Training for a Career In Recording

[lysdexic]

Hi all,

I've been working in a career as a software developer for almost 10 years now. I've accomplished most of the goals I originally set out to achieve and I don't find myself inspired to set new goals and continue in this career. I've got a small project studio that I've been using to produce my own music with tools like Reason and Acid for the last few years; though I'm still very much an amateur, learning at a snail's pace. During this time I've been increasingly interested in pursuing a career in recording.

I realize that, in the long run, experience is the more important than completing some sort of training program but I'd like to keep my current job before I switch over to an entry level recording job (intern, gofor, etc). My goal is to obtain some sort of formal education and build the beginnings of a portfolio before I make the career change. I'd like to know, from those who are working as recording engineers, how you'd go about obtaining training if you were to start over. Would you go for a bachelor's degree or a specialized program like Musician's Institute in Los Angeles or something else entirely? Any tips on obtaining an education in recording are greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions...

ps. I did a search figuring this has been asked before, but I didn't find anything. A pointer to another thread discussing this topic would be welcome.

[TapeOpLarry]

After a long summer making no money running a studio my advice is to stick with a job that pays...

[eh91311]

Larry, is the lack of business a seasonal thing or are ALL labels, large and independent, holding back on spending and scaling back their projects?
Is it related to the economy?

[cgarges]

Most people in this area have been really hurting this Summer. The beginning of the Summer was the worst I've ever seen it. Fortunely things have started to pick back up. It's just sort of the economy in general. For my demographic, it sort of works like this: When the economy is bad, people don't go out. When people don't go out, venues cut back on music. When musicians aren't playing, they don't have the money to record. Charlotte is a BIG banking center and is in some related manner pretty hugely affected by sways in the economy. When it's good, things are generally pretty happening here, although there's not tons of grassroots support for the arts. As both a feelance engineer AND drummer, I get pretty bummed when gigs start to drop off because that usually means sessions aren't far behind.

As far as the original post goes, I'd get in good with a studio and start spending all the time you can hanging out there, assuming they'll let you. Start to develop a good relationship with them and learn what you can from their engineers. Start to get to know the bands who record there and go out and see them play. This will eventually help you start to develop a good network (and eventually a client base which, contrary to some people's beliefs, is ESSENTIAL for making a living recording music).

As far as schools go, University of Miami has an excellent (albiet expensive and demanding) program with a good reputation and fairly good job placement for students. (Not by means of the school, but by means of their students being very well-qualified.) The Recording Workshop in Chillicothe, Ohio has a pretty happening program as well. It's fairly contained, time-wise, and inexpensive relative to what you can get out of it. (Notice I said what YOU can get out of it.) The school in Tempe, Arizona, who's moniker I can't recall right now, also has an excellent reputation. I have consistently met competent students from the above mentioned institutions and wouldn't have a problem giving anyone from these schools a fair shot. I can't say that about several other expensive schools. Audio schools. In Florida. Near Orlando.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

[kylethompson]

If you are hell bent on a career in recording take the 10 grand or so that you would spend on a Recording Trade school and use it to pay for your living expenses while you work for free for a year as an intern. You will have the upper hand over those working day jobs to be able to intern at night.

I wish I had done it this way. Avoid the schools they can't teach you anything that you can't learn through a combination of research and paying close attention at the internship.

Email me if you have any specific questions about the schools or internships, as I just went through all that about two years ago when I moved to LA. FWIW, I ran out of money (working for free) and came back to San Diego to build my own small comercial studio. Very satisfying, if not lucrative. In fact, if you want to come here and work for free, be my guest !

Kyle

[ggddcc]

Here's something I like to recommend. I teach a 12 week course in the studio where I work. What we do is offer most of the basics of recording, starting with the most simple ideas (what is sound?, how does it behave in a space?, human hearing?, etc), work our way to microphones, signal processing, and up to recording actual (guinea pig) bands. This is a great introduction to the basics, and a lot of students go on to open their own studios, go on to colleges, or one of the 9-13 month schools. Some take the class and decide that they're keeping their day job. I'm sure that there are other studios in other areas that have a similar intro course. If not, create a demand for it, studios ALWAYS need to supplement their incomes, so that they (we) can keep buying overpriced plug-ins.

Getting in good with a local engineer seems like a good idea, but what happens a lot of the time is that we pass on all of this great knowledge that only comes from experience to "interns" who then in turn leave to work somewhere else, in the same market sometimes. So some engineers are not as open to sharing info as one might think.

If I were to start over- I would have gone to Berkely in Boston- gone $100,000 in debt, and have a really shiny degree that could get me a job at any Guitar Center.....

[Roman Sokal]

...is the lack of business a seasonal thing or are ALL labels, large and independent, holding back on spending and scaling back their projects?
Is it related to the economy?

indeed it is.
the entire business is hurting- though a little more hurting on the major label side of things...

[justinf]

In my opinion, based on a young lifetime of meeting and enjoying the company of creative people, I'll say that earning a degree in a creative process (be it music, recording, painting, photo, film, etc) is useful for:

1) self-satisfaction/education
2) beginning a career in teaching
3) gaining access to someone else's money that went the same way.

basically, education is what you make it. You need to decide who you want your mentor to be and hang with that person, big-time. If they occupy space at an institution, that's fine, but it better be about the person and not the school name (Berkely, Full Sail, community college, etc). I question the validity of many higher-learning programs out there, because by and large their grads don't do shit. I don't question the validity of individuals that make great records.

[Electricide]

the tempe school is the Conservatory of Recording arts..

After college I was waiting a year for my girlfriend to finish, and then I was heading out to AZ to go there.
During that year hiatus, I got an internship at a rec studio two or three days a week. The other intern left, and they agreed to pay me what I needed to live to be a full time assistant. I spent a year as an assistant.

When I left, because I was broke and exhausted, I was glad I hadn't gone to the school. The cost of the school and the cost of the money I DIDN'T earn by being a low paid assistant were probably the same, but I got real world experience, learned everything anyway, and learned how to deal with producers and clients.

That last bit will get you a good job faster than anything, and they don't teach that at the conservatory.

[penrithmatt]

i'm not saying school's a bad thing,but............i left high school and got a job as a teaboy at a studio in london.we worked day on day off.the guy on my oposite day had been to school for music and recording.what can i say...he was four years older than me,in a shit load of debt and still cleaning the same toilet and running to the same shop at four in the morning as i was.we both became assistants,then he got married and quit............
i don't know if it's worth it...

[blinkman]

I'd like to know, from those who are working as recording engineers, how you'd go about obtaining training if you were to start over. Would you go for a bachelor's degree or a specialized program like Musician's Institute in Los Angeles or something else entirely? Any tips on obtaining an education in recording are greatly appreciated.

"Recording School," in its various forms, is costly. Some schools/programs are VERY costly. As I see it, the biggest risk attached to spending all that money is of finally getting a job in a studio and then learning that it isn't what you wanted. In the time I spent as a staffer at a big commercial studio, I saw at least twenty or thirty would-be engineers work through the ranks answering phones, making coffee, running for food etc., until they were ready to start assisting on sessions. Well, in fact not all of them made it that far. Of those that did, most (!) quickly discovered that the pressure and difficulty of the gig (not to mention the hours) far exceeded their expectations. They didn't last long. The staff assistant gig at a bustling pro studio can be a killer, and it's a total life committment (murder on relationships) for however many years it takes.

I still believe the best way to learn the ropes and get into the business is to get that runner gig at a big studio--the bigger the better; you want lots of big-time clients coming through so you can learn from them. From there, you have to put in the hours and more or less dedicate your life to learning the craft. It's definitely not for those with a casual interest in making records.

For many years, the "runner/tea boy-->staff assistant/tape op-->engineer" career path was about the only way to get into the business. That, or owning your own studio. These days, having your own studio (or home recording setup) is more attainable, and quite a few great engineers have gone that route. Some schooling could be useful for that, but some would argue that spending the same money on gear and learning on your own makes more sense.

I guess it depends on what kind of career you would like to have. And the way the industry is changing makes it all even more uncertain. Either way, schooling is questionable. Recording schools are, after all, in it for the money. I've known people who have completed the programs at schools all around the country and walked away with a "diploma" and literally NO IDEA how to run a session. I've known others who have done quite well after their schooling, but most agree that their actual studio experience was far more valuable than what they got from school.

I hope that's helpful...I didn't mean to ramble so long...

-chad

[Piotr]

I would try and find the most cost effective solution to getting a technical degree.

Most importantly, if I were starting over I would concentrate more heavily on getting out and meeting those in your area who are willing to hang out and talk about this stuff. Meet engineers, musicians and most especially CLIENTS. As the saying goes "Vendo venio primo!" (Sales come first!)

If you really want to support a recording habit then you will want to tap into the most loyal honest and talented artists you can find. Work only for payment up front and don't take jobs that make you feel lousy. See if you can make some money at it and work with who you like!

Regardless of whether you go back to school you will always have the challenge of making a name for yourself in a very crowded room.

[aurelialuz]

or, say you take that 12-20k and buy gear. same debt, but if you decide recording's not for you, you can sell it all and get most if not all of your money back. can't do that with an education. plus, in two years, you may not have made any money, but you'll have learned a lot and have at least *some* contacts.

alex