Sounding out a future

As part of the deal local wannabe producers and engineers will get the chance to visit the States and gain experience with some of the biggest names in music production.

Higher Rhythm, on Nether Hall Road, has also received a discounted Trident mixing desk, so Doncaster bands are now able to use the same 60s technology which recorded Beatles and David Bowie albums by high-profile producers such as Toni Visconti.

The link up came when Higher Rhythm contacted Mr Oram's firm Trident to ask about buying the mixing desk.

Steve Mundin, senior manager and founder of the studio, said: "We would have been more than happy to pay the full market price but John asked about the project and seemed pretty impressed.

"He asked for details about the studio...and by lunchtime he'd called offering the desk for half the going rate and also asking us to link up with the John Oram Foundation, which develops young people as sound engineers. It's just fantastic.

"He'll be letting us use his contacts to set up courses here and also giving students a chance of work experience in the States - which is a nice carrot to dangle in front of anyone thinking about joining a course. For a relatively small community studio like ours this is a serious industry link."

Mr Oram is legendary among musical technical experts.