Permanent Exhibition - Sound Lab

Sound Lab invites your inner musician to come out and play - and we know there's one inside you, even if you don't!

In Sound Lab, that musician of yours can learn a hot guitar lick, mix a platinum record, or perform for an audience of thousands. Sound Lab is brimming with the latest in musical gear and audio technology. Its unique multimedia interactives guide visitors through an exploration of the tools of rock 'n' roll - electric guitars, drums, samplers, mixing consoles and more.

Here's what you'll find in Sound Lab:

Jam-O-Drum: In the middle of Sound Lab's main floor, under the 47-foot swooping ceiling, the Jam-O-Drum circle glows and pulsates to the rhythms played on it. The Jam-O-Drum is the heart of Sound Lab, recalling the early rhythms our ancestors played around the fire. You don't need any special skills to play it, other than the ones you'd bring to a conversation. Just listen, and then answer back.

Trios: We call the three tall structures on Sound Lab's main floor "trios." Each trio contains three interactive instruments, including guitar, bass, keyboard or drums. These instruments use sophisticated audio, computer graphics and MIDI to guide you through the activities you choose to suit your skill level, whether it's learning to play "Louie Louie" or finding out what a 12-bar blues is.

You can also choose to go without a lesson and just play the instrument - by yourself or with others in your trio. Acoustically optimized dividers in each trio let you play without disturbing anyone else.

Soundproof Rooms: Lining the walls are 12 acoustically isolated rooms that offer more privacy and an even wider range of activities than the trios. These rooms (also known as studio "pods") contain interactive instruments and gear as well as regular instruments, so that you can opt to take a lesson, jam with others in the room, or learn about vocals or the art of mixing. Special reverberation technology lets you adjust the sound in your studio so it’s as big as an amphitheater, or as intimate as a living room.

NEW! Check out our new state-of-the-art Jam Studio (in room B), where you can record your very own CD using drums, guitars, keyboards and vocals.

Demo Lab: The Demo Lab is a small club area within Sound Lab. It's the wild card in the Sound Lab deck. This is where you'll see presentations by musicians, dancers, recording engineers and others who want to share some of their musical experiences with you. You're also likely to see short films on related Sound Lab topics. Or you could find that we've turned up the dance music - so bring your dancing shoes!

Audio Technology Interactives: What's the big deal about digital recording? How do guitar players get such different sounds from each other? Can an audio engineer really fix it in the mix? Technology has played a huge role in the creation of the sounds of rock 'n' roll, whether in the recording studio on the bandstand. Find out more from interactives that explain the recording process, amps, samplers, effects pedals and microphones.

DJ Hallway: In the hands of a skilled DJ, two turntables can produce music that never would have been imagined a couple of decades ago. How do DJs make that scratching sound? Or move so seamlessly from one record to the next? Find out in DJ Hallway, between Demo Lab and On Stage.

Location : Experience Music Project Museum.

Museum Hours
Summer Hours (May 25, 2007 to September 3, 2007)
Open Daily 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Winter Hours (Sept 4, 2007 - May 23, 2008)
Open Daily
10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Closed Tuesdays.