Introducing Abbey Road Institute Lecturer Jason O’Bryan
Hi Jason, thanks for taking the time for this interview.
Firstly, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
I have been involved in music production and sound engineering for about 30 years. I began playing bass and was fortunate enough to join a band just as they were getting signed to a major deal, I had only been playing bass for a few months at that point! Through the deal, I got exposure to the studios in London, and I think I was slowly becoming more interested in the technology (after a few months of the bass). At around that time dance music was kicking off in the UK, and I quickly realised that with the technology you could be pretty independent musically so I started to build my first home studio. I became the head engineer at a local studio in Surrey and through being placed there I met Barry Ashworth who had just started the Dub Pistols, we began working on remixes with him to start with and then our own material. That eventually lead to us touring and getting signed by Jimmy Iovine to Geffen in America. I did that for about 15 years then I moved to Jakarta, Indonesia.
What’s your role at Abbey Road Institute – what’s your area of specialisation?
I am a lecturer at the Institute, thanks initially to the recommendation of Steve Lillywhite who I met whilst based in Jakarta, I teach the software side of things predominantly, I am a certified Pro Tools and Logic X instructor, but I also teach Ableton, Melodyne, iZotope as well as quite a few other subjects!
Can you share a couple of highlights from teaching at Abbey Road Institute over the last year?
It’s been full of highlights all the way. I am so fortunate to work here, I suppose if I had to pick a few it would be recording orchestras in Studio One with the students, or sitting in Studio Two with the students and Giles Martin when Haydn Bendall (Kate Bush’s producer) came down to do a guest lecture, but mainly meeting all the talented people who work here.
We’d love to find out more about your work outside of ARI, any personal highlights you’d like to share with us?
Most of these would be as part of the Dub Pistols, some that stand out are working in Mexico with Molotov on the soundtrack to Alfonso Cuaran’s ‘Y Tu Mama Tambien’. Signing to Geffen, having our music in Zoolander! touring America on the Warped Tour with Blink 182, remixing Korn, Lily Allen, Moby and Ian Brown, recording with Terry Hall and Gregory Isaacs and supporting The Specials on their reunion tour.
What do you think the Abbey Road Institute diploma offers that’s different from other sound engineering and music production courses?
It’s a unique experience in so many ways, the location, the calibre of guest lecturers and access to Abbey Road Studios for classes is pretty amazing, there aren’t many places you get to record a full orchestra!
Do you have any tips for future students wanting to apply to ARI?
Well if you’re serious about sound engineering and production there isn’t a better place to study, I can’t put it any simpler than that!
Apply to join our next course
Find out more and make an application to our Advanced Diploma in Music Production and Sound Engineering here. Applications will be closing soon for our next intake at the end of February. If you’d like to meet us and ask questions about the course please get in touch!
