Reasonfreaks

[mgrizz03]

Guys, seeing that many of you are into music production, into independent productions..etc... at your home computers, studios....
let me ask you all this...
Have any of you attended schooling in the recording arts field, or music production, and considered a career or have a career in production/engineering/effects/etc for film, artist, tv working in studios and with teams being head honchos of latest releases in all of the media industry...this being in addition to just making music at home? Im talking like NYC schools, the SAE Institutes all around the world, or Full Sail programs...

If any of you have, Im curious do you think it was a good idea, and do you think those of you who did are better producers, mixers now than before.... or is it better to work hard the mastering of software/hardware pruning our own creativity as far as it can go like a ripe pear.

The reason Im asking is, Ive been making music with Reason for about a year and a half now, and I just love to zone out and work on my latest projects... but I have also been in college for a couple years now too and would love to keep going in music, but I want a career to call my own too ya know, and feel 1, education in this field can earn some bills temporarily, and 2, can spark creativity that wouldnt normally have been sparked...and 3, im one of those who need education to feel up to par with others who also have it...

I mean how many of all you music makers out there are getting enough in earnings to keep devoting all the time that is devoted.... or are you all doing this as a hobby!!

Ok maybe ill get some responses...if not thats ok too!! Have fun you producers you

[monib]

i don't have any prior music experience... seriously... i feel like i have to catch up...

[disconnect]

Well, I played piano, sung in the choir, and learned solfedgio, all for 7 years. But that was some time back, now...

[mgrizz03]

well i guess i was looking for specifically music production in studios type work, people can be in that field with prior experience like piano, vocal, lessons.. but, uh the field focuses on a wide range of music, or based on preference..can be trance/dnb/hiphop/pop, working with the latest artists, or what not... you gotta have the skills to take working with software and hardware(mic, soundboard, synths, etc) into a fast paced networked studio where time is money, and an album due out on its release date means success...

[butchmanring]

...do you think it was a good idea, and do you think those of you who did are better producers, mixers now than before...

You'd be nuts to think that sitting at home for 10years working on trial and error probs as they come up are gonna make you a better producer/mixer than if you did a 3 year course. If you can afford it, do a course.

Certainly there are awesome producers/mixers that taught themselves, that's not what i'm saying. But a course will get you there much quicker, and explain exactly what all the terms are, and why audio reacts to certain processes in certain ways.

My work means i produce and mix for a living, and it also means that i come into contact with full blown tech/studio guys. Very often they will explain things to me that blow my goddamn head off. Not because i don't know what i'm talking about, but because i taught myself.

whenever i do work with these guys, i am always asking questions. Don't think iut'll make you look stupid either. The more questions you ask, the more answers you get. Simple.

Now what was this thread about again?

B

[mgrizz03]

wow well said butch!. and the best part is, its not a 3 year program, but its only 1! actually most are in the US..

[xenophobe51]

If I hadn't already racked up a massive student loan debt getting my graphic design degree I'd be attending the Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences in Tempe, Arizona, right now.

If only I could score a free ride through their program...

[bastard_son]

A more general observation I did related to the "tutor vs. self taught question" is that usually the main argument for self-tutoring is that you don't have any limits and thus more creativity. I find that statements like that is a just poor excuse to skip classes.
See: you learn everything faster in school compared to teaching yourself, and that doesn't leave time to dwell on things. When you learn stuff at home, you're more likely to get bad habits because you repeat the same things over and over, litterately practicing your mistakes again and again. (I have tons of those!)

Be smart, go to school!!

I attended some classes in studiowork back in 2000, and the most interesting thing was working in a studio with other people, not the learning to use the equipment. Some people are a help, others a burdon to the project. Getting along with others on something where only personal preference holds the "correct" answer is difficult. Be prepared to argue by knowing your stuff. There's nothing worse than someone trying to pull the project in another direction and then getting mad when nobody follows his/her line of thought. Now that's a lesson you wouldn't learn by sitting alone in front of your home pc.

Just for the record: I just do music for fun now.

[mgrizz03]

been in school for 3 months for music production/recording arts and i must say, ive learned more than ive ever dreamed. i highly recommend it and like said earlier, you learn so much more in a shorter time frame than trial/error at home!!!

[didymus]

In a word NO.

For me it’s a hobby

Martin.

[dj_sea2005]

i will be going to college to do music technology starting in september. im looking forward to that

[ahkuilon]

I've been told that music-technical education isn't very creative in nature, but rather that it is the fundament to put under your creativity. In other words, get the training, then use the knowledge to be creative. I am considering going for a musical education instead of a 'normal study', but I find it a very hard choice...especially because I think there isn't much future in the musical direction :/

[bastard_son]

I choose not to study music at the university. I'd like to know the stuff I'd learn at a place like that, but I'd hate the jobs you can get afterwards. There's nothing creative about it. I would like to take some more practical studio lessons just to get to know the equipment better, but that'd just be for fun.

[dj_sea2005]

I've been told that music-technical education isn't very creative in nature,

youve been told wrong! when i did my induction for the course they ran through the coursework details. and i have to produce 3 songs as coursework. one HAS to be classical (witch i dont mind) and one has to be a remix of a classical song in whatever style you like (ill be doing a ferry corsten sort of thing) and the last one is whatever the hell you want it to be.

the only things where you cant get creative are the exams and studying. (unless your really bored and start doodling )

[ahkuilon]

Well you are describing how they asked you to write a number of songs, but I suppose that you got (a lot of) education on music theory to apply in those songs?