Audio Engineering courses?

Submitted by gussy12 on Mon, 2009-04-06 20:11

Hi all,
I am a prospective student looking at studying audio engineering next year. So far I have researched MAINZ, SAE and SIT for different degrees and diplomas. My stupid careers officer at school cannot figure out the difference between structual engineering and audio engineering, so no advice there. I was wondering which of the different courses in your opinion, is better in terms of teaching staff, course content and equipment.

Cheers.

Comments

Submitted by Jon Jr. on Tue, 2009-04-07 14:15.

I did a 4 month PTE course years ago. I've seen munters who knew less after 2 years at MAINZ. Having said that at MAINZ I saw some really on to it people as well. What's most important is that you go into it wanting to do more. In my experience, those courses are the bare minimum. What you need to do is look at the lecturers and see what they've done. If you have time, ring them and listen to what they say. More than anything your lecturers are what make or break. If you want to do something you'll be pressing your lecturers for more, so you need to be able to get the most from your lecturers. For instance Angus Mclauglin works at MAINZ in Auckland and I love a lot of the stuff he has been involved in. Look into it and see what they have done. That gives away heaps...

Submitted by Jon Jr. on Tue, 2009-04-07 14:28.

I will add though, that I think these courses are hugely exploitative. You sign onto it wanting to learn skills etc. with very little chance of actually making a living out of it. It is all part of the commodification of culture and everything else associated with the comercialisation of people's lives that exists at the moment. You'll get a qualification that means nothing in reality, you gain a basic understanding of the field (I don't mean to demean that, I definatly gained from it) but you gain very little in terms of concrete skills or future. If you're keen on this, do it, but bare in mind that you're getting into one of the most cut-throat mystified industries that exist in the 1st world. If you want to make a living out of this. You'll have to put a huge amount of time into this and in all likelihood head overseas. Otherwise you'll be paying heaps for some cool social skills.

Submitted by wainuiomata on Tue, 2009-04-07 20:21.

Here, Here for your second post on this Jon Jr, totally agree !

Submitted by Jon Jr. on Wed, 2009-04-08 14:38.

//Here, Here for your second post on this Jon Jr, totally agree !//

Felt a bit Jeckyl and Hyde there, but I spent $5000 on my course and over 10 K on gear over the last 5 years. I record my friends. I have a PA that my band can practice through in my lounge, but it's the most impressive losing investment i've made. However i'm glad I did it, I quite quickly got my head around it, I didn't want to break up with my girlfriend by going over to Europe and following the scene there, so I made what would in market terms quite possibly be seen as an irrational choice.

Submitted by wainuiomata on Wed, 2009-04-08 19:47.

I don't know if you made the right choice or not by not coming to europe to be honest mate, I mean yeah there's a bigger music scene here and you have alot more choices ( as in there's alot more people looking to record ) but then again there's alot more qualified people over here too, and most of them are recording their mates also, the days of getting a job in a large studio are pretty much over. Now if you qualify, you don't look for a job in a studio so much, you get a job, save money and buy your own equipment. Over the last few years .. certainly over here and America many world famous studios have shut their doors, never to re-open. The flip side of that at the moment is you get alot of experienced people out of work and they're out there setting up small independent studios, mostly just them and one or two others, not very large scale but with worlds of experience, these are the people, people tend to seek out when they have alittle money to spend and want to move up a notch from recording with their mates, I think this is the evolution of the music world from a studio / engineering point of view for the time being. I'm not sure where things are heading for people coming out of schools and music courses, the schools just suck people in and spit them out at the end with no real possiblity of a job, every year we're not talking a few hundered but thousands EVERY year through out the world, where do they all go ? I've ranted enough, I don't mean to put a downer on things, but I do think you should maybe have a Plan B if you chose a career in music ... sorry for any spelling mistakes !

Submitted by auximenes on Thu, 2009-04-09 23:01.

Whatever course you decide to do, you'll finish it with no career path.
The piece of paper that you emerge with will NOT open any doors in to the industry.
My reply to people who ask "how do you get in to the industry?" is that you have to really really really really want to be a sound engineer, and then you'll find your own path.
You'll mix your friend's band in shitty clubs. Or you'll be recording their practices. (or both). You'll buy a microphone. You'll read heaps on the net on pro audio forums. You'll wonder why people really like using Distressors (or.........insert your own piece of audio exotica here) and you can't wait to get your hands on one to find out. You'll go to a gig or listen to a new record and wonder "how did they do that".

In other words, you'll be obsessed.

And, if you're that focussed, you already are a sound engineer. Not yet gainfully employed, but you're on the path.

Chur,
Aux 1.