Recording Classes

[aaronjonesmusic]

I wasn't sure where to put this, but I thought that this would be the best place for now. My question is for some of the professional types that post on here

I have been fiddling around with home recording for about 10 years now, but I want to take it to the next level. I think that getting a more formalized training (i.e. classes) may help me to create better mixes so I can justify actually building a studio one day and offering services to people other than myself and a few close friends. I know a lot of the skill in mixing comes from having a good ear, but I am wondering what the pros on here have done to get their skills to the level they have achieved.

I have seen recording courses offered at some schools, and even an online course as well (www.audioinstitute.com). I am wondering what your take on these places are. Worth the time or waste of money?

Thanks guys! Been lurking here for a long time sponging knowledge off of everyone else's questions. Now I have a question to contribute!

 

[bozmillar]

I have sort of a bias towards this because I teach home recording classes, so i'm going to say that they are a good thing. You can't go into the class expecting to come out making great recordings, but they can save you a lot of time to get you pointed in the right direction. I really try to keep the classes to a point where the students really understand the basics (eq, reverb, compression, levels, the importance of the performance, etc). Any good course should stick to these things because they are the basic building blocks that determine all your recordings. Everything else is just gimmicky and is learned by screwing around with it yourself. Sometimes it's good to just sit down and watch someone do it so you can ask questions about why and how.

I also think it can be useful to just go into a studio and watch the guy do his job. I'm sure if you pay him, he'll let you sit there and even ask questions. If the guy isn't a jerk, he should be able to explain to you what he's doing.

$500 is more than I charge, but at least it's not completely unreasonable and can really save you a lot of learning time. The guy that teaches at that place in san francisco looks like he has some good experience.

 

[SouthSIDE Glen]

Classes are exactly as good as what you get out of them. If you're the type of person that learns well in a class-type environment and will go into the classes ready and willing to work to get the most out of them (study, extra time away from class getting on the gear the have when you can, etc.), then a quality teaching program is certainly worth the investment.

If your one of those that just couldn't wait to get out of high school, don't care for the classroom environment much, or expect to be given golden ears on a silver platter when you go, then such classes are probably not for you.

There are two things, however, that no class can teach anybody, and that are a prerequisite for this kind of work IMHO; a love forn and an ear for music. And I don't just mean an interest in one narrow kind of music, I mean a true love of music in general (no, you don't have to love polka ). And while critical listening skills can be taught to a degree, having an ear for music is also 50% inherent ability, IMHO. If you ain't got that, no school can teach it.

G.

 

[grimtraveller]

I used to be something of a purist about this, then I grew up some more ! I could not, hand on heart, say that classes would be a bad idea. In the end, it's another route on a journey with many roads. Time will tell if you get anything out of it and if you don't, consider the outlay as the price of an education.......