Audio Professor Reshapes the MRT Program
By Daniela Perez | Observer Contributor
Photo by Betsabee Torres
John Little, 53, owns his own recording studio and is responsible for expanding the MRT program as well as providing more in-depth courses and professional equipment for students.
Before Little began teaching at MWCC, the Media Arts and Technology program offered only a general degree without a specific field concentration. In 2005, he was asked to work part-time as a teacher.
Little expanded the MRT program in 2009 so that there would be six different concentrations. He also rewrote the former audio classes as well as added three new audio concentrated classes.
“I believe that students will go further than me with the training that I provided to them,” said Little.
Several years later, he was given a full-time position and achieved department chair in 2013, putting him in charge of building the new studio rooms on the Gardner campus, as well as rewriting the entire curriculum for audio engineers, making it the first concentrated MRT field at MWCC.
“I’m waiting for the day for a graduate to come back and tell me how much more money they make than I do,” said Little.
One of the basement-level studios features a customized $38,000 soundboard as well as high quality speakers and monitors.
Little picked out some of the greatest microphones and software used in the audio industry, including the highest level of Pro Tools.
Little has been playing the drums since he was ten years old, which inspired him to become a musician. He was offered a two week course at Southern New Hampshire University as a high school sophomore.
Sound recording and mixing was one of the required classes, which made Little realize that he had found a passion for mixing and soon made it his goal to become an audio engineer.
However, Little was convinced to follow video production instead of audio because the video industry was a new concept and companies were looking for videographers at the time. Little decided to attend MWCC to get his associates in video. After receiving his associates, he attended Fitchburg State University.
He built his recording studio, Up Side Sound Records, in 1986 while attending FSU to pursue his bachelor’s in communications. After graduating, Little joined a television crew as an intern for Entertainment Tonight.
He was soon hired for the TV show and worked there for two years, where he had the opportunity to meet Adam Sandler and a few U.S. presidents.
Despite knowing that 30 million people watch the show, Little said he would never get nervous around cameras because he was confident in his work.
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