Behind The Scenes of Our Flagship School: Abbey Road Institute London

Welcome to Abbey Road Institute London, the first of our music production schools, which opened in 2015. Watch our short film and read on to learn about the origins of Abbey Road Institute London, our flagship school. Meet the team and some of our students and alumni who share insights into what and how we teach.

Our Origins At Abbey Road Studios

The London Institute is where it all started. Our founding team worked with producers, engineers and colleagues at Abbey Road, along with our wider music industry network, to create an industry-focused curriculum. An education that hones in on the practical, technical, creative, problem-solving, and collaborative skills needed to succeed in the music industry. Combined with a pace, intensity and approach to teaching that mirrors the reality of the working world.

This set us on the path to launching our flagship school in September 2015 with our first intake of students. At that time, our tech lab, mixing studio and production suites were located inside number 5 Abbey Road, the house owned by and adjacent to the Studio. The live room and control room of our ‘Custom 75 Studio’ were, and remain today, inside the main studio.

Outgrowing Capacity at Abbey Road

In the following years, demand for our specialist training has grown substantially. It was fundamental that we find a suitable space in London that would allow us to expand our industry-standard facilities and train more students. In early 2021, we secured and revived the beautiful Angel Recording Studios in Islington, North London. This enabled us to move into another iconic recording studio with a unique history and important role within the London music scene. Our students learn in dedicated facilities alongside a commercial studio in a set-up not dissimilar to that at Abbey Road. The move allowed us to add an extra Tech Lab, Production Suite, and Atmos Suite and provide two dedicated studios for our students.

Expansion Of Our Portfolio

The move into our Islington home has seen our capacity grow and our portfolio of courses expand. These now include the Song Production Masterclass, Advanced Diploma in Audio Post Production for Film & TV and the Drums Recording Masterclass.

The commercial studio, Angel One, has welcomed many clients since we reopened. These include Jacob Collier, Sam Smith and Kim Petras, Cat Burns and projects such as Wonka, Pain Hustlers, and Magic Mike 3, along with the upcoming ‘Beetlejuice 2’, set for release later in 2024. Graduates from our Music Production Diploma can apply for a one-year work placement at Angel. This gives many a stepping stone into the commercial studio scene in London. It fosters further opportunities for networking and other routes into the industry.

Billboard Success at Abbey Road Institute

Discover more about our flagship school in our news story celebrating Abbey Road Institute being selected for the fourth year running as one of Billboard’s Top Music Business Schools 2023.

If you’re interested in understanding how a school can successfully integrate into and complement a commercial studio, get in touch. In addition to London, we have further schools that operate within an existing studio business, with classes, teaching, and sessions happening side by side.

Contact us via licensing@abbeyroadinstitute.com or using the ‘Contact’ button at the top of the page.

This short film was created and filmed by the brilliant Shootlab. Visit: https://www.shootlab.co.uk/