The TRUTH about Recording School
Do you want to go to Recording School? Please watch this before signing up for a lifetime of debt!
While you're at it, grab my Audio Basics course & I won't charge you a penny for it! spectremedia.c...
About Spectre Sound Studios:
I'm Glenn Fricker, engineer here at Spectre Sound Studios. I love making records, and after doing it for sixteen years, I want to pass on what I've learned. On my channel you can find tutorials on how to record guitar, bass, real drums and vocals. There's reviews and demos of tube amps, amp sims, drums, mics, preamps, outboard gear, Electric Guitar, Bass Guitar, and plugin effects.
We've covered Moon on the Water, played Bias FX, given you the absolute best in Stupid Musician Texts, ranted & raved about bass guitar, and this channel is where The Eagle has Landed.
Everything you've wanted to learn about recording Hard Rock & Heavy Metal can be found right here on this channel!
I also respond to your comments & questions: The best make it into the SMG Viewer's Comments series of videos. Loads of fun, lots of laughs.
Thanks for checking out my channel & please subscribe!
Пікірлер: 1 100
THIS is my audio engineer course. My professor yells at me, and its rad.
@Nightdare
3 жыл бұрын
Any "teacher" that thinks that he should act as a friend, needs to remember that sometimes, your buddy needs his ass chewed out to get his act together
@br00talbr00skeez
Жыл бұрын
Professor Glen!!
"Get the fuck out of dodge" when talking about Chrysler The puns. The puns are beautiful
@alrecks619
3 жыл бұрын
they're stuck at making gaz guzzling street legal dragsters instead of actually doing something about electrification, i guess lmao.
@SpectreSoundStudios
3 жыл бұрын
FUCK! I didn't even catch that! Dude, PM me.. you just won something!
@deathbyparker
3 жыл бұрын
@@alrecks619 and it’s too bad that they don’t float...
@upstartfilmworks
3 жыл бұрын
haha - as soon as he said that I immediately paused and scrolled down to see if someone caught it!
@necrothescistt8164
3 жыл бұрын
get the fuck out of dodge! Also heard by every guy doing a cummins swap.
Dude, I work my ass off here in Chile to save up for my gear... I've built my studio piece by piece, one month I buy an SM57 and a few months don't buy anything but save up for a better interface, and that's with a day job that takes even my will to live... I get it, it's rough, but That's what has gotten me this far... I'm still improving, but I'm not buying a U47 anytime soon, and I don't need to thanks to your channel, I work really hard to get my gear money and thanks to you I know where to spend it and how to use what I buy. F- that guy and F- you from Chile, Glenn, you rock!!
@jennoscura2381
2 жыл бұрын
Así se hace. Compra lo que puedas cuando puedas. Y usa lo que tienes para practicar.
@ThreadBomb
4 ай бұрын
That's the thing: you can get into recording without owning all the most expensive gear (as the commenter in the video seemed to think he had to before he could do anything). If you have some decent mics and monitors, and a DAW that you know how to use, you already have a lot to offer to low-level bands.
People ask me who my favorite vocalist is and I say "Glen Fricker" because ive never heard anyone scream so naturally, so constantly, and for so long...
I love this post - Imagine you are just about to commit to a recording school and you come across this... GOLD.
@natemcmullen6740
3 жыл бұрын
Just registered for my last semester 😂
@alanyost4061
3 жыл бұрын
@@natemcmullen6740 It's good that you are still laughing!!!
“Try to learn something everyday”, is such a great fuc**ng motto!
A guy I once knew, spent his whole life dedicated to cars and mechanics and worked in a garage for 10 years. He had built up a whole rack of people who trusted him to work on their cars. Then, the garage got bought out by a company who insisted all their mechanics had some sort of qualification. He got fired as he didn't posses any qualifications and the place soon went bust because the customers where getting service by people who have never actually got their hands dirty and were reading it all from books. Moral is, experience outweighs a certificate!
@patriotleadslinger5733
3 жыл бұрын
Yep, just because you got a piece of paper that says you’re smart doesn’t make it so. Got my education from The School Of Hard Knocks.
@Nightdare
3 жыл бұрын
it's sad actually, the status of a piece of paper exceeds the actual skill of the person holding it
@johnskerlec9663
3 жыл бұрын
Agree. Years of experience means shit nowadays. I know, I'm old now EOL, I still want to learn, and have my senses to solve problems. I can't get work in this Covid environment.
@yvesheinrich5013
3 жыл бұрын
Well fucking said! I can't stand the notion that the majority of companies who seek employees would *demand* certification over years of experience. Experience speaks louder than a piece of paper I can wipe my ass with. Certification doesn't prove one's worth nor really authorizes their qualification/s. It's blinding that people's worth are run by certifications and grades to determine their fullest potential over actual experience.
@donloder1
3 жыл бұрын
@@yvesheinrich5013 I'm guessing them companies think that those with certificates can be paid minimum wages while those with experience know their shits and will certainly fight for their worth.
I went to a local college where I got unlimited studio time with good equipment, I used to record local bands every weekend and ended up freelancing in the studio of one of the guys who taught me. Besides the truckloads of recording experience/time, it was great to have experienced teachers who were invested in my success above their own. I'm not sure how else I would have got this without studying.
I went to “recording school “ to shut my parents up for 6 months. I was lucky to have a teacher that actually gave a shit. Every class addressed compression. Even the Protools class. Spent about 2k so pretty damn cheap. Actually learned a lot.
@palbo7871
3 жыл бұрын
wtf exact same situation rn about to finish next year
@Cherryxskramz
3 жыл бұрын
very similar situation!! did learn more about Pro Tools and became proficient quick even though Pro Tools is not my choice of DAW.
@Y2KxSurvivor
3 жыл бұрын
yeah i can deff be worth it iwth the connections you make, i got work and opened a studio of out college and wouldnt have been able to do that had i not gone to school.
@BackyardRonin
3 жыл бұрын
i did the same thing a few years back. Didn't offer any degree but it was a lot of fun and the curriculum (which i could have probably learned through the internet) was streamlined in a way that made learning much easier. All for just 3k and only 8 months long. Also I recently found a bunch of waves plugins that i got from the course too
@Unclefire
3 жыл бұрын
2k isn't a big deal if you actually learn something useful that you could do on your own. There are a shit ton of IT type classes that are in that ballpark or more.
Uncomfortable facts. "Because the world needs more electricians, not more kids with recording degrees" - Glen
@raycmusic
3 жыл бұрын
Yeap!
@orlock20
3 жыл бұрын
It also needs more song writers based on the Gear Gods song contest.
@BretSnyderMusic
2 жыл бұрын
That summed up the whole video. People need to accept that working in a recording studio isn't a viable career choice anymore. Get a trade job and record as a hobby, and like Glenn mentioned, if you choose not to have kids, you'll have more money to blow on gear than you can shake a stick at.
@Saynlion
2 жыл бұрын
Well that's why I switched instead of collage I (some 6 years later) studied up on the electrician trade.. Paid for the certification (a pain in Sweden).. and make about 4k dollars a month.. before the state takes half. And yes that's just one of the investments I've made in myself so I can have and live as I want. In Sweden "dirty" jobs pay well. don't listen to what student counselors says about higher degree. take the dirty well paying job at 18 and live your life. Yes I've paid of my house and car and studio by the age of 30...
It’s also the same with music school. People will pay $40k a year for Berklee and get a job at Starbucks. It’s really sad. Being in over 100k in debt after finishing school is atrocious.
@commander591
3 жыл бұрын
thats how you get Wage Slaves nowadays.
@supersandwich8967
2 жыл бұрын
@@commander591 lol true
@leoncorbett4553
2 жыл бұрын
I’ve gotten emails from them and I ignore them every time.
@dangdrjay3011
2 жыл бұрын
@@leoncorbett4553 GIGACHAD
@godzilla964
Жыл бұрын
I almost did that while doing my gen-ed's in community college. I'm currently in University to get an electrical engineering degree.
Dude when I was in high school I dreamed of going to full sail and working on slayer records. My family couldn't afford it and it never worked out. So I got a real job. But I've always daydreamed about what my life would have been like had I gone to full sail. Thank you for posting this video. It made me feel a lot better
Glad I'm a machinist, glad I have a 401k and not a pension lol! And not debt. I may be a hobbyist, but it doesn't seem so bad now lol!
@SpectreSoundStudios
3 жыл бұрын
Absolutely nothing wrong with beinga machinist! Much respect for the trades!
Finally someone said the truth about this subject. I did a minor in recording at Montreal, Canada and I cannot agree more. It was a public school so fortunately I’m not in dept but keeping this recording thing part time and make sacrifices is the best mindset to have if I want do this full time. Thanks Glenn !!!
Had an SAE student place the SM57 in front of the logo on my Marshall JVM Head thinking the sound came from there. Then proceeded to Mic the kickdrum by placing a microphone next to the kick pedal
@charlotteice5704
3 жыл бұрын
I'M SORRY WHA-
@Willigrow
3 жыл бұрын
That is funny... but doesn't really say anything. What I mean is that neither me, nor any of my SAE colleagues back in the day when I went, did stupid BS like that. Not that I'm defending SAE or people with a diploma, a lot of Glenns points are true, but you can find an idiot anywhere.
Dropped out of college because it wasn’t worth my money, to have my school programs take cuts whilst the president of the college builds a private dinning room in the dead center of the student commons. I left and never looked back.
@Droid96
3 жыл бұрын
School spending makes zero sense sometimes. My college built the chancellor a new house worth millions of dollars, a workout facility and new locker room for a losing football team, and a press box for them when we never get National broadcasts. Then they cut our swim team a month after they won the conference, basically telling the athletes, a lot of whom were international, that they could go fuck themselves. Then they brought swim team back, but only women’s, because apparently they violated title IX, which just tells me they were already violating it before cutting the teams.
I realize what this video might have costed you, and I'd just like to say thank you for your time and for caring enough about it to help us out.
I always genuinely appreciate getting to pull back the curtain on your background. Success is a long journey that involves a lot of compromise. I hope to get there myself. Glad I spent my money on a studio over recording school, although with the money I've dumped into it... it would've been cheaper to go to recording school... but I wouldn't have the experience I do. Thanks for great content Glenn!
Wow Glen, your story here. First of all your honesty and vulnerability in telling your story here is amazing. I don't think anyone can watch this and not have even more respect for you. Your tenacity and determination are incredible. And I believe you do real service with this channel, it's clear you really care about your audience.
I finally have a studio, took 20 years to get it together but it is here. I work two jobs (supporting a family) and do music in between and over weekends. If you really want to do something, you find a way. Thanks for the video, I recently almost bought into one of these things then decided to rather just battle through and pick up tips from pros (on youtube and other platforms). For those that are still standing up after getting knocked down, keep swinging!
@SpectreSoundStudios
3 жыл бұрын
That’s awesome, man! Keep at it!
I started giving my money to Sweetwater instead of Starbucks and things got more affordable.
@umrasangus
3 жыл бұрын
that's the spirit. I really don't spend my money on anything except audio production books, music gear and hopefully some course (specially while I'm still living with my parents)
I'm not a diploma guy. Everything I've ever learned about anything ,I've done by getting my hands dirty.
@PooNinja
3 жыл бұрын
Right. Ya just do it
@Willigrow
3 жыл бұрын
That is great, but you can also get a degree if you want AND get your hands dirty... actually after getting a degree you are supposed to get your hands dirty.
@Anthonybrother
3 жыл бұрын
I wash my hands before playing guitar to keep my guitar not dirty
@sicknashty3837
3 жыл бұрын
@@Anthonybrother eh, a fingerprint smudged guitar is a well played guitar.
@edwincrain986
3 жыл бұрын
@@Willigrow I've been dabbling in audio production for 30 plus years. I don't see the point now.
The whole Chrysler part of this was really interesting too. Must have been terrifying and liberating walking out that door on your last day with them!
Thank you, Glen. Seriously, your knowledge of recording and willingness to give it to us for free is incredibly valuable and appreciated.
This is why you get a degree that gets you a job or go to trade school, then you learn how to record on your own.
I've been watching some of Rick Beato's videos on this subject too, and this video adds to that idea that recording school (in most cases) IS A TRAP. It's unfortunate that people really did drop a shit ton of money for a degree that doesn't really add much value in terms of experience, if any at all when they could've used that money to build a studio and actually get some experience with audio. The part that also got me was the multimedia bit where the industry isn't purely about audio anymore, but there's the visual, and possibly the marketing aspects too. This video has really opened up my vision to the reality of the audio industry and how it currently runs and how it is changing throughout time. Thank you for the video Glenn! AND FUCK YOU from the Philippines!
“Higher Education” is mostly in name only. I’m not saying don’t go to college like I did on another of Glen’s videos a couple years ago, but what I am saying is that most universities (even the IV league) has become watered down nurseries that seem to cost 6 figures. They teach a lot of fluff with a lack of substance and a few of the professors had mentally checked out. It’s not all bad, you just need to know what you’re getting into and what you will really need for your career path. I grew up with the same kind of garbage shoved down my throat, “go to college so you can get a good job.” Here is my advice (as someone who went to community college for 4 years, got a two year degree, and burnt myself out to the point of not continuing my education): if you want to go to college, have a plan. If your plan needs to change, change it. Even if it means not going to college.
Glenn thanks for being so cool about helping people learn to record. I am slowly getting into it but all your videos help so damn much. Thanks again!
The multi skill thing is so true, I went to university for music as a songwriter and performer (academy of music and sound gateshead UK) and the best parts of my degree was the fact that most of the lecturers were open and honest about what the music industry is like (all of them are working in the industry as well as teaching) they taught us more than what was required for the course and are genuinely excited to help out students get their careers off the ground by doing stuff and gaining the right kind of experience. I went in as a songwriter and performer and came out with a good idea on digital marketing, teaching and recording among other things. I graduated 3 years ago and I got a gig offer from one of the managers of the university this week. University can definitely help if you get the right place and have the right attitude. I don't think I would have done as well as I have post graduation if I went as a teenager (I'm now working at a music school teaching guitar and my degree set me apart from other potential candidates) on top of that the course is as cheap as the law in the UK allows for higher education at ~£3-4k a year so my student debt is minimised. But as Glenn said, experience is key, university just gives you an opportunity to get that experience and build up a portfolio, the paper at the end of it all is basically useless without it
I did a 3 year online set of courses from berklee, focused on protools. A fraction of the cost of a degree. Learned a LOT, and got feedback from the teachers every week on our assignments. Yes I could have learned all of it on youtube, but being guided week by week with assignments makes you stay focused and forces you to keep learning, plus the teachers feedback is always welcomed.
I've been following you for yearsss and I always find you enlightening and inspirational... but hearing that you only went full time in spring 2020 is the most inspiration ever. Reminds me to trust the process. Thank you.
I went through the full sail audio production program. It ended up being about 40k...not 80k. anyway, let me clear something up. I have noticed a few types of students along my path at full sail. 1. the student who does the bare minimum to get by 2. the student who is interested and puts good effort into the assignment. 3. the sudent that realizes how much they are paying for the program and does the assignment as well as reading the extra materials and attending live zoom sessions to ask questions and learn things directly from the teacher. The results on where you are and what you accomplish after school directly relate to the effort you put into it. Another important note...you don't just learn music, you also learn film and game sound. sound design, foley, and more importantly how to implement. I would say only half the program was directly music. I can make money doing radio ads, commercials, etc. they really prepare you for all fields of audio and if you're not feeling that way then you weren't trying. Oh ya, and I've gotten gigs literally because of my piece of paper so Glen, I'm sorry but you're wrong. Oh yea, and my buddy who went to AES has a successful studio. He was able to quit his day job. Not to mention every other studio owner I know In ATL went to Full Sail. Again, what you put into it, you get out of it.
thank you very much
@siguresigure
3 жыл бұрын
Sanchai dai???
@Sergio-nb4hj
3 жыл бұрын
This can be interpreted as salty or genuine depending on whether or not you went to recording school 😂
The record industry was insular when it was thriving. It was never a career field you could go to school for
@luminousbrilliance1711
3 жыл бұрын
Insular? All the way through the Mid 1990s and probably well into the 2000s it was more insular than Hogwarts-those fucking creeps were rolling in money-take a look at Phil Spector-that's why it's funny that napster destroyed alot of their financial model and you tube has sealed the nail on the coffin.
@RealHomeRecording
3 жыл бұрын
@@luminousbrilliance1711 why the f*** are you celebrating thieves destroying people's careers? Sure a lot of people at the top got a lot of money but the ones affected the most were the average guy and gal. The same goes for books, movies, TV shows and software.
I'm actually studyimg my college degree in music production and I have to say I actually find a lot of value in it. Being in a school with GOOD teachers helps a lot to actually learn and understand what i'm doing. Also I'm not just learning about audio but business, music theory, audio technology, composition and more. Also I get to know people of other careers who I have worked with to make audiovisual products and this helps a lot to get some experience with many kinds of proyects.I understand that this is very expensive but it is important to evaluate if it is better to learn by yourself or to be guided by someone with actual experience. It is important to keep in mind that the learning curve when you are by yourself may be way longer than it would be guided by professionals judging your work and giving feedback.
I got a job as an editor in Los Angeles (Burbank specifically) because I had a DVD (that's what we used when I got the job) of all the work I had self produced. They didn't ask me if I went to college. I had proof in hand of my skills and my dedication to creating during my free time. A majority of the people I worked with there went to really expensive art colleges and spent $100,000s of dollars. Listen to this man, he knows what he's talking about. People, especially now, want to SEE what you have done, not what a piece of paper alludes to what you might be able to do. This applies mostly to the creative fields. I kinda want my doctor to have a college education...
i skipped education and went straight to playing in local bands, then i was an iron worker and a butcher and an apartment manager, then i got into computer code. 13 years after playing at the warped tour i am finally able to afford recording gear and get educated, and now that i found glen, i can close my grinder account. FU-GLEN!
@leoncorbett4553
2 жыл бұрын
I was gonna meet up with you on grinder but okay.
Recording is interesting, Im a current student in a Sound Production and Audio Engineering course and I find the course very real, very insightful and very affordable and all taught by current industry professional, some of whom run entire companies but it does all depend on your options and the facilities and capabilities of the schools you can access so everyones experience will vary
This is 1000% what needed to be said. I was convinced out of high school I would go to Full Sail and make it in the recording field. I even went on a tour of the school, met the instructors, etc. but the first red flag was when applying there, they asked for up to THREE guarantors to sign for me before being admitted. Luckily, I didn’t have the means to attend anyways and dodged that bullet. I’ve known about 10 friends who have attended near or at the same time I graduated high school and now, 11 years later, literally none of them have a job in music or recording at all. It’s really sad to see predatory schools still operational. I’ve learned infinitely more about music theory and recording arts via the internet than I would have every learned being there.
I might be the only one, but I enjoyed my year at SAE (Paris) back in 2004/2005. Good teachers, lot of workshops, graduated, got offered a job that I turned down because I was inteded to make coffee and changing lightbulbs only... Well, got a shitty job, bought some more equipment, started recording friends. Moved to live sound after few years, and here I am touring Europe 9 mounths a year (if you forgot the pandemic). Built my own equipment, building my own furniture, I finally set up in a rehearshal studio where I live. Sometimes, I do workshops with students, and I have to say that from the ones that I've seen, I'd say probably 10 to 15% will end up doing sound as a carreer. The point is, I really think it depends on people's motivation. I've learned a lot at SAE, but I already knew a bit. I've learned a lot since then, asking, talking and watching other audio engineers. I have to say that I was shocked to see that now SAE charge you 82k for this. Definitly not what it cost back then. And probably not what it is worth now...
Glenn, there should've been a 3rd option "I'm here just for the results" for curious people, that's probably why it had 79%
I found this out after one semester of Art Institute of Seattle recording school. It was a scam & I bailed early & joined a band. I learned a lot more buying a porta-studio and just recording shit.
I graduated from audio engineering in 2008. Since then I had about 1 year of steady audio work. Today I run a home studio on my own dime and do some occasional work for local bands and businesses. I repair computers as a full time job. My audio diploma cost over 30 grand that I am still paying for 13 years later. Most of what I have learned was after I finished school and went on my own and just tried things, or from watching KZread videos. I am going to use this video every time someone asks me if they should go to audio school like I did. Thanks.
I have to be honest, i did learn a lot in recording school. Also, it forced me to learn things i never would have. And all that studio time was so valuable and you could use any gear or microphone (the school had a huge collection) you wanted. Its definitely not required to go but i definitely learned things i don't think i would have learned on my own. And plus, the faculty was top notched. Its cool to have the same person critique your drum recording that also recorded Carter Beauford.
Poo U degrees available in most fields of study. Get yours today 40K, that’s like 1/2 off retail. Call today. Or get yourself a printer. Being broke can be a great motivator.
@metal_helm
3 жыл бұрын
can I get my Poo U degree with a 3d printer?
@PooNinja
3 жыл бұрын
@@metal_helm a thick one… Pretty Huge Degree
my day job is in Television (editing and directing) the same thing applies, so many colleges and Universities take money from gullible people where there simply isn't any jobs after they graduate.
@donyoung7874
3 жыл бұрын
That would be just about any field right now except healthcare. It seems Physical Therapy is the place to be.
Full Sail graduate here. Graduated in 2017 with a bachelors in a different field. Valedictorian top of the class. Several ‘Advanced Achievement Awards’. Had my reel that proved that I was hiring material in the industry. Applied to every job. I was not going to give up. I had my head held high and tried to connect with everyone I could and asked questions, advice, anything. Days turned to months, and months turned into years. And now I work at Home Depot. I’m not knocking HD, they actually helped me through one of my lowest points in my life. And I watch this video and he reads out that comment about full sail. I hide my emotions very well, but I really teared up. All of it is true. Please do research. Listen to these guys. Think for yourself. Don’t make the same mistake I did.
After high school, I did a 6 month independent lesson in Louisville , Kentucky from an engineer that had been recording since the 80s. Great investment, great education. He told me up front he has no way to give me work, but he gave me a great insight and education in recording and engineering. No I have my own home studio with steady business after years of work trying to get there. Feels good.
"You don't seem to understand, my recording degree means I can yell at the bass player more effectively!"
Colleges have done this for decades, just ask the Barista at Starbucks.
@LimewaterMusic
3 жыл бұрын
A lot of degrees are a very bad idea, but be careful not to fall into the mindset that it’s no longer a good option all together. Like most things you have to play it smart and plan every step of the way, get a degree that’s in demand in your specific area and you will succeed. The average college degree earner is still on average light years above those with only a HS diploma. Even if you get a worthless degree you’re far more likely to get a high earning job, it just won’t be your dream career making art.
@offtherealm5438
3 жыл бұрын
@@LimewaterMusic As a Respiratory Therapist in a hospital, we occasionally train students.....and almost all have a prior BS in some obscure degree....now they have to start all over again attending Respiratory Therapy College.
@patriotleadslinger5733
3 жыл бұрын
@@LimewaterMusic Lightyears huh? What degree do you have? I’m a high school graduate, no degree, self employed for 13 years and just sold my business during the Planned-demic for $150k more than it cost to start it... just because you got a piece of paper saying you’re smart enough don’t make it so. And yes, my art brought in $50k per year after taxes, so... yeah... HS diploma means squat!🤣 Colleges are creating Marxists not Intellectuals.
@LimewaterMusic
3 жыл бұрын
@@patriotleadslinger5733 I’m talking statistically, degree holders earn far more on average. Your one personal story means nothing when we’re talking about the larger picture of what tends to work and what doesn’t. You’re welcome to look this up on your own but seeing as you’re a “patriot” you probably don’t care about data or statistics. As long as you’re okay that’s all that matters to you right?
@patriotleadslinger5733
3 жыл бұрын
@@LimewaterMusic Yep, if it worked for me it will work for others. Tell me, are there more “degree holders” with a job in their “field” or less? I know a shit ton of masters degree holders who have a nice looking, framed piece of toilet paper hanging on their wall but do not have a career based on their “education”. Check those stats and get back to me.✌️😁
I have a music production degree from Berklee. Used it as a stepping stone for my Masters degree in digital forensics where I specialize in audio forensics.
I appreciate your honesty about the journey to going full time in Audio. Great video! Also to chime in, I went to the Blackbird Academy in Nashville. I work two part time jobs, one as a soundman at a church on Saturday and Sundays and another driving a mail route for a private company. Two part time jobs and Freelancing in Audio in Northern VA. Couldn't stay in Nashville long term, but also wanted my own studio instead of working my way up the Nashville ladder.
lol "Don't waste money going to Recording School - they're all a scam. But do spend money going to this Recording School in London Ontario that my friend runs"
@kedskies
3 жыл бұрын
No 🙂
I'm super pissed about the way music schools in general suck in kids
Back in 1982, I spent 5 weeks at The Recording Workshop in Chillicothe OH. A couple of weeks later, I visited a local 24-track studio and asked the studio manager "Do you need an engineer? I just "graduated" from TRW". He said "YES! My engineer just quit." I was thrown into a jingle recording session that evening. Fortunately for me, the equipment the studio was virtually the same as TRW so my notes lined up. The manager left after the start of the session and returned a couple of hours later. He confided in me that he expected me to be long gone that evening. The fact I was still there and making progress, gave him the confidence (me too!) to continue doing something I love. During downtime when no sessions were booked, I was in the studio trying new ideas and getting more familiar with the equipment. I was there 9 years until the studio lost its lease. Great times! Would I recommend getting a degree in music production. No. Get a degree in something like IT security (a growth field if there ever was one), or something else that actually pays. Do music production because you love it and can do it all day long. BTW -- I have a BS degree in Business Administration. Has it helped me with a better job? Not one bit. Am I still paying the loans. You betcha!
Thank you for sharing your personal story, I can relate. To make my degree valid, I completed an additional education degree and went into teaching at a local high school. My students learn how to be competent musicians and audio engineers, but they also learn about the reality of success they they won’t have post tertiary education. I give them advice based on my successes and failures and I am happy to say many of my past students have listened to my stories and have become self sufficient learners, not only using their talents and knowledge to try and make success in the recording world, but branching out into the multimedia skills and becoming useful employees in their fields of employment. The industry is cruel, you have to be resourceful to stay in the game, or become a teacher.
Interesting, I did a degree in Music Technology, didn’t get a job in the industry but now have a massively successful career in something that I love. For me it wasn’t about “getting the job”, it was about learning and having fun. Didn’t spend 80k to be fair though.
Three of my friends went to SAE after school. How many of them work in audio production today? Zero.
@samyar
3 жыл бұрын
Audio jobs really depend on the city...we went to SAE Dubai..and most got jobs before graduation...there are some media hub cities in the world..but most cities don't have that kind of industry...if you are in a hub, where media companies open all the time..go for it...if it's a normal city and media is playing no particular role..then no..stay back
@taylorstep1413
3 жыл бұрын
If you don't live in a area like LA or NYC where's there a music scene you're wasting money.
@DarwinStearns
3 жыл бұрын
My daughter graduated from SAE Nashville and has been steadily employed in the industry since before her graduation. Of course, she knew she wanted to be an audio tech before attending SAE and took the program seriously.
I had multiple friends who all got the idea to go to recording school in Phoenix. Well when they got out 2 never found work at all, and two got internships. Leaving names out but one worked at a studio in Chicago. His internship ended up being answering phones, cleaning bathrooms, and never being allowed into the studio proper. He had to literally deal with heroin dealers for one musician. Another was a now fallen R&B star who he wasn't allowed to look at when he spoke to him and always had to refer to as "Mr" and "Sir." Basically once that time was over he was out the door, never touched a faded, and never found work.
I did a two year program at Long Beach community college and graduated as a recording engineer. Never got a job in a studio and the only time I landed an apprenticeship, I made the coffee and cigarette runs. That was in 2002 now I am 41 and I do my own little projects. All I have learned is through courses, books and KZread. I did learn a lot from the program, they had what was considered back then state of the art, the teachers they were all protools certified and were proficient in their instruments they played, the program cost me nothing as i applied for financial aid, I just spent a bit of money buying an audio card, a computer, studio monitor speakers, a pair of headphones and a program called Magix music midi maker, because back then protools costed an arm and a leg, and also a used JVC TD-W20 tape deck recorder that I use to this day.
Most post secondary education is a scam. Not in the sense that it's not required, I sure wouldn't want a civil engineer to design a bridge who is fresh out of school and inexperienced. More in the sense of what you have to pay for it in conjunction with job placement. I have 2 college degrees. I work in neither field and just finished paying off the 10 years of debt it cost me.
@NotVerySkilledBass
3 жыл бұрын
i guess that depends on the country and the type of employment. here employers look at your work experience a lot more than some fkin paper. i left education system right after high school, landed myself a part-time job with good career advancements and before my high school classmates even finished college, i was already able to live alone in my own flat and buy music gear i wanted. or maybe i just got lucky.
@Unclefire
3 жыл бұрын
Without a degree you won't become a civil engineer. And I sure as shit don't want somebody who doesn't understand static, dynamics and all the other science behind structure to design a bridge. Wouldn't happen anyway. Getting that civil engineer degree is just one step, you still have to pay your dues somewhere in the field to put that education to work. People working in a different field than their degree happens all the time. Success depends on the individual (and yeah, some breaks along the way). You get an art history degree form a pricey school, chances are you'll end up at Starbucks, teaching, or in some totally unrelated field.
@genuinefreewilly5706
3 жыл бұрын
I have found generally the more responsibity you take on the more coin you can make, There are lots of exceptions. I should be making some wage at what I am doing these days, massive responsibities but an equal amount of power to make changes in a positive way
2:37 It does seem very weird/dumb that recording schools wouldn't have students focus more on building a portfolio. My ex went to art school and had tons of stuff compiled together; all so they could get work in the future basically. PS- have you tried video editing in Reaper? It's really easy.
Good point! I have the last two years since I have started recording music done it on my own free time and have never considered going in to recording school. I work with IT as my way to earn a living and learn an awful lot of things about recording on the internet without getting into debt or wasting alot of money. I have learned alot from this channel and has helped me in my own production.
im a 16yo guitarist learning about recording and producing. i love this channel and have learned so much just from here i have mixed 2 of my own songs so far and i enjoy remixing some songs i like. i am never gonna go to a recording school and really dont see the point, i have so much to learn but i feel like im in safe hands with Glenn.
We have the same issue in another line of work here in France : french dubbing schools for the cinema industries. It is absolutely impossible to guarantee you will have a job after that as voiceover actor. Just because the movie production is not providing enough movies, from starters, and also because a lot of movies are just subbed. These schools are also reckoned by the voice artists already working as cons. I guess putting gullible people in debt is international... Oh and "va te faire foutre Glenn !". I don't think you need to translate that :p
@i-never-look-at-replies-lol
3 жыл бұрын
Stenography might be a good thing to diversify in. Aside from documenting court cases, they also do the closed captioning for programming, so if you've learned another language, it might help learning stenography in that language too because then you can do both voice over work and closed caption work.
@alteredbrain
3 жыл бұрын
@@i-never-look-at-replies-lol oh that's not my line of work, I just learned that by being close to some artists
@kalymya2265
3 жыл бұрын
C'est pareil pour les écoles de musique à Paris. Je venais justement de candidater pour la CPFM de Paris mais je repense à mon choix après cette vidéo...
I'm so glad that, I back away from SAE INSTITUTE. I did my back ground on them on how they cost and yeah it was scary what they were asking. I knew , I didn't wanna be in that much debt.
Glenn...I am learning English with your videos...please don’t forget allowing the close captions. BTW this video is so important for me...I’m thinking seriously about my career and studies...I have a Bachelor degree and a Master in Sciences...but the winds of change are about me like the Chrysler case...in fact is the same case. You give me a lot to think about my career, studying a PhD, the money, the music, or a change...life is too short. Thx.
This really needed to be said. Excellent one ! I worked as a fine arts tech at Concordia U (Mtl Canada) for 26 years and got to know the recording studio guys quite well. They were all self taught, and were so generous to help me get a small bedroom recording thing together, as I became really interested in it. Every single one said NOT to blow dough on recording schools ( there were a couple of big ones here at the time) , and were happy to help me out whenever I hit a roadblock. GOOD advice kids...put your $$$ into gear. Thanks Glen.
$82k - break this down for a bass player - how many Line 6 Spiders will that buy me?
I have a friend with a recording degree who’s also literally the best drummer I’ve ever personally heard in person. That didn’t do anything for him. No one cares. He doesn’t even work in music because of it.
All spot on! Wrapping up a 20 year career myself. Respect for the work at Chrysler. Tough punching a clock every day, that’s for sure.
I’ve always wanted to do music professionally, but have realized that it’s not really possible unless all the stars align. I’ve been a union electrician for 4 years and got right in out of high school. If I didn’t have my day job I wouldn’t have ever been able to afford any of the gear I have and enjoy using. I’ve mainly only recorded bands that I’m friends with, but hope to start recording more than that once I’m out of my apprenticeship in a year and no longer have school to worry about. Love this show and all the advice you give.
DO NOT GET ME STARTED ON SAE (graduated with Hons btw) DO NOT GIVE THEM A PENNY OF YOUR MONEY
people are using what they learned at recording school to write courses to sell on MLM passive income pipelines
After more than a decade in retail, I finally got kicked out of that career and I went back to school. Thankfully, it was my local community college, so after getting my Communications degree, I'm only about 15k in debt. I was lucky I landed a job in my field, getting hired by the radio station I interned with. It hardly pays the bills, but I'm happy there, and it's a great springboard for my voice acting career. I've learned so much in the last 7 years about myself and where my skill sets are. I didn't even know I could create and edit both audio and video, so at the very least, college showed my ignorant brain what I'm capable of.
Went to Full Sail in ‘03 when tuition was 30k. It earned me an internship. Did cool gigs, but never got paid. Eventually opened my own studio which barely paid for itself. Now I’m a video editor. In the world of content, video is king. That being said, good video REQUIRES good audio.
Glenn: $31,500 to outfit a studio with pro gear. Comments Section: "Having pro gear does no good if you don't know how to use it..." Glenn: THEN PUT THE FUCKING BONG DOWN AND START TURNING KNOBS! FUCK! Love ya man. Keep it up! Cheers from Wyoming!
@patriotleadslinger5733
3 жыл бұрын
And you can sell it and get half your money back, try doing that with a degree.
As a young black conservative this was some of your best rhetoric yet. I could feel the boomer energy oozing out of you. I loved it. We all know conservatism is the new punk
One of the keys is also motivation. My friends son went to full sail, then expected to have a job handed to him. His mom tried to motivate him but he made every excuse. As far as I know he never did anything with his education. On the other hand, I have a buddy who is a union sound and light guy. Plays, tv studio work etc. He told me he's seen a few of those recording school graduates and the biggest problem was motivation as his job gets pretty physical. Yes indeed, motivation is almost everything if you want to get anywhere.
I'd just like to say how impressed I was by your taking off your wig finally and putting on that tie-dye shirt and adopting a German accent to do that rant on SAE. And that joke you tacked on at the end was hilarious! If you want to be an engineer consider learning a trade.
You don't need a job, you need to start your own business.
Love how people complain about "Poverty in America" while doing so from there smartphone at Starbucks 🤣 Its easy to find the money for your passion...
Well said, Glenn. It really is about the work ethic, regardless of whether things happen quickly or (very) slowly. I have an audio engineer friend who quit teaching at private recording colleges. He saw them as operations set up primarily to funnel student loans into their own pockets. He didn't want to part of that. Also, if you want to do something with your education, you have to be open minded. My nephew is a Fanshaw graduate and he's been working in the field pretty much since graduation. The reason? His attitude. He loves sound engineering. Period. As a metalhead teenager, he built a studio in the basement and made demos for anyone he could. He volunteered at local music festivals, hauling gear so he might have a chance to sit with the guys at the mixing desk and learn about live sound. He would collect sound effects to build up his own Foley library. He loved it all. When my nephew graduated, he got a job with a small app company doing sound design for mobile games. It wasn't a great gig, but it was his opening. He worked hard and, after a few years paying dues, parlayed his experience into a sweet gig with a major publisher and is very happy about that. If his path had taken to him to recording studios or live sound or post-production, he would have been happy with that, too. My nephew's story is an interesting contrast to your well-deserved (and long overdue) success. He was ready for anything, you've focused on music you love. But the takeway is the same: You guys both understood what you were passionate about... and you put in the work. That effort may have led you to unexpected places, but that's because you discover a lot of things over the course of career. Run with it!
Outstanding! One of your best videos. I'm a college professor (photography and graphic design) and recording engineer from back in the days of 2-inch 24-track. Want to start your own recording business? I *do* recommend college: Go to an affordable community college for a 2-year degree... in accounting or business. Those are skills that you need that are best learned in a college classroom setting. Then buy an audio interface and a couple of microphones and start learning to record on your own with help from KZread channels likeSpectreSoundStudios and others.
I had the same experience attending College for Creative Studies in Detroit. I originally went for an animation degree in their "Entertainment Arts" department, that touched on all sorts of A/V stuff, and actually gave me a good, well-rounded perspective on producing projects of all kinds, but when all was said and done, my tuition ran out, was forced to dropout, and all the skills I still use for my online content, I could have easily studied independently. I could have gotten a head-start out of High School with just getting a simple job and doing stuff on-the-side, and slowly building from there, instead Ive still got massive debt hanging over my head from a degree that I not only cant afford, but dont want anymore.
This is so true. I studied audio production 2001 -2003 at college. Then ended up drifting with no direction for years, loads of rubbish jobs I hated (even ended up in a bank, the most soul destroying thing ever) then got lucky and joined a small company who teach music in schools to children 5 to 11 But not 121, it's in a band environment so I teach keys, drums, guitar, vocals. For the last 5 years I have loved every day of work and don't even see it as a job. I would probably continue even if I won the lottery as I love seeing the kids learn and perform.
I agree with you 100%. i've been doing music for probably 12 years, but when it came down to what I wanted for schooling I went with joining my local JATC, or electrical apprenticeship, so I could eventually do a job that would set me up with great benefits and pay and also being union gave me more flexibility of when and how I wanted to work. It is the perfect job to have while wanting to work as an audio engineer. If the studio is booked up, great, but if it hits a lull I have a great job option that's not going away to jump back into to make money and frankly makes running and keeping a studio possible.
Holy shit! small world! I grew up a town over from the record store @ 18:12 I used to preorder albums there as a kid ;A; Also listen to everything Glenn says about recording school. I'm not from the music industry but I am a card-carrying member of the culinary arts world and I can say without doubt, what I've experienced there parallels everything (and I mean everything) Glenn is preaching.
So true! My best friend from high school and I were big into guitar and bands. We both started a degree in electrical engineering, but my friend dropped out after a year to go to audio engineering school. After graduating he ended up working crazy hours and paid very little. Fast forward 20 years and my electrical engineering degree has financed my music passion and I can pretty much do whatever I want. My best friend however, ended up working in factories and does not have the same freedom. I also agree that being a motivated constant learner/doer attitude is the best way to succeed - or at least have a lot more fun trying!
As a Fullsail grad I 100% agree with you. All the important and useful knowledge I learned DID NOT come from school and all my networking happened after the fact. I rarely even tell people where I went to school anymore because it’s embarrassing.
I also went to a recording school and last month finally paid off my loan of 15 years. What did I learn from it? A life lesson.A complete waste of money. To quote Will Hunting.."You spent 150 grand on a fucking education that you could have gotten for $1.50 in late fees at the public library" No where near the 82 grand mentioned here, but the bank made a fortune off of me. I'm 58 now and still a working musician (and IT Network Engineer) but the music/media business is just that.A business. Great channel by the way and I'm subscribed.
Glenn spitting the truth here. Also props to opening up about your journey. I went to SAE in 2007 for 23k I paid it all off n 2016. Did i get much out of it? Kinda, i worked with tape, big consoles, learned signal flow, networked with a few people (my teacher being the best networking there), understood that troubleshooting and figuring out plan b and c in a studio is essentially cause shit breaks mid session vs a comfy home studio, dealing with clients, and learning how to record drums well so that shit is tight af. 90% of the other students were DJ wanna be types who didn’t give a crap about recording. Things i wish they would also teach/spend more time on in the 9 month program: post production (we did like 1 week on it) and live sound (more hands on experience would have been helpful). I went to audio school after getting a bachelors. Graduated into a recession where all the studios closed and spent about a year looking for the right work. I took a few steady gigs and internships afterwards and they all paid shit or sucked. All of which were gotten through my school. Ended up working at walgreens because no where else was hiring and they just opened up near me. On the side I recorded a few bands pre production because i didn’t have a real studio just some gear i can haul with me to rehearsal studios. In any case if you think you can earn a living doing recording you are fooling yourself. If you wanna earn real money doing metal it just won’t happen. the ways to earn money as an audio engineer are on tour or doing post production. I’ve earned more doing sound for TV/film than i ever did doing music in the studio. And tour sucks and is brutal on the body. Props to all the people who live that life, not for me. Now I’m just consulting with musicians to earn $$$ on twitch and other live streaming platforms. Tweaking their sound/video and getting them setup.
I missed the poll, but I also did NOT find work when I finished. I graduated in 1998! 😂 However, I recently moved and ended up with a much larger studio. In the process, I found my certifications. I did go to the Dollar Store, bought some frames, and hung them in my new room. Whenever anyone tours my space I say, “These are my engineering certificates that you don’t need anymore because you can learn to record on KZread”!
I 've been watching and really enjoying your channel for a while now, Glenn, but this is the MOST sense I've seen you talk. I can't believe that people are paying that kind of money for tuition. If you love audio/music production, go out and buy yourself a hand-held 4-track recorder and start from there. There is NOTHING like trial and error to make even the most audio challenged individuals learn. I started with a Fostex 260 portastudio in the early 90's AND, whilst I am not George Martin or any number of other ground breaking engineers/producers, I'd like to think that the really stupid mistakes are behind me. However, I AM still learning and trying to emulate the iconic sounds I've heard whilst being an individual with a degree(?) of musical integrity. I love it because I don't have to try to make a living from it. I love it because of the challenge and the satisfaction it brings. This, in the end, really becomes enough.
Wow. You nailed it. I do occasionally lecture at both SAE and Abbey Road, but I talk about ground-level stuff like Studio etiquette. I stress the importance of diversifying your skills working hard, not being late, basically stuff their parents should have taught them. I often do this for free, so I am not cashing in on these kids in anyway. Rather I had the privilege of working some amazing projects and I enjoy sharing a bit of my experiences. Really enjoyed your video, keep up the good work!
Absolutely great video Glenn. Spot on. I will say, for those who are looking for an alternative here in the States, The Recording Workshop is a great school to attend for a solid 2 months. Not sure what it's like now since it's under new management for the 1st time in over 40 years but I will say that it's a great way to NOT spend tons of $$$ and you learn a shit load about recording. What happens after you finish school is in your hands. Milage may vary. I think that these percentages translate to all recording arts schools. I was surrounded by idiots who didn't pay attention, lacked ambition, and ultimately didn't do anything in audio afterwards. It was only the few top 10% of us who went on to do something with it. Bob Greaves said it right, we learned a lot because we were already doing it. Hell, after the lectures we'd be back at the dorms either practicing mic-ing techniques, recording impromptu bands or tracking down off duty instructors to pester them to teach us more. One brilliant day we (the Chief Engineer, myself and 3 other guys) were determined to find the best mic to use in order to capture the sound of those mini sky rockets that go hundreds of feet in the air as well as the engineers harley! Now that's learning. None of that sitting in front of a KZread shit and learn. All hands on. Cheers Glenn.
Glen, I made a lot of mistakes choosing where to go to learn Audio Production. My mom was/is an only child and my parents split when I was 13. I have a brother 4 years younger and a sister who is 7 years younger. So originally I wanted to go to Los Angeles because of the California weather and never wanted to deal w/ Catskills/Hudson Valley New York winters ever again. But because my mom didn’t like being alone and hated any of us being more than an hour away from her. How she let me go to Murfreesboro TN & MTSU was beyond me. But it was a 2 hour flight from NY compared a 5 hour flight to California. Fast forward my brother ended up moving, living, working & was married in Cali for 15 years until he got divorced and ended up moving back to the East Coast….I have enough of my life to tell you Glen that I could write a book.
I came into the game in 95. I did the intern, worked my way up to assistant engineer and then in-house engineer to engineer. I got to the point where I felt I needed something steady when I became engineer because alot of studios was closing down and I just could not go back to assisting or interning again. So I landed a job working on fire alarms in NYC. It is a trade the money is steady. that steady money has helped me get my monitors and my computer as well as my plugins and programs. Don't me wrong I love recording and making music I get to do it in my spare time. It is Mostly as my side hustle. The little setup I have at my house I use for mixing and editing when my clients need. If I need to record I got their home studios or to a studio that my clients will book. I feel you when you said "The world needs more electricians not more kids with recording degrees" .
I am on disability and setting up a home recording studio. The key here is Ebay, time, DIY, Behringer, and Reaper. If you want to save money on the software side of things; run Linux. If you are in a situation where you don't have as many bills; take advantage of it. I picked up my mixer and rack mount gear when I was living with my parents.
in the netherlands and the most country's in europe where are required to go to a school. but 99,99% of the schools in the netherlands are schools that financially supports by the goverment. every student pays arround 1100 euro for each year. and when you secondary vocational education your school loan secondary vocational education when you finished school. and for other higher school levels you need still pay off your loan. but is way cheapper then in the us of CA. we have few options. Audiovisual specialist that is more focused on the video but you get still audio , stage technique is music studio and stage (lights and audio). film school you have their a lot of specialist learning things like DOP or Gaffer.