The Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences (CRAS; www.cras.edu), the leading institution for audio engineering education, recently hosted an in-house event with acclaimed recording engineer, mixer, and record produce Bob Clearmountain and Apogee founder and CEO Betty Bennett with CRAS’ AES student section at the school’s Gilbert, Ariz. campus. The Apogee CRAS Takeover included Apogee product demos and interactive mix sessions, alongside more intimate student discussions. Clearmountain and Roger Robindoré hosted Dolby Atmos demos in CRAS Studio D. Apogee Product Specialist George Williams showcased Apogee products and answering student questions.
“It was gratifying to interact with the inspiring, dedicated and professional students I met during our recent visit to CRAS,” said Clearmountain. “I was impressed by the facilities, especially those offered as part of the broadcast audio curriculum. After my visit, I have high hopes for the rising generation of audio engineers.”
Added Bennett, “What an inspiration to encounter the young men and women of CRAS – the future of our audio industry. As much as technical expertise is important, I’m glad to see that the CRAS curriculum accentuates personal responsibility, professional etiquette and good old tenacity, a message I reinforced in my communication with the assembled student body. We at Apogee look forward to continued collaboration with CRAS.”
Apogee VIP Artist Theron “Neff-U” Feemster also showcased music production using an Apogee workflow. He discussed how he adapts his workflow to follow the inspiration, from hotel room to world-class studio. He shared his wisdom on how young producers/engineers can succeed in the very competitive industry they’re aspiring to join.
“It was a great honor and privilege to have the opportunity to take part in last week’s event,” said CRAS student William Walton. “Having the chance to observe Bob Clearmountain’s recent work in Dolby Atmos with him in the room to explain his process is a once in a lifetime opportunity that I am beyond grateful for. Bob, Betty, and Neff-U were the nicest people you could hope to meet. They were all an inspiration to me in the career path that I want to take upon graduation.”
CRAS had an interactive demo room set up in CRAS Studio B Live Room where students dissected an in-the-box mix that Clearmountain had done. They were able to hear the original multi tracks, and then hear the mix Bob did using Apogee plugins.
“One of the most thought provoking and insightful days of my life,” added CRAS student Jordan Cox. “It really was an honor to meet three caring and talented people that have all provided such a huge impact in the industry. I’m only in cycle two and I can’t believe I’ve been able to meet amazing industry icons such as these and have been able to learn so much from them.”
Clearmountain has worked with many prominent names in music, including Bruce Springsteen (mixing Springsteen’s “Born in the U.S.A.” and 25 other projects), The Rolling Stones (re-mixes of the singles “Miss You” and “Out of Tears”) as well as their “Tattoo You” album amongst over 20 album, movie, and concert video projects, Bryan Adams (producing and/or mixing nearly all of his albums since 1983), David Bowie, Roxy Music, Bryan Ferry, and 235 other artists. His most recent works include recording and mixing the Foo Fighters’ Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concerts from Wembley Stadium and the Los Angeles Forum and The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony for HBO.
Apogee provides its customers with an unparalleled experience by making the best professional audio devices in the world. Its products deliver ultimate sound quality, inspiring simplicity and incredible value. Apogee will continue to innovate and challenge old paradigms with new solutions that advance audio recording and elevate creativity.
“I walked away from the event feeling inspired,” said CRAS student Skye Riggs-Davis. “Betty said she looks for people with tenacity and a drive to work, to make it happen, essentially. She made me feel seen and valued. I’m really thankful that both her and Bob made time in their schedules to speak with us.”
The Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences is composed of two nearby campuses in Gilbert and Tempe, Ariz. A CRAS education includes broadcast audio, live sound, film and TV audio, music, and video game audio, all taught by award-winning instructors who have all excelled in their individual fields, including sound reinforcement, audio recording and production, digital recording, troubleshooting/maintenance, and music business.
CRAS structured programs and highly qualified teaching staff provide a professional and supportive atmosphere, which is complemented by its small class sizes allowing for individual instruction and assistance for students in engineering audio recordings. CRAS has been providing quality vocational training in audio recording for more than three decades. The curriculum and equipment are constantly being updated to keep pace with the rapid advancements in the music and sound recording industries. CRAS’ course offerings and subject matter have always centered around the skills and knowledge necessary for students’ success in the audio recording industries.
The 11-month program is designed to allow every student access to learn and train in all of the Conservatory’s studios which are comprised with state-of-the-art audio recording and mixing gear, the same equipment used in today’s finest studios and remote broadcast facilities, including Pro Tools Ultimate, API Legacy consoles, SSL AWS consoles, Studer Vista consoles, and much more. All students must complete a 280-hour industry internship to graduate from the Master Recording Program II that may ultimately lead to industry employment.
