The SAE Institute (School of Audio Engineering) has announced the launch and availability of the Audient ASP4816 Simulator, a new Mac-based digital tool designed to provide students with remote access to a fully functional, audio capable, photo realistic simulation of the small-format Audient ASP4816 console that’s available free (here).
“I designed the software as a teaching tool to allow students to learn the signal flow of the ASP4816 and practice using the console while off-campus,” explains Mark Bassett, who conceived the tool and serves as Director of Academic Quality Assurance for Licensed Territories at SAE Creative Media Institute. “The simulator was created by taking a high-resolution photo of the console and programming it to function from a UI perspective, so the interaction is as authentic as possible to the physical console; all the dials, switches, lights, and faders are visually and functionally identical to the real thing.
“Once the console is ‘visually functional’, it;s then programmed to function from an audio signal processing perspective so that it replicates the audio functions of the physical console,” Bassett continues. “Learning and teaching assets and modes of operation are then added.”
Because it’s a digital simulation, students can’t connect microphones to the console, so Bassett created an Audio Inputs feature to allow students load audio files to function as microphone inputs or as digital audio workstation inputs. The simulator also incorporates interactive tutorials and custom console scenarios to help walk students through signal flow and routing, as well as the desk’s features. “I chose the ASP4816 as it is one of the most deployed consoles throughout SAE globally,” he adds.
Audient Marketing Director Andy Allen states, “Audient consoles are teaching the next generation of audio engineers across the globe, thanks to their logical layout, easy to teach signal flow and intuitive user interface. We are delighted that Mark and the SAE Institute have chosen an Audient desk for this pioneering project and especially pleased that the SAE Audient ASP4816 Simulator software is in the public domain.”
Although it was COVID that created the impetus to fast-track the development of the technology this year, Bassett has been busy developing interactive education software for over a decade, with his earliest prototype console simulations dating back to 2015. When asked as to whether there are similar projects in the pipeline, he replies, “Yes, but we can’t elaborate at this stage.”
Again, download the Mac-based SAE Audient ASP4816 Simulator software here.
