# Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences

The Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences (informally Cras) is a private for-profit technical school specializing in audio recording, audio engineering and production education with its main location in Tempe and a satellite campus in Gilbert, Arizona. It is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges and approved by the Arizona State Board of Private Postsecondary Education.

## History

First established in New York, in 1980 a 24-track recording studio called Songshop offered adult training classes to novices as well as record label personnel. These classes proved to be very popular, and the increasing demand for training and hands-on experience necessitated expansion of the program to include internships with commercial studios and recording artists.
In 1987 the entire enterprise moved to Tempe and the name was changed to The Academy of Recording Sciences. As the reputation of the institution gained prominence in the music recording industry, the name was again changed in 1988 to the Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences, as this more appropriately reflected the nature of the institution – “to conserve, enhance, improve and promote the artistic and technical skills of audio recording by preparing students to enter the business as qualified audio recording engineers.” In 2000, a satellite Location was opened in Gilbert allowing the school to accept more students and create a large live sound room to teach within.
Out of the total 83 categories at the Grammys in February 2016, 47 different alumni have contributed to pieces that were nominated in 42 different Grammy categories.

## Facilities

The Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences has two campuses, the main campus located in Tempe and a satellite campus located in Gilbert. The Tempe location hosts eight classrooms along with state of the art equipment such as a Solid State Logic 4000 console, Neotek elite console, and API legacy console.
The satellite campus located in Gilbert hosts nine classrooms as well as a mobile broadcast unit and 6,000 sq ft (560 m$^2$) live sound venue. It has much of the same equipment as the Tempe location such as a Solid State Logic 4000 console, SSL Origin console, and API legacy console.
Both campuses are equipped with industry standard equipment and the same audio monitoring system as studios like Skywalker Sound and Chase Productions.

## Academics

The School is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges and the Arizona State Board of Private Postsecondary Education to offer degrees in audio. The school is approved to teach veterans by United States Department of Veterans Affairs and the Arizona Department of Veterans' Services
The school offers a degree in recording after an 11-month program and internship as well as 16 certifications in software. Certifications include 6 Pro Tools certifications, focusrite Rednet, Celemony Melodyne, L'Acoustics Soundvision, TC Electronic M3000, TC Electronic System S6000, Waves, Wwise, Midas M32, Apple Logic Pro X, Antares Auto-tune Pro, and Rational Acoustics Smaart.
The school is a Avid Pro Tools Curricular partner. It also has its own AES chapter

## Noteworthy staff

Since 1992, Robert Brock has worked at the Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences During that time he has led the development of manufacturer training and certification websites for Studer Vista series digital audio consoles and Audiokinetic's Wwise game audio integration software, contributed articles to audio trade magazines and has contributed in both editorial and authorship roles for the Logic and Soundtrack Pro Apple Pro Training Series books published by Peachpit Press. In 2009 Brock was honored by being selected as an ADE (Apple Distinguished Educator) and served on the ADE advisory board for five years. In 2020 he helped design the artificial crowd noise for many NFL stadiums including the New England Patriots.

## Notable alumni

239 Grammy Nominated Recording since 2004
3828 have credits for over 3,800 films, TV, and documentary projects
122 AAA Video Game Titles over the past ten years
Grammy Winners :
| Year | Alumni name | Credit | Artist | Album/Song |
| 2020 | Chris Kasych | Engineer | Vampire Weekend Best Alternative Music Album | Father of the Bride |
| 2020 | Gosha Usov | Assistant Engineer | Elvis Costello & The Imposters Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album | Look Now |
| 2020 | Greg Eliason | Assistant Engineer | Willie Nelson Best Country Solo Performance | Ride Me Back Home |
| 2020 | Greg Foeller | Recording Assistant | Tool Best Metal Performance | 7Empest |
| 2020 | Ike Schultz | Assistant Mixing Engineer | Lizzo Best Urban Contemporary Album | Cuz I Love You (Deluxe) |
| 2020 | Morgan Stratton | Recording Assistant | Tool Best Metal performance | 7Empest |
| 2020 | Scott Moore | Assistant Engineer | Elvis Costello & The Imposters Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album | Look Now |
| 2020 | Scott Moore | Recording Assistant | Tool Best Metal Performance | 7Empest |
| 2019 | Cory Bice | Assistant Recording Engineer | Ariana Grande Best Pop Vocal Album | Sweetener |
| 2019 | Darrell Thorp | Recording Engineer/Mix Engineer | Beck Best Alternative Music Album | Colors |
| 2019 | Darrell Thorp | Recording Engineer/Mix Engineer | Beck Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical | Colors |
| 2019 | Eric Rennaker | Assistant Engineer (tracks Z5) | Weird Al” Yankovic Best Boxed Or Special Limited Edition Package | Squeeze Box: The Complete Works of “Weird Al” Yankovic |
| 2019 | Greg Eliason | Assistant Engineer | Luis Miguel Best Regional Mexican Music Album | ¡MÉXICO POR SIEMPRE! |
| 2019 | Jacob Dennis | Assistant Recording Engineer | Ariana Grande Best Pop Vocal Album | Sweetener |
| 2019 | Joe Baldridge | Recording Engineer | Dan + Shay Best Country Duo/Group Performance | Tequila |
| 2019 | John Congleton | Producer | St. Vincent Best Rock Song | Masseducation |
| 2019 | John Congleton | Producer | St. Vincent Best Recording Package | Masseducation |
| 2019 | Johnnie Burik | Assistant Engineer | Lady Gaga Best Pop Solo Performance | Joanne (Where Do You Think You're Goin?) |
| 2019 | Noah Killeen | Assistant Engineer | Laurie Anderson & Kronos Quartet Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance | Anderson, Laurie: Landfall |
| 2019 | Sam Holland | Engineer | Ariana Grande Best Pop Vocal Album | Sweetener |
| 2019 | Timothy Marchiafava | Assistant Engineer | The Wayne Shorter Quartet Best Jazz Instrumental Album | Emanon |
| 2019 | Will Quinnell | Assistant Engineer | Silk City & Dua Lipa Featuring Diplo & Mark Ronson Best Dance Recording | Electricity |
| 2019 | Will Quinnell | Mastering Engineer | PJ Morton Featuring Yebba Best Traditional R&B Performance | How Deep Is Your Love |
| 2018 | Buckley Miller | Engineer | MercyMe Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song | Grace Got You |
| 2018 | Chris Kasych | Recording Engineer | Soundtrack Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media | Lady Bird |
| 2018 | Cory Bice | Assistant Recording Engineer | Ariana Grande Best Pop Vocal Album | Sweetener |
| 2018 | Cory Bice | Assistant Engineer | P!nk Best Pop Vocal Album | Beautiful Trauma |
| 2018 | Darrell Thorp | Recording Engineer/Mix Engineer | Beck Best Alternative Music Album | Colors |
| 2018 | Darrell Thorp | Recording Engineer | Twenty One Pilots Best Rock Song | Jumpsuit |
| 2018 | David Davis | Engineer | “Kristen Anderson-Lopez & Robert Lopez, songwriters (Miguel Featuring Natalia Lafourcade)” Best Song Written For Visual Media | Remember Me |
| 2018 | David Davis | Engineer | Michael Giacchino, composer Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media | Coco |
| 2018 | Eric Rennaker | Assistant Engineer (tracks Z5) | “Meghan Foley, Annie Stoll & Al Yankovic, art directors (“Weird Al” Yankovic)” Best Boxed Or Special Limited Edition Package | Squeeze Box: The Complete Works of “Weird Al” Yankovic |
| 2018 | Erick Jaskowiak | Engineer | Wood & Wire Best Bluegrass Album | North of Despair |
| 2018 | Gordon Hammond | Engineer | Willie Nelson Best American Roots Performance | Last Man Standing |
| 2018 | Gordon Hammond | Engineer | Willie Nelson Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album | My Way |
| 2018 | Greg Eliason | Assistant Engineer | Ghost Best Rock Album | Prequelle |
| 2018 | Greg Eliason | Assistant Engineer | Luis Miguel Best Regional Mexican Music Album | ¡México Por Siempre! |
| 2018 | Jared Hirshland | Engineering | Ziggy Marley Best Reggae Album | Rebellion Rises |
| 2018 | Joe Baldridge | Recording Engineer | Dan + Shay Best Country Song | Tequila |
| 2018 | John Congleton | Producer, Recorded, Mixed | Carson Ellis, Jeri Heiden & Glen Nakasako Best Boxed Or Special Limited Edition Package | I'll Be Your Girl |
| 2018 | John Congleton | Producer | St. Vincent Best Rock Song | Masseducation |
| 2018 | John Congleton | Engineer | Willo Perron, art director (St. Vincent) Best Recording Package | Masseducation |
| 2018 | John Palmieri | Digital Editing, Overdub Engineer, Percussion, Vocal Engineer, Vocals (Background) | Cole Swindell Best Country Song | Break Up in the End |
| 2018 | Johnnie Burik | Assistant | Lady Gaga Best Pop Solo Performance | Joanne (Where Do You Think You're Goin?) |
| 2018 | Michael Law Thomas | Recording Engineer | Various Artists Album Of The Year | Black Panther: The Album, Music from and Inspired by |
| 2018 | Micheal Peterson | Assistant Engineer, Mixing Assistant | Miguel Featuring J. Cole & Salaam Remi Best R&B Song | Come Through and Chill |
| 2018 | Morgan Stratton | Assistant Engineer | Boz Scaggs Best Contemporary Blues Album | Out of the Blues |
| 2018 | Morgan Stratton | Engineer | Larry Klein Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical | All These Things |
| 2018 | Nik Karpen | Mixing Assistant | Halestorm Best Rock Performance | Uncomfortable |
| 2018 | Noah Killeen | Assistant Engineer | Laurie Anderson & Kronos Quartet Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance | Landfall |
| 2018 | Rob Williams | Assistant | Michael W. Smith Best Contemporary Christian Music Album | Surrounded |
| 2018 | Robert Cheeseman | Assistant Recording Engineer | High On Fire Best Metal Performance | Electric Messiah |
| 2018 | Sam Holland | Engineer | Taylor Swift Best Pop Vocal Album | Reputation |
| 2018 | Scott Moore | Assistant Engineer | “The Count Basie Orchestra Directed By Scotty Barnhart” Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album | All About That Basie |
| 2018 | Steve Olmon | Recording Engineer | Alice In Chains Best Rock Album | Rainer Fog |
| 2018 | Timothy Marchiafava | Assistant Engineer | Brad Mehldau Trio Best Jazz Instrumental Album | Seymour Reads the Constitution! |
| 2018 | Timothy Marchiafava | Assistant Engineer | The Wayne Shorter Quartet Best Jazz Instrumental Album | Emanon |
| 2018 | Will Delaney | Assistant Engineer | Miguel Best Urban Contemporary Album | War & Leisure |
| 2018 | Will Quinnell | Mastering Engineer | Chris Dave And The Drumhedz Best Urban Contemporary Album | Chris Dave and the Drumhedz |
| 2018 | Will Quinnell | Mastering Engineer | Fall Out Boy Best Rock Album | M A N I A |
| 2018 | Will Quinnell | Mastered | Kelly Clarkson Best Pop Vocal Album | Meaning of Life |
| 2018 | Will Quinnell | Mastered | PJ Morton Best R&B Performance | First Began |
| 2018 | Will Quinnell | Mastered | PJ Morton Best R&B Album | Gumbo Unplugged (Live) |
| 2018 | Will Quinnell | Mastered | PJ Morton Featuring Yebba Best Traditional R&B Performance | How Deep Is Your Love |
| 2018 | Will Quinnell | Assistant Engineer | Silk City & Dua Lipa Featuring Diplo & Mark Ronson Best Dance Recording | Electricity |
| 2018 | Zeph Sowers | Recording Engineer | The Carters Best R&B Performance | Summer |
| 2018 | Zeph Sowers | Recording Engineer | The Carters Best Urban Contemporary Album | Everything Is Love |
| 2017 | Adam Chagnon | Recording Engineer | Tim McGraw Best Country Song | “Humble and Kind” on Damn Country Music |
| 2017 | Chris Kasych | Engineer | Adele Album of the Year | 25 |
| 2017 | Jacob Dennis | Assistant Engineer | Adele Record of the Year | Hello |
| 2017 | Jared Hirshland | Engineer | Ziggy Marley Best Reggae Album | Ziggy Marley |
| 2017 | Jeremy Underwood | Engineer | Lalah Hathaway Best R&B Album | Lalah Hathaway Live |
| 2017 | John Cranfield | Assistant Engineer | Beyoncé Best Urban Contemporary Album | Lemonade |
| 2017 | Juan Sevilla | Assistant Recording Engineer | Maren Moris Best Country Solo Performance | My Church |
| 2017 | Michael Peterson | Assistant | Twenty One Pilots Best Pop Duo/Group Performance | Stressed Out |
| 2016 | Cory Bice | Assistant Engineer | Taylor Swift Best Pop Vocal Album | 1989 |
| 2016 | Cory Bice | Assistant Recording Engineer | Taylor Swift ft. Kendrick Lamar Best Music Video | Bad Blood |
| 2016 | Cory Bice | Assistant Engineer | The Weeknd Best Urban Contemporary Album | Beauty Behind the Madness |
| 2016 | David Natale | Engineer | Mavis Staples Best American Roots Performance | See That My Grave is Kept Clean |
| 2016 | Jeremy Underwood | Engineer | Lalah Hathaway Best Traditional R&B Performance | Little Ghetto Boy |
| 2016 | Jordan Stilwell | Engineer | The Weeknd Best R&B Performance | Earned It (Fifty Shades of Gray soundtrack) |
| 2016 | Justin Merrill | Engineer | Leslie Ann Jones, John Kilgore, Nora Kroll-Rosenbaum & Justin Merrill, engineers; Patricia Sullivan, mastering engineer (George Manahan & San Francisco Ballet Orchestra) Best Engineered Album, Classical | Ask Your Mama |
| 2016 | Keith Munson | Assistant Engineer | Lonnie Lynn, Che Smith & John Stephens, songwriters (Common & John Legend) Best Song Written for Visual Media | Glory |
| 2016 | Matthew Wheeler | Mix Assistant | Little Big Town Best Country Song | Girl Crush |
| 2016 | Mike Layos | Assistant Engineer | D’Angelo & The Vanguard Best R&B Album | Black Messiah |
| 2016 | Mike Layos | Assistant Engineer | D’Angelo & The Vanguard Best R&B Song | “Really Love” on Black Messiah |
| 2016 | Sorrel Brigman | Recording Assistant | Chris Stapleton Best Country Solo Performance | Traveller |
| 2016 | Steven Wessing | Assistant Assembly, Engineer | Joni Mitchell Best Album Notes | Love Has Many Faces: A Quartet, A Ballet, Waiting to Be Danced |
| 2016 | Tim Marchiafava | Assistant Engineer | Tony Bennett & Bill Charlap Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album | The Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome Kern |
| 2015 | Darrell Thorp | Engineer | Beck Best Rock Album | Morning Phase |
| 2015 | Greg Magers | Vocal Engineer | Robert Glasper Experiment Featuring Lalah Hathaway & Malcolm-Jamal Warner Best Traditional R&B Performance | Jesus Children |
| 2015 | Isha Erskine | Engineer | Ziggy Marley Best Reggae Album | Fly Rasta |
| 2015 | Jacob Dennis | Assistant Engineer | Pharrell Williams Best Urban Contemporary Album | Girl |
| 2015 | Jacob Dennis | Assistant Engineer | Pharrell Williams Best Pop Solo Performance | Happy (Live) |
| 2015 | Jacob Morris | Digital Editing, Engineer, Post Production | Lecrae Featuring For King & Country Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song | Messengers |
| 2015 | John Congleton | Engineer, Mixing, Producer | St. Vincent Best Alternative Music Album | St. Vincent |
| 2015 | Matthew Wheeler | Engineer | Miranda Lambert Best Country Album | Platinum |
| 2015 | Mike Bauer | Assistant Engineer | Billy Childs, arranger (Billy Childs Featuring Renée Fleming & Yo-Yo Ma) Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals | New York Tendaberry |
| 2015 | Sara Lyn Killion | Engineer | Tenacious D Best Metal Performance | The Last In Line |
| 2015 | Sheldon Yellowhair | Assistant Engineer | Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album | Cheek to Cheek |