Any audio engineers around?

Fubsy

Fubsy

Fubsy

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I'm looking at the possibilities of starting a career doing this sort of thing, working it recording studios, radio, televison production etc..

Where do people start? Bearing in mind I have very little experience anywhere near a console, I have only been in a recording studio with my band.

I have recently been on a tour of the SAE institute in Liverpool and it's a very nice place with good equipment and by the looks of things excellient tutors and 1-on-1 tuition. However it's expensive to start on their diploma programme, but then leads onto their recording arts degree.

Would just like to know if anyone does have any experience with this at all?
 
I've worked in studios since the mid 70's but I'm afraid its all backwards technology to what you will learn at SAE.
A mate put his son through a course and it cost £1000's.
He showed me some of the stuff he had to learn and it looked as though he was making an atomic bomb.
When he did it everybody was also guaranteed a placement in the industry so it could be money well spent.
If you do think about doing the SAE course then also try and find a local PA or studio guy who you are willing to help for free and see what you can learn from the street.
 
Im training to be an engineer at the moment, doing a national diploma in Music technology at the college in my sig. It'll cost you about £200 per year, but well worth it. You can then go onto virtually any uni course in any area you wish. My college also does media which may be more suited to you.

Check out my sig for more details.:)
 
dmpoole said:
I've worked in studios since the mid 70's but I'm afraid its all backwards technology to what you will learn at SAE.
A mate put his son through a course and it cost £1000's.
He showed me some of the stuff he had to learn and it looked as though he was making an atomic bomb.
When he did it everybody was also guaranteed a placement in the industry so it could be money well spent.
If you do think about doing the SAE course then also try and find a local PA or studio guy who you are willing to help for free and see what you can learn from the street.
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Yea the price is the only issue holding me back at the moment, it's £6300 for the diploma course (that includes an Apple iBook though). Finding some where to work for nothing will be rather easy aswell around Liverpool hopefully.

I still have lot of thinking about all this (although there is no doubt this is what I want to do) It has to be the right choice though at that sort of money, and I feel SAE, while expensive might be the absolute best choice.

EDIT: Just had a read of that place in sig OzZie, looks very nice. Would be in consideration, however it could be tricky with the finance side as i'll have to leave my rent free (well i've been given a break while I save for this) home.
 
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Yeah, i can understand that fact that there are lots of issues to consider. :)

There are people from all over the UK that come here. London, Yorkshire etc. It's very similar to the one in liverpool that you are looking at in terms of facilities etc. The diploma is one year + one term if you dont fast-track, and one year if you do. I'm only at college two days a week, so you can still work whilst learning. Plus, you don't get many 'young'uns' here either. ;) The average age must be around 20 ish, and the classes are very small. Mine has eight people. :o
 
i can recommend SSR in manchester.
I'm currently waiting to start their flagship course either march or september, the price of that is a bit of a whack at £7500 :s
but they do offer a lot of other courses including foundation degrees that you can get funding for. their facilities are really top notch, and the main reason i'll be going, as well as the strength of the teaching staff.

www.s-s-r.com
 
I see you're focusing on studio tech etc. But I can offer some input about live engineering. Both my brother and I are live sound engineers. He is somewhat more advanced than I am, working for some very established names. I work in a city venue.

Neither of us had any formal training, we basically got trained on the job. There is something of a tradition in live sound of being mentored by more experienced engineers. I've also learned that the things that are important in live sound engineering are not what you would imagine. The idea of creative eq etc is probably the last thing you learn. There are so many constant practical problems that arise, the skill of mixing is something you pick up through trial, error and experience.

We rarely get people asking to train, but I would imagine in a fair sized city you could find a venue / engineer willing to show you the ropes. Once you know your way around a desk, and know how to mic up a band, you can put yourself out there for work. Certainly would be the perfect p/t job while studying.
 
banja said:
There is something of a tradition in live sound of being mentored by more experienced engineers.
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This is absolutely true but can also happen backwards.
My first proper live engineering gigs were with a lot of punk bands and New Romantics eg Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet, Depeche Mode, Buzzcocks, Boomtown Rats etc.
Quite often I'll walk into a local pub and the band will ask if I can check their sound out and fiddle with the mixer which I often do.
However about 2 months ago I was setting our drum sound up when a young man of about 20 couldn't take his eyes of what I was doing.
Like a fly to poo he had to open his mouth and suggested something with the bass drum sound so I invited him to mess.
He started to make immediate improvements and then asked to fiddle with the drumkit itself.
He ended up making the bass & snare way better than I did.
He turned up 2 weeks ago a lot earlier and asked if he could have a go at all our sound.
The upshot is that our drum sound is now superb, the bass sounds excellent and the guitars sound good too.
There are people on here who think that I think I know everything - I know nothing and experience can be gained from people of all ages.
 
dmpoole said:
experience can be gained from people of all ages.
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A statement like that is always very nice to see :)

I'll have to point my son to this thread since he's looking at this sort of area for a career. What do any of you think about the degrees in music tech/ engineering etc offered by universities, and any recommendations?

~S
 
dmpoole said:
However about 2 months ago I was setting our drum sound up when a young man of about 20 couldn't take his eyes of what I was doing.
Like a fly to poo he had to open his mouth and suggested something with the bass drum sound so I invited him to mess.
He started to make immediate improvements and then asked to fiddle with the drumkit itself.
Click to expand...

I'm always open minded if someone appears to know what they are talking about. Sadly, we also have to often deal with 'the bands mate' who is there to tell you how to make his mates band sound. Usually they know close to nothing. I just nod and carry on :)
 
Sp!ke said:
A statement like that is always very nice to see :)

I'll have to point my son to this thread since he's looking at this sort of area for a career. What do any of you think about the degrees in music tech/ engineering etc offered by universities, and any recommendations?

~S
Click to expand...

Check out the UCAS list. I cant remember how to access it, but we were shown all of the universities that do music tech. The college i'm with does a course that is linked in with De Montfort in Leicester.
 
www.ucas.com > course search > search by subject > M > music technology.

Try to get as much experience as you can, build up a portfolio of recordings/work you have done/been involved in. That's the route I'm trying:)
 
banja said:
I'm always open minded if someone appears to know what they are talking about. Sadly, we also have to often deal with 'the bands mate' who is there to tell you how to make his mates band sound. Usually they know close to nothing. I just nod and carry on :)
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I love the ones who come up and say "Is that a Gibson and/or Fender? I used to have one of those, I can play it better than you" etc etc etc

Anyway, gig time.
 
im also studying to be an engineer/producer doing a BA Hons degree in Creative Music Technology on my second year.

already done a diploma in music industry.
 
My view on this would be don't spend the money on a course, teach yourself instead and spend the money buying your own portable recording equipment. Build a website and offer your services. If you are keen enough / talented enough you will make it. If not, you saved yourself a lot in time and college fees.

If you have music recording skills and you are good, the work will find you if you put yourself out there a bit.

This is just my opinion, it is not based on personal experience but I do know people that made it without having formal education. When it comes to highly technical subjects, e.g. music recording, computer programming, I think self-tuition via the internet is the way forward because frankly you'll learn more, it will be more fun, and it costs less.

Rgds

Radderfire
 
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... I'm not saying the experience of other people isn't valuable, but you can get that without paying for it by hanging around recording studios, offering to help sound techs at gigs, hanging around music shops etc etc.

Rgds

Radderfire
 
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