Welcome to the Academy Of Sound. Established in 2003, the townhouse studio is located in Dublin city centre just five minutes walk from St. Stephen’s Green and Grafton Street.
We focus on sound recording & production techniques. We study recording & mix engineering, midi programming, music production, studio sound, live sound, audio post production, sound design for film, tv & radio broadcast, mixing and mastering, record company A&R, music contracts, publishing, home studio design, independent music release & employment opportunities.
Our courses in Sound Engineering & Music Technology range from Introductory to the Advanced Diploma and to the Recording, Mixing & Mastering Award. Some of our hybrid courses are also available online via distance learning.
Aidan McGovern, Director, is an award winning engineer. He has worked in studios worldwide with artists including the Cranberries, Lisa Stansfield, the Irish National Symphony Orchestra, Elmer Bernstein, Eric Clapton, Chieftains, Sinead O’Connor, U2, Elvis Costello, Soda Blonde and many more. Aidan has worked as an A&R Consultant for major labels BMG International and Arista NY.
Having studied Music Technology at Carleton University, Canada, Aidan trained for four years under Brian Masterson, renowned orchestral engineer. Aidan then engineered for producers Ian Devaney, Stephen Street and Peter Mokran.
Aidan has engineered and mixed at the following studios worldwide:
Dublin: Windmill Lane Studios (the original), London: Air Studios, Gracieland Studios, Mayfair Studios, Metropolis Studios, Townhouse Studios, Whitfield Street Studios, New York: The Hit Factory, Sony Studios, Los Angeles: Capitol Studios, Conway Studios, Ocean Way Studios.
Our courses include no more than three students per class. Students experience professional hands-on and online tuition. We hold occasional field lectures at various sound & film venues.
The Team at Academy of Sound includes Aidan (Director, Tutor), Tanja Thomas (Project Manager, Music Video Director, Film Sound Design Tutor) & Dr Jeff Timoney (Internal Verifier, Electronic Music Producer, Lecturer) offering our students an opportunity to excel.
Our students have the opportunity to record classically trained musicians and to receive industry insights and expertise from guest lecturers including Peter Joyce (TCD RIAM), Dr Jeff Timoney (RCSI), Margaret Bridge (TCD), Niall Shortall (NJM Technology).
Academy Of Sound students have achieved work placements with various industry professionals including IMRO, The Cauldron Studio, Masterlabs, Blackbird Studios Nashville, Audio Post London, Egg Post, Beacon Studio Dublin, Electrical Studio in Chicago owned by Steve Albini (Nirvana), Oscar Nominees Element Pictures, Oscar Nominees Brown Bag Films, 3 Arena, Olympia, Windmill Lane Pictures, RTE and TV3.
The Academy Of Sound is approved by: AES Audio Engineering Society, AMS Neve, Apple, Avid Digidesign, City&Guilds International (Centre 723018), Empirical Labs, Eventide, IMRO, ITMA, Royal Irish Academy of Music, Rupert Neve Designs, Solid State Logic.
