Everything you need to know about the headline grabbing industry partnership.
Studio 301 and Abbey Road Institute are partnering in Sydney to offer a one-year Advanced Diploma in Music Production starting in June 2021. This course offering brings together the highest level of music production education, conceived at Abbey Road Studios in London, with the multi-million-dollar revamp of Australia’s most iconic recording studio.
The intensive and immersive education experience designed for aspiring music producers and engineers, offers integration with a real-world working environment as a preparation for the fast-paced music industry.
We recently had the opportunity to catch up with Ron Haryanto, General Manager of Studio 301, to discuss the partnership, and to find out what students can expect from this unique opportunity to train with the professionals.
I suggest to Ron that the most exciting thing about the integration of Abbey Road Institute and Studios 301 is the potential to offer students experience in a professional context, and the potential opportunities for their integration into Studio 301’s diverse professional music community.
“I think you’ve hit the nail on the head there” says Ron. “We’re really trying to integrate people back into industry specifically. What they’ve discovered overseas with Abbey Road Institute and similar partnerships, is that that this model really produces great outcomes for students.
“I’ve been working towards building a really functional community around Studio 301’s new facility. The idea of producers coming through and doing an advanced diploma in music production via Abbey Road Institute, and then being integrated back into this community is really exciting for me.”
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The basis of the design of the program harks back to a bygone era, when producers and engineers rose through the ranks working within professional recording studios.
“Studio 301 traditionally has that old-school feel of the way that our hierarchy works with engineers and our own training process. Bringing Abbey Road Institute into the mix just adds another dimension to it.” Ron suggests.
So, how do you integrate together a teaching facility and a professional studio?
“The whole of the mezzanine level of Studio 301 is currently being re-modelled into the Abbey Road Institute” Ron explains. “Upstairs will have a large classroom, along with a range of break-out rooms and offices. Downstairs is the studio facility, and within the studios students will have exclusive 24-hour access to two production suites.”
What sort of numbers of students are you looking to bring into this experience each year?
“We’re aiming for our first cohort next year to be around twelve students. Then from there we’re scaling for cohorts of around twenty. It is definitely a fairly boutique offering.
“We’re looking for people that have a keen interest in production specifically, and have well-rounded experience, but they also need to be able to play an instrument and understand music holistically. That’s the kind of producer that we think would have the best prospects moving into the industry”.
So how will the interning aspect of the Advanced Diploma work?
“The two businesses will be running their own race” says Ron. “When it comes to the interning there will definitely be opportunities, but students will still have to come back through the Studio 301 system. Involvement in Abbey Road Institute is definitely the icebreaker, and the door into that space.
“The unique difference that we can offer is having the businesses so close it allows students the opportunity to gain an appreciation of acknowledging that industry is here, and this is how industry behave in a professional environment. The objective is to give students a realistic understanding of the working environment they’re going into.”
The working environment that these students will be introduced to is definitely at the high-end of any facilities within Australia. The technical specifications of Studio 301 are seriously impressive. Studio 1 offers the classic large studio experience, with a 78 channel Neve 88R console, paired with a 180 square metre orchestral room. Studio 2 utilises an SSL 9000 K Series console, while Studio 3 boasts a Custom Series 75 Neve 24/24 console. This combined with an extensive list of hardware and software is any producer’s dream working environment.
“The Studio 301 facility has twelve studios altogether” says Ron. “Apart from the three main studios, there are three mastering suites and a range of other production and digitisation suites. The production and digitisation suites are leased by producers on long-term tenancies, while the day-rate studio client list has recently included artists like Cold Chisel, Delta Goodrem and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.”
Just one last question… How much does a 78 channel Neve console cost?
“It depends…fully functioning in terms of the state that ours are in I would easily say half a million,” Ron laughs.
“We have two full-time technicians that maintain our desks, so there is a bit of difference between what we have here, and something that’s been in storage for a while.”
The Abbey Road Institute and Studio 301 partnership offers students the opportunity to hone their skills in an environment that should give them the competitive edge in a highly competitive field. Ron’s enthusiasm for the project is obvious, and the place that the partnership has in the development of his vision for Studio 301 fits perfectly.
“The Abbey Road partnership just makes this space such a well-rounded offering for the community overall,” he says.
Get a sneak peek into Studios 301 at the Abbey Road Institute Open Day on February Saturday 14. To find out more about the Abbey Road Institute, head to their website.
