Several recording studios are available around campus for use by Yale College students and registered student groups. Scheduling and access to the recording studios should be coordinated through the appropriate college office or studio-managing department. Most of the college spaces are prioritized for use by students in that college. Be sure to review the details below and contact the appropriate office for more information or to reserve a space.
Many colleges also have small practice rooms with a variety of musical instruments. Please contact your Head of College’s Office for more information.
If you are interested in learning more about mixing, recording, or various audio editing softwares, you can find many pertinent videos on LinkedIn Learning. The following series of courses are well-suited as a mixing and recording introduction and refresher.
Residential College Recording Studios
Crescent Underground Recording Studio (CURS)
Located in the Crescent Underground area between Morse and Ezra Stiles Colleges, the CURS is a state-of-the-art sound recording facility operated by students at Morse and Ezra Stiles Colleges. The CURS provides a high-quality, low-cost recording and production option for student music groups, audio journalists, sound designers, and multi-media projects.
Use of the CURS is prioritized for Morse and Stiles students. For more information, including an equipment list, policies, and contact information, visit the Ezra Stiles website.
Grace Hopper Recording Studio
The Hopper Recording Studio is located in room B66 in the basement of Grace Hopper College. This studio is designed to be easy to use and flexible for all kinds for music projects, from solo productions to mixing with a full band.
Access is prioritized for Hopper Students. For more information about the Hopper Recording Studio, including guidelines and contact information, visit the Hopper College website.
Lumry-Wengerd Sound Studio
The Lumry-Wengerd Sound Studio is located inside Silliman College and fully operated by Silliman students.
This studio is available to all Yale students and registered student groups. For more information, including reservation instructions, visit the Silliman College website.
Saybrook Recording Studio
The Saybrook Recording Studio is located near the Saybrook Kitchen, closest to Entryway K. There is also a musical practice room nearby.
Visit Saybrook College’s website for more information about the Saybrook Recording Studio, including the Studio Guide and Application Form.
Timothy Dwight Recording Studio
This studio is located in Timothy Dwight (TD) College and is prioritized for TD students.
For more information, including contact instructions, visit the Timothy Dwight College website.
Other Resources
CCAM Resources
The Center for Collaborative Arts and Media (CCAM) at 149 York Street offers a variety of resources that are available to Yale students for use in curricular and creative projects. In particular, the CCAM Lending Lab offers audio, video, and other production equipment available for check-out at no cost. For more information, please visit the Resources page on the CCAM website.
CS Music Studio
Located in Arthur K. Watson Hall, 51 Prospect Street, Room 123, the CS Studio is designed to foster exploration of the intersection of technology and music. The studio houses multiple digital audio workstations, sound and MIDI interfaces, an analog electronics prototyping station, and more.
Access to this facility is dependent upon enrollment in any of the Computer Science computer music classes (CPSC 035, 134, 431, or 432). Access can also be granted by request. For more information on accessing the CS Music Studio, visit the OMI’s information page.
Firehouse 12
This off-campus recording studio is located at 45 Crown Street and can be rented for a fee. Firehouse 12 offers professional recording equipment, audio engineering, mastering, and livestreaming. The main studio is 1,200 square feet with a 15 foot wood ceiling and bamboo floors. There are three isolation booths radiating off of the main space, with clear, open sightlines between all the recording spaces. The studio also features a 9 foot Steinway Hamburg Model ‘D’ concert grand piano as well as other instruments and equipment.
For current pricing and availability of studio time and other services, contact the studio manager at studio@firehouse12.com. For more information about what Firehouse 12 can offer, visit their website.
Open Music Initiative (OMI)
The Yale Open Music Initiative (OMI) is a multifaceted organization dedicated to the exploration of open source hardware and software for music production, programming, electronics, and more. Through a series of workshops that are offered over the course of the academic year, attendees consisting of students, faculty, and staff are introduced to these concepts and technologies.
For more information about the OMI, visit the OMI website.
Yale Music Technology Labs
The Yale Music Technology Labs are several rooms located on the fourth floor of Stoeckel Hall. Each lab consists of computers with a suite of general software tools including programs for archiving; ear training; interactive composition and performance; digital recording, mixing, and sequencing; digital graphics, multimedia, and video; notation; research; and digital synthesis and sampling.
Room 405, the YalMusT Notation Lab is a general-use studio accessible to all members of the Yale community. Access to advanced labs in rooms 401, 402, 403, and 407 is dependent upon enrollment in specific Music Department courses. The facilities are open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. For more information, visit the YalMusT website.