Institute of Audio Research (IAR)
Locations: New York, NY
Degrees: Diploma
Programs: Audio Recording & Production, Advanced Media Production
Tuition Range: $16,015-$18,535
Visit Website
Located in New York City, the Institute of Audio Research is a career-focused trade school focusing on audio production and recording. It currently offers a comprehensive 900-hour course in Audio Recording & Production (covering Mixing, Ear Training/Acoustics, Music Business, Recording, Post Production and more), and an optional additional 300-hour Advanced Media Production course for graduates of the core program.
IAR is a career-oriented school with a rolling enrollment schedule, so new classes begin throughout the year. All programs culminate in diplomas. Tuition starts at $16,015 for the basic Audio Recording Program, going up to $18,535 for students who add on the advanced course. Tuition does not include fees or books.
Address
View Larger Map
Student Reviews
Located in New York City, the Institute of Audio Research is a career-focused trade school focusing on audio production and recording. It currently offers a comprehensive 900-hour course in Audio Recording & Production (covering Mixing, Ear Training/Acoustics, Music Business, Recording, Post Production and more), and an optional additional 300-hour Advanced Media Production course for graduates [...]
Review by Max B.
July 1, 2012 1Since graduation I have found work, but only on my own and have managed to become somewhat successful. I cannot really recommend the Institute and only as a supplement to an overall education, unless you are very young and absolutely clueless.
My advice to anyone thinking about attending audio school is to get as much education (internet), industry interaction (infield, intern) and information first about your chosen field of study, schools are expensive and often promise more than they can deliver. And chances are unless your a virtuoso, you’ll be interning and earning nothing for a few-many years after you graduate before you’ll earn any real income to survive-live doing it. But everyone is different, so take this with a grain of salt. Schools should really have a filtering process and not take anyone off the street with an impulsive short lived dream just to pay their bills, cause that puts many on a long road of disappointment.
Debt Accrued: $10,001 - $25,000
Review by Roger P.
June 25, 2012 4I graduated from I.A.R. the year of 2007-2008 and can say it did meet my upmost expectations just because i went in not knowing what to expect from the school and the people in and around it. i tried not to get my hopesup too high and just did it. That was the career I wanted to get into so just being accepted and attending the school enough for me. Since graduation I have found some work and internships but it most definitely was not easy at all, especially since the genre of music I make is hip-hop & R&B which is over-flowing with up and coming artist and people who swear they know everything they need to know about music and focus more on the image and reputation rather then the actual music itself, but if you stay focused and consistent you will eventually catch a break and find something worth while.
I would most certainly recommend going to I.A.R. or any other audio school/institute if thats what you want and you truly believe in it. If you are going to attend for any other reasons thinking you might catch a break by meeting someone there or jumping the gun by sucking up to teachers or anything like that you are just going to waste your time because at the end of the day it’s all business, starting from the school itself.
My advice to those are considering attend music school would be, if you are serious and passionate about it and on your career go ahead by all means keep moving forward, and you must go in knowing what you want out of it because i went in knowing what i wanted from that school which was knowledge on the technical and business side of the music industry. So if that is your choice and you have thought it threw completely and you are ready to work and thinking the most positive outcome no matter what then go for it, don’t think just do.
Debt Accrued: Less than $5,000
Found work after graduation? Yes
Review by Trevor M.
February 14, 2012 3I am a recent graduate of the Institute of Audio Research in Greenwich Village in the city. I graduated with honors with a degree in Audio Engineering (the only degree offered). Thankfully due to my parents and working at a tattoo shop previously I had no debts to worry about when I finished, but know some people who had it up to the cost of tuition around 17 thousand. When it comes to my expectations, I did not know what to really expect when I had first started, you kind of have this idea that your going to walk out and become this ultra beat making producer…not really the case. You really started with the basics of what a sound even is..that is when all people who only wanted to become ultra beat making producers really dropped off. It is a program that you gain out of it what you want to gain out of it. Since then I have found work at an independent record label in NJ and did some freelance audio for the NFL.
I would recommend the school if people knew exactly what they were getting into, a lot of music producers and engineers never even went to school for it and just walked into studios and paid their dues which is probably the most important thing about the industry. I would probably do it all over again and pay more attention to certain things I would want to get out of it and also work even more to try to get in with my teachers who work in the industry
Found work after graduation? Yes
Review by James B.
November 21, 2011 1I attended Institute of Audio Research, graduated on time, and won best sound design for our post production contest. Unfortunately, I do have student debt that I still need to pay off which is a little hard because the school didn’t live up to its means.
By this I mean I feel I put myself out there more then the school does for its students. We have to back ourselves up, I feel with out a school behind us. Since I graduated I have not found any work in the field. I have had 2 internships since then and didn’t get put on payroll for both due to not being able to afford for payroll.
I would not recommend Institute of Audio Research to others because its more of a half asses program and once you complete it, they give you the boot. I would do it all over again but at a different school with more experienced and caring teachers.
Review by Jungah A.
November 13, 2011 1I came all the way from South Korea to attend Institute of Audio Research in New York city in 2008. I graduated with honors. It was a challenge because I didn’t have any background with music or engineering, plus I’m Asian and a woman.
The instructors were great, very experienced in the music industry. Very knowledgeable, and classes were not too hard to follow either. After graduation, I first got an internship at BMI, after 9 months I got another internship at Universal Music Group’s Mastering studios. Then I interned 6 months at Island Def Jam Music. In total I interned for nearly 2 years and of course, unpaid.
I since transferred to a community college so that I can get a degree. I graduated there 3 months ago and I’ve been looking for an entry level job in the industry. I’ve been working as a bartender for the whole time till now.
I was so into pop music and was fascinated by big name artists and producers which is why I chose to intern at labels, so that I can be surrounded by them. But the reality was, there’s not much future in there for everybody and it’s not a bad idea to be practical and try different areas such as sound studios for films or commercials where there is better chance to grow and the industry is not shrinking as dramatically as music industry. I wish somebody told me that earlier.