The VAMS Studio at GF Strong

The Vancouver Adapted Music Society operates Canada’s longest running fully-accessible recording studio. Every aspect of our studio, located at GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre, was designed to allow access to people using wheelchairs and other mobility devices.

Keyboards and mixing equipment are roll-under, microphones are height-adjustable, and we use oversized control switches wherever possible for people with limited dexterity. Our adaptive instruments and devices were made by Tetra Society of North America’s hard-working volunteers. Here are a few adaptive options that the VAMS studio offers:

  • Powered adjustable piano stand: raise, lower, tilt, and roll. 
  • Manually adjustable piano stand: raise, lower, pull in & out, and roll. 
  • Powered adjustable “guitar table”: raise and lower. Guitar lays flat, played overhand. 
  • Guitar stand: assists with holding the guitar upright either standing or sitting. 

We also have a range of innovative breath-operated musical equipment that allows people with high-level disabilities to sample the magic.

It’s FREE – there is no charge for using the VAMS studio.

New fully-accessible studio at GF Strong

Meet the Studio Team

Bryden Veinot

Senior Program Coordinator

Noah Stolte

VAMS Program Coordinator

Studio Specifications

The VAMS studio houses many more instruments than what is listed. These extra instruments are for clients who don’t have the means to own their desired instrument. Email us at info@vams.org to learn more about our loan and donation program. 

Smaller instruments such as MIDI controllers, brass & woodwind instruments, hand percussion, and more are available. 

Adaptive and Accessible Instruments and Equipment

Accessible Equipment
  • Adapted Keyboard Stand
  • Deagan Electra-Vibe (wheelchair mod)
  • Drumstick Hand Holders
  • Guitar Pick Holder
  • Guitar Strummer
Recording
  • Software:
    • Ableton Live 12 Suite 
    • Izotope Suite 
    • Logic Pro 
    • MacOS (current version) 
    • Melodyne 5 
    • Pro Tools 
  • Hardware:
    • Antelope Orion AD/DA Converter w/ Digital Audio Interface 
    • Audient ASP 880 Preamp (x2) 
    • Behringer Ultragain Pro 
    • Behringer Tube Ultragain Preamp 
    • Behringer Virtualizer Pro 
    • TASCAM Model 24 
    • Warm Audio Tube EQ 
    • Warm Audio VCA style Bus Compressor 
    • Warm Audio WA-2A Optical Compressor 
  • Monitoring and Headphones:
    • Adam Audio T5v Monitors 
    • Audio-Technica ATH-M30 x3 
    • Audio-Technica ATH-M50x x2 
    • BlueSky Sub-Woofer 
    • Focal Shape 65 Monitors 
Microphones
  • Advanced Audio CM16 (Large Diaphragm Tube Condenser Mic) 
  • AKG c414 XLS (Large Diaphragm Condenser Mic) x2
  • AT4050 (Large Diaphragm Condenser Mic) 
  • AT2020 (Large Diaphragm Condenser Mic) 
  • Audix D4 
  • EV RE-20 (Large Diaphragm Dynamic Mic) 
  • Neumann KM184 (Small Diaphragm Condenser Mic) x2 
  • Rode NT1 (Large Diaphragm Condenser Mic) 
  • Royer R-121 (Ribbon Mic) 
  • Sennheiser 421 (x2) 
  • Shure Sm57 (x2) 
  • Shure Sm58 (x4) 
Guitars
  • Acoustic:
    • Epiphone Deluxe Masterbilt 
    • Martin DRS2 (Left-handed) 
    • Ovation Celebrity 
    • Simon and Patrick Songsmith 
    • Seagull S6 
    • Taylor 114e 
  • Electric:
    • Fender Stratocaster 
    • Fender Jazzmaster 
    • Gibson Les Paul Studio 
    • Gibson SG Standard 
    • Prestige Semi-Hollow 
    • Sterling (Musicman) Luke 
  • Bass Guitars:
    • Fender Jazz Bass
    • Fender Precision Bass
    • Sterling (Music Man) Joe Dart I
Piano, Keyboards & Controllers
  • Ableton Push 2 
  • Arturia Keylab 88 MKII 
  • Arturia MicroBrute 
  • Komplete Kontrol 88 
  • Mason and Risch Upright Piano 
  • Nord Stage 3 
  • Roland Juno-DS 
  • Suzuki Omni-Chord 
  • Teenage Engineering OP-1 
  • Yamaha CP 
  • Yamaha P-155 
Percussion
  • Drums
    • Roland V-Drums TD-27
  • Snare Drums
    • Camco 14” Snare drum 
    • CB 14” Snare Drum 
    • Coda 14” Snare drum 
    • Pearl 14” Snare drum 
    • Sonic 14” Snare drum 
    • Tama 14” Imperialstar Snare drum 
  • Bass Drums
    • Gretsch Catalina Ash 22” Kick Drum 
    • Gretsch Maple 20” Kick Drum 
    • Gretsch Maple 18” Kick Drum 
    • Pearl 20” Kick Drum 
  • Tom Drums
    • Gretsch Catalina Ash 10” 12” and 14” Toms 
    • Gretsch Maple 12” 13” 14” and 16” Toms 
    • Pearl 10”, 12” and 14” Toms 
    • Sonic 12” 13” and 16” Toms 
  • Cymbals
    • Paiste Crash 16” 
    • Paiste Hi hats 
    • Paiste Ride 20” 
    • Sabian AA 16” Medium Crash x2 
    • Sabian AA 20” Medium Ride 
    • Sabian Hi Hats 
    • Splash Cymbal 
    • Zildjan Ride 20” 
Amplifiers
  • Boss Nextone Special Guitar Amp 
  • Dr. Z MAZ 18- Watt Guitar Amp 
  • Fender Frontman 25r Guitar Amp 
  • Fender Princeton Chorus Guitar Amp 
  • Roland JC-120 Guitar Amp 
  • Trace Elliot V Type 5001 Bass Amp 
Pedals
  • Ampeg SCR-DI Bass DI 
  • Boss DS-1 Distortion 
  • Boss DD-3T Delay 
  • Boss GE-7 Equalizer 
  • Dual Drive Overdrive 
  • Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Op-amp Fuzz 
  • TC Helicon Voicetone Vocal FX x2 
Other
  • Roland Aerophone