went on to work with Bonny Tyler and legendary producer Jimmy Smith. Can you talk us through what work was involved?

My input on that project was purely programming and keyboards.
However, I did gain a great insight into what is involved in vocal recording and Production on such a big project with a big established artist.

Q7. Did you have any formal training or did you learn by simply watching and absorbing what others were doing.

I have had no formal training in engineering or Production so I suppose I have to put it down to the quality of hands on experience that I received in the early days.
I think my background in keyboards meant that I was always interested in recording and how music is put together. Coupled with that, I was able to learn so much working with some great producers. As part of The Corrs experience, I was fortunate enough to work with Mitchell Froom who was inspirational to say the least!! I also worked with Bob Clearmountain at his studio in LA on mixes for the Wild Ocean Project......what an amazing experience that was!!

Q8. You worked with The Corrs manager on an epic 7 year project Wild Ocean. Tell us a about that experience.

That project began shortly after I had put my Studio together and just finished working on the Bonnie Tyler project. John was looking for somebody who could programme but also somebody with a musical sense and my name came up.
We began in 1999, and finally completed it around 2006. The project was always changing and as new pieces were worked on, the sound would change, which meant having to revisit earlier work to adapt it to a new style. This was great experience for somebody in my position and also lead to my working with The Chieftains, Fiachra Trench and The Corrs while completing the project.

Q9. You worked on The Corrs award winning album “In Blue” selling 7 million copies. What a great achievement.

Yes indeed. I consider myself to have been extremely lucky to get the opportunity to work on this album. It was an amazing time, working with some amazing people and a huge learning curve!! I do think that you never stop learning as a Producer...

Q10. You have worked with many high profile artists and projects from The Corrs and Westlife to the “Mandela Suite”. Can you talk us through the different approaches needed in term of sound?

In the case of Westlife and The Corrs, you need to bring a pop sensibility to the project. The basic engineering and Production techniques will obviously be the same as any other project but the treatment of the music has to be considered in a different way. Will it be live instruments or programmed?? Will it involve layering of vocals or not ?

The Wild Ocean project on the other hand was much more cinematic and orchestral. There were only a few vocal tracks so the music had to be looked at from a very different perspective with a lot more emphasis on Orchestration.

Q11. What elements do you feel are vital in carving out such a successful career?

A knowledge of all types of music is an advantage. Also, I think it is critical for a Producer to be able to relate well to people. While the whole recording experience is intensive, it also has to be a very enjoyable one in order to achieve great results. It is the Producers job to ensure that that kind of atmosphere exists in the studio. The ability to listen to other people’s ideas and suggestions is also hugely important... it is a big responsibility to try and carry the whole project on your own shoulders! Lastly, being in the right place at the right time is always a bonus!!

Q12. You also find time to guest lecture on the Pulse College degree course. What part of teaching do you enjoy the most?

I actually find it quite challenging as I am not that comfortable standing up in front of a room full of strangers. The part I enjoy most would be questions and answers as I hope I have something to share that may be of help.

Q13. What area of the Pulse course do feel is the most beneficial to students in the real world work situation?

Obviously the classes are hugely important in learning the basic facts but I have to say that any hands on studio experience that they can get will make sense of all the books !! Pulse and Windmill have always been great in affording students the opportunity to gain this kind of invaluable experience.

Q14. What advice can you give Pulse Students set to graduate this year.

It is a difficult market out there in this business. Therefore it is vital that you graduate with the best results possible. Try to get as much studio experience as possible and when you do get a session, remember what I said about personality and dealing with people. To my mind, and I have regularly talked to Tony about this, personality and ability to relate to and deal with people is almost as important as the qualification...
If you can impress a Producer with how you handle yourself and your knowledge, you will stand a much better chance of a call back rather than someone who goes in with the attitude that they have their qualification so they must know it all...

Q15. Any future upcoming projects you care to share for 2011?

Currently working on songs for Brian Kennedy’s new album.
Also working with a wonderful band from Galway with some really quirky songs.

I am also working on developing a new artist with an amazing voice and an equally amazing talent for songwriting... So hopefully 2011 will be a good one!!

I wish you all the very best of luck in your future careers.

Billy.

Pulse College 21st Birthday Celebrations

Pulse College are delighted to be turning 21 this year and to mark this significant milestone we are set to have an action packed year of exciting events ahead. To start the celebrations we have launched a unique range of short courses, we have developed a new open day format and with the success of the last Windmill Lane Seminar Series we are to host another event. See full story below.

Short Course and 8 Week introductory Courses:

To mark our 21 years as Ireland’s leading creative media college Pulse has developed a dynamic range of new short courses as well as re-launching popular 8 week introductions course, in the areas of Audio, Film and Gaming.

Established in 1990, and based in the heart of Dublin, Pulse College has an internationally renowned reputation and are constantly evolving and striving to come up with new creative course that are industry relevant.



“We know from direct experience the creative talent that exists in this country. We believe education is the only way to ensure sustainable economic growth. After much research we have developed our short course to specifically target areas of economic growth that are currently experience skills shortages. We hope this will ensure that our students will have the best possible employment out come on course completion” Naomi Moore, Director.



With industry professionals Pulse Colleges lecture panel the aim is to give practical, hands on courses designed for beginners / hobbyists, job seekers looking to up-skill and professionals looking to retrain. Since acquiring and renovating Windmill Lane students will have access to state of the art facilities with the support of our expert tutors. These courses were created to meet the current skills shortage in key areas economic growth such as gaming and computers. Students will be provided with the necessary training and tools to enter a tough employment environment with the best possibilities of success. By preparing students for the workplace, it is ensured that they have the expertise to be the creative media workforce of the future



•All 8 week introductory courses are set to start on the 12th of February
•See link attached for full listings on our new exciting range of short courses www.pulsecollege.eu/short-courses
Seminars

Pulse College / Windmill Lane Recording Studios are delighted with the success of their first in ongoing series of free informative and interactive seminars hosted in Windmill Lane Recording Studios which took place on the 26th of November. The first seminar was entitled "The Mac as a Digital Audio Workstation" with Apple's chief engineer, Chris Jinks. With it being such a success we plan to have practical hands on workshops and seminars on a regular basis to help keep you up-to-date with all the technical trends and industry techniques. Our next seminar will be on the 27th of January with Sarah Jane Wai O’Flynn from LA Make UP Academy entitled “Make-Up for Maximum Impact in film & TV”. It will encompass key areas of make up for film, from effective and obvious S.F.X., to natural beauty make-up to enhance the production and create effect. It is designed to highlight the importance of make-up within your crew, turning ordinary into iconic, enabling you to take your production to a professional level.

It will take place at 6.30pm on the 27th of January. Students can book a place on www.pulsecollege.eu or call us on 01 4784045 email: cliodhna@pulsecollege.eu.

Career Fairs

To start the launch of Pulse College’s new short and introductory courses we are delighted to announce that we attended the Career Zoo on the 15th and 16th of January in the Mansion House and will also be attending the Choices expo on the 21st -24th January in the Aviva stadium.



Career Zoo: Career Zoo is a free event aimed at professionals considering new employment opportunities. The event showcased career options, including up skilling and retraining, as well as real job vacancies.. Visitors will have the opportunity to meet leading employers with real career opportunities and to explore thousands of courses. The event had a strong emphasis on growth sectors which will be reflected both in the exhibitions and seminars throughout the weekend. The employment landscape for the coming years will be intrinsic to the event. Date: 15th and 16th of January Location: The Mansion House. For more information, see careerzoo.ie


Choices 2011 will be the year's biggest free adult & student career event, with an anticipated attendance of 50,000 making it the largest exhibition of its kind in Ireland. Whether you are a school leaver considering your next step in higher or further education, someone who wants to learn new or improve upon existing skills, or a jobseeker looking for a career with one of Ireland's most successful employers, or looking to find out about opportunities overseas, then Choices 2011 is the event for you. Date January 21st to 24th Location: Dublin's Aviva Stadium. For more information, see choices2011.ie
•Introduction Course: 8 Week intro to audio, film and gaming starts 12th February
•Short Courses: For our new dynamic Range of Short Course visit http://www.pulsecollege.eu/short-courses


Interactive open day

We're very proud of our school, and our recently acquired facilities at the world famous Windmill Lane Studios. Our Open Day is not just about showing you state of the art equipment; it also gives you the perfect opportunity to speak to tutors and staff about our courses and career paths in the creative media industry. This month’s Open Day is to take on a new format. With the help of expert tutors our potential students will get a more interactive hand on experience of our studios, facilities and campus in all elements of Audio, Film and Gaming. We hope it will give you a better understanding of what is involved in committing to our creative media courses.

The Open Day will take place on February 5th and will give you the opportunity to:

1.Find out more about courses available and how you can access them
2.Have a guided tour of our facilities, including: studios, production and post production facilities
3.Speak one-to-one with tutors and staff
4.Make a course application.
5.Get advice about career pathways
You can book by simply contacting us here in the office on 01 478 4045 or click on our book now button and you will be registered for our open day. It will be held in the world famous Windmill Lane Studios, 20 Ringsend Rd, Dublin 4.

Colm O'Foghlú: Guest Lecturer Profile

Irish born Colm O' Foghlú (Director, Ember Productions) is renowned for his work writing and directing shows such as dance-theatre show Gaelforce Dance which toured throughout Australia, Europe, Asia and North America reaching a total audience of 4 million people. His other work includes Irish Thunder for Busch Gardens and for television, the soundtrack for The Land of Sex and Sinners. Recently Calm has been Musical Director for Riverdance and is responsible for the hugely popular Celtic Dawn for Fáilte Ireland. Colm's qualifications include has an M.A. in Drama and Performance Studies at University College Dublin and is currently busy as Artistic Director of An Béal Binn and as Co-Director of Ember Productions www.emberproductions.ie. Colm remains a sought after artistic & musical and delighted that he not only has the time to teach on the Pusle College Degree Course but he took the time to talk to Pulse News about his successful career.

Q1. You studied music and dance from a very early age. Was music a big influence in your life growing up?

I was really lucky that I went to Scoil Oilibhéir, an Irish primary school in Coolmine. The teachers there have a wonderful interest in dance and music. There were loads of opportunities for the pupils because of the staff and the ancillary teachers. Most of the original dancers in Riverdance would have attended the O'Sé School of Irish Dance which has a long history with the school. I was never a brilliant dancer but it is an invaluable resource that I can call on when writing music for dance.

Q2. You are a highly trained musician, studying in the Royal Irish Academy of Music and The College of Music. Do you lean towards the theory or practical side of music?

I'd like to think that I'm practical but I suppose the exposure I've had to theory informs whatever I do. Most of the time it's not a conscious thing, it becomes intuitive. Music has a duality about it because it comes from somewhere between the heart and the head, while the initial starting point might be that moment of inspiration the rest of the process is probably more to do with perspiration.

Q3. You went off to study a B.Mus. in University Cork where you studied with Micheal Ó Suilleabháin. It must have been an amazing experience, tell us about it.

UCC, at that time, was the only course in Ireland that encouraged musicians of all genres and because of that we had the fantastic opportunity to explore African dance drumming, Javanese Gamelan and South Indian Konnakol as well as Jazz, trad and more conventional forms of Art music. This approach really suited me and has had a huge impact on the kind of music I make. Micheál Ó Suilleabháin was the main reason that I went to Cork though and I was really fortunate to have studied composition with him. Apart from being a brilliant pianist, he is also a gifted composer and arranger. His patience and generosity along with his amazing communicative and analytical skills make him an inspirational teacher.

Q4. You embarked on your first solo project Echoing in 1996/97. What was the influence behind its creation?

Before Echoing I worked with Catherine Consindine who was known for her work with Aslan, Mary Coughlin and many other high profile artists. She was one of the most sought after freelancers in Dublin. We went around looking for the right studios and the natural consensus was to go with Pulse College Studios. The influence behind Echoing was Riverdance, which was release about a year after Riverdance came to fruition. The concept was to fuse Irish Music with other elements. Exploring how the whole idea of Sean Nos might work with different musical styles was an exciting challenge from a musical point of view. There was no auto tune to record on, as a result a completely different approach as required to today's music production. Any time you had to edit you had to splice and drop the tape so there was no margin for error but you developed and craft art around it. The advent of protocols opened up endless possibilities and options.

Q5. You wrote, composed and directed Gaelforce Dance, a dance theatre show which opened in New Zealand and toured throughout Australia and Europe. How did the idea behind this project come about?

I worked with a flute player in Dublin called Carol, Ireland being such a small community, I just happened to bump into her in Australia. She was asked to work for the Original GealForce a sophisticated cabaret show. They wanted to transform it into a theatrical show that toured internationally, that's when I was asked to become involved. As a result of my background as a dancer I instinctively knew what they were looking for. My role was to compose, create and finish the orchestral score with only a 5 week turnaround. It was a tight time frame but turned out to be a great success

Q6. Gaelforce played to over 4 million people. What an achievement. How did it feel to have your creation become such an international success?

None of us realised what a success it was going to be because it all happened so fast. We were playing the most prestigious venues from The Royal Albert Hall to Carnegie Hall. When you're standing in such iconic venues when you not only performing on stage but the entire musical score that you composed is being played, you have to pinch yourself. It was important for me to take the time to stand back and appreciate that these are once in a lifetime moments that might not happen again. It's a very surreal.

Q7. You have travelled all over the world with your work are there any places or projects that stand out most in your mind?

On The 2nd of January 2010 I was commissioned to write a violin concerto for the Burren Symphony Orchestra. I got to the opportunity to work closely with Mairead Nesbitt who has an international reputation for her work with Celtic Women" and the "Lord of the Dance". It was an amazing experience to have a full symphony orchestra at my disposal playing my concerto. What made it even more special was that I was just the composer and was not performing. I got to just sit, enjoy and experience firsthand the positive reaction of the audience members to my work. The surroundings were also magical it was in a beautiful concert hall post Christmas and it was black tie, everyone was dressed up, it was a very special night.

Q8. Other high profile projects that you worked on include "Irish Thunder" and "The Land of Sex" and sinners. Tell about your role in these productions.

Irish Thunder was created with Busch Garden's the same corporation who own Budweiser and they have theme parks all over the US. Every 4 years I am commissioned to create a new production showcasing Irish culture. All of which so far has been recorded in Pulse and Windmill Lane Recording. It gave me a great opportunity to work with such great Irish Talent and show off that talent to an international audience. Because of the budget you are not put under such huge time constraints, which means you can experiment with different sounds and arrangements.

The Land of Sex and Sinners was a co commission between RTE and the Australian Film board. It was a 2 hr documentary on the history of the attitudes to sex from the stone age to present time. I wrote the sore for the production and in the end every scene was underscore. What made this a particularly interesting project to work on was that historical time periods had to be referenced in the music, but it still had to have a contemporary feel.

Q9. You were currently Musical director for one on Ireland's most Iconic production Riverdance. What was that experience like?

The great thing about Riverdance is that is that it is so internationally recognized that to say you were a musical director for the production needs no explanation. It is such a global brand that to be associated with it is a perceived mark of quality and it was great fun.

Q10. You currently teach on the Pulse Colleges' degree course. How did this collaboration come about?

Tony Perrey has eyes and ears to the musical ground. He went to great efforts to make sure I was happy in the studio. He very aware of what's happening in the industry as a result he saw that my musical work reflected the theory of my education. He identified an opportunity that I could work with Pulse College Students to help them develop a theoretical and analytical approach to their work. Teaching remains an interesting and exciting challenge.

Q11. What part of teaching do you find the most satisfying?

The energy and enthusiasm that students have, make teaching really rewarding. They are so engaging it's hard not feel inspired.

Q12. You yourself have taken the challenge of going back to college to study modern drama. How have you find life as a student?

I had been working in Theatre as far back as 1998, I went back to college to get more theoretic side of drama. This gave me a greater understanding of theatre production from a director's point of view which really enhanced my work. It was more difficult to go back as mature student thought; you put yourself under huge pressure on yourself. It's tough bur rewarding.

Q13. What are the top tips that you can give Pulse Students who are set to graduate next summer?

Every situation gives you the opportunity to learn something new. I have learnt more from working with people like Debbie Smith for example. She is so experienced and very kind and generous with both her time and talent. Every time students get the opportunity to work with someone likes Debbie it makes you be better at what you do.

Walking into a place like Windmill Lane Recording Studios and working with such talent it inspires you want to create the best work and it's important to always appreciate these moments and experience.

Pulse College: Term in Review

It's been a full term of events, successes and milestones. Pulse College came back to a new college year armed with a set of new dynamic courses in gaming and film. We have had the privilege of being nominated as the City and Guilds Bursary Centre and we have a number of high profile artists using our state of the art facilities. So much has taken place that it is appropriate to show case all the events in "Term in Review".


September:
Launch of Innovative Courses: 2010 saw the launch of new creative courses for Pulse Collage in the areas of Film, Gaming and short courses.

Game Design Game:
Game Design is emerging as an exciting area providing new employment opportunities in Ireland. To cater for this demand Pulse launched its innovative part time and full time Game Development Diploma. The distinguishing aspect of the course is that it is designed to follow the production pipeline from initial concept to delivery. Pulse aims to expose students to all areas of Game Development.

Scriptwriting:
Due to the phenomenal success of the Film Course's screenwriting module, Pulse College saw the need to add a Screen Writing Course to the dynamic course range. This course has been developed with the leadership of award winning writer/producer Farah Abushwesha with the aim to provide you with the tools to bring your script ideas to life.

Short Course:
Pulse College has developed a new dynamic range of new short courses, in the areas of Audio, Film and Gaming. With industry professionals on our lecture panel we aim to give practical, hands on courses designed for beginners / hobbyists, job seekers looking to upskill and professionals looking to retrain. See link attached for full listings www.pulsecollege.eu

Pulse Students to Receive Leonardo Grant:
Pulse College are delighted to announce that they have succeeded in securing funding from the Leonardo European Mobility Scheme 2010. This financial support will be used to give the lucky second year students the opportunity for a fully funded work placement in some of the UK's most prestigious digital media companies.

October:
Pulse Announces Short films to be translated onto the Big Screen:
Pulse College were delighted to announce htat the two film treatments by Mark Symmons and Paul Mahon from the full time Film Diploma course, were chosen to be produced into short films. This is part of Pulse College's ongoing commitment to hands on practical experience on all of their courses.

Rock and Roll Freak Circus Show Party Ends a Fantastic Pulse College Year:
As all Pulse students past and present are well aware, every year the first year students put an event pitch together with a theme and plan for the infamous end of year party. This year the proposals were of such a high standard that we took the decision to amalgamate two themes Rock and Roll Circus and Freak Show. Thanks to the talent, planning and coordination, this year's party was a resounding success. Michael Callaghan took the role of lead organiser ensuring every detail was covered.

Film Students help produce TV Ad for Pulse:
With Pulse College striving to give our students real world work experience, we could not think of a better way to advertise the college and the talent of our students than through an ad that was produced in-house. Our Full Time Film students stepped up to the challenge and took on the mammoth task of putting our Pulse TV ad together, which was aired on Sky, MTV and Comedy Central.

Pulse Student Eabha Hennessy receives City and Guilds Bursary 2010:
Eabha Hennessy was the lucky student nominated to receive the City and Guilds Bursary for 2010. Each year, only eight different countries are selected where the bursaries will be made available and Pulse College is proud to be the chosen centre for Ireland, we are delighted for Eabha.

November:
Pulse College Students join forces with the iconic Dionne Warwick for Peace Day:
Pulse College students were given the amazing opportunity to collaborate with such legendary names in the music industry from the iconic Dionne Warwick to Noel Eccles and Julie Feeney in the making of documentary "A Peace of Music". Grá Mór Phonic Records and Tarmak Films embarked on this epic musical documentary shot in Windmill Lane Studios in support of Peace one day.

Ableton & Novation Live Beats Series - Extra Dates added for Windmill Lane Recording!
Pulse College & Windmill Lane are delighted that Ableton and Novation have extended their "Live Beat Event" to include a date in Windmill Lane Recording Studios. After the success of the original Live Beats Series in Europe in September, Ableton and Novation decided to add 2 extra dates in Ireland one of which was Windmill Lane Recording Studios exclusive for Pulse College Students. Thavius and local Ableton and Novation demonstrators were on hand to answer questions and offer tips and tricks on how to get the most out of your software and hardware.

Windmill Lane Seminars Presents "The Mac as a Digital Audio Workstation":
Pulse College / Windmill Lane Recording Studios are delighted with the success of their first in ongoing series of free informative and interactive seminars hosted in Windmill Lane Recording Studios which took place on the 26th of November. The first seminar was entitled "The Mac as a Digital Audio Workstation" with Apple's chief engineer, Chris Jinks. With it being such a success we hope to have practical hands on workshops and seminars on a regular basis to help keep you up-to-date with all the technical trends and industry techniques.

December:
High profile artists choose the iconic Windmill Lane Recording Studios to record tracks:
We can exclusively reveal that the charismatic pop star Lady Gaga was busy recording for her upcoming album "Born this Way" at the iconic Windmill Lane Recording Studios just hours before she was to go onstage for her O2 Dublin Gig. As Ireland waited in baited breath for what was dubbed the concert of the year, the hard working performer was in Windmill Studio laying down the tracks for her new album. She was not the only celebrity to use the state of the art facilities, Westlife and the Kings of Leon's sound engineer took advantage of our expertise.