Inconceivably uneducated newbie looking for advice!

[ModernAlchemy]

Hey all! I found the forums while looking for resources for audio engineering, and I'm trying to get anything I can from the internet, so here goes.

I'm interested in recording. (Live sound, also, but that's probably not something this forum covers much of.) Trouble is, I have absolutely zero background in any of it. I don't even play any musical instruments. That said, I love music - like, seriously love it. I listen to a song and I dissect the various parts of it, each instrument, vocals, etc., in my head. And I think that learning how to do this would be a cool skill to have that maybe, someday, I might make some money with (though that's not something I expect to do quickly - I know how tough the industry is!) The question I have is, where do I start? I've found a lot of online resources, videos, courses, things like that. But they all seem to require a certain level of baseline knowledge that I don't have and don't know where to get. I'm 33, and most of the folks I know who are in this kind of industry have been mucking around with it since they were teenagers, but I've really only come to have this kind of passion about music and sound in the last few years. What do I do to get started? Thanks!

 

[Steenamaroo]

Hi there,
Where to start! I suppose the genre or type of music you're interested will dictate what you need, equipment wise.
Whether you want to create digital solo music with computer plugins and tools, or with hardware synths, record acoustic instruments..solo performers, large groups...

Where to start just in terms of learning the basic skills. The same probably applies. If you're interested in digital/synth music..maybe looped stuff, lots of midi, samples, you'll want to learn a different suite to the guy who want to record and engineer acoustic performances.

Tell us a bit more - I'm sure someone can point you the right way.

 

[mjbphotos]

It sounds like you are mostly interested in learning how to record, rather than creating music (to record) yourself. Depending on where you are located, you might be able to find somene with a small studio who needs an intern - someone to help out, but not get paid - so you can observe and start learning that way.
As to making money - you'll probably spend a lot more money than you'll make for a long time to come.

 

[Bobbsy]

One excellent way to start is reading through all the "Stickies" at the top of this forum. They should give you a lot of background info!

 

[ecc83]

For my money...Get stuck in! For about $250 you can buy an Alesis i02 a modest Small Diaphragm Capacitor mic and a pair of modest closed back headphones. Get it all from one shop and you might blag a mic cable and stand off them as well!

Thus equipped you can do as we all did, trial and error. See, modern equipment is now SO good that virtually all the problems are "your" side.

Dave.