Looking for a good audio school/program

[iwillmixforbeer]

Hey guys,

I'm looking at checking out audio schools to get some more hands on experience and contacts. While Pro Tools cert would be nice, I would also like to get a lot of experience with tape and tape machine operation/maintenance/editing with tape, in other words, a equal or heavier emphasis on analog. I'm trying to avoid the "big places" like Full Sail or E'xpression Center, as I am not interested in being the bagel runner for the guy who's doing the new Usher record, if ya know what I mean. Any advice? Should I just fuggeddaboutit and try to intern somewhere cool?

Thanks

[Professor]

This is always a good place to start.

-J

[Xtopher]

I went to ARTI in Orlando. it's near full sail, but very small scale, much much better. it's probably the best audio school i could have possibly chosen in the entire country, and i still regret going. it was $17k, and a very good program, though it lacked analog tape classes, as do most schools nowadays. i could, however, have taken that $17k and made a downpayment on a house hahah. The reality of it is, even after audio school, there are still too many damn audio engineers in the world, and there's such a small demand that no one hires very often, degree or not. If you get into a decent studio, you're good to go, but a majority of us will never be employed by any recording studio. after all of this schooling and money spent for me, i'm no closer to a solid career than that guy who's been interning for that big studio for 6 months with no pay, and has no professional training. actually hes closer, because now they know that he knows the studio's ins and outs and is comfortable in its environment.

moral of the story: youll probably have to intern, school or no school, so you may as well not go to school and try interning first, because if that gets you somewhere, then you can say to yourself "damn...it's a good thing i didn't blow tens of thousands of dollars" and your wallet will surely thank you.

[TA]

I went to IAR in NY http://audioschool.com/ back in 2001... at the time they had a good balance btwn anolog/digital... tape splicing editing and PT work shops. There two control rooms had 70 something MCI console to DA88`s and a Trident 24 desk to 2" reel....... they have since reformatted though, dont think they have much in analog any more.

A group of my old instructors from IAR since left and created this program http://www.dmx.touro.edu/ Rich and Mike are very cool guys, experienced and extremly knowledgable. Although its almost all about PT here, I took Rich`s acoustics course at IAR (among others) that was both challenging and rewarding, an excellent study.

IAR was kind of a crash course, 9 month program.

IMO, seems the best way to get some real good hands on experience in the ever fading analog world (unfortunatly) is like you said... get an internship at studio that still supports it, and there are a lot.....

Seem alot of the smaller programs are doing away with the analog teachings lately because they need to keep there curriculum within a shorter time frame wial keeping up with the latest in digital....

TA

[Russian Recording]

I highly recommend the Indiana University Audio Department. You have to apply/interview to get in, and it's very competitive, but also an excellent program. You can get a Bachelors Degree in Audio Recording. It's a very thorough program both in terms of theory and hands on experience (TONS of hands on experience and studio time).