The Audio Recording Academy (TARA)

Amazing school and amazing staff all in all. Looked forward to going to every class because I felt like I was getting my money’s worth and the overall vibe there was perfect for me. The school was very flexible with my schedule and worked around my hectic lifestyle which made my schooling 10 times easier and enjoyable. Do not regret attending TARA one bit!

There were some specific things that stood out to me during the program - good accommodations for students with mental/physical health needs, flexibility in program structure and schedule to meet the curriculum requirements (this was evident during my time at the college over the COVID-19 pandemic), and immense attention to student success.The owner, Shannon, cares deeply about each of her students and meets with them periodically over their course of study.The instruction I received at the college was exactly what I was expecting and more. I had a combination of instructors - Jake Jones, Dave Sarazin, and Ray Gould. All were excellent and effective in their teaching, despite having very different styles. They oozed knowledge and excitement about audio, and provoked thoughtful conversation.That said, I think it's important to note that this is the kind of program that requires a high level of effort and enthusiasm from the student to progress in a way that might be desirable to you. This has a positive side as well though - with all the open independent lab time for the students in studio, there's a pretty high ceiling to what you can learn and become proficient doing over the course of the program.

I took the course at T.A.R.A and I found it to be very helpful. I learned a lot about recording and it gave me the confidence to open my own recording studio/business.This kind of industry is the kind where you must continue your education by reading articles, attending seminars, and just recording and getting experience. That being said, i don’t think you can just become an audio engineer by just searching on YouTube or Google.. Internet can’t answer questions in real time or tell you you’re not doing something right. Educate yourself before you jump into the business because it is hard work and it’s a tough industry to compete in.The education I got was definitely a great way to step into the audio world. Jake and Geoff were great to have as teachers and TA. They always helped me out with the questions I had. Finding lab hours I needed was easy and the sound was great in the studios. Taking the course in a smaller class helped me understand things where in bigger classes, I wouldn’t have. It’s hand on and everybody is there and willing to help.I’d 100% recommend this school and studio.

Great place to get a solid footing for a career in sound. Make no mistake, in this industry, you will work hard and learn every day for the rest of your life. It will not be easy, but if you love what you do...One key takeaway I found from this school was, right off the bat, considering the theoretical side of things and applying measured approaches to finding solutions along with referencing what your ears are telling you. Getting into the mindset of taking direct steps to problem solving both makes you more efficient at your work (be it live or in studio), and also allows you to experiment and be creative functionally instead of by fluke.TARA brought in a number of guest speakers from the industry, one of whom I landed an internship with - which furthered my knowledge very quickly. - This is something I would highly recommend along with taking this program.They have committed to investing in equipment of good quality, relevant to the real world - and their tracking space is extremely well outfitted acoustically.I'll reiterate, a career as a sound engineer will require a lot of you. You will be expected to put yourself out there and constantly network, work long and irregular hours, and put up with a lot of hassle. At the end of the day however, you'll be making music, and doing it with people who love what they do - and are totally down to nerd out about stuff with you.Go into this with an open mindset, and take every opportunity to go over and above, and it will be worth it.

TARA is a wonderful place to get into the Music and Audio business. By GOD's Grace, it combines a theoretical foundation with practical lab work, and gets straight to the point with knowledge you can use. I attended because I wanted to learn how to produce songs, I wanted to finish an EP I had, get a diploma, have studio time to work on my projects, and learn how to produce myself and others by GOD's will.The staff is phenomenal. Shannon is warm and inviting, extremely supportive and always willing to cater to our needs and support us students. My instructors were knowledgeable and understanding. The TA's were also wonderful in helping me complete the labs.By GOD's Grace, TARA has been one of the most valuable and useful experiences for my career as an artist. It was truly instrumental in helping me get a studio of my own, and understand what is going on. Praise GOD, I am so thankful for the experience, and would do it again.thank you :)

I decided to follow my passion and TARA came along at the right time. I was privileged to have an excellent instructor, great classmates, the facilities are extraordinary and the course content is completely relevant to the industry. “In a nutshell TARA was an essential part of where I am now in my career”

I would highly recommend TARA's Audio engineering program to anybody interested in music and the process of audio recording, editing, mixing, etc.The staff and studio are top notch.it's the perfect environment for an aspiring musician or someone looking to work in the many positions avaliable to you with the skills taught at this institution.Shannon and the staff were super friendly and accommodating to my needs as a student,I even got an opportunity with a great company after graduation all thanks to Shannon's recommendation.Coming to Ottawa for this program was a life changing experience, best decision I've ever made!

I had such an amazing time working with the TARA crew during my time in the program. The staff are all experienced and Shannon, the owner, is the best! Can't begin to describe how much this program helped my music produciton skills. Was able to secure a job in the audio field shortly after graduating as well. Don't have a single bad thing to say about this place, you're missing out if you don't attend!

My time at TARA yielded some of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I was already a self taught guitarist and songwriter recording on my own at home, but this course taught me a professional hands on approach to the tools and workflows used by music and film industry professionals. These practices completely transformed my songs and recordings and brought them to a level I never thought I’d get them to on my own. I had the opportunity to assist in recording actual clients of the studio and I attended some wonderful lectures led by industry professionals currently working in the music and film industries. I also ended up making new friends and was asked to join the TARA house band (currently Almyr Jules) and have recently been in the studio for bed tracks and overdubs for the current class. My time at TARA continues!Class groups are small (mine was a group of 6) so there’s more hands on time in either Studio A or B. The Studio is well kept and has a fantastic inventory of gear. My instructors Jake, Jakub and Tim were down to earth artists and professionals that all had unique and effective approaches to teaching and the owner Shannon takes a personal interest in every student she admits into the program. Shannon helped me find full time work as an A/V technician and a few side gigs as well. I’m extremely grateful for my time at this wonderful place and I’m always happy to go back.

When looking for an Audio Engineering program in Ottawa, I find that the majority of potential students will look to either the TARA program or the Audio Engineering program at Algonquin. While I can't speak for the program at Algonquin, I can confidently say that the TARA program offers a much more personalized experience, with greater access to studio time and resources as a result of the significantly smaller class sizes. The total program at Algonquin is over 100ppl, while at TARA, the classes are broken down into groups of 5-7ppl with a total of ~23 each year.The Algonquin program is longer and seems to cover more topics; however, if you're looking to learn the fundamentals of audio, studio recording, mixing and working in a studio then the TARA program has exactly what you're looking for. With the smaller total enrollment, you have a much easier time getting into the studio - which is where you will gain almost all of you experience.After having graduated from the program, I was able to get a job working at CBC in Radio and television. Granted, I was at the top of my class and took advantage of my studio time and resources to get the most out of my time there, so there was still a lot of effort put in on my end; but that's exactly what this program offers you: an opportunity to make the most of your time and excel beyond the status quo.Through the pandemic, the owner of the studio and head of the school went above and beyond to accommodate everyone at home to continue learning. Shannon has each individual student in mind when it comes to their success and goals throughout each semester. Her motivational qualities and ability to empower you to pursue new opportunities is really what makes the program at TARA really special and personalized.