Formal Education?

[theblue1]

I've "retired" from the music biz (although I'm still pretty active recording myself -- which was why I got into the whole mishigas in the first place) but I managed to get myself somewhat educated at a couple of community colleges. That was certainly not the case for all the students in those programs. (And, though I don't have direct experience, I'd bet decent money that's the case with very expensive loan-mill trade schools, as well.)

I don't think you can properly learn this field without a lot of work on your own. It might be at a school, in a pro or project studio, or a garage or basement -- but if you (the student, as it were) don't get out there and put your own projects together and manage them, no amount of carefully thought out curricula will force-feed the kind of knowledge and craftsmanship that's required to do a good job, gig after gig.


Meine zwei pfennig.

[matt thomas]

I've got a bachelors degree in Philosophy and Maths.

Whilst not directly related, it helps in all sorts of ways you wouldn't expect. From designing the acoustics of my room, to inspiration for lyrics.

I don't think there is much point doing the SAE type thing, I think in audio engineering the best education is to watch someone better than you, try yourself and read a few books (and gearslutz)

narco

[allaccess]

Bachelors in Electrical Engineering, though all I can really remember is V=IR... Unless I really have to... But it certainly made me quick at troubleshooting, signal flow, electronic conceptualization and understanding what's really going on inside the gear. All the music classes at school happened to be in the same time slots as my required courses which really sucked! I would not trade this experience and education for anything!

Ryan Hewitt

[john caldwell]

Do you want to include a category like:

"I've completed a bachelor’s degree or better, but did not major in music or production per se." ?

I'd fit there.

John-

[Robobo1]

Bachelor's in Music (4 years)
Master's in Recording Arts (3 years)


I don't believe in the trade school thing... wanted a "real" degree from a university.

Damn glad I did it, too.

[andredb]

Went to SAE and got a PAID job a month after garduatingm this said i would't do it again...

[joelpatterson]

None, nada, nunca.

I take the view that this field is populated with people who are just obsessed with audio, sound, music, making things sound cool, appreciating it when they do... and understanding that there's a lot that's subliminal about translating that passion into a job where you make money at it. All the best people have found twisty, unlikely paths to their positions of emminence.

And the kind of person who would think that you ought to go to school for it... is doomed.

[Sqye]

Before college, I went to Music & Art (LaGuardia High School of the Performing Arts). I studied music (classical piano, drums, jazz guitar, flute, french horn, singing, etc.) privately from the age of 4 (started w/my dad - who's a pianist), in addition to studying lots of music in primary school at Steiner in NYC. I strated getting into recording, arranging and producing in high school, doing little home demos on friends' 4-tracks, constantly jamming and performing with all my friends at various talent shows. Then I started getting more seriously into piano & guitar, writing, arranging, producing, recording and singing.

Then, 3 semesters at Berklee studying Guitar performance & Film Scoring (I placed out of about half of the core requirements before I got there, so I was basically finished with all the core program when I left). Met lots of great musicans who would become friends, many of whom went on to have incredible success in the industry - some in rock, some in pop, some in jazz fusion, etc. Mostly musicians, though - not techies.

When I got back to the city, I was heavy into jazz fusion guitar. I was studying privately with jazz fusion guitarist Alan Schwartz and jazz guitarist (and dear old friend), Peter Mazza who teaches at American Institute of Guitar in Manhattan. I was also teaching guitar, writing & arranging and playing with creative, ethnic fusion and more poppy bands in the city.

I studied and trained with my mentors for quite a few years, professors Paul Kozel & Jonathan Perl at the Sonic Arts Center at SUNY in NYC. They taught me audio engineering, synthesis, audio editing, MIDI sequencing, audio recording and acoustics, lots of studio protocol, scoring to video, lots of signal flow theory, etc. We did many recording sessions there at the studio. Jonathan and Paul were extraordinarily kind to me, and kind of took me under their wings. We had kind of an arrangement. I'd bring in talent, and they'd work with me and teach me all the wonders of music recording and technology during many, many, many long recording, editing & sequencing, mixing and mastering sessions. we worked with guys like Paul Special and Andy Van Dette from Master Disc, and lots of other talented and buy recording professionals in the city. Pretty lucky, when I think about it - but definitley a symbiotic relationship.

Simultaneously, I had my own 3 room recording studio in NYC, because I knew the landlord, and he gave me a sweet deal (FREE) on the space. I was already working on major label records as an engineer, because I met jazz cornetist Graham Haynes, and he liked my space, so I got to work with some AMAZING musicians, and then he asked me to do every record for the duration of his contract with PolyGram (Universal).

In addition, my mother and closest friend in the world are both ee's (my mom built our first stereo in the 60s), so I was exposed to a fair amount of brainiac computational problem solver fodder as a kid.

I see some really promising students continuously coming out of the program at Sonic Arts Center - its'a pretty cool place to be a young musician and/ or music techie

Anyway, I do what I love. I'm not making millions, yet. I would seriously recommend that anyone who wants to get into doing music or music technology for a living - and have children, and retire, potentially w/o the benefits of social security - take a good long look at the reality of it. Unlesss you're INCREDIBLY LUCKY AND MOTIVATED, I think you're chances are VERY slim, to say the least.

A key career timeline-oriented business plan will be essential to your success. In today's very expensive world, and in my VERY cynical mind, I think that that very same business plan should have been started by your parents at least 10 years before you were born.

On the other hand, if money is not a top priority, or you want to enjoy life for a while before getting all serious, or you want to reinforce your life and career WITH music, there's almost nothing more rewarding, in IMHE. And if you ARE very driven and/ or lucky.......who knows.

Anyway, good luck with your poll and all decision making.

[tINY]

I have a BS in electrical Engineering.

All my "sound engineering" has been self-study and school or hard knocks while getting paid (though ususally not much...)




-tINY

[joeq]

After dropping out of college for (mumble mumble) years, I recently went back to school and got a Master's degree in Educational Technology. It was the computer skills that I taught myself on the job doing audio that got me the fellowship at the University.

So instead of school helping me get an audio job, my audio job helped me get into and pay for school.

Now, in addition my studio work and music gigs I teach audio classes and private lessons.

[Jamz]

No category fits my scenario.
Graduated college (BA) but did not major in something musical.
However, college was something I fit in around my music.

[Fletcher]

E) None of the above.

Have a BS in communications [video production concentration]. Worked in video for 1/2 a day then went back to working with rock and roll bands where I understood the rules.

[pan60]

no education here just lots of ignorance.

[Rogervandeberg]

I have only one term to go for my bachelor in tax law, and already started on the master half a year ago.

I know a lot of people think its very boring. But it;s just like mixing! Just doing tweaks making the customer happy and the Tax collector's office not too angry.

[SpaceChild]

I started pursuing first my freelance gigs, then my business right after school 13 years ago at the tender age of sixteen. No formal education after that, but plenty of real life mentoring and a few major courses at the famous school of hard knocks thumbsup


Spacey

[Midlandmorgan]

Another "none of the above"...kinda.

My Associates is in Audio Production...Bachelor's in Psychology (Minor=Mass Communications)...graduate work in Social/Experimental Psychology...

Odd thing: while 'studying' for the Associates, I discovered I had more 'behind the glass" time than either of the 'professors'...

[Peter Morrison]

At this point I am about a year away from a Bachelors of Music in Sound Recording Technology and vocal performance.

it is convenient because my college has a world renowned communications school and music program. I also have direct contact with a "professor" who is a working recording engineer and producer (Everyone has heard of his stuff) and he has taken the program under his wing and is very involved with all of the recording majors.

are there holes in the program? Absolutely, but the advisors and deans are very responsive to fix it by adding or remodeling classes to enhance the program, that and I am required to take many credits outside of the school of music to thicken my degree and refocus it in the direction I want it to go in.

I could go on at length about my school and program, so if anyone wants to hear more send me a PM

I feel that my degree is a risk, but so is everything in pro audio these days, but I feel very confident in my decision to go down this path and get this degree

Peter

[adrianex]

I took 2 years at a recording school in Venezuela and I have to say, It help me to get the basic understanding of the recording world and I would recomended (but not be a necesary thing) to go to school, jut because I still use alot of the thing that I learn and met really cool people and made alot of contacts there.

That was 6 years ago and I would do it againg more for the networking that I did than the learning, because when I went to the real world, I didn't have a million $$$ studio to work with, I started in small project studios and at the beginning it was really hard to know what to do when you don't have the "nice" tools that you lear from and make it work.

thats my 2 cents

[TFV]

I've got my Bachelor's in International Business and done my Masters in Cine Production & Direction.

[Marion]

I have some Juco credit.. Focused mainly on radio production and communications. Most of my engineering has been God-taught. I'm deciding between going to IPR or investing the same dough in my own equipment and promoting my own project.

[BruPri]

10th grade education.

Dropped out of high school, made a living mixing bands. Mixed better bands, did event support and production at Microsoft for 6 years mind you, then a technology manager of a large conference center, now at a law firm providing technical support for streaming video and videoconferencing. As evidenced here, can still produce a run on sentence! I have irreversible tinnitus, a basement full of antiquated analog boards.
It has always been my dream to be successful in the music business, that's run its course. My dream now? To afford my children the best education early on, and hopefully they will discover the ability to stand on their own two feet (four actually) and be well equipped to make some better decisions than I have.

[Danner]

Bachelors and electrical engineering and a jurist doctorate (I'm a patent attorney), and I can record worth a damn.

Go figure?

[tapehiss]

i have chosen to go to school, for psych and social work, getting a chemical dependency degree, with a plan of moving on to more psycho-analytical things....


but love music and recording way more...... but i can do that without an education...

and if i never make it into the professional realm of recording (which the odds are slim to none)

then i will have a fall back, and one that pays quite well....

when i graduate i plan on having a great studio full of great things, but i would not be able to afford the gear without the college degree i am in the middle of finishing.

this will allow me to pursue music as an enjoyable practice, rather than a means for money.

[hazelmossobrien]

I went to the Conservatory for Recording Arts and Sciences.

...I felt ripped off halfway through. Don't waste your money.