API 1608 console for Blackbird Academy, Nashville

Sound engineering students at the new Blackbird Academy recording school in Nashville, Tennessee now have access to an API 1608 analogue desk.

The Academy is located at Blackbird Studio, and offers a 24-week Studio Engineering Program, with facilities consisting of three recording studios and a large main laboratory/studio dedicated full-time to education. The Learning Laboratory seats 30 students and is an audio production space in its own right.

“We chose the API 1608 for a number of reasons,” said John McBride, who owns and operates Blackbird Studio alongside his wife, country music singer Martina McBride. “The 1608 is easy to use, it has a great sound, and it’s an excellent tool to teach students signal flow. We already have a couple of 1608s at Blackbird, and we’re very happy with them. Moving forward with the Academy, we wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Mark Rubel and Kevin Becka are co-directing Blackbird Academy, which got underway with a three-day summer camp aimed at high school students earlier this year.

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