Colleges and Universities for Record Production

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dave.m.stewart

New member
hey there. wasn't really a thread to post this completely appropriately under so i'm trying my luck in newbies. i'm 18, about to graduate highschool, have been recording my band for a few years and i'm going to college. should have found this site and asked a year ago cause presently i'm waiting for admissions letters from Drexel U (Philly), Emerson Col. (Boston) and Columbia Col. (Chicago). Got rejected at NYU early decision already. I've heard about Five Towns and Long Island University Brooklyn. Anyway, I want a comprehensive four year education in record production with the best program, eduactors and facilites possible. Not interested in somewhere like Full Sail where I get the technical babble thrown at me and then shoved out the door into the industry. I am a very independent learner, but I just can't swallow that recording is simple enough that that approach is really the best idea if I have a more comprehensive learning process available. I'd like to go somewhere, learn as much as I can about recording, from producing and engineering standpoints as well as from business and industry ones (i want to produce records, but believe to do this well i should understand all roles in the studio as completely as possible and as much as i hate the business end of music, i need to know it so i never get screwed! am i right?). also wouldn't mind a school where i can get integrated into their general music program a bit too so i can get theory and all under raps. as of now i can't even read music! just for drums...poorly. i'm a 99% self-taught drummer. not the biggest thing though, cause that's cut and dry stuff i can bite the bullet and teach myself. i hope some of you have some knowledge you can shed on all this: what schools you recommend... what you think of my approach, goals/needs... any other commentary/coaching... also, how does having a college education effect my relationship with the studio system and winding up starting up a gopher anyway (that's fine as long as i get the knowledge i need and get to doing what i want to do in a reasonable timespan) in your experience... lots of questions so please help. thanks! -dm
 
Fly to UK and get a decent education on that field...
that's what I was supposed to do until I got a great scholarship in this country.
 
well...i'll put my opinion in here
Know that 90% of studios out there don't give a rats ass what your education is. most of the people in the studios now probably barely even graduated from high school and then just went straight into the business 'cause they had connections. however, i must say that this mentality is changing and going to college is a great way to get hands on experience without having to stalk a studio owner until he lets you intern or slaps a restraining order on you. but definitely one thing to look for in a school is the equipment they have. very few colleges offer a wide variety of industy related equipment that you will see in the big studios in LA, Miami, NY, etc.

Also know, how much you learn is up to you. And really, I wouldn't bash a school like Full Sail until you've tried it. The equipment they have there is incredible and they have a lot of instructors there who have worked on big name projects. Yeah, the program is an intense 12 month course...but guess what...the industry can be intense. You need to learn how to learn new things quickly and be able to apply them in the work force. Full Sail tells you straight out that they teach you the basics to get you started because the real experience IS in the work place. You can spend 4 years in another school and I promise you, you will come out knowing the exact same stuff Full Sail kids are learning in 12 months. Also they DO teach business classes and even offer a bachelors in business entertainment. Do you need to know the business side of things? No...not really. I hardly know anything about business, but I don't want to own a studio so I really don't care. I learn the stuff I need to know as I go. I worry about the audio stuff and just get my pay check when it comes.

Also...start learning music theory...now. Don't wait until school starts. I can't believe so many people start out wanting to be recording engineer and want to record music and don't even know how to READ music. it's ridiculous. It's like asking a writer to write a book when he can't even write. Some of the best engineers I've met know their theory inside and out. And what makes them better engineers is that they know what music is actually supposed to sound like, because learning theory usually goes hand in hand with ear training.

Like I said, what you learn stems from how much work you put into it. Good luck.

p.s. am i the only person who hates being called a producer? i'm an "audio engineer" peoples.
 
My two cents: nothing beats experience. You can have all the degrees in the world, but the only time you were on a board was in school... you get the picture.

While you are going to school, schlep yourself out to studios. Even if you are just cleaning the place at night, you will get some exposure to it. If you are steadfast enough, and you start learning things, pick the audio engineer's head, and get a relationship established. He may even let you sit at the board eventually. You will get your name out there, and when you do graduate with your degree, it will help you get started.
There are lots of people with audio engineering degrees working at McDonalds, so be prepared for that. But if you can get your foot in the door, even as a gopher, at least you will be able to lay some groundwork...
 
Come over to England and apply at Leeds College Of Music. Ive just got accepted there and its one of the best in England. When i went for my interview there was a guy from America who was enrolling and theyve accepted him too because they want as many overseas students as they can. The equipment is great, they have over 20 studios (And when i say studios i dont mean rooms with a computer in) i mean huge studios many with 2+ Mac G5 with dual monitors on both, grand pianos in the recording rooms, surround sound etc. Basically, top notch.

"We wanted to create real 'Hollywood Studios' within the college, so good that when we have big VIP visitors, they wouldnt be able to tell the difference between our studios and Hollywood studios"

So there you go, if you can do it, i would say go for it. If you do ill show you around :) Obviously i dont know what your choices are in USA, but im just adding my little flavour of England!

Good luck with whatever you choose anyway
 
funny that all you brits came out in force. my aunt just called me today with info on english recording programs at kingston u. and thames valley u. i'll def. check out leeds. that sounds very promising. i'd love to get out of the states too, not to be too political on a music board here, but that's why and i'm sure some of you understand.

didn't mean to come down on full sail. i suppose i'm just not in as much of a rush or a cash strapped situation that would prevent a full college education that would lead me to that. also am looking forward to four years of college life, whether i'm busting my ass or not i'm gonna have some fun along the way outside of the studio too i hope. but again, thanks for the input.

does anyone know about drexel, emerson, columbia chicago, or any other us schools' facilities. i've been to each and the goddamn security was so tight that you honestly can't get a look inside the studio unless you have some sort of connection or contact them way ahead - something i was too stupid to do during my visits.

as for learning music reading and theory, perhaps one of you can recommend a good place to start: good books? webpages? anything else i ought to get on with learning before i go to school?

thanks so much. three days on this board has been more helpful than three years of asking local supposedly musically educated nitwits i know for info. looking forward to more info/help. peace -dm
 
dave.m.stewart said:
as for learning music reading and theory, perhaps one of you can recommend a good place to start: good books? webpages? anything else i ought to get on with learning before i go to school?
Click to expand...

Heh, don't worry if you're a music industry major, you'll get hit with freshman music theory right off the bat :)
 
dave.m.stewart said:
as for learning music reading and theory, perhaps one of you can recommend a good place to start: good books? webpages? anything else i ought to get on with learning before i go to school?
Click to expand...

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...104-6321203-3177512?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

that book can get kind of advanced in the end...but definitely good stuff to learn (if you're up to learning all you can about music). Plus it will help you run rings around the other recording students at whatever school.

i actually visited Columbia College a few years back in hopes of going there. However, I was concentrating on music composition with a side program of recording at the time. The tour sucked....i remember that much. I don't know if they didn't have a lot of recording equipment or they just didn't show to me...but the place really didn't appeal that much to me. However, the city of chicago is pretty cool and the school is right across from the park for nice spring days when you decide to skip class (....who does that?!??!!? :D )
 
yeah. as much as i don't know as all i should about the school' i applied to's equip. columbia's puts it below the top of my list, but i took their summer program this past season to scope it out and found that out ahead of time. also found out a lot more. the head of the recording dept, kimo williams, (see omik.com - and actually, anyone want to venture an opinion on the theory book he wrote -linked from his site to amazon- cause i might buy that one) actually taught my concentration and even my BS sound elective had a really knowledgable teacher. worst comes to worst, that's where i'll end up. they might not have the equipment on campus, but it's a cheap enough education compared to my other options in the US that i'd feel comfortable going there to learn what i can and take it upon myself to find one of the many great studios in the town to get my foot in the door and experience the things that i can't get in my classes.

you're right though. beautiful location. chicago is on the same tier of beautiful cities i've been to as san fran and paris. loved it. beaches north of the city are amazing in summer, also, great girls at columbia to are a plus! already sampled that aspect of the school. haha...
 
A Possibility for You

This is a good program that puts together music theory and performance along with sound recording technology. Something for you to check out.

I was there for a year before I moved on to another academic area. I knew someone who graduated from this program who went on to be an sound engineer for Saturday Night Live. She was very happy with it.

http://www.fredonia.edu/AcademicAffairs/soundrecording.htm
 
you know, i looked into that program. it seemed pretty solid from what i heard and read, but the location is a lot less than ideal. i think a city, esp. one that is renowned for recording, would be a bit of a better idea for me. love the country, but i'm not sure how well i'd function there as a student anyway. good thought! thanks
 
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