MCCC launches new Muscle Shoals Recording Residency

Twelve students from Montgomery County Community College’s Sound Recording & Music Technology Program have been selected to participate in the inaugural Muscle Shoals Recording Residency, an immersive educational experience taking place August 17–20, that places students inside two of America’s most celebrated recording studios—FAME Recording Studios and Muscle Shoals Sound Studio (Sheffield, Alabama)—working alongside accomplished session musicians, recording engineers, producers, and studio owners who continue the celebrated Muscle Shoals recording tradition.

Unlike a traditional study tour, the Residency places students inside active commercial recording sessions in the very studios where iconic recordings have been made for more than six decades and where acclaimed artists continue to record today. Student musicians will perform alongside accomplished Muscle Shoals session musicians while Sound Recording & Music Technology students engineer sessions, assist producers, observe professional recording techniques, and participate in every phase of production, from studio setup through final overdubs.

The Residency creates a unique educational bridge between two of the nation’s most influential recording communities. Philadelphia helped shape modern soul, R&B, and hip-hop through generations of pioneering artists, musicians, producers, and engineers. Home to Sigma Sound Studios and the internationally recognized Sound of Philadelphia, the City’s recording legacy complements Muscle Shoals’ collaborative recording culture, distinctive sound, and remarkable community of session musicians, including The Swampers and The FAME Gang.

The program was developed by David Ivory, Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum recording engineer, producer, songwriter, educator, and Director of MCCC’s Sound Recording & Music Technology Program.

Before joining MCCC, Ivory founded Iris Sound Studios, an innovative geodesic recording facility recognized as Philadelphia's Studio of the Year. He later spent a decade as an independent producer and engineer at Philadelphia's legendary Sigma Sound Studios, where he became part of the city's groundbreaking Neo Soul movement. There, he worked alongside many of the artists, musicians, producers, and engineers who helped redefine contemporary soul and R&B, earning a Grammy nomination for his work on “Things Fall Apart”  by The Roots, as well as a Grammy Certificate recognizing his engineering contribution to the Grammy award-winning recording of "You Got Me" featuring Erykah Badu.  

“Students can study recording techniques in the classroom,” said Ivory. “But there are lessons that simply cannot be taught there. They must be experienced in the studio in real time. This Residency gives our students the opportunity to learn directly from accomplished musicians, engineers, producers, and studio owners while experiencing the collaboration and craftsmanship that define great recordings.”

During the four-day Residency, students will explore the history of the Muscle Shoals recording community before participating in two professional recording projects. Sessions will take place at both Muscle Shoals Sound Studio and FAME Recording Studios alongside scheduled participants, including acclaimed songwriter and keyboardist Spooner Oldham, guitarist Will McFarlane, and additional recording professionals. 

An MCCC student documentary production team will capture the Residency, producing a film that preserves the experience while giving future students a rare behind-the-scenes look inside one of the most respected American recording communities.

By combining classroom instruction with direct mentorship inside world-renowned recording studios, the Muscle Shoals Recording Residency offers students an educational experience rarely available to undergraduate recording students while reinforcing MCCC’s commitment to experiential learning and professional preparation.

MCCC’s Sound Recording and Music Technology (AAS) program provides students with a comprehensive education in sound recording, music production, and music technology comparable to the first two years of study at a conservatory or university. Taught by active music and entertainment industry professionals, the program offers valuable real-world insights and networking opportunities. Students learn in state-of-the-art recording studios and labs at the Blue Bell and Pottstown campuses, gaining hands-on experience with professional-grade equipment. The Blue Bell campus hosts a cutting-edge professional mixing suite with a Solid-State Logic SSL 9000k 56 input console as well as the latest in Dolby Atmos mixing on a Genelec 7.1.4 system. The program emphasizes experiential learning across all aspects of recording and production, preparing students for careers in the audio and music industries.