Has anyone gone to school for recording? say at media tech or the h.c.c. program, or anywhere else? curious on how it worked out, really interested in taking classes for it..
the audio engineering program at SJCC in Deer Park is damn nice. The main studio was state of the art last time I was there, I would assume that hasnt changed as it is one of the few facilities at the campus that can actually bring a bit of cash back in. I learned alot, but couldnt hack the working as an unpaid intern that is required to actually get a job in real studios.
i work with a couple of guys who went through the HCC program. they swear by it, and they make more money than i do
oh absolutely not I love(LOVE LOVE) doing sound. I honed my ears there(at SJC) and learned about why I did what I did doing live shows, but the music business is a young man's game. If you are coming in with no experience and/or you dont know the right people, you start out as an intern...more than likely unpaid..I just couldnt do it with a family.
Great school.Got my degree there. I learned a lot on great equipment but there is no money in this. Well maybe if u can go more towards live sound.
IMO, going to school for audio engineering is pointless. You can learn a large percent of what they teach you through the internet, books, experience on your own if you really want to. A degree in audio engineering is essentially worthless and won't necessarily get you a job in the field. Getting a job in AE is more about the people who you know and your connections and reputation. I know A LOT of people on various forums that went to school for it and pretty much everyone said it was a waste of money. If you are dedicated enough, you can learn it on your own, granted you obviously won't have access to the kind of equipment you would if you went to school.
Thanks for pointing out the obvious. I used my expirience using the SSL and protools at SJC to run a Venue board at a big church. I'd say it helped a lot learing from great people. Plus I can say I have a degree not just, "I learned on the internet".
I like the Venue consoles so far. The SC-48 is real cool as all the I/O is on board and you don't have to use the mix racks. Also nice that you can run plug-ins natively. Drawback is that none of the Venue series properly support any surround formats. I wish someone made something like the DM1000 or DM2000 in a larger frame.
grace community church south campus uses a venue mixer. that thing is amazing. too bad no one there knows how to fully use it. i have learned a lot over the last 7 years through running sound/interent but i also want to school to get some formal training and have access to some equipment.
Me and Rudy broke that sucker in.You should have seen what was there before (garbage). I you like extreme highs with no low end go to Grace now. Great board but the people......
The way the consoles handle grouping is nice - what they call "spill". Also the fact that it is basically a computer in a chassis being controlled from a worksurface. Allows them to fit the redundant power supplies in the console (in the case of the SC-48) without having two giant rack space wasters. The Venue consoles above the SC-48 are nice too, but for most halls the SC-48 and proper patchbays will get you through. In respect to audio schools - I know a few rare cases where people have graduated from school and gone into the industry. I work with two of them, both graduates from Texas State which has a decent audio program. I know one other guy who works for local sound companies here in town as a tech for local hotel events. There is no replacement for experience in this field. It is very similar to obtaining a photography degree in that no amount of school is going to let you just hop in. Recent graduates get almost the same respect as those who have never attended a single audio course. They are not typically looked upon favorably. It is those who can get their foot in the door and work their way up the ladder and those who find a way to obtain experience that eventually get somewhere. I know this as a result of continued self education and dedication that eventually allowed myself to earn my living as an audio engineer. Education is always beneficial. Education gained through application is even more beneficial to potential employers. Just the way it be.
Just because someone has a degree does not mean that they're worth a damn as a producer. I just think that when it comes to AE experience is the main factor in learning and improving. Instead of spending $40K+ going to a school, I'd rather spend that money on gear that I can learn to use myself. A lot of my favorite producers have no education in AE and simply got better from dedication and trial and error.. starting out recording local bands for free and using equipment available to its full potential. Just how I see it. But if someone is willing to spend the money, go for it. I'm sure you'd learn a lot, just don't expect to get a job at a studio when you get your degree.
If you're going to do a program, San Jac is the place to go in Houston. If you want a 4 year degree, Texas State is the only school in the state with a 4 year degree in Sound Recording Technology and they have a very nice on campus studio.
I didn't spend more than 5K for school so I'm ok with it. I didn't go to school to get a job per say but to LEARN. I worked my church doing live sound growing up so it was very helpful. Ultimately you are right about the "it's not who you are, it's who you know" approach though. I would say the money is is live sound now anyways. With the way the home recording revolution has exploded (there's good and bad) it was just a matter of time before true artist behind the glass began to get squeezed out.
While the technology has allowed people to create with less economic outlay it is very rare to find someone who knows how to use that technology. Also - the price of a decent facility has much less to do with gear than proper design and construction. That is the expensive part and something that the bedroom warriors overlook. The true artists behind the glass will still be there if they have invested in proper design and construction and they know what they are doing. Most of the people recording in bedrooms cannot afford 4 hours in the local quality facility so the studio isn't losing money as a result of those guys recording at home.
If your serious about entering any type of Audio engineering program there is only one place.. Full Sail Just do some research and you will understand why they are top notch.. Audio Production, Movie's, Sound Techs, Recording Know how, you name it they can train you.
The guy I know running small pa's for the local hotels is a Full Sail graduate. And clueless to a certain extent. Maybe not clueless - but typical. The people I know that are truly professionals in this world are either ex military, people who have learned the hard way or people that have graduated with degrees in acoustic or music production from a four year university with credentials. I learned the hard way and it took a solid twenty years of starving before the knowledge was valuable enough to provide a decent income. Add in school and I would say 24-26 years of starving is probably average.
