Big money engineering gigs??????

[The Studio RI]

So, let's say I wanted to quit my day job and get a job with a recording studio as a full time engineer...

How much can I realistically expect to make? Where do I start looking? Should I just keep my day job? lol.

Just had a stressful week and need to vent about a career change

[De chromium cob]

Rotfl

[PoorGlory]

You can realistically expect to make less than you make at your day job.

[Infernal Device]

Originally Posted by PoorGlory

You can realistically expect to make less than you make at your day job.

And then cut that in half.

[The Studio RI]

Originally Posted by Infernal Device

And then cut that in half.

Thanks, I just needed a reality check lol.

Seriously though, we can't ALL be poor at this gig! Who's making all the money while the rest of us starve?

[drmmrboy]

Originally Posted by The Studio RI

So, let's say I wanted to quit my day job and get a job with a recording studio as a full time engineer...

How much can I realistically expect to make? Where do I start looking? Should I just keep my day job? lol.

I think you'll do just fine... If you don't mind living in a van, down by the river!!

[soundfx]

If you want to make money, post-production is your best bet.

[narcoman]

occasionally I'm making all the money.

occasionally I'm not.

and that's the big problem!

[Watersound]

You may get a few cold, leftover slices of pizza from whoever you're working for I'm just kidding, you may make enough to buy enough gas to get you home...no, seriously, if you're good and somewhat lucky you can support yourself...if you live in a cardboard box! No disrespect to working engineers, you know what I mean...

[Watersound]

Originally Posted by De chromium cob

Rotfl

LMAO!!!!!

[wallace]

Originally Posted by soundfx

If you want to make money, post-production is your best bet.

Yeah, if you can learn how to mix films you can make some good money. Lot's of competition though...

[The Studio RI]

Originally Posted by wallace

Yeah, if you can learn how to mix films you can make some good money. Lot's of competition though...

I'm doing that now actually. Writing and producing film scores. The company is small, and we got in on the ground floor, with some notable projects already in the works, but the money is slow since a lot of it is from grants and dvd sales. If this is the best place to be, I guess I'll stay here ;)

[T_R_S]

An engineer in Canada working in music can expect to make about $1500-3000 /month - depending on level of experience and how busy the studio is. If your producing for a studio and bringing in clients to that studio and are working about 50-60 hours a week you can expect around $3500 - $4300 a month

[Henchman]

Originally Posted by T_R_S

If your producing for a studio and bringing in clients to that studio and are working about 50-60 hours a week you can expect around $3500 - $4300 a month

And a re-recroding mixer with experience can make that in a week.

[soundfx]

And you can make double or triple that a month just mixing TV promos and working less hours. But then again you have to enjoy mixing TV promos.

Thing is, all this depends on where you are, who you have become, and who you know....with the latter being the absolute most important.

[T_R_S]

Originally Posted by Henchman

And a re-recroding mixer with experience can make that in a week.

Sure but you don't get work with cool bands and music.

[Henchman]

Originally Posted by T_R_S

Sure but you don't get work with cool bands and music.

Oh come now, we all know the ratio of shitty to cool bands is about 100 to 1.. And then the ratio of cool bands that have money to record is about 10 to 1.

I don't miss it at all. I still do all the music I want to do.

[The Studio RI]

I just like to record things. It could be music, sound fx, ambient noise from a washing machine... whatever. If I could make $3k a week doing it, I'd do whatever in the studio!

My problem is that I won't let a project go until I'm super happy with the results. Sometimes that means working several more hours off the clock to make sure things are done right!

It's a blessing and a curse e.

[Duardo]

If you want to make money, post-production is your best bet.

Or audio for games...

[celticrogues]

Originally Posted by The Studio RI

Seriously though, we can't ALL be poor at this gig! Who's making all the money while the rest of us starve?

ME!!!!!!!!

not really...

[soundfx]

Originally Posted by Duardo

Or audio for games...

How IS the money in games? The money in post is great, but I've been fascinated by game audio as well. Perhaps an avenue I'd like to get in to, but unlike post, I know NO ONE in that region of the biz. What's your (or anyone's) take?

-S

[Sqye]

Originally Posted by De chromium cob

Rotfl

+1

.

[Sqye]

Originally Posted by Infernal Device

And then cut that in half.

and then cut THAT into TENTHS ....(whatEVER you make at your day job ).

.

[Sqye]

Originally Posted by Watersound

You may get a few cold, leftover slices of pizza from whoever you're working for I'm just kidding, you may make enough to buy enough gas to get you home...no, seriously, if you're good and somewhat lucky you can support yourself...if you live in a cardboard box! No disrespect to working engineers, you know what I mean...

lol...so true...

.

[narcoman]

Originally Posted by soundfx

How IS the money in games? The money in post is great, but I've been fascinated by game audio as well. Perhaps an avenue I'd like to get in to, but unlike post, I know NO ONE in that region of the biz. What's your (or anyone's) take?

-S

Money in games is very good. I do a lot of garage rock records, but my money is in video game mixing - pretty similar to movies really. Music, foley, speech etc....

It's now, like all areas, pretty much a closed shop. It'd be hard to break into it as any other arena.

[BrettMorello]

Originally Posted by Henchman

Oh come now, we all know the ratio of shitty to cool bands is about 100 to 1.. And then the ratio of cool bands that have money to record is about 10 to 1.

I don't miss it at all. I still do all the music I want to do.

I agree. I work in post and am very happy about it. It gives me much more satisfaction than doing tons of hours with musicians I can't relate too. the music I want to record, I record in my free time.

[xmostynx]

live sound is a decent way to make money.

[soundsundergroun]

Originally Posted by xmostynx

live sound is a decent way to make money.

Can be taxing on the ears, though.

[xmostynx]

i'm sure its not the BEST thing to do, but my mixes never reach over 96dBA
if they do, its for a instant and that instant stays well under 100dBA

my studio never reaches much over 88dBC.
my mixing levels are around 78dBC to 83dBC.

however i've been at some live places that are well over 100dBA and that pisses me right off