Découvrir les options de financement
.png)
Joe Amstrong
London
@00racle
When Joe Armstrong joined Sound Academy, he was already producing, mixing, and recording his own music—but only “in the box.” His previous time in studios consisted mostly of shadowing engineers in places like West London Music Studio, That Sound Studio, and even a day at the legendary AIR Studios. Although these experiences exposed him to professional environments, they rarely allowed him to get hands-on. As he put it, he spent most days “running cables, getting mics out of the cupboard, and watching from the sidelines.”
Joe wanted more. What drew him to Sound Academy was the promise of real, practical experience with studio gear—something he hadn’t been able to get anywhere else. “I just wanted to get more hands-on with the equipment,” he explains. “Sound Academy was the first place that actually let me use the desk, set up microphones, work the patch bay, and really understand signal flow.”
Joe remembers walking into Snap Studios on the first day feeling excited. He had heard of Snap long before enrolling, and stepping inside didn’t disappoint. “It’s a beautiful studio. You walk in and immediately see the gorgeous desk and live room,” he says. More importantly, he felt welcomed. “Everyone was really nice, especially Eoghan and Marco.”
Working closely with instructors Eoghan and Marco shaped Joe’s experience in meaningful ways. Eoghan fostered a relaxed and open classroom atmosphere, where students felt comfortable being themselves, asking questions, and experimenting. Marco, on the other hand, provided invaluable industry knowledge and broadened the group’s understanding of the professional world. “He’s a really smart guy. We learned a lot from him.”
One of Joe’s favorite parts of the course was the community he built. The entire class got along from day one, naturally supporting each other’s projects and growth. The connection was so strong that months after graduating, they organized their own reunion. Joe even began collaborating with a classmate, Eloise, mixing one of her tracks after the course ended.
“Class got along great, everyone was really interested in each other's projects and learning from each other, we’re having a class reunion this weekend that was just organized amongst each other. Outside the course I am doing work with one of my classmates Eloise, I actually mixed one of her tracks. That kind of community is exactly what Sound Academy aims to create,” Joe said.
When asked about specific memories, Joe recalled the morning listening sessions—choosing a track, playing it through, and breaking down every detail together. “We’d talk for twenty minutes about just one track. How did they achieve that sound? What techniques might they have used? I loved that.” These discussions sharpened Joe’s ears and deepened his artistic understanding—skills he now uses in his own studio work.
The most challenging part of the course for Joe was mastering the patch bay, mic setups, and broader signal flow. But, in his words, “Most improved skills in recording, I did not know the difference between mics and different micing techniques prior to the course as well as mastering. I am able to master tracks now that I was unable to do before the course. That was the stuff I was there to learn the most.”
By the end, recording became one of his strongest skills, and even though he already used Pro Tools prior to joining, he still expanded his abilities—especially when it came to recording workflows and mastering.
Today, Joe shares a studio space of his own and is actively building a client base while applying for roles in professional studios. He feels far more confident stepping into engineering environments now, equipped not only with practical skills but with a network of mentors and peers. He continues to stay in touch with instructor Eoghan, who provides ongoing feedback on his latest mixes and career advice—relationships that Joe deeply values.
When asked what he would say to someone considering the course, he doesn’t hesitate:
“Do it. As long as you’re serious about wanting to do this, there’s no reason not to.”
Joe’s journey reflects exactly what Sound Academy exists to create: hands-on skills, meaningful connections, industry insight, and the confidence to pursue a career in music. He walked in looking for experience—and left with a community, a clearer direction, and the tools to push his career forward. We can assist your career as we assisted Joe, you just have to take that step forward.
Our practical and accelerated courses in Audio Engineering and Production have proven results, your career can be next. Visit our website or social media and schedule an interview with us.
