Audio Engineering School vs EMP?

[PiranhaPiper]

Whats up guys,

So I'm basically 22 now, just graduated with a BBA.LLB (Law) and I've been producing and dj'ing for about 2 and half years now. I'm highly interested in pursuing my career in Music full-time and need your feedback on what you suggest I do to ensure a safe sustainable income in the process.

So the ultimate aim is to produce my own tunes and make it big. (Who's isn't?). But I'm well aware that theres a massive flux in the period of learning, getting good and reaching up top like many other producers have.

I believe (Correct me if I'm wrong!) getting a diploma/degree in Audio Engineering and henceforth working in either a studio, production house, film scoring or working for the TV/Radio would ensure some sort of stable income while I'm producing my own tunes and getting out there. Obviously I dont want to be recording and mixing for other people for the rest of my life.

Next question being, Is it smart to take up an Audio engineering degree in an institute like Berklee or NYU Steinhardt or some other similar reputed colleges OR go for the SAE (theres 50 of them) , Fullsail (?)), Point Blank (London) courses? Whats the difference? Would I get a placement right after completion from either?

Also Since I am producing and do want to clearly improve on my skills, I'm interested in enrolling for an EMP course at either Dubspot in NY or Pyramind, SF. What do you suggest?

Would you suggest I do both the Audio Engineering and EMP Course or would just one be right for me?

I'd really appreciate feedback in all its light considering I'm not a citizen of the United states and would most definitely require a job right after the decision on what course I'm taking, decide to take. I have finished Law and it is a secure job profile, so I just don't want to know what I'm getting into.
With calculated risks, the odds are better

Anticipating intuitive responses!
Thank!

[Tarekith]

So I'm basically 22 now, just graduated with a BBA.LLB (Law) and I've been producing and dj'ing for about 2 and half years now. I'm highly interested in pursuing my career in Music full-time and need your feedback on what you suggest I do to ensure a safe sustainable income in the process.

>>> So having just graduated with a law degree, and presumably with the huge debt that school in that field entails, you want to forget all that and be a musician full-time? <<<

So the ultimate aim is to produce my own tunes and make it big. (Who's isn't?). But I'm well aware that theres a massive flux in the period of learning, getting good and reaching up top like many other producers have.

I believe (Correct me if I'm wrong!) getting a diploma/degree in Audio Engineering and henceforth working in either a studio, production house, film scoring or working for the TV/Radio would ensure some sort of stable income while I'm producing my own tunes and getting out there. Obviously I dont want to be recording and mixing for other people for the rest of my life.

>>> That's an assumption that was maybe true in the 80's and 90's, not very many professional studios around these days. Getting a job at one will likely involve unpaid internship for a decent while, or making minimum wage. <<<

Next question being, Is it smart to take up an Audio engineering degree in an institute like Berklee or NYU Steinhardt or some other similar reputed colleges OR go for the SAE (theres 50 of them) , Fullsail (?)), Point Blank (London) courses? Whats the difference? Would I get a placement right after completion from either?

>>> Maybe. These schools churn out WAY, WAY more students than there are jobs available, placement isn't a given at all. Even back in their hey day of the 90's, I had a of friends go to Berkelee and Full Sail and not be able to find decent jobs. Most are now paying off $65,000 loands for those schools while working in completely unrelated fields. That's a big chunk of change to pay off in addition to law school. <<<

Also Since I am producing and do want to clearly improve on my skills, I'm interested in enrolling for an EMP course at either Dubspot in NY or Pyramind, SF. What do you suggest?

Would you suggest I do both the Audio Engineering and EMP Course or would just one be right for me?

I'd really appreciate feedback in all its light considering I'm not a citizen of the United states and would most definitely require a job right after the decision on what course I'm taking, decide to take. I have finished Law and it is a secure job profile, so I just don't want to know what I'm getting into.
With calculated risks, the odds are better

>>> Jobs in the audio field are few and far between, with a TON of competition for each one. I don't want to scare you off, but you sound a little naive about how easy it is to get a job after one of these schools. And if you don't want to be recording or mixing other people anyway, going to school for just that and then trying to get a job at a studio doing that sounds a bit backwards.

If all you want is to be a full-time musician making your own music, focus on that and forget professional audio engineering, since that's not really your goal anyway. With SO MUCH free information out there these days, getting the skills by doing your own research and practice is a far more cost-effective and less time-consuming way of gaining that knowledge IMVHO. <<<

[PiranhaPiper]

>>> So having just graduated with a law degree, and presumably with the huge debt that school in that field entails, you want to forget all that and be a musician full-time? <<<

Law school hasn't cost me as much as you probably think it has. Not that its for free, but I'm inclined on spending the rest of my life doing what I believe I'm capable of doing keeping in consideration my piece of mind. I highly doubt I'm going to fair well waking up every morning doing something I hate.

>>> That's an assumption that was maybe true in the 80's and 90's, not very many professional studios around these days. Getting a job at one will likely involve unpaid internship for a decent while, or making minimum wage. <<<

Thank you for correcting my views.Since there aren't many professional studios around, is it possible to apply to the ones that do still exist with an unpaid internship, hoping for something to work out in the future at the same place? and keep doing side gigs simultaneously?

>>> Maybe. These schools churn out WAY, WAY more students than there are jobs available, placement isn't a given at all. Even back in their hey day of the 90's, I had a of friends go to Berkelee and Full Sail and not be able to find decent jobs. Most are now paying off $65,000 loands for those schools while working in completely unrelated fields. That's a big chunk of change to pay off in addition to law school. <<<

Since so many people do spend out alot of money, what do you think they end up doing post completion? I'm sure you'd have some advice. I can understand them working in unrelated fields considering the fields they're looking at, well jobs are scarce, so maybe setting up there own studio, is that viable? After 4 years of experience maybe and a lot of interning.

>>> Jobs in the audio field are few and far between, with a TON of competition for each one. I don't want to scare you off, but you sound a little naive about how easy it is to get a job after one of these schools. And if you don't want to be recording or mixing other people anyway, going to school for just that and then trying to get a job at a studio doing that sounds a bit backwards.

If all you want is to be a full-time musician making your own music, focus on that and forget professional audio engineering, since that's not really your goal anyway. With SO MUCH free information out there these days, getting the skills by doing your own research and practice is a far more cost-effective and less time-consuming way of gaining that knowledge IMVHO. <<<

Lets put it this way, the creative side of me tells me that I wouldn't want to record for other people for the rest of my life. Not that I don't want to work in TV/Studio's/Gaming/Movie scoring - Who knows right? But that I may have some sort of a backup as opposed to having absolutely none after finishing an Electronic Music Production Course till my EP's spread wide and are pretty damn good.

I have been an avid youtuber and have bought softwares, books and manuals to try and teach myself the skills I already possess but somehow with music I guess, nothing is really enough. I also do believe that with every skill comes a learning curve and that MAYBE going to an environment with people doing just what you're doing gives you that boost, not to forget the networking and creative ideas to another level. And Guidance to do it right.