Top 5 Reasons to Study Music in Sydney
A beautiful and vibrant city, Sydney is the heart of the music industry in Australia, home to the offices of major and independent labels, our largest festivals and events, and the stomping ground of some of our most successful and brightest young artists and producers. So, if you’re looking to study music production, Sydney is the place to be!
Here are our Top 5 reasons why you should study music production in Sydney.
1. The Heart of the Australian Music Industry
Sydney is a mecca for musicians and artists looking for a team that can take them to global superstardom. Home to labels, streaming platforms, creative agencies, distributors, touring companies, radio stations and industry influencers, you have all the pieces of the puzzle at your disposal. Take a stroll through the CBD and inner suburbs and you’ll run into the offices of Universal Music Australia, Sony Music Australia, Spotify, triple j and many more businesses large and small.
Sydney is also home to some of Australia’s best talent from young, up-and-coming artists such as grentperez, A.GIRL and triple j Unearthed winners The Rions, to superstars like Delta Goodrem and The Kid LAROI. You’ll find a gig at just about every venue around town each weekend with the large number of talented musicians living in The Harbour City.
2. Live Music, Festivals and Events
Whether you’re looking for rock, hip-hop, jazz or classical music, there’s a venue for you in Sydney. Well known for its major venues such as the Enmore Theatre, Qudos Bank Arena and of course the iconic Sydney Opera House, there are also hundreds of venues across Greater Sydney dedicated to showcasing the best local talent around town. So next time you’re on Oxford Street, check out who’s playing at the Oxford Arts Factory, or swing past The Lansdowne or Lazybones Lounge if you’re in the musical hub of the Inner West.
Living in Sydney, you also have the country’s best festivals at your doorstep, such as Field Day and recently announce SXSW Sydney. Or for those who enjoy road trips, you can drive up to Byron Bay and enjoy two of Australia’s most iconic festivals: Splendour in the Grass and Bluesfest. There are also plenty of musical and artistic performances during Sydney’s favourite light show VIVID, while those with broader entertainment tastes will have plenty to cheer about during Sydney’s Film and Comedy Festivals.
Field Day 2015 (Credit: Royal Botanic Garden Sydney)
3. A Variety of Origins and Backstories
The music scene in Sydney stretches out far beyond the Blue Mountains, Central Coast and Wollongong, and so do the cultures and origins. Each of these regions is home to a completely different scene, showcasing how diverse our artists and creatives are.
Recently, we had a guest masterclass from Western Sydney hip-hop icon L-FRESH The LION, who spoke on the importance of representing your area and building a community that’s truly invested in your art. For an in-depth read into the history of hip-hop in Western Sydney, check out this article from Red Bull in 2019.
L-FRESH The LION at ARI Campus
Being the city by the shore, surf rock has been played around the pubs of The Shire, the Northern Beaches and up and down the NSW coast for decades. While not exclusively a rock-only scene, it’s a safe bet that some of the best bands at capturing the essence of summer and surf earned their chops at venues around these beaches. No doubt you would have turned on triple j and heard the likes of Hockey Dad, Skeggs, The Terrys and Hottest 100 winners Ocean Alley, all originating from a coastline near you.
While we can’t name every genre and pocket across Sydney, we’d be remiss to leave out the electronic and rave scene. Dating back to the late-80s, Sydney – once coined the “dance capital of the world” – pioneered the rave scene with events happening around the city every night of the week. Vacant warehouses were turned into clubs and these exclusive parties were able to attract people in the thousands. Sadly, raves like these are difficult to find these days, but there are still clubs and events celebrating the DJs, artists and music that these parties were built on.
READ MORE: An Oral History of the Rise and Fall of Sydney’s Once-Magical Club Scene (VICE)
Freequency party hosted by Vibe Tribe in 1995 (Credit: Matthew Spong)
4. A Culture of Creativity and Collaboration
Sydney is a hub of creativity with so many artists across so many different disciplines. It’s easy to collaborate and work with local artists thanks to this connected city and there are plenty of spaces that make creating as easy as possible.
Located in the Inner West you’ll find spaces like FLOW STUDIOS and Woodburn Creatives which offer shared workspaces catering to creatives and fostering collaboration between. Both offer large spaces perfect for performances, music video shoots and exhibitions, and private studio hire for creative practices. Co-working in these “blank-canvas” environments provides the opportunity to connect with like-minded creatives across a variety of disciplines and “the freedom to explore, express, produce and unleash whatever it is that you do.
FLOW STUDIOS, Camperdown
Woodburn Creatives, Redfern
5. The Largest Studio in the Southern Hemisphere
Studios 301 is your home for the best recording experience in Australia. Frequented by major labels and independent artists, Studios 301 boasts the title of largest studio facility in the southern hemisphere. With state-of-the-art equipment and leading technology including Dolby Atmos, this recording space has everything to take your music to the next level.
By studying at Abbey Road Institute Sydney, you gain access to exclusive production suites within Studios 301, as well as workshops, masterclasses and Industry Accesses from some of Sydney’s award-winning producers and engineers. You’ll also become part of a global network of industry professionals and part of the local Studios 301 community which regularly hosts industry and networking events.
Studio 2
Find out more about Abbey Road Institute and Studios 301’s partnership and our industry-created CUA60520 Advanced Diploma of Music. You can also join us for an Online Info Session and Industry Access on Tuesday, November 29 where you have the opportunity to meet our lead trainer Stefan Du Randt (credits include Mac Miller, Kimbra, Katy Perry) and CEO and Campus Manager Ron Haryanto.
