How did you become Pro?

[LeGrand]

Hey there!

I was a silent Reader for a few days and you helped me a lot in that short time. Thanks for that!!
I often wondered about Posts like "i've got a 150,000$ Budget...". My question ist: How did you become Pro? What was your way of getting into this fun business, when every part is as expensive as a car?
To explain you why I ask: I just turned 23 and i am really interested in recording and work as much as I can to get better Gear. By now I've got a signal chain consisting of a Brauner Phantom AE, a Universal Audio M610, Summit Audio TLA-050, M-Audio Delta 1010 and a Recording Computer with one UAD-1 card. Feel free to give advice into what i should invest the next time. I record Accoustic stuff as well as "british sounding" Pop...
Thanks!!!

[CuminGingerSpice]

Well, I am young (only 19), but I have decided to go to school for something completely unrelated to music (aviation). It is my only other passion besides music! having known and talked to producers who literally have sold millions of records, as well as being mutual friends with a few people who who have 'made it big', my real advice is just to have fun and try to recording to the best of your ability. It is becoming harder and harder every day to make it in this, or any industry. It's most important to learn a marketable skill than it is to invest in gear; however, if you have that luxury, power to you. But don't fool yourself, it is extremely difficult to get into this industry at a professional level.

Also keep in mind a hell of a lot of people live in a lot of debt... (just google 'US ECONOMY' lol)

Thats just my $.02

[stuntbutt]

I wouldn't assume that the posts like "I've got a $150,000 budget...." are from pros.

[vernier]

Do you mean "TLA-50" ?

[mixman499]

i started charging money for my work.

best,

jchristopherhughes

[Mayor999]

Originally Posted by stuntbutt

I wouldn't assume that the posts like "I've got a $150,000 budget...." are from pros.

hahahahaha sooo true.

[mixman499]

i started charging money for my work.

best,

jchristopherhughes

[lambro]

its the same as anything where excellence is the goal

study, read, surround yourself with mentors, manage your time correctly, keep and build a positive attitude for success, use repetition to develop skill

create a plan with specific goals for different time lines

make sure you understand the financial and real estate aspects well enough to make strategic decisions.

consider a scalable plan that will grow your studio as your business grows

PS I would not rec it as an investment though, you are much better off learning tech analysis of the markets and trading the futures. Thats what I do.

[Audio Hombre]

How did you become Pro? What was your way of getting into this fun business

do it for awhile and see how "fun" it is when it slows down. if you think it's all a party like you see in studio shots in an mtv video, think again

Originally Posted by stuntbutt

I wouldn't assume that the posts like "I've got a $150,000 budget...." are from pros.

i've found it to be the opposite. either people with a well planned business plan or cats that don't seem to have a frikin clue or idea on how difficult it is to make a buck in this industry. news flash: the majority of musicians are broke!

i just got out there and tried to record a couple of peeps that would like what i do, hire me again and recommend me.not even a sniff of any label stuff but i can be busy at times. with me, it's usually feast or famine. when i was desperate for coin last year, i approached a local school board about creating a cd of the music program for a few schools and suggested they sell the cd's instead of a stupid "bake sale" to raise money for the school.it was a successful action. i hated the gig, but i made rent for a few months afterwards effortlessly.

[allencollins]

Originally Posted by mixman499

i started charging money for my work.

best,

jchristopherhughes

nice

[mu6gr8]

Originally Posted by LeGrand

My question ist: How did you become Pro? What was your way of getting into this fun business, when every part is as expensive as a car?

I was lucky enough to be in the right time at the right place when I was 19 years old. An acquaintance who was learning to record needed $15. For five bucks an hour, he gave me three hours of recording time. I cut two songs live. The owner of a record company was passing through as we were listening to the mix. He offered me a deal on the spot because he said he could get one of the tunes played on KROQ. First day in the studio, and I hit the jackpot. That said, I practiced my craft six hour a day for two years so that I could be ready when opportunity presented itself.

I did not buy any gear other than a guitar and amp for years. Eventually, it made sense to have my own overdub and mix room when my business had grown enough to support the expenditure. My rule of thumb has always been to only purchase gear that will pay for itself by helping me to work faster or better.

[Fletcher]

The other guitar player in the band I was in beat the snot out of the producer we were assigned by a major record label... the "producer" never showed back up to the sessions and neither did the engineer. The other guitar player became the "producer" and because I had some PA experience I became the "engineer". The assistant taught me how to run the gear [sorta]. After the band got dropped I did a bunch of roadie gigs and ended up as a front of house and monitor engineer.

One night a household word rawk star threw a mic stand at my head after he shoved the mic into a 2" horn on the monitor system. I walked out 3-4 songs into the show... found a bus driver, went to the airport, got the next flight out [landed in Cinncinatti]... got drunk for 3-4 days, flew back to Boston, and started to hunt myself up a studio gig where there were old people [at that time there were no old guys on the road... and I had seen a photo of Bruce Swedien... he looked old].

I got a gig for $2/hr. as an assistant and haven't done anything else since. There's actually about a books worth of stuff in between all of this... but without a publishing advance I ain't gonna bother to write it so I hope you enjoyed the 'Readers Digest' version.

Peace.

[Zuewi]

Nice story Fletcher

Originally Posted by Fletcher

The other guitar player in the band I was in beat the snot out of the producer we were assigned by a major record label... the "producer" never showed back up to the sessions and neither did the engineer. The other guitar player became the "producer" and because I had some PA experience I became the "engineer". The assistant taught me how to run the gear [sorta]. After the band got dropped I did a bunch of roadie gigs and ended up as a front of house and monitor engineer.

One night a household word rawk star threw a mic stand at my head after he shoved the mic into a 2" horn on the monitor system. I walked out 3-4 songs into the show... found a bus driver, went to the airport, got the next flight out [landed in Cinncinatti]... got drunk for 3-4 days, flew back to Boston, and started to hunt myself up a studio gig where there were old people [at that time there were no old guys on the road... and I had seen a photo of Bruce Swedien... he looked old].

I got a gig for $2/hr. as an assistant and haven't done anything else since. There's actually about a books worth of stuff in between all of this... but without a publishing advance I ain't gonna bother to write it so I hope you enjoyed the 'Readers Digest' version.

Peace.

[AllAboutTone]

Overnight, haha, basically when i started charging money as well, ever since then i have been learning and hope to keep learning.

[Akoppenheffer]

I don't consider myself professional, because enginnering would be my only job. It's not. However, it makes a nice part time job. So I'll consider myself semi pro. Still gotta see that movie. One day I'd like to do it everyday as my main gig. In time...

[allencollins]

Originally Posted by Akoppenheffer

I don't consider myself professional, because enginnering would be my only job. It's not. However, it makes a nice part time job. So I'll consider myself semi pro. Still gotta see that movie. One day I'd like to do it everyday as my main gig. In time...

I look at it kinda different than most actually. I don't think just because you do audio full time you are a professional.

I think if your product sounds professional then you are a professional. If you're a carpenter and you build a house that falls down you are not professional. Regardless if you work at it full time and charge money for it.

In New England it's tough enough to pay your bills working a full time job in any field. Doing audio full time is tougher. I know many engineers in my area and none of them make half what I make at my day job. Not to mention many of them have to give gtr lessons or bartend to supplement their payday

I could probably make 40 or 45k recording garage bands but I can't live off that. But that doesn't have any thing to do with being pro. I think if the product is great then you are professional regardless of whether you do it full time or part time or get paid.

[narcoman]

Originally Posted by allencollins

I look at it kinda different than most actually. I don't think just because you do audio full time you are a professional.

I think if your product sounds professional then you are a professional. If you're a carpenter and you build a house that falls down you are not professional. Regardless if you work at it full time and charge money for it.

In New England it's tough enough to pay your bills working a full time job in any field. Doing audio full time is tougher. I know many engineers in my area and none of them make half what I make at my day job. Not to mention many of them have to give gtr lessons or bartend to supplement their payday

I could probably make 40 or 45k recording garage bands but I can't live off that. But that doesn't have any thing to do with being pro. I think if the product is great then you are professional regardless of whether you do it full time or part time or get paid.

no bro' - this is one of those rare instances when its a dictionary definition. Professional - money. Nowt else.... indeed if you ARE a carpenter, and you build a house and it falls down AND you got paid, then you are a professional. A not very good one who won't be professional for long, but a pro none the less. If you et paid for it - you're a pro'. Professional has nothing to do with being good at something.... The term is derived from earning money from work. You may be brilliant but unless you're earning money, you are a talented amateur. Me? i'm a talentless professional.....

[gsqd]

Someone paid me to record/produce or otherwise put together a demo for them when I was 17. 4 track R-R, small crappy mixer, some Shure dynamics and a pair of Wharfdale speakers.

They got signed!

The rest . . . . . .

<GM>

[allencollins]

Originally Posted by narcoman

no bro' - this is one of those rare instances when its a dictionary definition. Professional - money. Nowt else.... indeed if you ARE a carpenter, and you build a house and it falls down AND you got paid, then you are a professional. A not very good one who won't be professional for long, but a pro none the less. If you et paid for it - you're a pro'. Professional has nothing to do with being good at something.... The term is derived from earning money from work. You may be brilliant but unless you're earning money, you are a talented amateur. Me? i'm a talentless professional.....

I dunno, I disagree.
If you are a ' talentless professional' and you charge money
you are also a fraud. And you should be in jail for purgury.

[slipperman]

Originally Posted by Fletcher

T
I got a gig for $2/hr. as an assistant and haven't done anything else since.

I will gladly raise you to $3/hr. if you arrive with all your outboard.

SM.

[vixapphire]

For the answer, one need only listen to these words of the inimitable Nina Hagen:

"I know who I am, and I'm willing to declare myself to the world!"

[whitepapagold]

Everyone is leaving out the "sell drugs" part of the puzzle... SO many, many bands and studios I know of had a big chunk provided by sales of narcotics. No joke. But it also supports the "hard to MAKE money, easy to SPEND money" side of the business... Maybe a bit less nowadays.

Sad but true. When its slow- sell coke and weed to all the musicians.

[bongo]

Here's my story.

Not so sad, but true!

[vernier]

Everyone is leaving out the "sell drugs" part of the puzzle... SO many, many bands and studios I know of had a big chunk provided by sales of narcotics. No joke. But it also supports the "hard to MAKE money, easy to SPEND money" side of the business... Maybe a bit less nowadays.

Sad but true. When its slow- sell coke and weed to all the musicians.

That's rubbish.

[LeGrand]

That's just what i expected. Loads of answers, loads of opinions! Thanks a lot, you are really motivating! Everyone should read bongos story, that's what i call inspiring!!!
After having read all your stuff, first thing i did was just mixing around stuff i had finished before. I like it a lot better now and i think i will re-do a few other old recordings, just to experiment more. So i guess it was right to post in here

To answer to aspecs of this discussion:
-I will definetely not sell drugs! i believe, that's more some sort of myth...
-yes, i meant TLA-50. Got nervous fingers sometimes