The Beat Shop is a music production studio and practice space, which includes two recording rooms, a turntable lab and library, and a computer lab. The shop has multiple sets of DJ turntables, synthesizers, digital drum machines, controllers and samplers. Our computer stations have software for recording, sequencing, and editing music.

In Beat Shop students explore music of all forms, mainly focusing on the foundations of hip-hop. Students go through projects devoted to DJing, MCing, beat making, sampling, writing rhythms and melodies, and creating complete songs. Additionally, participants work with writers to and learn to express themselves through lyrics in new ways. After learning the fundamentals of different aspects of music-making, students focus on their strongest interests and work to build skills in that area. Instructors in the Beat Shop work with the students to keep things interesting, finding specialized music teachers, organizing CD release parties or going to MC and DJ battles.

Check out hot beats and rhymes from the 3 week Beat Shop 2007 summer session here