Getting into the industry?

[freak & genius]

Alright, new to the forum so... hello!

Now to the business.

Just finished school and i'm interested in getting into music, i done a 2 year course at school on music technology, and some people say its not worth doing a course at collage and its better off just getting out there in studios start off as a tea boy and work your way up? and some say its best to go to collage otherwise no one will want to take me on anywhere?

Don't know who to beleive any help?



Cheers.

[jameshk]

contacts, contacts, contacts. Be friendly, buy beers, make friends and then call in favours.

-hk

[freak & genius]

contacts, contacts, contacts. Be friendly, buy beers, make friends and then call in favours.

-hk

erm... so is that a yes or no to collage?

[DRTY]

contacts, contacts, contacts. Be friendly, buy beers, make friends and then call in favours.

-hk

erm... so is that a yes or no to collage?

Depends what you wanna do mate.

Doing Music Tech will open your mind to the industry and all it's aspects, and give you some knowledge of hardware, software, sequencing, live recording etc etc. You'll have access to good kit too. And it's free, and in this climate I can't possibly see how it'd be a bad idea. Especially when the other option is getting a job.

I did music tech and dont regret it one bit, met some wicked people.

Also bear in mind, the people you study with all probably want to work in the industry too; so you're building contacts there!

[jameshk]

Go to college, further your knowledge. Along the way you make contacts, thats what im doing, Finished my higher diploma and im about to start my degree in production. Its really worth doing.

-hk

[frizzwah]

collages wont get you anywhere in the music industry!

[freak & genius]

ahhh makes sense tbh

anyone not gone to collage and not regreted that? how did it all work out?

and also is it wise to have a back up plan, like another job you can fall back to incase you fuck up mega style?

[frizzwah]

on a serious note, i'm doing music composition at uni, hoping to go into soundtracking films.
i don't think degree's/qualifications count for much in creative subjects, but the contacts i've been making will definately be useful.

[DRTY]

on a serious note, i'm doing music composition at uni, hoping to go into soundtracking films.
i don't think degree's/qualifications count for much in creative subjects, but the contacts i've been making will definately be useful.

Thats exactly it. Its worth it fdor the experience and contacts.

But for specialized stuff like you mention you do need qualifications unless you have a tonn of experience and a sick portfolio.

A mate of mine did Music Tech, then did one year at VFS (vancouver film school), came straight out of there into a job at one of the UKs biggest games developers doing all their sound design.

VFS was a sick place too, I went over to visit their facilities are awesome.

You should check it out Frizz if you want to get into film sound etc.

[benh]

the collage post was pure win

[lowpass]

My plan when leaving college was to go straight into studio work doing w/e teaboy / assistant, with my backup plan going into an audio course.

It's really hard getting any kind of work (even voluntary/unpaid)

I ended up going on the audio course in the end (contacted so many studios with no luck) I am learning quite a bit and managed to get some work with an ex-student from the same course.

One thing you should look at is live sound reinforcement. With a shift in how people listen to music you'll find more and more bands recording their demos in their bedrooms and less being recorded at smaller studios. This means you can either try to find work in these larger places (less likely) or do live sound (more people going to gigs compared to buying music)

[nitz]

contacts, contacts, contacts. Be friendly, buy beers, make friends and then call in favours.

-hk

erm... so is that a yes or no to collage?

Depends what you wanna do mate.

Doing Music Tech will open your mind to the industry and all it's aspects, and give you some knowledge of hardware, software, sequencing, live recording etc etc. You'll have access to good kit too. And it's free, and in this climate I can't possibly see how it'd be a bad idea. Especially when the other option is getting a job.

I did music tech and dont regret it one bit, met some wicked people.

Also bear in mind, the people you study with all probably want to work in the industry too; so you're building contacts there!

excellent post man!

hes spot on, do take your chance to go to collge to study music tech, make sure you do the btec nat dp one the other 1's are kind of slow learning people so basicly it kind of boring, in that much tech coure you do learn alot of things. in the final year you do a FMD project where you have to build a 10 track cd, mixer and master by you and make a event of the release date and do a gig. Its quite good you also do business topic eg how to become a promoter. its a really good course man TAKE IT!

[freak & genius]

ahh ok it seems pretty sound my course is infact the btech nd in music tech, so ill go and see what its like


cheers guys

[DRTY]

ahh ok it seems pretty sound my course is infact the btech nd in music tech, so ill go and see what its like


cheers guys

Yeah that's the exact one I did, sweet course

[freak & genius]

ahh ok it seems pretty sound my course is infact the btech nd in music tech, so ill go and see what its like


cheers guys

Yeah that's the exact one I did, sweet course

Sweet.

[futures_untold]

1> Fuck all of the above.

2> Choose a sensible subject.

The following subjects will be useful for makeing a real living in music.

-Business & Marketing

-Law (specialising in Contract Law)

-Electronic Engineering (specialising in audio applications)

-Computing (specialising in DSP coding)

-Hospitality and Events Management (cuz your name isn't Micheal Eavis).

-Graphic Design (Someone has to build those lovely Flash widgets that play your opus creations on your Myspace page)

-Printing (Someone has to print all you flyers & merchandise don't ya know..!??)

While you're studying a subject that gives you real skills, you can still learn to produce in your spare time and become the next big thing.

Ask yourself these simple questions.

1>Who makes all those lovely VSTs you crack? (People that can code).

2>Who designs and builds all those lovely rack units you wish you had the money to buy? (Electrical engineers)

3>Who do you turn to when you're offered your first label release contract? (A solicitor)

4> Want to start or work for a label? (Labels sell a product. Sales and purchasing experience and an understanding of both economics and business law are going to be very fecking useful.)

5>Want serious money for events? (Hospitality and events management courses will help get you up to speed on the legal and practical aspects of putting on events larger than a local club night.)

6> Want to be a live sound engineer? (Serious knowledge of electronics will get you further than the ability to use a mixer in the long run.)

7>How much money do you think the owners of music technology stores make? (More than I do haha ) (Solid business skills are needed to setup and run a successful store.)

Etc etc blah blah. No offence meant.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I know as much as many of you guys out there who have studied music tech at college. I learnt everything I know from reading books and mags + spending more hours than I care to calculate fucking about with kit....

[freak & genius]

1> Fuck all of the above.

2> Choose a sensible subject.

The following subjects will be useful for makeing a real living in music.

-Business & Marketing

-Law (specialising in Contract Law)

-Electronic Engineering (specialising in audio applications)

-Computing (specialising in DSP coding)

-Hospitality and Events Management (cuz your name isn't Micheal Eavis).

-Graphic Design (Someone has to build those lovely Flash widgets that play your opus creations on your Myspace page)

-Printing (Someone has to print all you flyers & merchandise don't ya know..!??)

While you're studying a subject that gives you real skills, you can still learn to produce in your spare time and become the next big thing.

Ask yourself these simple questions.

1>Who makes all those lovely VSTs you crack? (People that can code).

2>Who designs and builds all those lovely rack units you wish you had the money to buy? (Electrical engineers)

3>Who do you turn to when you're offered your first label release contract? (A solicitor)

4> Want to start or work for a label? (Labels sell a product. Sales and purchasing experience and an understanding of both economics and business law are going to be very fecking useful.)

5>Want serious money for events? (Hospitality and events management courses will help get you up to speed on the legal and practical aspects of putting on events larger than a local club night.)

6> Want to be a live sound engineer? (Serious knowledge of electronics will get you further than the ability to use a mixer in the long run.)

etc etc blah blah.

I never thought about that, I am seriously gonna need to go and think this through.

Thank you muchly kind sir

[futures_untold]

No probs

I studied youth work and got a 2:2. (I'm not that motivated by social policy and intervention tbh) The point is, I still have a degree which is neccessary for most full time youth work jobs (which generally pay £16,000+ pa )

What I know about music tech was entirely self taught.

The fact that I am still unemployed dolescum is more due to my hippy wish to make money in the music industry than a lack of youth work jobs out there...

[freak & genius]

hehe yeh fair play

ill have a look around and see how it all turns out, thanks everyone!

[contakt321]

1> Fuck all of the above.

2> Choose a sensible subject.

The following subjects will be useful for makeing a real living in music.

-Business & Marketing

-Law (specialising in Contract Law)

-Electronic Engineering (specialising in audio applications)

-Computing (specialising in DSP coding)

-Hospitality and Events Management (cuz your name isn't Micheal Eavis).

-Graphic Design (Someone has to build those lovely Flash widgets that play your opus creations on your Myspace page)

-Printing (Someone has to print all you flyers & merchandise don't ya know..!??)

While you're studying a subject that gives you real skills, you can still learn to produce in your spare time and become the next big thing.

Ask yourself these simple questions.

1>Who makes all those lovely VSTs you crack? (People that can code).

2>Who designs and builds all those lovely rack units you wish you had the money to buy? (Electrical engineers)

3>Who do you turn to when you're offered your first label release contract? (A solicitor)

4> Want to start or work for a label? (Labels sell a product. Sales and purchasing experience and an understanding of both economics and business law are going to be very fecking useful.)

5>Want serious money for events? (Hospitality and events management courses will help get you up to speed on the legal and practical aspects of putting on events larger than a local club night.)

6> Want to be a live sound engineer? (Serious knowledge of electronics will get you further than the ability to use a mixer in the long run.)

7>How much money do you think the owners of music technology stores make? (More than I do haha ) (Solid business skills are needed to setup and run a successful store.)

Etc etc blah blah. No offence meant.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I know as much as many of you guys out there who have studied music tech at college. I learnt everything I know from reading books and mags + spending more hours than I care to calculate fucking about with kit....

I have worked in the music industry (labels, distros, magazines, etc) for 10+ years and I think this is great advice.

I think getting a general degree us the way to go.

Supplement that with actually doing stuff. What I mean is, while you are in school, intern at a label, mastering house, etc or release a record, or do publicity work.

Contacts are very important, but initiative is the other important factor. Music industry folks dont just hands out jobs or money, to get a job, promotion or raise you just have to take action - that will earn you respect.