Confused about where I am.

[RockyTCR]

thank you cgarges

Your the person I was looking for a response from, not people fighting at eachother in this thread...Someone with experience and someone that has reached a fork in the road. All of you are my peers and would know best considering most of you and problably in some way in a situation like mine, somehow.

Lots of inspirational and REAL things I have to ask myself and contemplate on where I want to be.

I think a problem with some of the misunderstandings people are having with what I'm saying is that I am purposely being vage with my situation. I have to be, I can't name people or really go into, this is NY, big yes but everyone really knows everyone. And also don't feel comfortable describing my exact salary/wages, but what I said was enough to get as far as the answers I'm looking for.

[cgarges]

Lots of inspirational and REAL things I have to ask myself and contemplate on where I want to be.

Ultimately, it really is YOUR decision. You just have to decide what's worth giving up and if doing it later will be better than doing it now. It may not be. Maybe you don't want to end up comfortable and eventually stick in a rut because you refuse to make the situation better, but at the same time, you might walk out into a cold world of stuff that's either a step sideways or backwards.

I had a similar conversation with a friend of mine a while back. He was looking to get out of a job where he wasn't really happy (or where he felt he had gotten into a boring routine), but I pointed out that things might be sort of good for him at the time. He wound up waiting a little longer and deciding to move to a different location entirely, but only after he had enough money saved up and had made enough contacts in the new town that he felt comfortable taking the plunge. When he did, it was hard for him for the first few months, but he wound up getting work relatively quickly becuase he's good, smart, and personable. He told me later that he was glad he made the decision to leave, but he was REALLY glad that I had talked him into waiting a bit. For him, the timing worked out exactly as it should have.

Whatever you decide to do, there will be a reason for it. Good luck with it!

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

[the finger genius]

I was in a similar situation a few years ago. Working as an assistant at the Hit Factory in NY, being on call pretty much all the time, working on music I didn't enjoy listening to, and not making anywhere near making what I though I was worth. (I also wasn't even coming close to 20$/hr, but that's beside the point.) After a couple of years, I became resentful, and it gave me a distaste for the work in general.

There may be other people who would take your job for much less. That's not important. The first question you need to ask yourself is, "Am I happy with my present situation?" The second question to ask (especially if the answer to the first question is no) is, "What are my options, and which decision makes sense."

I know these questions are pretty open, and can be pretty scary form someone in your position (I've been there), but you're the only one that can answer them.

FYI, I decided to quit the business, (without much of a plan), and it set me back a few years, but I certainly don't have any regrets. I'm back to the point where I can look forward to a recording session after work or on the weekend. (It also helps that I don't hate my day job.)

Good Luck

[LifeGoesOff]

WOW!!! I've been in the same situation asking myself the same questions for a while now. Mine's the same story, major label bullshit, bosses that make millions a year while keeping me in the lowest tax bracket, being on call, taking shit from an A&R guy who has no idea how the hell a studio works. (i.e. asking me to add more compression to a mix, and when I asked him what compression is/does, I just got a blank stare), and just general drama crap that doesn't in any way help me do a better job.

I think where I'm at now, is that I feel that I'm very fortunate to have been a kid taken off the street and made into a decent engineer, but I feel like I've outgrown the situation. I've become very proficient in the major label rap world. I know what to expect 99% of the time when a client comes through the door. Drama aside, the job has just become boring to me. I think it's time for me to move on and find another challenge. I'm considering finding a studio that has similar ideals that I have, start at the bottom and try to work my way up the ladder again. It's all part of my pursuit to become a well rounded engineer. Something we all strive to be, and if a situation isn't working, or if you feel like your not gaining anythng from the expirience, why do the job?

[soundguy]

A long time ago, I got some advice from this old school camera operator and its served to be something Ive just never forgotten. I was on a job where everyone and like I mean EVERYONE below the line was having just the worst time possible. This guy looked at me and said "the only time you can really effectively negotiate is when you are willing to quit, when you have absolutley nothing left to lose". Perhaps extreme, perhaps supernova brilliant, regardless, this has helped me through some tough times and still take it to heart today.

dave