[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Menu Bar” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#F7F7F5″ custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” sticky_position=”top” motion_trigger_start=”top” saved_tabs=”all” collapsed=”on” global_colors_info=”{}” background__sticky_enabled=”on|sticky” background_color__sticky=”#F3F3F1″ background_enable_color__sticky=”on”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” width=”90%” max_width=”2560px” custom_padding=”1.25vw||1.25vw||true|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_menu menu_id=”161″ menu_style=”centered” active_link_color=”#313436″ dropdown_menu_bg_color=”#cba052″ dropdown_menu_line_color=”#d7d2cb” dropdown_menu_text_color=”#313436″ dropdown_menu_active_link_color=”#313436″ mobile_menu_bg_color=”#ffffff” mobile_menu_text_color=”#2f2f2f” menu_icon_color=”#25282a” mobile_menu_bg_color_tablet=”#ffffff” mobile_menu_bg_color_phone=”#ffffff” mobile_menu_bg_color_last_edited=”on|desktop” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” menu_font=”Oswald|500||on|||||” menu_text_color=”#313436″ menu_font_size=”1.3em” background_enable_color=”off” background_layout=”dark” menu_font_size_tablet=”2vw” menu_font_size_phone=”3vw” menu_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}” mobile_menu_bg_color__sticky_enabled=”on|sticky” menu_text_color__hover_enabled=”on|desktop” menu_text_color__hover=”#711421″][\/et_pb_menu][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ disabled_on=”off|off|off” admin_label=”Article Title Section” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ background_color=”#eae9e5″ background_enable_image=”off” custom_padding=”0vw||||false|false” bottom_divider_height=”40px” bottom_divider_flip=”vertical” background_last_edited=”on|desktop” background_enable_image_tablet=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”2_5,3_5″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ z_index=”0″ width=”100%” max_width=”1253px” custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”1vw|2vw|2vw|2vw|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”2_5″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ custom_padding=”0px||0px|13px|false|false” custom_css_main_element=”align-items: flex-end;” border_radii=”on|4px|4px|4px|4px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/343\/2026\/03\/Circle-image-2.png” alt=”Person with light brown hair in a pink tie-dye shirt sits at a large audio mixing console in a recording studio, facing a monitor displaying sound editing software.” title_text=”Circle image 2″ show_bottom_space=”off” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” background_enable_image=”off” transform_translate=”0px|44px” transform_translate_linked=”off” z_index=”-245″ custom_margin=”40px||||false|false” custom_margin_tablet=”0px||||false|false” custom_margin_phone=”0px||||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”0px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”3_5″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ custom_padding=”4vw|1vw|1vw|1vw|false|true” custom_padding_tablet=”1vw|7vw||7vw|false|true” custom_padding_phone=”” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|tablet” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Oswald|500||on|||||” text_text_color=”#25282A” text_font_size=”1.1em” link_font=”||||on|||#2f2f2f|” link_text_color=”#2f2f2f” background_color_gradient_direction=”90deg” custom_margin=”||11px|||” custom_padding=”0px||5px||false|false” border_width_bottom=”1px” border_color_bottom=”#d7d2cb” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
College<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” header_font=”Oswald|500||on|||||” header_text_color=”#862633″ header_font_size=”78px” header_2_font=”|700|||||||” header_2_text_color=”#25282A” header_2_font_size=”39px” header_2_line_height=”1.3em” custom_padding=”||15px||false|false” header_font_size_tablet=”7vw” header_font_size_phone=”9vw” header_font_size_last_edited=”on|tablet” header_2_font_size_tablet=”6vw” header_2_font_size_phone=”7vw” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_text_color=”#313436″ text_font_size=”15px” background_layout=”dark” custom_css_main_element=”display: inline-block;” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
By Mark Gregorio |\u00a0 Spring 2026<\/em><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][owl_social_share_button twitter=”off” pinterest=”off” email=”on” button_shape=”circle” show_label=”off” hover_animation=”rotate” alignment=”right” use_original_colors=”off” custom_color=”#F3F3F1″ custom_hover_color=”#D7D2CB” custom_text_color=”#862633″ custom_text_hover_color=”#711421″ spacing=”6px” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||-10px|15px|false|false” custom_margin_tablet=”||-10px|15px|false|false” custom_margin_phone=”|||0px|false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”||0px||false|false” link_option_url_new_window=”on” custom_css_main_element=”display: inline-block;” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/owl_social_share_button][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Opening Text” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” background_image=”https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/343\/2021\/12\/Circlebottom-right_cut-of-circle_gold-red@2x.png” background_size=”initial” background_position=”bottom_right” z_index=”138″ min_height=”978.8px” custom_margin=”-14px|||||” custom_padding=”50px||50px||true|false” background_last_edited=”on|desktop” background_enable_image_tablet=”off” collapsed=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” max_width=”824px” custom_padding=”14px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n On any given day, the Les Paul Studio at Ramapo College of New Jersey feels less like a classroom and more like a recording session in progress. In a professional studio, musicians, producers and engineers work together to capture performances as they happen, shaping music in real time. That same energy defines the space at Ramapo. Students move between soundproof recording booths and the control room, setting microphones and recording tracks. The steady hum of equipment and glow of studio monitors make it clear that this is a creative workspace, not a traditional lecture setting.\u00a0<\/p>\n The atmosphere is intentional. The Les Paul Studio is a fully operational recording facility within Ramapo College, equipped with mixing consoles, microphones and recording tools similar to those used in professional studios across the New York area. Students learn by working as professionals, recording bands, producing original music and completing projects in a collaborative environment where coursework reflects hands-on experience.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_5,2_5″ _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” max_width=”824px” min_height=”364.8px” custom_margin=”-26px|auto||auto||” custom_padding=”14px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_5″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n \u201cWhat the Les Paul Studio allowed us to do was give students the experience of working in a professional recording environment,\u201d said Ben Neill, professor emeritus and founding director of Ramapo\u2019s Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Music Technology.<\/p>\n For students studying music production and sound recording, the studio shifts learning from theory to practice. Instead of simulating studio work on laptops, students collaborate in a space designed for real-world production.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_5″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/343\/2026\/03\/Sound-board.png” alt=”A person operates a music production controller with illuminated pads and knobs placed on top of a large audio mixing console.” title_text=”Sound board” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” width=”100%” min_height=”238.5px” custom_margin=”-7px|-8px|-62px|||” custom_padding=”6px||23px|4px||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”1vw||1vw||true|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_divider color=”#D7D2CB” divider_position=”center” divider_weight=”1px” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” max_width=”824px” module_alignment=”center” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” max_width=”824px” custom_padding=”0px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”–et_global_heading_font||||||||” header_font=”–et_global_heading_font||||||||” header_text_align=”left” header_text_color=”#25282A” header_2_font=”Oswald|||on|||||” header_2_text_color=”#862633″ header_2_font_size=”2.5rem” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n As Ramapo\u2019s music production program continued to grow, so did opportunities for students to engage more deeply with recording, performance and collaborative creative work. The Les Paul Studio marked an important evolution, expanding the program\u2019s ability to support hands-on learning at an even higher level.<\/p>\n \u201cOur students would go into internships and suddenly find themselves surrounded by equipment they hadn\u2019t yet worked with,\u201d Neill said. \u201cHaving access to that experience on campus made a real difference.\u201d<\/p>\n The studio brought those experiences directly into the learning environment. Today, capstone projects, ensemble recordings, faculty collaborations and graduate-level work take place in settings that mirror what those students encounter professionally after graduation. The impact is immediate and lasting. Students graduate from Ramapo with confidence in their abilities, experience working collaboratively and portfolios that reflect real creative production, often recording original work while still enrolled.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row admin_label=”Gallery” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#F3F3F1″ background_image=”https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/343\/2023\/02\/element-top-left-warm-gray-crosshatchAsset-12.png” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” max_width=”1024px” custom_padding=”2vw|4vw|2vw|4vw|true|true” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/343\/2026\/03\/RamapoArtGallery-LesPaulStudio-228-1-scaled.jpg” alt=”A Ramapo College student works at the mixing console in the Les Paul Studio, where students gain hands-on experience producing music in a professional recording environment.” title_text=”RamapoArtGallery-LesPaulStudio-228 (1)” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text ul_item_indent=”50px” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Roboto Slab||||||||” text_text_color=”#545658″ text_font_size=”14px” text_line_height=”1.4em” max_width=”824px” module_alignment=”center” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row admin_label=”Where Students Become Artist text section” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” max_width=”824px” custom_padding=”||23px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”–et_global_heading_font||||||||” header_font=”–et_global_heading_font||||||||” header_text_align=”left” header_text_color=”#25282A” header_2_font=”Oswald|||on|||||” header_2_text_color=”#862633″ header_2_font_size=”2.5rem” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n For Daniel Fishkin, assistant professor of music production, the studio serves as a teaching space and the program\u2019s creative engine.<\/p>\n \u201cThe studio is our lab,\u201d Fishkin said. \u201cIt\u2019s where experimentation actually happens.\u201d<\/p>\n Unlike many college studios that are primarily software-based, the Les Paul Studio emphasizes physical tools, consoles, microphones and analog equipment that encourage intentional decision-making. Students learn by shaping sound through experimentation rather than by relying on presets, reflecting a professional studio culture where there is no single correct approach, only informed creative choices.<\/p>\n That access changes how students see themselves, Fishkin said. \u201cThe students who really thrive here aren\u2019t only completing assignments,\u201d he said. \u201cThey\u2019re working as artists.\u201d<\/p>\n That transformation is reflected in the experience of graduate student Lachlan Strain \u201925, a Ramapo undergraduate alumnus whose time in the Les Paul Studio spans both degrees. Introduced to the space as an undergraduate, Strain said the studio\u2019s scale and quality expanded his expectations of what was possible as a student musician. Much of his early work had taken place on a laptop. The studio introduced him to professional workflows and collaborative recording environments that reshaped his creative process.<\/p>\n \u201cThe big thing about the studio is that when you walk in, you feel like you\u2019re in a space meant for creation,\u201d Strain said. He added that working alongside classmates changed how he approached collaboration. \u201cYou\u2019re not just working on your own music anymore,\u201d he said. \u201cYou\u2019re learning how to listen, communicate and build something together.\u201d<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_5,2_5″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” max_width=”824px” custom_padding=”0px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_5″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”–et_global_heading_font||||||||” header_font=”–et_global_heading_font||||||||” header_text_align=”left” header_text_color=”#25282A” header_2_font=”Oswald|||on|||||” header_2_text_color=”#862633″ header_2_font_size=”2.5rem” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n While working on his senior capstone project, Strain recorded and mixed original songs with classmates, who became ongoing collaborators. The experience transformed the studio from a classroom into a creative community, ultimately influencing his decision to continue his studies in Ramapo\u2019s MFA program.<\/p>\n That ethos, which promotes experimentation without strict boundaries, influences how students approach music and technology. \u201cThe studio teaches students there\u2019s no single method,\u201d Fishkin added. \u201cOnly the work itself.\u201d<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_5″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/343\/2026\/03\/Circle-image-1.png” alt=”Two people, one in a pink tie-dye shirt, are using electronic audio equipment and synthesizers in a sound studio. One person is smiling and adjusting knobs, while the other\u2019s arm is visible in the foreground.” title_text=”Circle image 1″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Full-Width quote section” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ make_equal=”on” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#F3F3F1″ width=”100%” max_width=”2560px” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” box_shadow_style=”preset6″ box_shadow_blur=”53px” box_shadow_spread=”-15px” box_shadow_color=”rgba(37,40,42,0.45)” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” background_image=”https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/343\/2026\/03\/RamapoArtGallery-LesPaulStudio-205-scaled.jpg” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_divider show_divider=”off” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” background_enable_image=”off” min_height=”19.6px” custom_padding=”13vw||13vw||true|false” custom_padding_tablet=”27vw||27vw||true|false” custom_padding_phone=”” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Oswald||||||||” text_text_color=”#862633″ text_font_size=”44px” text_line_height=”1.4em” header_5_font=”Oswald|||on|||||” header_5_font_size=”21px” header_6_font=”Oswald||||||||” header_6_font_size=”15px” custom_padding=”6vw|6vw|6vw|3vw|true|false” custom_padding_tablet=”4vw|6vw|2vw|6vw|false|false” custom_padding_phone=”|10vw||10vw|false|true” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” text_font_size_tablet=”43px” text_font_size_phone=”27px” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re not just working on your own music anymore.<\/p>\n You\u2019re learning how to listen, communicate and build something together.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Bottom Text” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”0px||0px||true|false” collapsed=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” max_width=”824px” custom_padding=”||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”–et_global_heading_font||||||||” header_font=”–et_global_heading_font||||||||” header_text_align=”left” header_text_color=”#25282A” header_2_font=”Oswald|||on|||||” header_2_text_color=”#862633″ header_2_font_size=”2.5rem” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n The studio\u2019s name is no coincidence. Les Paul<\/span> not only was a legendary guitarist but also a relentless innovator who helped redefine how music is created, recorded and experienced. His experiments with multitrack recording and sound layering changed the recording process, influencing generations of musicians and producers.<\/p>\n That spirit of experimentation aligns closely with Ramapo\u2019s philosophy. \u201cWe never wanted to be a \u2018button-pushing\u2019 program,\u201d said Neill<\/span>. \u201cWe wanted to train musicians who think creatively and technologists who understand music.\u201d<\/p>\n That shared vision drew the attention of the Les Paul Foundation<\/span>, whose mission is to preserve Paul\u2019s inventive spirit through education. In 2013, the foundation awarded Ramapo a $150,000 grant, matched by the College, to help build a studio that reflects that approach to learning.<\/p>\n Ramapo was also a natural fit because of its local connection to Paul. He lived in Mahwah for more than 50 years, working from his home studio and remaining closely tied to the community until his death in 2009. The studio\u2019s presence on campus continues that connection, linking Paul\u2019s legacy of innovation directly to the next generation of musicians and producers.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#F3F3F1″ background_image=”https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/343\/2025\/09\/element_gold-checkered-bottom-right.png” background_size=”initial” background_position=”bottom_right” max_width=”824px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/343\/2026\/03\/Ramapo-Les-Paul-Dedication-2.27.16-45-768×464-1.jpeg” alt=”Eight people smile at a ribbon-cutting ceremony, with three men in front holding large scissors and one woman holding a white electric guitar. The group stands in a hallway with a maroon ribbon and bow.” title_text=”Ramapo-Les-Paul-Dedication-2.27.16-45-768×464 (1)” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text ul_item_indent=”50px” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Roboto Slab||||||||” text_text_color=”#545658″ text_font_size=”14px” text_line_height=”1.3em” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n The ribbon cutting at the Les Paul Studio in 2016.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” max_width=”824px” custom_padding=”||1vw||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”–et_global_heading_font||||||||” header_font=”–et_global_heading_font||||||||” header_text_align=”left” header_text_color=”#25282A” header_2_font=”Oswald|||on|||||” header_2_text_color=”#862633″ header_2_font_size=”2.5rem” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Today, that legacy is most evident in how students use the space, experimenting, collaborating and finding their creative voice.<\/p>\n \u201cBack in the \u201970s and \u201980s, almost no one was doing this,\u201d Neill said. \u201cRamapo was.\u201d<\/p>\n As demand for music production education grew, the studio transitioned from a nice addition to an essential facility. After years of planning, building and selecting equipment, the Les Paul Studio officially opened in 2016 and has continually improved through regular upgrades that meet industry standards.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”1vw||1vw||true|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_divider color=”#D7D2CB” divider_position=”center” divider_weight=”1px” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” max_width=”824px” module_alignment=”center” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” max_width=”824px” custom_padding=”1vw||22px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”–et_global_heading_font||||||||” header_font=”–et_global_heading_font||||||||” header_text_align=”left” header_text_color=”#25282A” header_2_font=”Oswald|||on|||||” header_2_text_color=”#862633″ header_2_font_size=”2.5rem” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n The studio\u2019s influence extends beyond coursework. Faculty use it for professional recordings and research-based creative projects, blurring the line between academic work and artistic practice. Neill recorded his opera \u201cFantini Futuro\u201d in the Les Paul Studio, later performing it in Venice while continuing work toward its release – an example of how the space functions not only as a classroom but also as a working creative environment.<\/p>\n That creative momentum increasingly extends beyond campus. In November, students in Ramapo\u2019s Creative Music Technology MFA program transformed Fridman Gallery in New York City into an immersive sound installation inspired by composer and performer David Tudor\u2019s \u201cRainforest.\u201d The event, Rainforest+, reimagined Tudor\u2019s concept of an \u201corchestra of loudspeakers,\u201d where everyday objects became instruments vibrating and resonating to create a living soundscape. MFA students designed and performed original responses to Tudor\u2019s work, turning the gallery into an evolving sonic environment shaped by experimentation, collaboration and audience interaction.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”2_5,3_5″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” max_width=”824px” custom_padding=”0px||26px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”2_5″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/343\/2026\/03\/LesPaulStudio-275_web.jpg” alt=”Ramapo College’s associate professor of music Zach Layton works with a student, demonstrating sound design and synthesis techniques during a music production session.” title_text=”element-red-checker-circle-Asset 16@4x” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” background_image=”https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/343\/2025\/02\/element-red-checker-circle-Asset-16@4x.png” background_size=”custom” background_image_width=”28%” background_position=”top_left” border_radii=”on|600px|600px|600px|600px” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text ul_item_indent=”50px” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Roboto Slab||||||||” text_text_color=”#545658″ text_font_size=”14px” text_line_height=”1.3em” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Associate professor of music Zach Layton works with a student, demonstrating sound design and synthesis techniques during a music production session.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”3_5″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”–et_global_heading_font||||||||” header_font=”–et_global_heading_font||||||||” header_text_align=”left” header_text_color=”#25282A” header_2_font=”Oswald|||on|||||” header_2_text_color=”#862633″ header_2_font_size=”2.5rem” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n For faculty and students alike, projects like this reflect how the Les Paul Studio functions as a starting point rather than an endpoint. Ideas developed in the studio move outward into professional venues, connecting Ramapo\u2019s creative work to broader artistic conversations. The experience mirrors the program\u2019s philosophy: Learning happens not only through instruction but also through making, performing and sharing work in real-world contexts.<\/p>\n Although more institutions are investing in music technology, Neill believes that Ramapo\u2019s early commitment to music technology and its liberal arts environment set it apart. \u201cTechnology will keep changing,\u201d he said. \u201cBut the ability to think musically, creatively and critically, that\u2019s what lasts.\u201d<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” max_width=”824px” custom_padding=”0px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”–et_global_heading_font||||||||” header_font=”–et_global_heading_font||||||||” header_text_align=”left” header_text_color=”#25282A” header_2_font=”Oswald|||on|||||” header_2_text_color=”#862633″ header_2_font_size=”2.5rem” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Ten years in, the Les Paul Studio remains one of Ramapo\u2019s most distinctive academic spaces, honoring a legendary innovator while preparing students to help shape the future of the music industry. \u201cThe studio gives you the chance to take your work seriously,\u201d Strain said. \u201cYou\u2019re surrounded by people who want to make something real, and that pushes you to grow. A decade later, it\u2019s still a place where students can walk in with an idea and leave with something they never thought they could make.\u201d<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Back To Homepage Spring 2026″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” background_enable_color=”off” use_background_color_gradient=”on” background_color_gradient_direction=”45deg” background_color_gradient_stops=”#f3f3f1 0%|#fcfffd 100%” background_color_gradient_start=”#f3f3f1″ background_color_gradient_end=”#fcfffd” background_enable_image=”off” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” top_divider_color=”#ffffff” top_divider_height=”86px” top_divider_arrangement=”above_content” top_divider_style_tablet=”” top_divider_style_phone=”” top_divider_style_last_edited=”on|phone” top_divider_height_tablet=”52px” top_divider_height_phone=”25px” top_divider_height_last_edited=”on|phone” border_color_all=”#2f2f2f” border_width_top=”1px” border_color_top=”#f3f3f1″ global_module=”8106″ saved_tabs=”all” collapsed=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” background_enable_color=”off” background_enable_image=”off” background_size=”initial” background_position=”center_left” z_index=”349″ max_width=”1024px” custom_padding=”15px||20px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Oswald|||on|||||” text_text_color=”#862633″ text_font_size=”24px” link_text_color=”#25282a” transform_scale_linked__hover=”off” transform_translate_linked__hover=”off” custom_margin=”6px|||||” text_font_size_tablet=”” text_font_size_phone=”21px” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}” transform_styles__hover_enabled=”on|hover” transform_scale__hover_enabled=”on|hover” transform_translate__hover_enabled=”on|desktop” transform_rotate__hover_enabled=”on|desktop” transform_skew__hover_enabled=”on|desktop” transform_origin__hover_enabled=”on|desktop” transform_translate__hover=”-5px|0px” custom_css_after__hover_enabled=”on|hover” link_text_color__hover_enabled=”on|hover” link_text_color__hover=”#c41e1e”]<\/p>\nA Revolution in Learning<\/h2>\n
Where Students Become Artists<\/h2>\n
\n
\u2014 Lachlan Strain<\/h5>\n
Why Les Paul Matters Here<\/h2>\n
Beyond the Classroom Walls<\/h2>\n