Lee University student Joel Godsey has implemented new audio mixing technology into his senior project through a software called Dolby Atmos.

“East Tennessee might not be the first geographical area people think of when it comes to state-of-the-art recording studios, recording, and a professional approach to audio mixing, but we are excited about all that’s happening here at Lee, and it’s completely worth celebrating.” said Dr. Luke Gambill, coordinator of music business and assistant professor of music.

As music business majors approach their senior year, they have multiple options available to choose from for their senior project. One of them is producing a custom EP from scratch to final deliverables. According to Gambill, students have been doing this process for years, but Godsey decided to learn how to use Dolby Atmos, a program that is radically changing how people hear and perceive music and used this mixing technology to create a truly immersive sound for his listeners.

“Over my time at Lee, I’ve picked up many different skills, like bass, production, and mixing, and I wanted to produce a senior project that reflected all of these.” said Godsey. He invited Lee alum Kadison Beaver to co-produce this project with him, along with several friends to be featured in the EP. After spending many hours of laying down tracks, editing, and mixing he completed the stereo mixes and began working with Atmos.

Godsey wanted to use Atmos specifically for his song, “Iscariot,” which is an a cappella tune in the middle of a retro pop album. “Iscariot tells the story of the disciple’s heartache after Judas’ betrayal, and what better way to immerse the listener in their emotion than to literally place them all around you!” said Godsey.

With the help of Jim Baldree, professional mixing engineer and one of Lee’s internship supervisors, Godsey was able to execute his idea. “Iscariot” begins with one voice in the center soon joined by 10 others tightly around the solo voice. Baldree showed Godsey how to use Atmos to surround the listener gradually by intentionally placing “objects” of sound to make the piece more interesting. “I told Joel that Atmos is a great opportunity for him because it’s a new technology for everybody, including pro mixers mixing the biggest hits,” said Baldree.

“These are the types of experiences we are excited to have available for our students and to know there’s a next generation of music business leaders who are coming out of Lee University!” said Gambill.

For more information, visit Lee’s music business program.