So how did some of you roll into a studio?

[Black neon bob]

Im really eager to go into a studio and learn more... i always wondered how some of you rolled into a studio.. what's the secret?

Is it internship? the people you know? being a bit cocky and just smooth talk your way into one?

 

[Andy Sneap]

thats a question suecof needs to answer

 

[Black neon bob]

Jason?

 

[Brett - K A L I S I A]

LMAO

 

[Ben Johnson]

Build your own empire, Bob.

Just do it.

Want it bad enough and make it happen.

 

[Waterboy]

*if you build it, they will come*

 

[AudioPhile777]

thats a question suecof needs to answer

 

[TheDude]

No, his brother, Kenneth

I bought my own, together with some friends (long story, you might not wanna hear it), with money from an advance. Jacob Hellner (Clawfinger, Rammstein, Apocalyptica) started off as an intern in an American studio (can't remember the name) where he made coffe, rolled the cables and any other slave labour they could come up with (Graveyard shift, anyone?).

I read about a guy in Sweden who walked into one of the larger studios and said something like "give me a job, I can do whatever". He worked for free for a while before he actually got some recognition. Still, that was years ago, so I have no idea how it works nowadays.

 

[KeithRT99]

thats a question suecof needs to answer

i lol'd.

 

[broken81]

Ive tried to get in working for free with local studio's but they don't want nothing to do with me. I think They see me as competition and are afraid that when they train me, That I will just take off and start my own studio in the same area and steal there business. So yea there brutal around here. I'm just doing my own thing and will just keep trying to learn from both here and working with bands that let me

Good luck though.........

 

[everybody's x]

Ive tried to get in working for free with local studio's but they don't want nothing to do with me. I think They see me as competition and are afraid that when they train me, That I will just take off and start my own studio in the same area and steal there business. So yea there brutal around here. I'm just doing my own thing and will just keep trying to learn from both here and working with bands that let me

Good luck though.........

well...WOULDN'T YOU?

 

[Glenn Fricker]

So yea there brutal around here.

Tell me about it.

 

[broken81]

Yea i completely understand were these studio's are coming from though....

Oz I think you got a good pretty dam good thing going over there. Ive told you before i would love to come work with you. I know you got a toilet i can scrub or something

 

[LSD-Studio]

Yeah, that's an issue with the smaller local studios, there's one in my town that's practicing some serious slander, he's spreading rumors about me all the time and even calls labels etc and tells them not to work with me and so on...
3 days ago I got a call from Neumann (they're supporting me with good deals on mics) they said they've been called by "a studio owner from my town" that complained about that they support someone like me that can't do shit etc....

but I think assholes are in any business- when you stop thinking local a studio in your area wouldn't neccessairily have to be a competition....
those studios should not be the ones to get an internship anyway.
a bigger producer once told me "keep your eyes and ears open and your mouth shut"...
I'd say try to learn from anybodY (this forum for example is a great resource). at one point there'll be the time when you have to decide how your future should look like.
building a studio and trying to make a living from it is a huge and insecure step, but i think the only way to make it is to just do it and try the best you can, I strongly believe that the clients will come if you're good enough.
might take some time and courage though.

 

[Ermz]

Freelance is a good way. If you get to know the bands, and work with them to a point where they trust you, word will slowly start spreading around. This is the method I've used, and whilst it was fairly slow going, word is starting to spread around and I'm starting to talk/plan work with some of the bigger players in the local scene.

The studio route is risky, and reliant upon luck as much as anything else. People don't really get picked up by studios all that often anymore... it's not really a business like that. Most studios now are owner/operator, so you'd likely have to start your own, which is highly risky given how many bands think an mbox and behringer mic is enough to do their whole EP with.

Just do everything you can. Promote yourself in your local scene as a producer, show them your work, offer them cheap EPs to start with. If you're good enough the work will start to come by itself.

 

[greyskull]

I made lots of tea.
now i freelance.
much nicer

 

[Downtime]

the only way to make it is to just do it and try the best you can

You should print that sentence about a thousand times into a book, design a nice cover-layout, call it the "Ultimate advice on getting a pro-engineer" and sell it via internet *grin*
Seriously:
It´s pretty hard to get into a pro-studio over here. First of all, there aren´t too much of them. And if you finally found some you really want to work with, they are either single-runned ones or friends doing it with friends and even some more best friends and other buddies.
When I started I did a jingle for an international luxury-cartuning-company, for the presentation of a new concept-car. So this was about my first real reference. Some people heard of it and told it some other people (spread the word, baby) and so there were the next small jobs.
Early this year, about 2 1/2 years after that jingle-job, the first "Please produce our whole cd, from recording to mixing and mastering and stuff"-job came in, which eventually brought more reputation and so on and so on.
I think if you really want to do it and have some strong backbone and healthy optimism it will work out (assumed you do it good).

 

[cobhc]

Im really eager to go into a studio and learn more... i always wondered how some of you rolled into a studio.. what's the secret?

Is it internship? the people you know? being a bit cocky and just smooth talk your way into one?

I seriously think you should send a demo tape of your TGM stuff, and any other stuff you've mixed, with a list of the limited gear you're working with, to some local studios and see what comes up. I think your work will speak for itself.

 

[ScottCash]

Hey Rob, here is my take man. Business is business and almost ALL business is who you know...it's all about relationships and then delivering on those relationships. Anyone here with some years behind them will agree with me on that point. No doubt you have to know your stuff but that will come with time as well. If I were you, and had the option when just starting out (before other committmens) , I would begin to build a studio piece by piece. Save every penny you make and buy gear. Then advertise FREE studio time in your town for local bands. Since you don't have $100,000 to invest in a brand new studio, the law of the universe says you have invest something else. in your case, time and sweat. Don't worry though, in time your efforts will pay you back ten fold if you are patient. You will get to know everyone in a hurry and from those early relationships you will get a reputation and opportunities you never dreampt of. No one on this board would disagree with me when I say you have more raw talent than most of us. So, invest your time and sweat, meet some cool people and let the universe take care of the rest.

 

[Machinated]

I too have recently been getting heaps of shit put on me from other local studio owners. Had a ton of wild accusations about me. I think there is one studio in particular that I have taken a ton of business from and don't think they are too happy. Ah well, I think it means I'm doing something right.

I really feel like I'm at a point where I'd benefit from sitting in on a pro doing there thing and just picking up things I wouldn't learn otherwise. I have an awesome studio just down the road from me, I'm thinking of writing a letter to them. Really top studio though, and well within walking distance

As far as getting my name about, I have just done it by working with local bands and taking it from there. I did one band a while back that got signed to a pretty decent label, which has helped business on my end a ton. I have bands coming from all over the country to record with me now which is really cool (and quite flattering).