PLATTSBURGH — The Adirondack School of Recording Arts, founded by John Bradley, offers students a streamlined and focused course to enter the Audio Engineering and Music Production industry.
“It’s always been a dream of mine to start a studio,” John Bradley, BluVudu Productions and ASRA founder, said.
ASRA is an industry-certified eight-month Audio Engineering and Music Production course.
During this course, Bradley teaches the foundation of recording, editing, mixing, music production and the science of sound.
Upon completion of the course, students will receive an ASRA diploma and Logic Pro certification.
Bradley also helps students find internships and even job placements in the professional industry.
“If I were to have a mission statement, it would be: Teaching and building a strong foundation in audio engineering, and helping them find internships upon graduating,” Bradley said.
“Getting them into the business, that is the goal.”
This year, Aidan Hattier, ASRA student, has already been selected for the Narrators Casting List at Deyan Audio, one of the largest independent audio book publishing companies.
Successful internship opportunities were set up for one of last year’s students in Arizona at The Salt Mine Recording studios.
Students this year are looking at studios in New York City, Arizona and Atlanta.
“I knew it was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up on to gain valuable skills and experience I can count on to help start a career in audio. My goal is to record and edit audiobooks while working in the Atlanta area,” Hattier said.
Hattier’s favorite thing about the school is how “personal and hands on the lessons are.”
“Which allows me to learn more at a better pace than I would in a regular college course,” he said.
For Jacob Doner, another student who joined the ASRA for the career opportunities.
“This school is uniquely equipped to kick start my career in the audio industry. I have a goal to build a name for myself within the industry, and to eventually sell beats,” Doner said.
Doner hopes to one day open his own studio here in the Adirondacks.
ASRA is located in Beekmantown and classes run September to May, Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. 6 p.m.
“We have a very affordable tuition, never charge interest and let you make payments that work with your budget,” Bradley said.
“We want to make this accessible to everyone and anyone who has the drive to become a professional in the recording industry.”
ASRA is run out of BluVudu Productions New York recording studio, founded by Bradley himself, which has a sister studio in Chandler, Arizona.
The studios have been in operation since 2017 and the first round of classes in 2023.
“I would like to address Matt Rogers at AVCS and Mark Brown at CV-Tec for their unwavering support and helping me get this course off the ground,” Bradley said.
“Without these two, I’m not sure if it would be as far along as it is. So big thank you to these 2 area educators.”
Bradley also encourages local artists and bands to work with the students to offer them real-time and hands-on experience working with artists to record, edit and mix.
“I’d also like to give a big shout out to all of the artists who have come to work with the students and share their skills and experiences with them. I am humbled and thankful for all of you and your support of this program,” he said.
Working with local artists is one of Doner’s favorite aspects of the school.
“My favorite thing so far would have to be working with the amazing talent we’ve had the pleasure of recording,” he said.
The first time Bradley stepped foot in a recording studio was at 16-years-old, with friends in a band called ‘Face Rake’.
“We gave this guy Joe $1,000, and we recorded six songs. Going into that studio, I mean, we were so young, but it was like a new world,” he said.
Since then, Bradley has “never strayed from that feeling,” hoping to one day open his own studio.
“It has been a lifelong venture,” Bradley said.
Bradley said he would have benefited from a program like the ASRA when he was in High School.
“I wanted to create this here so my students do not go through the same journey I had,” he said.
“We are from a very underdeveloped area in a lot of ways. I graduated Beekmantown Central in 1999 with the award of most musical in my class, and told everyone I would bring something like ASRA and BluVudu Productions back here one day.”
The ASRA has been a personal mission of Bradley’s to provide the community with an affordable, industry certified audio engineering and music production course.
“Fast forward and 25 years later it’s in year two and going amazing,” he said.
Bradley received his Audio Engineering Degree in 2012 from the Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences and in 2019 he earned his Bachelor’s Degree Music Production from Full Sail University.
“I have put in the time to make this a reality. My degrees and my experience offer legitimacy. I have taught at bigger facilities and have a good network in the industry,” he said.
This has been a major plan in the works for Bradley, for a long time.
“Everything I did, I did to set myself up to be able to do this for them. There is no secret to it, I did it on my own. It took a lot of time and planning. Once I got back here, it still took six years before I was able to open the studio,” Bradley said.
“But I am living my dream. I am here because I want this to be my next project—THE project.”
Bradley’s idea is to use his studio to “give back,” to the “talented youth,” of the Adirondacks.
“I know that there are a lot of talented youth, and it is getting harder and harder for young people to leave the nest,” he said.
“But if it is in their backyard and affordable, they can utilize it.”
According to Bradley, if you “love” music and want to learn the “other side of the glass,” this is the program for you.
“You need to be a little obsessed. You have to love music, I know I do. My students do,” he said.