How to get started working in Recording Studio?

[bernardgoh]

I'm a Recording Studio operator myself, so most of the comment would only base on my experince...

first thing first, why do you want to study audio engineering? what is your interests in audio engineering? music recording???
Now check out how many proper studio in singapore does music recording? "Maybe not more then 10"
How many engineer do you need in a studio? "1 - 4 maybe.."
Many audio engineer earn not by recording music alone....you've to do VO recording, Live Sound, Location sound recording, Sound design..... etc... We don't have a huge market or huge budget to enable 10 studios in singapore with 4 engineer to survive... (Not to mention all the other jamming studio convented Recording Studio).
So if you want to be a ROCK STAR... sorry, Singapore is not for you.... But if u want to have a decent living... It could get u somewhere.

Pardon my broken england..... just happen to see the tread in ofz then post reply with the time i got now. 8)

 

[Ichiro]

doubledecker..... from what i learn, understand and saw, in this line both experience and knowledge counts.... i agree that anyone can learn how to setup the event sound and stuff...

but how many of them actually understand how it work..... knowing how to operate something and knowing how it operate is a major difference...

u might say... y is there a need... but if this go on & on... audio industry in singapore will nv move on to the next level.....

in order to bring this industry to the next level, all audio engineers shld share, co-operate & learn from each other.... this is what i feel it is lack off in local industry, most engineers feel that sharing might "break their rice bowl" somehow.... at this rate we are goin this industry will not bloom....

the least engineers shld understand is that the work could be stolen but creativity can nv be stolen....

 

[DoubleDecker]

but how many of them actually understand how it work..... knowing how to operate something and knowing how it operate is a major difference...

You are not wrong in saying that, I agree. And I do not know which part of my posts actually meant that there isn't a need to learn. (Not any when I re-trace my posts) Being I alone, I can't dictate how the market moves in Singapore. I also can't dictate what the industry should do to boost themselves. Back to back, if there is potential here, I'll stay. If there's no potential, I'll pack and leave. That's all.

in order to bring this industry to the next level, all audio engineers shld share, co-operate & learn from each other.... this is what i feel it is lack off in local industry, most engineers feel that sharing might "break their rice bowl" somehow.... at this rate we are goin this industry will not bloom....

the least engineers shld understand is that the work could be stolen but creativity can nv be stolen....

You are right. Everyone's keeping their "secret weapon" to themselves. But I have to add that in most cases where work are stolen, composers and producers are the ones hit directly and in the worst possible manner, and not the sound engineer too much. I am already having to face a few buddies from states who had their songs stolen by a gig organizer... we're guarding it very tightly.

 

[blueprintstudios]

i think this topic on market industry/demand will go into the subject of some form of economics.. but on a common sense logic : more support , more monkey-see-monkey-do "trendy" singaporeans will follow suit, more bands, more local music demand , more radio play and then, more engineers needed. i guess. don't correct me if i'm wrong, I'm just giving it a bad guess.

of course i don't just wanna talk about bands, also local films support , where there's video, there's audio (composers etc etc). soft forum's mainly on music.. so hopefully someone out there running a local shortfilms forum are doing somethin to improve too.

0¢ worth

Quote Of The Day : "I have a secret weapon!...hang on gimme a sec and let me unzip, untuck my socks and say hello to my little friend.."

 

[im-jk]

hi
im new here
ill be taking my o levels this year and i was wondering what do i need to do to get into audio engineering??

 

[Colarndo]

Diploma in local polytechnics? Singapore Poly has Music & Audio Tech, Ngee Ann Poly has Film/Sound/Video.

LaSElle SIA Bachelor Arts Degree/Higher Diploma
School of Audio Engineering, Degrees/Short Courses etc.
Some to name.

 

[im-jk]

whats the difference between studying here and studying overseas ?

 

[frequenz]

Just my 2 cents worth.

It is good to work as Audio Engineer in studio to get experience etc. But in long run, I guessed that you need to see what is your future aspect. There's no wrong to go into this line while you are young and gather the knowledge what the senior guy did. Be it what you do and been told, observe is the word.

As many guys had mentioned in this thread regarding of the studio and engineers, all I can say that they are perfectly right. And another thing to say, if the senior chose to keep the secret of their 'way of doing it', there's nothing much the junior can do, unless you met a good one.

Sometime I do tell myself many times that to those who had found job in audio industry, you are lucky. But think again, long run for your future. What do you want to do?

Before even moving to study as Audio Engineer, Mastering Engineer, etc.... ask yourself why study that? Is it because it is cool to touch the stuff in front of you or rather is that really what you want.

I bet most of the senior will said:"Im tired of all these because I been doing for years. Life changes, including technology."

IMHO, work as live sound helper and feel how is it before you want to move into these. This is just a life experience. And also, best is to go into Post Production if you got the choice. Slowly source out for jobs like that, be it part time or what. All I can say there are a lot more fighting the job as the same you are.

Studying SG and Overseas depending on modules and also, equipment and what do they ask for. I will not say anything to the sch as what everyone had been saying. But I would like to say that, after grad what do you gain from there. That is ur best answer. If yes, good for you. If no, Im sorry but you got to learn more from the net and forum to brush up about the knowledge of what you do not understand.

Personally opinion, I think the sch setting up for Audio in Singapore is killing them because after grad, getting the job in this field is never easy due to small market. I will not turn ppl away if their passion of studying Audio Engineering is there, but rem to ask urself what can you do after Grad, hence Good Luck too.

 

[BadgerS88]

Damn this thread is confusing. To much stuff to read.

Im a fresh graduate from SAE Singapore. I've completed and graduated from the Diploma and Degree Courses and Im only 19 and now Im looking for work. I dont care whether I have to start from the bottom up as long as I don't get some random Newspaper Ad Jobs! I wanna get a job which has to do and relate to what I've bloody been studying for! Lol.

I would recommend SAE Singapore to anyone interested. Sure the courses might be shorter than usual but whether how much you learn from it comes down to you! Not the college! The courses do follow all the same modules as the international SAEs and all certificates are recognised by Middlesex University.

 

[blueprintstudios]

"wanna get a job which has to do and relate to what I've bloody been studying for"

haha you know, when I was in my teens, working in a fastfood joint + sales executive + computer technician then later on enlisting to army , i was a driver. somehow it seems on general unrelated to audio, but i gotta say it created me today :
fastfoodjoint - teaches you how to handle difficult people (customers) and quick thinking pressure.
sales - advertising/marketing and all that sociology stuff.
computer technician - visiting door to door made me well prepared for any possible problems that may occur onspot. so it was almost like I had to be a "mobile computer servicing shop".
driver - that added on the convenience mobility.
+ my enthusiasm for recording/mixing.
= mobile recording.

oh but the only thing that I really wasted my time with is before I worked as all of that, I was polishing yacht at a shipyard, unavoidable cos I had to pay rent/food..

so it's really how you link to what you love. sometimes simple things are more than what they seem. and love (not the bgr kind) definitely has no boundaries =)

50¢ worth

 

[<daydreamer>]

Now for me to throw in my two cents worth. I've just finished studying in SP's Diploma in Music and Audio Technology, and am now on my way to Berklee (yay!). I also want to know how to get started in the music production industry, but a lot of points have been mentioned already.

If I could add a note or two:

- SP's Dip in music and audio technology course is like a pre-cursor to what is to come in the music industry. You are introduced to different aspects of music and music technology, and you can find out where your strength lies. We have recording studios for you to work in and try out. We also have lecturers who've been in the industry, one coming from Berklee.

- Studying your way into such a job is a good idea, as common sense tells. The more you learn about the industry, the better prepared you are for the job.

- Luck is a big big factor. With limited companies in the industry, you either have to fight it out to get in or hope you have a good internship in one of those companies.

- I need to start reading again. I used to read the school's Sound on Sound magazine till work got the better of me. Knowledge is power - know as much as you can, learn as much as you can.

- Lastly, do you want to work on this alone to fill your rice-bowl? When you start out, this may not be a good idea as the pay is small. You can start this as a hobby while on another job, then build up your arsenal for gear, samplers, so on and so forth.

Just some cents. Hope it helps!

-<dd>

 

[logicdroid]

Hi there, regarding the above could any one experienced here give some advice on how to get started into this industry? im currently taking a part time deg in multimedia not sure if its of any use though....=\

mandy.com (It's international so imagine the competition)

You in this for the money or passion?

If it's money, forget it, you'll only last that looong.

If it's passion, prepare u'reself to be:

financially poor,

hardworking,

slapped in the face occasionally for trying to be creative and,

rewarded with almost nothing except your little pay cheque...

Unless you're the boss of course.

Sedik tapi betol
R.

 

[xng07]

well, i skim through the posts, in summary i agree that studying in SG is a stepping stone to schs overseas, coz i dont suppose u wouldnt want to waste $$ to study things overseas for the stuff u can study in SG. u got to consider the living expenses and air ticket as well when u study overseas.

i think doing audio stuff is more of hands-on urself. u can learn many stuff in school but if u dont apply it or try to use it, u prob wont understand how to use that knowledge u spent $$ learning. keep learning on urself, while u are still in sch, record ur own band or ur frd's band and then practise mixing(well, that's for mixing of cos) do whatever u can to learn (yup, office boy n work ur way up helps.) and basically, if u have $$ to spend, get equipments! hee of coz it's really difficult but that's why there's not alot of recording studios. (maybe?)

it's an expensive hobby, as my teachers say! =)

 

[rawn]

Whatever course you take should not be the issue here. Your passion will guide you through. The willingness to learn comes from the passion.

 

[Yar]

The SAE at Bencoolen really sucks but I will say the Facilities at Riverwalk Galleria is worth checking!!!!
Or study online course from Berklee , MIT or fullsail. berklee online is practical.
La Salle has a good facilities too……..

 

[Ichiro]

Hi Everyone,

I know nobody cares what I posted almost 8 years ago in this thread. Back than I was young and ignorant so pardon my old post. Anyways, working in a recording studio as an engineer is almost every audio engineer's dream. Cool gears in a nice air-condition facility with state of the art sound systems.

In reality it is not that easy but on the same note it is not impossible. Currently I am in charge of operating a really nice recording facility in Singapore and this is the closes I ever got in working in a good studio facilities with a decent payout. Many people within or outside this industry always say to me “Wah, you are so lucky! Got such a nice facilities to work with!” The fact that they didn’t know that it took me almost 8 years working as an audio engineer to get here. There is nothing to be proud off and I could have been in an even better position if I kept my focus on my job.

Life is always complicated and we all have to priorities. The only question would you have to ask yourself, what kind of commitment you have to be an audio engineer. This is a job you have to love it and you have to want it (badly). A good school and education might help you but no one can stop you from learning thru watching Youtube and reading articles from ‘Sound on Sound’. As long as you keep to that mentality work smart and hard, you will get there.

“Nothing is impossible & impossible is nothing”

 

[soft]

Well done Ichiro! Hope you will continue to live the Rockstar life as long as you desire!

 

[blueprintstudios]

Interesting update! 8 years down the road from what I last posted in this thread, if Ichiro is the guy who climbed up to where he is in the industry through his path and myself I am the "but no one can stop you from learning thru watching Youtube and reading articles from ‘Sound on Sound’" DIY guy.

On my side of opinion, it is all about how happy you ultimately are. I have splitted my focus away from Audio into other stuff (videography,photography,property, and other freelance work + businesses and my own comfy day office job/married life) because there is Life outside of your audio or music passion and there are other passions outside of your current passion depends how your brain is wired and we all know very well greatest height of Passion is achieved with perfect balance of Life.

Either ways it is all about what you aim to achieve, and what defines "Success" to one individual may be a bad joke to another so "minding your own business" and forget about "comparing yourself with another" in this superficial society will definitely get to where you are in one's own right. Ask yourself what are you doing it for? "For Fame? For Fortune? For Fun? if not For FK?"

Good on you Ichiro, thanks for sharing your happiness

Work hard, believe, and live well peoples, remember "If everything is deemed impossible to you, you are a big Nothing. and if Nothings barely hurts to stop you, it makes you impossible to kill."

 

[Chi]

Hi, I've just finished my first year of Diploma Audio Production at Lasalle. (I've over 10 years experience about live sound and music as a professional singer.)
It's summer break and I'm looking for an internship at any studio.

Send me a PM here and I'll send you my CV.
Thanks,