Recap:
In Part 1, we looked at changes in the music recording industry, how this affected career opportunities for the Audio Recording Engineer.
Part 2 discussed various Sound Engineer roles, the skills needed to fulfill them, and what education and training options there are available to help you.
This final part covers how to go about: Choosing My Best Path to Get There
A good starting point is always to clarify what it is you are aiming at…
You may not have very clear objectives at this stage. Even if you do, remember these will probably change as you gain experience, meet different people, and new opportunities arise. However, the general direction you expect to take will influence your choice of education and training.
So here’s a few questions to ask yourself:
1. Studio Employment
Are you looking for a “job”. If so, what roles are of most interest to you? Are there academic or professional qualifications required? If so, these must be supported by the course options on your short-list.
2. Running your own commercial studio
If this is your aim, add to the skills list above a strong dose of business, marketing and people management skills.
3. Home recording
Is this a hobby, where you’d like to improve your skills, but still mainly for your own interest? Or are you a musician or artist aiming to produce professional quality demos or more from your home recording facilities?
So what should you look for?
4. Location
For many this may be the limiting factor. However, I’d encourage you to look for ways to get the best possible training for yourself that you can manage. That means choosing the course first, and moving your base, if necessary, in order to participate fully.
5. Program coverage
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Fundamentals of sound recording and production – equipment set up, recording, mixing, mastering,
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Acoustics – how does sound behave in different spaces – studio vs concert hall vs car
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Business and marketing, especially if your dream is to run your own recording studio business
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Future directions in technology and market
6. Listening
How does the program provide listening exposure? Are there live performers available to work with?
7. Hands-on time enough?
What equipment is available? How much time will you get? How is it scheduled?
8. Who’s teaching?
Are they active professionals, or “just” academics? Are they current masters at their art? What reputation does the school have with employers
9. Links to entertainment industry?
Which sector do they focus on? Who are they working with? Does this help you meet your goals ?
10. Apprenticeship/Internship program.
Do they have an apprenticeship or internship program? Are there places for all students?
11. Funding.
There will be course fees of course, and living costs while a student. But don’t forget you’ll probably need to fund a further 1-2 years living while you gain sufficient experience to land a good job, or build your reputation to be able to attract your own fee-paying clients.
So you either need to have some capital available, or be prepared to work part-time during this period.
12. Part-time/full-time?
This is related to funding, location and level of course.
If you need to work in order to pay for the course, then you probably need to find a part-time course. You may be free to move to your preferred training location. Or not, as the case may be. Depends on your circumstances.
(I was fortunate to be able to opt for a generous redundancy package after 18 years with my employer. Although I was married with 3 children, this funded my full-time MBA course.)
13. Campus based, local studio based, or distance learning?
For many people, your choice will be limited to whatever is available locally within traveling distance from your current home.
If you’re not near a major center, that may well push you towards local studio-based, or distance-learning training options.
Both of these have the disadvantage of limiting your experience to the equipment available at the studio, or at home.
It’s then a matter of looking locally to find which studios are within reach, and contacting them to investigate training opportunities.
The distance learning option has a powerful advantage though…as a door opener to job interviews. Successfully completing a course under your “own steam”, in your own time, with your own equipment, should demonstrate to any potential employer a strong commitment to a career in audio. This is certainly true where the examining body is independent of the sound engineering school concerned.
I didn’t find many distance learning courses. However, a couple that do have an excellent reputation, and have independent examinations, are:
- Audio MasterClass from Course Director David Mellor, and
- Audio Courses from Course Director Chris Hambly
Check them out…
14. Am I a Good Candidate Anyway?
You need to be comfortable with technical subjects and equipment, as well as having an aptitude for music. But even more important are the personal professional characteristics of positive attitude, willingness to learn, dedication to client service and reliability. You need to be employable!
15. Lifestyle
Many recording engineers spend long hours, often into the night in recording sessions with artists. Sometimes away from home. So depending on your role, you may not have a very predictable social life. This doesn’t suite everyone, or not at all times in life.
Summary
- Consider your aims
- Survey the available courses
- Make an assessment based on your aims and the checklist above
- Are there any pre-requisites ? Do you already meet them?
- How is mentoring supported?
- Short list the ones that look a good fit, and contact them to discuss your remaining questions and get a “feel” for the organization
- What about funding ? Is support available from any sponsors? Can I fund my training in other ways?
Other resources:
Magazines:
- EQ Magazine
- Surround Professional
- Mix
- Billboard
- Pro Sound News
- Sound on Sound
Websites:
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
AC from the forum on http://www.studiorecordingengineer.com pointed out that I’d missed another good distance-learning option:
“… the excellent school of http://www.audiocourses.com
Which incidentally was the school that initiated and ported the city & guilds sound engineering qualification to a distance learning mode. They are qualified distance learning designers and audio engineers.
The school has a very good reputation and in fact has a 100% pass rate for the city & guilds programme, where in a face to face environment it is more like 60%!
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Recording Studio Suntans”
Hi Glen,
Thanks you so much for sharing such a good website for audio courses.