Teaching : Recording Arts and Technology

In 1979, I was appointed to succeed John Borwick as Lecturer in Recording Techniques at the University of Surrey and was responsible there for the Tonmeister degree and diploma. From 1983 to 1999 I was Director of Recording Arts at the Indiana University School of Music, Bloomington, Indiana. At Indiana University I established and developed two degree programmes in sound recording, remaining at the same time active as a producer of recordings. I subsequently filled similar roles at the University of North Texas and The Art Institute, Houston.

David Pickett with George Martin and students

David Pickett with Beatles producer George Martin and students at the University of Surrey

University of Surrey Department of Music, Guildford, England (1979–1983)

Lecturer in Recording Techniques and Director of Tonmeister Studies

With Sir Georg Solti, President of the Association of Professional Recording Studios, inspecting student projects entered for the APRS Jacques Levy Memorial Award

I followed John Borwick as Director of Tonmeister Studies at the University of Surrey. I taught Recording Techology, pioneered a course in Technical Listening and supervised student internships". My former students at the University of Surrey include:

Andrew Beer, VP Technology, Spafax, Hollywood, CA

Benedict Fenner, Recording Engineer, Owner Inhouse Sound

Dave Foister, AV Manager, Guildhall School of Music & Drama

Daniel Fournier, Composer / Mastering Engineer, UltraSonique Audio, Queensland, Australia

John Fredericks, Technical and Commercial Consultant

Erdo Groot, Director, Producer and Engineer, Polyhymnia International, Netherlands

Mike Hatch, Recording Engineer and co-founder of Floating Earth

David Mellor, Recording Engineer and Teacher, Audio Masterclass

Francis Rumsey, Consultant Technical Writer and Editor

Indiana University School of Music, Bloomington, Indiana, USA (1983–1999)

Director of Recording Arts and Professor of Music

“The most portentous appointment of 1983 (signalling as it did a new level of attentiveness to electronic technology in the School) was that of David Pickett, who was the School’s first professorial-level appointee in recording arts; by 1990 he had developed a degree program in Audio Recording.” – George M. Logan: The Indiana University School of Music: a History (Indiana University Press, 2000, p. 273)

Among my former students at Indiana University are:

Jonathan Bach, Producer and Game Designer, Electronic Arts, CA

Jake Belser, Recording Engineer and Owner, Primary Sound Studios, Bloomington, IN

Audrey Bentham, Primary audio engineer for Fresh Air at WHYY, Philadelphia, PA

Cornelius Boots, Musician, composer, teacher and audio producer, Oakland, CA

Brian Bowman, Recording Engineer, US Navy Band, Washington, DC

Andrew Dawson, Sound Supervisor, Universal Creative Services, CA

Esther (Luna) DeLozier, Producer, Engineer, Ethnomusicologist

Leslie Gaston-Bird, Mix Messiah Productions, Denver, CO

Dan Gellert, Studio Express, Beverly Hills, CA

Larry Goodman, Senior Account Manager, Xytech Systems, Burbank, CA

Travis Gregg, Coordinator of Audio Production, Indiana University School of Music

Jeff Mee, Freelance Recording Engineer, formerly with Delos Records,
Los Angeles, CA

Jennifer Munson, WNYC, NY, NY

John Nuner, Associate Faculty, Audio Technology, Indiana University, South Bend

Joseph M. Palmaccio, Mastering Engineer, “The Place...For Mastering”,
Nashville, TN

Mark Plati, Producer, Engineer and Musician based in New York City

Kevin Shima, Recording Engineer and Producer, Musician and Teacher, OH

Sherene Strausberg, Composer, Musician, Engineer, Designer, Los Angeles, CA

Konrad Strauss, Recording Engineer, Chair of Department of Audio Engineering and Sound Production and Professor of Music, Indiana University School of Music

Michael Stucker, Assistant Professor of Music, Indiana University School of Music

Li Teo, Consultant/Recording Engineer, Independent Classical Productions, Singapore

Andres Villalta, Recording Specialist, Department of Music, Princeton University, NJ, and Freelance Producer/Classical Engineer

Shane D. Wilson, Recording Engineer, TN

University of North Texas, College of Music, Denton, Texas, USA (2006–2008)

Professor of Music and Manager of Recording Services

In addition to teaching I supervised the concert recording and Recording Services, engineered and produced sessions with students and faculty (see list of CDs).