Home/Semi-pro Recording studio education

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deryk

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I currently own a small recording studio in Orlando, Florida, and one thing I have come across is that there are quite a few people who want to know the ins and outs of recording. We are fortunate to have the Full Sail Recording school here, but it costs $27k+ for 18 months to attend. We also have ARTI which is $11k to attend for 18 months. Not everyone can afford these prices. What I am currently researching is how much people would be willing to pay to go to school to learn how to plan, construct, and run a semi-pro studio. The schools I mentioned hand you a diploma and send you out to get a $5/hour assistant to the assistant studio job. I want to teach people how to start and maintain their own business where they can charge at the least $25/hr. What do you think and what do you think that is worth in terms of tution?
 
I was wondering if you might be interested in not spamming the site.....;)

Ed
 
I think the question is legitimate. I haven't offered anything to anyone and I'm not selling anything to date. I am particularly of the mind that if you want to change the way things are done traditionally, you ask people who are involved. I could go straight to corporate research, but I think their focus would be profit driven. My focus is real world application, which you can only get from the general public who share the same interests. The reason boards like these are full of people who are asking questions proves that point.
 
Although deryk's thread certainly borders on a spam, since it is presented as a question --- I shall respond.

Obviously there is a large group of musicians (as indicated by this site) who are in search of the best recorded sound - and some of them may be looking to turn their little home studios into a source of revenue.

However, although Full Sail and like schools do charge big bucks - to give someone an in as an assistant to the assistant - the fact is they provide hands on to the kind of gear used in "real studios" and they do provide training in the audio/accustic formulas needed in the recordng and audio production world. In fact many would not even get in the door of a recording studio without that diploma. By the way, based on many discussions I've had - many of the students from these schools get jobs at technology firms - which pay much better than $5 per hour.

Only you know what your credentials are to qualify you as a teacher (I'm assuming you have succesfully run a $25 per hour studio and actually are a pro or semi pro engineer/producer - or you wouldn't /shouldn't be thinking about "selling your knowledge").

However, as I figure it, if you charged $2000 for an eight week course (two nights a week, 4 hours per night = a total of 64 hours which comes to $31.25 per hour). I would then need to book 80 hours of studio time at $25.00 to pay off the "tuition" - which may be only one or two projects. Now on the surface the $2,000 seems like a real fair price - but many may not agree.

Although I've already learned most of what I need to run my $25 per hour studio (I'll never know all I need), I would have been willing (at a earlier point in life) to spend a few hundred for such a course (but probably not $2000). Keep in mind the people who attend Full Sail are looking for a career, not a hobby.

If you're looking to provide knowledge, just cause you have it and some need it, it may be a fun thing to do. But my gut feeling is, most people would rather spend the $2000 on gear and figure it out themselves.
 
Thanks for responding mikeh. This is really what I was hoping for. I value your opinion on the subject matter. I actually do run a recording studio successfully at the present time. I have done so for the past 5 years, some variations more successful than others. Since Full Sail is 20 minutes away, I do happen to know quite a few individuals who have attended the school. What many people don't realize is that Full Sail encompasses many media curriculums. There are graphic and design courses, film study, audio engineering, etc. I think that the film curriculum must be excellent, because entire classes have been hired at companies upon graduation. I'm not familiar with the design/graphics program as much, but I do have someone designing a website for me who is in the class now. I also have a producer who works with me who is in the audio engineering class. My studio partner was hired there this month as a lab instructor for the midi class. The reputation in Orlando for audio students is not good, for whatever reason. I do know that there are quite a number of major ($million +) studio owners who no longer accept Full Sail students as interns or as employees. The argument has been made that they are a little "gung-ho" and eager to get hands on, and the studio owners don't find this to be suitable. I have seen interviews in print where graduates complain of the low pay (ref $5/hr), and getting fired at the whim of the myriad of major recording artists we get here in Orlando. So, in essence I have no animosity for Full Sail, but I do see how much material I have to remix that is originally done by their graduates. I think that the education I want to give would be a great precursor to Full Sail actually. This way it doesn't cost you $27k to find out if this is for you. I am one who paid to use semi -major studios to learn. At $55 - 60/hr religiously for 2 years, it was the best money I spent, but I had to get educated somewhere. Even with the amount of time spent, I cannot say that I would feel comfortable running a Trident or SSL board and the accompanying outboard gear with precision. My goal is to put together a team of individuals who can. I agree with you on quite a few points. Thanks for responding. I appreciate the dialogue. I didn't mean to come off as spam, but I'm TRULY interested in the feedback. If I can't ask musicians and engineers, who can I ask? Jeb Bush???

:p
 
DERYK;

This is a great opportunity to give back to the community you
have gotten much from...

Why do you not let us homers pick your brains & spread your
knowledge on this web-site.

I guarantee that the rewards will be not monetary but, beneficial
never the less.

IN FACT....

You may indeed be surprised at what YOU may learn here.

In the time I've become a member, I have been in a state of amazement
by the wealth of knowledge, experience, and dedication some of these
members have to offer.

PLEASE JOIN!


LOVE ,
Sean
 
Talk about lucky!

Jeez,

You're lucky because you have the opportunity to drop a minimum of $11,000 for studio recording education!! The area that I lurk around must be blessed. The local JC (http://www.msjc.cc.ca.us/schedule/spring02/sjc_spr02_mus.htm) offers beginning, intermediate, and advanced I and II studio recording for about 1% of the cost of the cheap seats in Florida. I understand that there are a number of top drawer studios in the area (Hemet/Temecula/Palm Springs CA.) , which may help to account for the educational opportunity.

And the cost of housing is almost (by California standard) reasonable!

And, no, I am not a real estate agent. Hmm, maybe I could recommend one.....???
 
deryk..fellow Orlandoian here ! The thing you want to do I think is already being done at the Mars music on HYWY 50.Also Full Sail has something to do with it..Maybe if you could Partener with a smaller store..Discount..Abneys or one of the others you could get the thing off the ground..If you could give a introductory class for new purchasers from a store{cross marketing} you could build up a clientel...Orlando is tuff for studios but it sounds like a good way to utilise your downtime......Good luck


Don
 
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