How OIART Takes You from Student to Audio Professional
Jeremy Alves | February 24, 2026
Are you the person who picks apart the snare sound on your favourite track? Do you find yourself analyzing the sound design in a video game instead of just playing it? For many music enthusiasts, high school graduates, and career changers, the dream is clear: a career in audio. But the path to getting there often feels like a locked door.
The struggle is real. You’ve likely realized that watching YouTube tutorials can only take you so far. The industry is competitive, the gear is expensive, and "breaking in" usually requires a network you don’t have yet. You want to make your mark, but you’re stuck behind a laptop screen in a bedroom studio. The barrier to entry isn't just talent; it's access to the professional standard of tools and the mentorship required to use them under pressure.
At the Ontario Institute of Audio Recording Technology (OIART), we believe your passion deserves a professional platform. Our philosophy is simple: we Eat, Sleep, and Breathe Music. We don’t just teach you how to use a DAW; we transform you into an industry-ready professional in just 11 months.
Get Hands-On Training in Specialized Studios
In the audio world, theory is a foundation, but experience is the currency. You can’t learn the "soul" of a Neve preamp or the precision of a Barefoot monitor by reading a textbook. You have to hear it. You have to touch it. If you aren't physically turning the knobs and placing the microphones, you aren't truly learning the craft of audio engineering.
That’s why OIART is designed around technical excellence. From your very first week, you aren't just sitting in a lecture hall; you are in the producer's chair. Our campus features eight student-dedicated, world-class studios (Studios 1-8), ensuring you are constantly working in high-fidelity environments.
Studio 1, 2 and 3: Tracking and Music Production
These rooms are the cornerstone of your education. You move from theory to reality by mastering the "Source."
- Mastering the source means that you learn that a great mix starts with a flawless recording. No more "fixing it in the mix."
- Experience critical listening experiments with phase, polar patterns, and gain staging to hear like a professional.
- Learn professional refinement by using Auto-Tune, Melodyne, and Waves suites to polish tracks to radio standards.
Studio 4 and 5: Audio for Visual Media and Foley
The most lucrative sectors of audio live on the screen.
- Dive into Foley and Dialogue recording by making custom sound effects and pristine dialogue using industry standard gear from brands such as Sounds devices and DPA.
- Learn how to work Post-Production Sync sound to picture for film, TV, and AAA gaming projects.
Studio 6 and 7: Electronic Production and Live Sound
We bridge the gap between the synth lab and the stage.
- Understand Electronic and MIDI Production in Studio 6, dive into sound design and hardware synths to build your own sonic identity.
- Practice Live Sound and Performance in Studio 7 is for full-band signal flow. Master front-of-house mixing, monitor rigging, and PA tuning.
The Full Spectrum of Professional Gear
We teach technology as a language. By graduation, you are fluent in the gear used in the world's top studios.
- Become familiar with Hybrid Workflow by blending vintage SSL analog saturation with the speed of digital plugins like Soundtoys.
- Build acoustic mastery by tracking killer sounds on everything from earbuds to club stacks.
- Develop muscle memory after 650+ hours, where signal flow becomes instinctive. You stop thinking about cables and start focusing on the artist.
From Student to Audio Professional
The 11-month journey at OIART is an evolution from clicking a mouse to commanding a world-class facility. We replace guesswork with mastery, moving you from "trying to figure it out" to instinctively leading a room. With 650+ hands-on hours, you graduate with the elite muscle memory of a veteran. By your 50th session in Studios 1-8, the gear becomes a seamless extension of your creativity. You won’t waste time troubleshooting signal flow; your hands move with a precision that allows you to focus on the only thing that matters, the artist and the performance.
OIART's Audio Program Includes:
✓ Small Class Sizes
✓ On Site Facilities
✓ Industry Leading Instructors
✓ Post Grad Support & Guidance
✓ Exclusive 11 Month Program
Total Industry Immersion Beyond Music Production
While many audio engineering programs focus solely on the "rock star" side of recording, the modern audio landscape is massive. To be a successful professional, you need to be versatile. The reality is that a modern audio engineer might be mixing a band on Monday, recording dialogue for a Netflix series on Wednesday, and managing a corporate gala on Friday. At OIART, we don't just prepare you for one job; we prepare you for a lifelong career. Our curriculum is built on three essential pillars:
- Music Production: Transforming creative concepts into professional records with the technical mastery required to deliver a radio-ready album.
- Live Sound & Event Production: Managing the high-stakes environment of live concerts, festivals, and corporate AV.
- Audio for Visual Media: This is where the industry is exploding. From sound design for AAA video games to Foley and dialogue editing for film and TV, we prepare you for the lucrative world of post-production.
By mastering all three pillars, you ensure that no matter where the industry shifts, you have the skills to stay employed and inspired. You become a "Swiss Army Knife" of audio, capable of pivoting whenever opportunity knocks.
The OIART Advantage and Our Record of Success
When you're looking at music production schools in Canada, you have to look at the numbers. We’ve been refining our craft for over 40 years, and our results speak for themselves.
- The Highest Job Placement Rate: We are incredibly proud of our track record. Career Management is an integral part of the curriculum, not an afterthought. We teach you job searching skills, effective resume writing and how to ace an interview to land a job after graduation.
- True Small Class Sizes: We limit our intake to just 68 students per year. This ensures that you never have to fight for studio time and that our industry-veteran instructors know your name, your goals, and your unique sound.
- 40+ Years of History: Since 1983, we have been the gold standard for sound engineering in Canada. We don’t teach outdated models; we evolve our curriculum every year in consultation with major employers to ensure you are learning what is in demand today.
Join A Community for Life With Thousands of Alumni & Growing
The "struggle to get into the industry" ends the moment you join the OIART family. You aren't just a student for 11 months; you are part of a lifelong network of alumni. Networking is often cited as the most important factor in a music career, and at OIART, that network is built-in.
Our graduates are everywhere. They are winning Grammys and Junos, mixing Front of House for global tours (like City and Colour or Alexisonfire), and designing soundscapes for major gaming studios. This network is your "secret weapon." When an OIART grad needs an assistant or a new engineer, the first place they look is their own backyard. The bond between alumni is incredibly strong because they all shared the same intense 11-month journey. They know that if you graduated from OIART, you have the work ethic and the technical chops to handle the gig.
Our post-grad support is unmatched. The faculty stays in your corner for the life of your career. Whether you need advice on a contract three years after graduation or a reference for a dream job in LA, we are here. We often have alumni return to the campus to guest lecture or recruit new talent, keeping the cycle of success moving forward for every new generation of students.
Your Career in Motion Starts Here
The world doesn't need more people who "know a bit about Pro Tools." It needs professionals who can walk into any studio, on any film set, or into any venue and deliver world-class sound. The industry moves fast, and there is no room for hesitation. You need the confidence that comes from hundreds of hours of real-world application.
If you’re ready to stop dreaming and start doing, if you’re ready to eat, sleep, and breathe music, then it’s time to take the next step. Don't settle for a general arts degree when you can have a specialized career that puts you exactly where you want to be, right in the middle of the action.
The path to becoming a professional audio engineer is intense, demanding, and incredibly rewarding. At OIART, we provide the map, the tools, and the community. All you need to bring is passion.
Experience the OIART Advantage for yourself. Join the ranks of Canada’s elite audio professionals.
Ready to Start?
OIART's Audio Program Includes:
✓ Small Class Sizes
✓ On Site Facilities
✓ Industry Leading Instructors
✓ Post Grad Support & Guidance
✓ Exclusive 11 Month Program
Top Reasons Why You Should Choose OIART.
Have Questions?
If you have questions about our audio engineering and music production program or would like to book a tour, we would be pleased to speak with you.
Text Us: 519.200.4151
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