Having worked in IT for many years and a hobby guitar player, have always been fascinated with the idea of getting involved in recording. Kind of like that job you wish you could do and have the bonus of making a living.
There's a recording engineer school here in N. Cali that has a 9 month night program and apparently very well respected. Curious anyones opinion on what a 'degree' really means as far as getting into the business, making a living, what kind of personal and professional skills it takes, etc.. I'm seriously considering doing it just for the fun of it.
"In my dreams your blowin' me... some kisses" - Lets Duet - Dewford Randolph Cox
The recording industry is really going downhill fast.
The advent of professional quality components priced for home hobbyists means that virtually anyone can put out a high quality recording. At the same time the rise of mp3 players and the loudness wars have reduced the need for skilled mixing. Most recording studios are getting rid of the highly paid, experienced talent to replace with guys out of school, but the competition is very high, and the wages aren't that great.
Moreover, the role used to be something one mentored for years before being set free to record and mix on one's own. Like most arts, it is best learned through an apprenticeship rather than a formal education. But because of the reasons noted above, the good mentors are hard to come by, and you're much more likely to be thrown to the dogs rather than brought along and developed as a talent in your own right.
Now, all that said, if it's something you want to pursue, then go for it. But be realistic about the state of the industry right now.
"The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side." -- HST
Getting a formal degree is not any type of guarantee that you will be working as an Engineer in the industry. It will help you learn the audio Engineering trade. There is a local school here in Phoenix which is really awesome. I did check it out and they told me that they will help place me as an intern in a studio once I graduated from their program. Cool but most likely an unpaid internship. Because of my personal situation this was not a good fit for me.
I have a good friend who has his own studio and records local bands. He is doing quite well and built his studio from the ground up. He doesn't make a ton of cash but he is doing what he loves and he also has a band that plays the local clubs here in Phoenix. Personally I think this is the best way to go. You can start slowly and turn a bedroom into a small studio and start to work with songwriters in your area. Start with some good inexpensive equipment like the MBox 2 and Pro Tools and build your business up from there.
Stop by Steve's web site and get free online guitar instructional videos and other cool stuff for guitarist. http://www.zebramusic.com
