Q for Andy, James, and anyone else making a living from sound engineering/production:

[dill_the_devil]

Okay, so you guys probably get asked this so often that it should be either posted here as a sticky or simply common knowledge to all but the most idiotic, but what advice/suggestions do you have for someone (i.e. yours truly) who is looking to get into recording/sound engineering as a profession? Are there any training schemes, educational programmes, apprenticeships, etc. you can recommend?

I've started off by creating mixes of my own riffs through recording bass and guitars into my PC along with drum software accompaniment in Adobe Audition. I then started teaching myself stuff about EQ theory from tips on this forum and tutorials elsewhere on the net. In a few months, I should be starting a part-time course in music technology at a local college, which will teach me basic audio engineering principles and sequencing/midi techniques using Cubase. From there, I hope to get onto a two year full-time BTEC course in sound engineering at the same college.

Is this a decent way to get started? Is there anything else I should be doing? Any help or advice would be massively appreciated.

 

[Hopkins-WitchfinderGeneral]

You could try writing off to big local studios and seeing if they need anyone to be the runner/intern/apprentice.

 

[dill_the_devil]

This was something I was considering - near where I live, there are a few places I could try - Mick Kenney's Necrodeath studios and Rich Bitch Studios in Birmingham, Middle C Recording in Wolverhampton, Rhythm Rooms literally down the road from my house in Darlaston... the West Midlands seems to be a breeding ground for studios...

 

[Hopkins-WitchfinderGeneral]

The Academy is up near that way too ain't it?

Prolly best not to bother with studios like Necrodeath, it's too small to need a runner etc... Bear in mind non metal studios too, theres a lot more of them!

 

[dill_the_devil]

I believe The Academy is in my neck of the woods too, you're right! How much time would I have to devote to being a runner/intern/apprentice though? Bearing in mind I have a full-time job, no transport of my own and a girlfriend who lives fairly far away? Awkward things like that... hehehe

 

[Hopkins-WitchfinderGeneral]

Well, you need to make concessions to get into it... hours would depend on a lot of things... you'd need to talk to some people that are actually actively doing it to find that sort of thing out.

 

[Kenny Lee]

I took a Pro Tools class. Lasted like three weekends and cost quite a bit, was taught in the same studio Ministry did their stuff in(and the Red Hot Chili Peppers). I learned a few things. Then when I was done I talked with studio owners and got to know them and they let me sit in on some sessions. I learned MORE by sitting in on sessions than the WHOLE Pro Tools class! All in all, it was money well spent.

 

[Ermz]

Well, I'm taking an Audio Engineering course that's lasting 3 years. Alot of people who are actively involved in the industry are constantly suggesting to ring up studios, see if you can get involved in any way... being a runner, assistant, just sitting in on a session or whatever. Apparently the qualifications don't mean shit compared to the experience... which I'm not hesitant at all to believe.

 

[Nitronium Blood]

Well, I'm taking an Audio Engineering course that's lasting 3 years. Alot of people who are actively involved in the industry are constantly suggesting to ring up studios, see if you can get involved in any way... being a runner, assistant, just sitting in on a session or whatever. Apparently the qualifications don't mean shit compared to the experience... which I'm not hesitant at all to believe.

Three years?????

 

[Hopkins-WitchfinderGeneral]

Well, I'm taking an Audio Engineering course that's lasting 3 years. Alot of people who are actively involved in the industry are constantly suggesting to ring up studios, see if you can get involved in any way... being a runner, assistant, just sitting in on a session or whatever. Apparently the qualifications don't mean shit compared to the experience... which I'm not hesitant at all to believe.

I wouldn't say it was 100% true, because they'd be more likely to give you their time if you could say, "Hey, look i have a BA audio shit in blah blah"

but then...

 

[egan.]

I wouldn't say it was 100% true, because they'd be more likely to give you their time if you could say, "Hey, look i have a BA audio shit in blah blah"

but then...

...My experience is that you almost need some schooling just to qualify to vacuum the floor anymore. IMO, most of your "real" work is going to come from knowing people though-- at least on the music side of the business. (The longer I work the more respect I have for folks who have mastered networking skills) And interning and such is a great way to meet people and learn some at the same time. For the most part though, the learning is based strictly on observation b/c if you start asking a lot of questions on someone elses dime you won't last long as an intern/assistant.

 

[Exsanguis]

I work as an engineer to a songwriter and producer at his private home studio, and will soon be changing jobs to engineering at a recording studio for a very large advertising firm. Although I'm not old enough to have taken any of these audio courses or attended these schools, I can safely say that the best thing to do to learn the business and techniques is to intern at a studio(or be a runner). Free help is always appreciated, so long as you can stay out of the way. The internships and jobs as runners have excellent potential for turning into real jobs. I began an internship with the aforementioned songwriter/producer two years ago or so, and was promoted to the position of engineer 9 months later(this was when he still owned a large studio). 4 months later, he sold the studio and built himself a smaller home studio for his own projects, and asked me to stay on as his resident engineer. Recently, I was offered a position as an engineer at a studio for a very large advertising firm, and took it. As this all began with an internship where I started by sweeping the floors and getting coffee, I am a firm believer in such systems, rather than schools and courses. They may teach you Pro Tools, but they don't teach you how to interact with the clients, producer, or how to run a session competently.

 

[Nitronium Blood]

Wouldn't you say that it just the lack of money required to have one's own studio that prevents most people from having their own studio?

If that is not the case, then why don't you guys build your own studio?... like Studio Fredman which started out crap but now look at it. :Spin:

 

[dill_the_devil]

Personally speaking, even if I had the money to build my own studio, it wouldn't do me much good as I know bugger-all about the equipment and such required to run it.

 

[Exsanguis]

I'd open my own, truly professional studio if there was enough of a demand for the recording of the styles of music that I'd prefer to record(metal) in my region. The financial risk of opening a commercial studio is too big these days, especially considering that many studios are closing every year. It'd be my dream to own and run my own professional studio and record metal bands for a profit there, but for right now, I'm gonna have to settle with recording bands in my private studio, and recording shite at other commercial studios(gotta make money!).

 

[Plec]

There is only one way to go and that is to do what you feel is right for you!

People will work with people they know. The best results in the studio will most often come from working with people you know. You don't get to work as a producer/sound engineer by taking a class for 3 weeks or 3 years. You might learn a few things, but NOTHING that is going to get you hired. The only positive thing about education is that you get to know other people with the same interests and goals, and THAT will probably help you more than your education ever will. The only line of work you might get by actually studying sound engineering would probably be somewere in radio/tv which is way more technical than creative anyway.

You also have to take a look at where the music business is heading. It's changing all the time and more and more major studios are closing down so you got to look ahead at exactly WHAT it is you want to be doing. Freelance engineer? Studio owner? etc.... As I said... people work with people they know and like. There's thousands of things to consider when making a living as a producer/sound engineer other than just tweaking gear.

The "runner at the studio" story isn't as up to date anymore, sorry Getting hired like that isn't exactly the "usual" way anymore if you know what I mean.

as for me... :Spin:

Production has always been a passion for me and still is. I started out as many others.. right at home experimenting with different stuff and going out and listening to a lot of music,, and you always get to know people who are interested in the same things when you hang out at the same places. So basically, all of a sudden I had this group of people I was doing projects with, just fooling around you know. Then I started to get paid for doing it and one day I had to rent a few days in a high end studio nearby to do a mix project and I got along very well with the owner there and now I own 50% of that place and business is just blooming like I never could've imagined.

That's my story in a nutshell... hope you get some inspiration from it.

 

[Nitronium Blood]

Personally speaking, even if I had the money to build my own studio, it wouldn't do me much good as I know bugger-all about the equipment and such required to run it.

You know bugger all about the equipment and all that? Fair enough.

That is what employees are for.

 

[dill_the_devil]

LOL - 'that's it, my lovely drones... make honey for your queen... mwa-ha-ha-ha... MWA-HA-HA-HA-HAAAAA'

 

[NathanSoulfracture]

im taking a 2 year music tech course, fortunately we get music industry and freelance classes to help us along the way to getting a job where we want.