Getting started in the biz. First Break.

[EveAnna Manley]

Howdy guys,
I see many newbies always asking "Which recording school should I go to?" and the like wondering how to get into the music biz. Would you guys care to share and inspire beginners with how you each got into the recording biz and how you got your first break?

[Elliot Scheiner]

Hi EveAnna....There were no schools when I started. My uncle was a studio musician in New York and he introduced me to Phil Ramone. Phil owned A&R Studios at the time and hired me as an assistant. In those days you were trained by the other engineers at the studio. There wasn't nearly as much technology as there is today. You needed to know what mics to use on what instruments and how to place them. Where to set up the players in a particular room and how to get everything clean to tape. The hardest thing to teach someone was how to hear. Fortunately for me I had the greatest teacher in the world. After assisting Phil, I was required to learn how to cut a reference disc and how to work with film.
Getting that first break came when Phil couldn't make it to a session. He called me at the studio and told me to record it. That was it for me.

Els

[Damon Dudley]

That is a great sucess story, but I believe the real question should be how do you get in the door? I hear the intern line over and over again but that's just the case, how do you get the internship? I realize that with the closer of many of the larger facilities the trickle down effect is in effect(my attempt at humor). I also understand that it's about who knows what you can do and how much responsibility they feel you can be trusted with and that getting a job in the entertainment industry is all about being trusted to do perfect work under extreme pressure, but how do you get to preform - to display this talent?

I think Evanna was right on the money with the question as there is no "paint by numbers" on how to make it in this industry.

Not trying to speak for our great moderators, but if you need to be spoon fed the answers you may not be the type most studios are looking for.
I would think almost any studio owner would allow you to clean his toilet every day if you asked. That would get you in the door.

The one thing that seems to be often overlooked here on GS in regards to internships is the fact that most mentors are just going to pass on bad habits.
Yes, there are a few greats and I am sure there is great value in that. However, the odds are you won't get one.

Put together a DAW and start recording for whatever you can get paid and grow your studio, meet other studio owners locally, grow your client base, learn the trade the way most do.

Do it.


Sorry if this sounds hard.




D