done with college now what?

[Baderup99]

So I was wondering after im done with college here in a few years then what?

So i get a lot of experience recording bands throughout my college days and involved in small labels and so on.

Once I graduate am I pretty much on my own? If I go to a Studio or a small video/audio production company what are they most interested out of a recent graduate.
My brother just graduated with an accounting degree and is working for Price WaterHouse Cooper and he was trying to explain to me how important it is to add a business minor or go out and see what my industry really expects out of a recent graduate. And i tried telling him the music business world is not like a regular job like his.

So what is the music industry really looking for in a prospective worker? What can make me stand out over the next guy who graduated with the same degree I did? Is showing them a compilation of recordings I've done a good thing?

[lpkyer]

what's your degree to start with? recording?

[ambiguity]

I don't know how it works in different schools.. At my university, there's only a handful of actual production classes, and the "audio production degree" is actually 80% media crap, and 20% production.. Unless you're going to an actual recording school, I assume it's something similar to that.

If that's the case, I suggest switching your major, and taking production as a minor. You'll get the production skills the school offers, minus the media theory, plus you'd have a degree that could actually land you a job.

Make a resume and a demo reel, but don't put stuff you worked on at school on it, or at least make a note of it. We had a guy who put mixing James Brown on his resume (and it turned out he was told to do so by his school, some institute down in Hollywood).

[squeeks555]

well, its a hard industry to get into, im the studio manager at Cherokee Recording Studios and we start all new employees out as interns whos main job is to keep the place clean, answer phones and such, if you prove your self, work hard and are always willing to go the extra mile, come in early and stay late, then you get bumped up to a paid position as runner, whos main job is to go on runs, get stuff for the clients and the studio and help out with the set up and tearing down of session.

[Killahurts]

Originally Posted by Baderup99

So i get a lot of experience recording bands throughout my college days and involved in small labels and so on.

You do? Excellent...maybe you could start by building on that.

I can tell you, that in this business, experience is everything- or at least it will be the biggest factor in how quickly opportunities become available to you.

[numrologst]

I concur with squeaks... that's how most people get in to engineering and production. Start as an intern, perhaps a runner, then hopefully you will get some time in the studio.

First thing's first: Get your degree. I don't really believe in the whole production/music school thing. I've never seen any success stories first hand; that is for people that went to music/production school. Most people I know that did that are either full-time musicians in the bar scene, live soud guys in the small club/bar scene, or music teachers/directors. I am sure there are exceptions, but for the most part I think that it's just a means to an end.

Try to get a bachelor's degree in a backup area of your choice. I have my degree in management. My education was priceless in that I was able to have a pretty good business head by the time I graduated. I knew the concepts and all I had to do was put them into practice. But with your degree, you will have guaranteed income as a fail safe. If music doesn't work out, you can go do the 9 to 5.

If you want to make it as a producer/engineer/studio owner, it's 20% having a kick ass product, 30% your ability to network, and 50% a combination of luck, fate, and being at the right place at the right time. All of those components have to be there.

You gotta get lucky and produce or engineer a record that hits it big. Once that happens you can get into the big bucks.

You can make a good living on freelancing or being a studio manager, sometimes even an owner if you know how to market your studio and minimize overhead.

All I can say dude is to do whatever you can to catch a break. Once you catch that break, things will follow. It's a long road, but stick with it and you might get there. You can get there. Just do what you want to do, and do it well. But don't let yourself to to thirty and be broke. That's all I gotta say

[Baderup99]

Im just in this telecommunications program getting a music production degree at Ohio University.
Dragan you said it right a lot of the classes are media crap classes and around 4 or so classes are actually in the studio. But i guess it's what you make of it. My program at my school makes us also get a minor in music, which is guess is ok... But im either thinking about double majoring or getting a minor in business. My dad owns his own machining business and I've always been extremely interested in owning my own business someday, and with my love of music, opening a studio sounds like the best thing.
I just completed my freshmen year, so I want to make good schooling decisions now and not regret them later.
Ive really thought about the money im spending and was thinking that its not worth it for an audio degree. A lot of my friends were like well you can get a lot of jobs with any degree so I really like music so I might as well be in a program that I enjoy. But I think that sounds like a waste. I dont know what I'm going to do yet. But im going to at least get some business classes

[Steffmo]

I have been in this biz for 35 years....owned and run a studio for 20, and have taught a senior seminar at New haven University for 3 years. Squeaks and Numerologist have it pretty much right, and it looks like you have figured it out as well....for which I applaud you.

To add a bit. Most studio people are on the renagade side for starters (search: Fletcher). They are not impressed with degrees, because we ALL know you can get through many schools with a 4.0 and be unable to do ANYthing useful in the studio. Its sad but true, and I've had enought interns here over the years to know that a resume in useless. My most successful intern went on to work with Busta Rhymes and many other rappers, and had a platinum disc within a year after he graduated. He had the goods, and knew it. All he needed was a shot, and one walked through the door and took him. In fact, he ended up suing the school he went to because he felt he learned it all in internships.

If you want to take music courses....take business. it will ultimately help you way more than the little audio classes. Maybe minor in audio so you get time in the school studio, and learn some of the stuff that is more textbook. By the way....this does not apply to places like University of Miami or NYU. These schools have top flight programs that teach stuff you HAVE to go to school for.

When you look for a job....don't look at the obvious glamour gigs. The most difficult track is the "I want to make records" track. It was always a small club, and is getting smaller. But many corporations have media departments that need audio people, especially insurance companies or any field that need training or safety videos. Stuff like video conferencing is also huge and there are opportunities there. In short...if you need a paying gig, don't look to a studio right out of the box.

If you do have time desire to work in a music studio, be prepared to intern for free for at least year. AND, make sure you use the time well so that at the end of the year you can actually DO something that a studio will pay you for. You would be amazed how many get internships and waste them away. Every year I have one or two that just don't get it.

Good luck with all. You might be one of the lucky ones.

[santibanks]

Originally Posted by squeeks555

well, its a hard industry to get into, im the studio manager at Cherokee Recording Studios and we start all new employees out as interns whos main job is to keep the place clean, answer phones and such, if you prove your self, work hard and are always willing to go the extra mile, come in early and stay late, then you get bumped up to a paid position as runner, whos main job is to go on runs, get stuff for the clients and the studio and help out with the set up and tearing down of session.

Even if people have their certificates and degrees? Sounds pretty hard to me, you spent thausands of dollars on college, you finally get the degrees and the first months on your new job, you are a coffee/tea boy. Something that everyone can do... I hear a lot of times that people have to proove themself, I can come in on that, I think people need to but still, you really learn things after you finished school... I'd rather let those people be involved in the mixing and recording sessions as juniors (if thats their degree of course) then making them the well known coffeeboy...

[uncle duncan]

Originally Posted by Baderup99

So I was wondering after im done with college here in a few years then what?

In a few years, the music industry is going to look nothing like it looks today. So get yourself set up for a real job, and with the money you make at your real job, buy some gear and some real estate and open a studio. When that fails, you can always rent out your building and become a landlord.
I'm sure you've heard the old joke: What's the best way to turn a million dollars into a thousand? Get into the music business.

[centurymantra]

Originally Posted by rainy-taxi

Even if people have their certificates and degrees? Sounds pretty hard to me, you spent thausands of dollars on college, you finally get the degrees and the first months on your new job, you are a coffee/tea boy. Something that everyone can do... I hear a lot of times that people have to proove themself, I can come in on that, I think people need to but still, you really learn things after you finished school... I'd rather let those people be involved in the mixing and recording sessions as juniors (if thats their degree of course) then making them the well known coffeeboy...

Yeah...I totally agree. I've read a few of these threads and I'm continually baffled by the fact that this is the accepted and standard way of dealing with recording "interns". I actually started chuckling a bit when I read the comments of that studio manager, thinking he was being kind of funny and/or sarcastic with the idea that hitting the level of "Runner" is some kind of big deal, but I think he's totally serious. My first impression when I started reading about this was that studio owners must just be populated by dickheads who enjoy capitalizing on free labor, but I really don't think that's the case as I read more of these discussions. It seems that this has simply become the the normal, accepted practice and folks looking to get into the biz need to know this up front. I have a hard time finding any justification in this myself. I suppose that if an "intern" is willing to put in all of this menial labor and do all the studio's grunt work, then it does display a bit of resolve and this is worth something. I suppose a couple of weeks doing odd jobs and errands would be in line, while at the same time getting familiar with the staff and studio routines. Still, it seems that you could throw them into the fray to some degree and immediately determine who does/doesn't have potential and let the one's that don't back onto the street. This would seem to be much more respectable than stringing someone out for months on end cleaning toilets and emptying the trash. Like I said, it almost seems that this is just considered standard practice in the industry, so it's just "how it is" for interns and they should know this before they get into the game.

I'm thinking back to a cheesy kung fu movie I saw years ago in which an aspiring ninja was put to the task of stirring the soup cauldrons. Months pass and he has yet to recieve any of combat training, in spite of his continual requests to "learn some kung fu". Well, at one point the monastery is attacked by a rival's team of ninja warriors and the soup-stirring student cries out to his master that he will have no way to defend himself since they never trained him. To this the master replies, "ahhh, but we have", at which point he tosses him a staff, with the student discovering that he has, indeed, become a masterful fighter and proceeds to kick some ass.

Does toilet swabbing create a master of the Neve....? Hmmm....

[Steffmo]

For tyears the deal at The Hit Factory was....available 24/7, live in NYC, no pay. And sign a non competition contract so you won't leave and take clients you met at the studio.

Its hard to believe....but that what it was.

[Baderup99]

Originally Posted by uncle duncan

In a few years, the music industry is going to look nothing like it looks today. So get yourself set up for a real job, and with the money you make at your real job, buy some gear and some real estate and open a studio. When that fails, you can always rent out your building and become a landlord.
I'm sure you've heard the old joke: What's the best way to turn a million dollars into a thousand? Get into the music business.

haha I was afraid I'd have to do something like that. Just thinking about a normal job bores me... Well hopefully in a few years when Im ready to take on the big ol' world the industry will have changed and many new opportunities will be available.

[Baderup99]

What kind of area of business would help me the most if one day i wanted to open my own studio? Finance? I must just double major.

Its sad how kids can graduate with an audio degree still not know how to even record/produce an OK sounding song.