Job availability in the studio

[LinuxMercedes]

Hi,

 

I'm curious as to the availability of jobs in the pro audio arena. I'm getting ready to pick a college and major, and I'm looking at doing a pro audio degree of some sort (probably studio work--tracking and mixing, etc.). Mom is pushing for me to minor in that and major in something else that has more jobs available =].

 

Any opinions?

 

Oh, and advice on colleges/majors will be appreciated as well. =]

[BlueStrat]

This has been discussed here a bunch of times so you might want to do a search.

 

My advice would be to listen to your mom. Everyone and their dog has a studio and it's only going to get worse as home studios become more and more common. I don't know a single recording engineer outside the major studios that are making much more than a modest living, if that. And the living they are making is mostly doing demos and CDs for for bands that pretty much have no business recording. Of course, like anything, if you stay in it long enough and you're in the right place, it can be better than that.

 

When I did my last album, the engineer was ecstatic because I had horns a a keyboard and I recorded songs I'd been playing for years and knew they were worked out and road tested.

 

He played me samples of bands he'd been recording and some of it was good but most of it was awful-guys who couldn't tell their guitars were out of tune, guys who didn't know how to tune drums, bands whose songs were mediocre with no hooks or weren't all the way worked out and wanted to just jam until they hit on something-and then he told me about having to sit there for hours and mix them, listening to the same thing over and over and over, basically trying to polish a turd.

 

If that's what you want to do, you're more patient than I am, but that's pretty much what small market and startup engineers and studios have to do to put bread on the table.

 

That guy who did my last CD sold his studio and got out. The guy who bought it is barely staying afloat. And it's a nice studio with great gear.

[The*Ataris]

 

 

 

Yes, this topic has been done to death and your mom is right.

 

I've loved recording music since picking up my first four-track at age 15. I totally wanted to do a recording school type deal coming out of high school and am now glad that somebody talked me out of it.

 

I ended up getting a 'real' four year degree and spent a lot of time 'interning' at a local studio, which was a great experience. I got to do something that I still really love doing, but I also got to go to a real school with real girls and get a real education. Ended up learning how to run a Studer 824, an SSL G-series, all kinds of incredible outboard effects, and watched a bunch of really good bands made records...all after classes for a few hours a week.

 

The job market is bad enough as it is. Don't force yourself into a failing, over-saturated industry full of people who don't want to pay you or give you opportunities. Do it for fun in your free time!

[BlueStrat]

+1000

 

I'd also add that you're far more likely to get a job in a studio by finding an engineer who needs someone to help out around the place and then work into apprenticing. Most of the good engineers I've worked with did it this way.

[The*Ataris]

 

+1000 I'd also add that you're far more likely to get a job in a studio by finding an engineer who needs someone to help out around the place and then work into apprenticing. Most of the good engineers I've worked with did it this way.

 

 

Yep, and believe me, most good engineers (real engineers) aren't giant fans of full-sail graduates or 'music industry' programs offered at mainstream schools anyway.

 

If you're really into it, spend some time fetching pizza and coffee, wrapping cable, and setting up mics for someone who knows what they're doing, because there is SO much time to sit around and ask questions and absorb experience that you'll never get in a classroom. Plus, it's FREE, way more relaxed, and legitimately hands on ALL the time...

[richardmac]

Ditto all above opinions. I know a lot of guys who went to a community college and got a two year degree in audio engineering. Quit laughing and let me finish my story. Out of like ten guys, only one of them are now doing anything having to do with audio recording. And his studio job? He now teaches that same program at that same community college. That was a great gig for him to score. But those gigs are rare.

 

That was back in 85 and even back THEN their teacher told them that home recording would probably eventually kill the business.

 

I personally feel that the best generic out of the box degree you can get from a 4 year college is a BS in Business Administration. One, it's an easy degree to get (relatively speaking,) and two, it's very versatile for finding a job. However, you also need really good people skills and really good interview skills, and on top of that, you need good grades. But the economy sucks. A job is a job. And it may get much worse. Earning a living is number one.

 

Before I get flamed for saying business classes are easy, let me also say that I took them, so I speaketh from experience. I got a BS in Music Business (Class of 87, SUNY Fredonia) and was basically three classes away from a business degree. They wouldn't let me get both, though. So I went for the Music Business degree, which was an incredibly stupid thing to do, even back then.

 

For what it's worth, I eventually went back and got my BS degree in Elementary Education, and that made the Business program look hard. Well, except for one or two courses. I worked 5 years as an elementary teacher then got into educational technology.

 

Worry about getting a JOB that pays good money.

[Mosby]

As a grad from a 4-year program (in Denver. Ataris knows which one) I can safely say if you can do something else do that.

 

I worked for my school, helped run/manage/maintain/install/wire the recording studios at my school, had a local EP out, and did several large significant multi-track recordings (live). I loved it. One of the best times of my life. I graduated.

 

 

I had studio owners and engineers tell me that they didn't do internships - and then a week later offer internships to some of my former employees (who, didn't even inquire about interning).

 

I was passed up for an internship, that was all but green lighted, because some kid that I had taught had a "patron" at the studio who dropped over $10,000 at the studio for a week and change of recording. Gee. Who did they give it to?

 

I finally got in at a studio - pretty much freelance. I couldn't get anyone to book time. They all said their buddy was recording them in their basement. One group told me that I would have to cover all of the studio time (i.e they get to record for free). One group told me I would have to pay them so that I could record them. Re-read that sentence. Yes. You read it correctly. They wanted me to pay them, for the privilege of recording them.

 

I worked {censored}ty jobs, packed my {censored}, moved up to Seattle to try to pursue a career as an engineer up here. I'm up in Seattle. I didn't know anyone up here. Still haven't been able to meet a lot of people. I'm broke. Can't afford to go out. Working a job I can't stand. I get home and work on my portfolio - which I never had before, because all of professors told me that no one would listen to it anyways. I figure what the hell - it can't hurt at this point. But thats sorta M-F for me.

 

 

About the education... I did love. Truly. I met my ex in the program which was one of the best, and then worst, things to happen. That aside.

 

I was taught by some phenomenal people. And then I was taught by some less than good ones. By the times I graduated, I had recording more full concerts than half of the teachers. I had also recorded more albums than most of the teachers (okay - it was 1, but most had never even done that). The good teachers were great, the bad ones were pretty bad. I received no help in internship placement or in career placement, and was told that I was on my own.

 

Advice? I would see if you can pick it up as a minor. There is no money in the field right now (at least not in music). The music industry is shrinking, studios are closing, every tom dick and harry who bought an mbox is now an engineer or producer who can and will undersell you or even do it for free because they "love the music" (and apparently, also loves producing a {censored}ty product).

 

 

Note: Sorry to rant like that. I didn't mean to hijack the thread with my own personal venting.

[masterbuilt]

I know one guy that took the schooling route and he ended up owning a radio station in the middle of rural Ohio. He now has a decent business (at times) and knows how to budget himself well. He gets along okay, but, life is no cakewalk (even though he has mastered that program, too).

[richardmac]

 

Note: Sorry to rant like that. I didn't mean to hijack the thread with my own personal venting.

 

 

That was not a rant, nor did you take over the thread - you posted your valuable experience for others to read. Sorry things didn't work out, man. I'm with you in one sense - back when I was in college going into the studio and playing with my band was a whole lot of fun for me, too. Loved it.

 

Technology has thrown away the bar. It's true that there are lots of crappy recordings out there, but there are also some people doing pretty decent home recordings because of the technology.

 

Yeah, this has been covered a million times, but...

 

There are always exceptions, but it seems like the only folks making money in the business right now are the ones selling gear or giving lessons. I don't mean the sales people who make next to nothing, I mean the folks higher up the chain who manage and own such places. Of course, right now with the economy shot to hell, I'd imagine they're hurting a bit like the rest of us. The thing to own right now might be a liquor store...

 

It is what it is. If you've got the stomach for it, one possible avenue is to give lessons on how to USE your home audio equipment. That same guy who won't pay to come into a studio might pay to have someone come to their house and sit down with him and teach him how to master better. That's turning the problem on its ear. Creative thinking is always important.

 

Book yourself out as a GarageBand teacher. For all those folks who bought Macs and are trying to make great sounding music with GarageBand, only to discover that they don't know anything about audio recording. There's a ton of them out there. All you have to do is master GarageBand, and if you know audio recording and are good with computers, that will take you about half an hour. Geez... I'm thinking I should do that!

[Mosby]

 

That was not a rant, nor did you take over the thread - you posted your valuable experience for others to read. Sorry things didn't work out, man. I'm with you in one sense - back when I was in college going into the studio and playing with my band was a whole lot of fun for me, too. Loved it. Technology has thrown away the bar. It's true that there are lots of crappy recordings out there, but there are also some people doing pretty decent home recordings because of the technology. Yeah, this has been covered a million times, but... There are always exceptions, but it seems like the only folks making money in the business right now are the ones selling gear or giving lessons. I don't mean the sales people who make next to nothing, I mean the folks higher up the chain who manage and own such places. Of course, right now with the economy shot to hell, I'd imagine they're hurting a bit like the rest of us. The thing to own right now might be a liquor store... It is what it is. If you've got the stomach for it, one possible avenue is to give lessons on how to USE your home audio equipment. That same guy who won't pay to come into a studio might pay to have someone come to their house and sit down with him and teach him how to master better. That's turning the problem on its ear. Creative thinking is always important. Book yourself out as a GarageBand teacher. For all those folks who bought Macs and are trying to make great sounding music with GarageBand, only to discover that they don't know anything about audio recording. There's a ton of them out there. All you have to do is master GarageBand, and if you know audio recording and are good with computers, that will take you about half an hour. Geez... I'm thinking I should do that!

 

 

 

I'm not giving up. I just can't imagine myself not making music (or at the least, working in a creative field). This is just one of those spots in life where it's like driving through Nebraska. It never ends. and doesn't seem to get any better. Of course, eventually, you hit the state line, and things change.