How can i survive as a Sound Engineer?

[DoubleBlade]

for the past 2 years i have been putting with all these nonsense that u can't make a living as a sound engineer.i get irritated when people say u ,"eh lousy lah sound engineering , only sound , ur options will be limited when u find a job after u graduate because u're only learning about sound!!!!"

i believe there is a whole new dimension to sound engineering out there and i know sound engineers who are living a comfortable life in Singapore even thou like most people say , u can't survive on music in Singapore.

can anyone tell me what should i do after i've graduated wif a diploma in sound engineering?

should i invest my money in setting up a record label or try to land myself in Mediacorp since that's where u get better job prospects as a sound engineer thou i heard they pay u peanuts there.

 

[ChanMin]

well .... to put it simply.. i would say that.. life in singapore is NEVER comfortable. Ofcourse if your dad gave you a big inheritance it would be different.

i would say get a rough idea of what you want.. and pursue your dreams
but it IS true that singapore music is tough to live off. if you love and enjoy sound engineering dun worry about prospects and chase your dreams.

Should you invest money in setting up a record label? i would think you must be from a pretty well to do family haha... well u are 16/17 now ya? and a budding musician... by the time you get your diploma in sound eng... your views might have changed drastically.After 2yrs with the Army especially.

Hopefully by then singapore's music scene is bursting with opportunity.

All the best dude.

 

[DoubleBlade]

i can see that the tide is turning for local music.prospects might get better in about 2 years time? i'm confident that we could come out wif our very own local versions of simple plan and metallica in the near future

 

[mikemann]

haha.... anything can happen lah. You can be at the dawn of a new era. Or you can be eating leftovers for the rest of your life.

Remember, Sporeans are famous for "blindly following trend". Remember, bubble tea, lohan fish....etc. So if suddenly sound can be like all popular, every tom, dick and harry will clamour to start their own entertainment company. (actually.....already have more than plently enuff such companies)

Again, I must stress, if you really got the talents for the mix, why not??? You can be a dr mix genius of the decade, and be sought after for 'BIG' projects, with 'BIG' money.

But a word of caution, this industry is about flashiness, so if you are 'BIG', you must talk 'BIG' and wear 'BIG' too. Meaning whatever you earn, likely have to go straight in to your extravagent lifestyle. At the end, again you are back to 'NUTHING' huh............... :smt102

 

[man_kidal]

I find that no future shit is bullshit. Look at all the top entrepreneurs in Singapore, that 77 street lady, that charles and keith owners.... You think they all are some Uni grads? Some don't even have o levels ..... It's all about what you make of your life. I now taking diploma in business at TP and some assholes think its a useless diploma, but does that bother me? No. You must learn to grab the opportunity.

 

[mikemann]

Yeah lah..... doing business is a whole different ball game altogether. Many people can try, but only the one with the 'midas touch' can make it. Irregardless of education background.

 

[soft]

many many moons ago, i started out as a roadie aka mover setting up stage. I was paid $50 per day. So happy. Then I become the 'soundman', got paid $100 per day. Lagi happy. Some high in demand sound engineers were paid $400 per show. I thought that was awesome! Until I found out a location recordist for film/video gets $1000 per day (incl equipment). That's the bomb.

I think it is how good you are, who you know and the love of doing it that will ultimately bring you far.

start somewhere and work your way up lor.