ˈɔːdɪˌoʊ lˈɜːnɪŋ sˈɛntɚ wʌz fˈɔːɹmd ɪnðə fˈɔːl ʌv nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti ˈeɪt baɪ kɹˈɪstəfɚ bɹˈeɪdi ænd stˈiːvən bˈɜːtʃ fˈɔːɹmɚli ʌv bˈændz pˈɑːnd ænd spɹˈɪŋklɚ ɹᵻspˈɛktɪvli, ɐlˈɔŋ wɪð pˈɑːndz dˈeɪvɪd tɹˈaɪbwɑːsɚɹ ˌɔn dɹˈʌmz, sˈuːn ɹᵻplˈeɪst baɪ kˈɑːlɪdʒ stˈuːdənt pˈɔːl dʒˈɑːnsən.
Audio Learning Center was formed in the fall of 1998 by Christopher Brady and Steven Birch (formerly of bands Pond and Sprinkler respectively), along with Pond's David Triebwasser on drums, soon replaced by college student Paul Johnson.