Music Tech at the Abbey Road Institute!

Leighton Park students recently had an exclusive behind-the-scenes experience at the Abbey Road Institute, one of the world’s most renowned centres for music production. The visit allowed the students to step into the world of professional sound engineering, offering them a unique, university-level understanding of the complex art of sound design and postproduction, delivered in a lecture-style format, but with the hands-on engagement of real-world professionals.

The day began with a tour of the institute’s main recording studio, where students witnessed firsthand the intense work of professionals currently recording soundtracks for popular TV shows. The group was able to observe the intricate process of how these productions come to life, gaining an understanding of the fast-paced, high-level work that goes on behind the scenes in the music industry.

Next, the students visited one of Abbey Road’s state-of-the-art mixing rooms, which boasts some of the best 3D sound mixing technology in the world. In this immersive environment, students learned how soundtracks are mixed in surround sound, creating cinematic experiences even for regular music tracks.

The students then took part in two hands-on workshops: one focused on sound repair and the other on postproduction sound. These practical sessions offered a deeper dive into the mechanics of audio engineering, with the chance to experiment with the equipment themselves, putting theory into practice and learning the same techniques used by professionals.

Dan Fisher-Wienesen, Leighton Park Music Technology teacher, noted the excitement in the room: “They had their eyes glued to everything!”.

For many of the students, this visit to the Abbey Road Institute was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore the world of sound engineering at the highest level. It not only deepened their curiosity of the craft but also inspired many to pursue Music Technology at A level at Leighton Park!