It’s going through a transformation.
According to AbbeyRoad.com Abbey Road Studios was established in 1929 as the Gramophone Company. Originally, the facility started off as a 9 bedroom townhouse built in 1831 and after its purchase in 1931, a recording studio was constructed at the rear of the building. That very same year it merged with the Columbia Gramophone Company forming Electric and Musical Industries, EMI Studios.
Since its inception, Abbey Road Studios has been host to world class artists such as Oasis, Pink Floyd, Ed Sheeran, Adele, and of course The Beatles. Many innovations were created at Abbey Roads by the Record Engineering Development Department including Artificial Double Tracking and stereo, which was patented by engineer Alan Blumlein in 1931. The studio measures 52 feet x 92 feet, includes a 40-foot-high ceiling and can easily accommodate up to a 110 piece orchestra and a 110 piece of choir.
Modern day Abbey Road Studios has been the go to place for more than just recording record albums, it’s been used for scoring films such as Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Star Wars, Harry Potter among others. It’s also been the place for scoring video games such Halo, Call of Duty, World of Warcraft and others. Abbey Road offers such a rich history that sometimes, it’s just a little intimidating, especially for young artists coming to the studio.
They’ve been working on changing that image and making the studio a more welcoming place for young artists. One of the new changes is the Amplify program, which is an artist accelerator providing workshops and mentoring. Another program called Equalise looks to address gender imbalance within the music industry. In addition, working hours have been made more flexible and costs more affordable.
The studio is on a mission to inspire the next generation of artists. Studio spaces are being renovated and new gear brought in to inspire creativity. You can check out the article by MusicRadar.com to see the list of unique gear now calling Abbey Road Studios home.