recording schools

[le bees knees]

I'm sure there's been posts about this, but for some reason, every time i search, it times out and so I can't find anything.

I live in Chicago, and want to go to recording school. Most studios here won't take an intern without schooling for some odd reason. I don't want to move cities right now. People say "take the money for school and buy equipment and teach yourself". Good idea, except student loans don't work that way. They go directly to the school. Small business loans are really effing hard to get for a recording studio, unless you have a solid business plan, and plenty of experience or school to back it up. Columbia has great facilities but the student population is a joke. Maybe some of you have some insight...

Would it be better to go to a 3 month residential program and learn, or spend my money on columbia? One would cost less, but the other would give me more than adequate time to practice when i'm not in the classroom, on their equipment.


any thoughts?

 

[wx3]

Isn't the berkley school of music in boston?

 

[DavidK]

Can you do Columbia part-time? Is that the one downtowm ( used to live in Chicago).

Many community colleges offer recording, my local one has a nice studio. Studios might take you with experience, i.e something like recording some local band at a bar, etc.

Dont worry about a business loan. Before you get a studio you have to amass stuff to put IN it, like mics, monitors, outboard gear etc. As this stuff gets cheaper it will get easier.If you can rent commercial space, you have a studio. Banks rarely loan out money to music people, I tried to buy a violin that way and they laughed ($65,000 violin): I had to buy one on my own.

You can alway incorporate a studio in your apt. for starters: if you charge some local boys 50 bucks, you have a studio and you are a businessman. That stuff matters a LOT more in the real world than a certificate from a 3 month residency program.

Networking is a BIG part of the music biz, its something that cant be taught. I get hired for work over the phone, sight-unseen because of how long I have been in the biz and recommendations from my colleagues. THATS how everything works: you meet some friends, combine all your gear in a commercial rental: instant starter studio