which road to take

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musicfest

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Hi All,
This is my first post on this forum in a long time, so I guess I could be re-considered a newbie.
I am currently finishing off an IT degree (you're thinking - "Why is this guy telling me this?") here in Brisbane. Over the past few years I've been *trying* to get my band happening, and in the past year a friend and I have been putting together a home recording studio. (digi001 etc.) I'm at a stage where I'm just about to complete this degree, I've got a part time job doing web design, and I really don't know which way to go. Sound Engineering or IT, or both, or neither and do more study (sound engineering). IT in Australia (and I imagine its the same pretty much everywhere else) is growing pretty rapidly... and I've already been offered a full time job... but I want to do something that makes me happy. What I really like doing is the whole band thing/recording thing... I've got a bit of equipment (but nothing compared to what is out there), and I know the basics on how to use it, I'm just really confused about which way to go... which road to take.
Any advice, comments, abuse would be greatly appreciated! (or perhaps someone knows a web site with material on this, I know there's plenty of support for recording etc).

:confused:
 
Well... You have to decide what you want: in IT you can earn big bucks, be sure of your future, your job,... I'm employed as an electronics engineer, and still get joboffers every month...

And sound engineering, well... I don't know about australia, but over here there aren't that many jobs in that direction. Not that I know off anyway... Well, of course there is live sound, doing PA-stuff etc, but I guess for the nice jobs you have to work your way up from the bottom.

But, I can tell you this: the moment they offer me a soundengineering job, I'm out of here...

More education (school) is always good. That's not an option for me (no more financial support from the home-base), so I just got a 'random' engineering job and look out for something more in the sound direction. And in my spare time, I read books, follow music-lessons, record demos, and do live-mixes now and then.
And the job gives a nice paycheck. With that you can finance your equipement, and get some experience with that.

Don't know if this helps.
 
Hi Roel,

Thanks for you advice... I've been asking almost everyone I can think of for advice about this. a lot of people are saying, get an IT job... get some $$$ .. do the music etc on the side, and hope the music takes off...

I dunno.. I just don't think I can take full time work doing something I don't really like.
I'm kinda always stuck for time.. I hope to improve on that.. maybe I can manage a part time IT job and work full time on my music/recording stuff..

Still confused though :(

Any further advice would be great.

Thanks again
 
I'm stuck in the IT business because I cannot turn down US$2800 per month and benefits, which pays for a house where my stuio is/will be and gear (plus family expenses and that other stuff). I could maybe trade it for living in a noisy apartment nine hours commute from the city and eat spam but only do recording and gigs for a living. Would it be worth it? Not for me.

So, my advise is: Unless you really hate the IT business, work part- or full time there to earn your living and keep recording as your full-time hobby until you have money and recording jobs enough to have it set up vice-versa, if you get my point.

My plan is to retire from "real" work before I'm 30 but to be honest, as long as they insist on hurling big bags of money in my general direction and all I have to do is play with computers, maybe I'll stick around a few years more.

/Ola
 
hi ola,
thanks for your post as well. I kinda agree with you.. I think in my case it's got a bit more to do with time management.. When I worked full time (over the xmas break) I had hardly any time for my band/music/etc. or when I did I was so drained from work that it wasn't any fun, and I wasn't getting anywhere.
Ideally I would like to be doing something like web design, e-commerce, web programming or related for a sound company .. I really think I would like that... where as at the moment I'm doing web design for something I really don't like (ie the content does not interest me one bit)... something to progress to I suppose.
Anyhow, I agree with you about keeping on with IT and having music etc on the side.. I think it really comes down to time management and getting a job in IT that relates to the music etc (which is difficult, but not impossible).
Anyhow.. really appreciate the advice.
Billy
 
musicfest said:
I had hardly any time for my band/music/etc. or when I did I was so drained from work that it wasn't any fun, and I wasn't getting anywhere.
Click to expand...

That's because you're burning the candle from both ends. I did that to and worked at least 60 hours per week and sometimes did 36 hours in a row to make a deadline. That combined with going to the pub and having five or six pints, four times a week really burned me out.

So, I quit that job and got another one where I refused to work more than the regular 40 hours per week and started to say NO to doing "just one more thing". I still got the same salary (more actually) but I log out at five every day and voila, I got a life again.

The worst thing you can do is start working too much at a job because when you try to get back to regular hours, you may be looked upon as lazy because you don't do as much work anymore.

Been there, done

My Dilbert t-shirt says it all - "Sudden realization: The pay's the same no matter what I do."

I would love to do "IT work" for a music related company or even better, music for a gaming company and until I find such a job, I won't kill myself to make services for mobile phones...

Good luck and don't neglect the importance of stock options:)

/Ola
 
hi, thanks for your reply.
:D

I'm starting to figure out what I'm doing.. I plan to keep an IT job on the side... (part time) and push my band/music career as much as possible..

hmm.. so much gear.. so little money.

I think running a studio/getting regular work with a band is something you have to work towards.. you can't just start a band (even though we've been going for 2 years now) and expect results straight away ... the same thing with a studio.... I'm always keen on buying new gear .. and I have even figured out how to use what we've got..


anyhow.. thanks heaps for your posts.. I've got a better plan of what I want to do now..

Billy
 
hi (again),
a few more questions..

at the moment (as I said above) I'm finishing off uni.. I'm looking at working part time in the IT industry (yay) and developing my music/recording skills.

I currently own a bit of recording gear including:
digi001, p3 700mhz machine, akg c1000 x 2, sm58, akg d112 kick mic, akg drum clip on mics (the akg drum pack) a cd-burner, behringer 2642 mixer and a few others things.

I want to eventually be recording/producing my own music, and also recording other bands/projects.

I currently only know the basics about recording.. and I haven't had much time to use my gear and learn how it works..

When I finish uni (end of this year) I've got a couple of different options.. which road to take.

1. bludge, write music, do some recording, have little/no money, probably misuse my time.

2. get a highly paid job in IT, have no free time, or free time when I'm actually half awake, -- gradually turn into a computer.

3. get a part time job in IT, earn a bit of cash for living expenses and for new gear/books/etc.

at the moment, #3 is looking like my best option.. but there are a few other things Im confused about.

If I want to study sound engineering while I work, I could:
study at the SAE here in Brisbane (which costs a lot), do a distance learning course, research it myself (perhaps with work experience)... anyhow.. what's the best way to go about learning how to record? (note I'm a newbie) :D

thanks for all your posts
 
If you are thinking of working at a recording studio, you may want to think about the fact that you will be subject to the musical style of the person renting the facility, not to mention the sometimes formidable egos of producers and musicians.. If you are willing to work with any style of music and are comfortable with people and their perceived musical demands, then consider the prospect further..

Since I can't tolerate much else but heavy rock (or sometimes classical), and people skills are not among my strengths, I decided to keep music recording a heavy diversion that eats the contents of my wallet... I would probably end up hating both music and recording if I chose it as a career..

Don't want to bring your hopes down or anything.. it's just that every job has its plusses and minuses, and no matter what career you choose, things will always appear greener on the other side, when most of the time they aren't..

Best of luck in whatever you decide..
 
Good news

With the way things are going that IT job may not come to you for about 6 months anyway. so there will be plenty of time to look into the recording gig.
 
I can relate to this

I've been working as a network engineer (and at CMJ I was the LAN Manager! whoopee!) for 10 years now.

I had worked as a recording engineer and then MY band sorta took off. I did that for a while and then I quit when it stopped being fun.

I met my wife, got married and essentially "grew up".

Anyway, I make almost as much at my job as I did as a full time musician. I hate my job! :D

Still, it's stable, I get more whenever I change positions and I know that I can get run over by a car and my insurance will pay for it.

Anyway, you never said how old you are. I'm guessing that your just starting out so I say get your feet wet in the IT stuff (just so you can put it on your resume, management sprays their shorts when you can do that) and concentrate on what you enjoy while your youth lasts.

Good luck.
 
So you'll go IT, I guess? Part time at least?

Well... Welcome to the machine :eek:






Muuuuuuehahahahaha!
 
hehe... (Roel) thanks for all of your replies everyone.
someone gave me this article once that was about being a guitarist in a band that had just taken off. when I say 'taken off' im referring to getting signed, a video clip, small tour etc. it showed you the whole picture and what (as the guitarist) you got after all the little expenses here and there (yay many thousand for this and that). the guitarist or band member would have been better working part time at Maccas. (but then again the guitarist might be happy with making little money but having a job that suits them).

At the moment, with my current situation (ie.. little money)... I definately need to keep my part time (IT) job.. I'll keep looking for a job that uses IT and music.. ie.. being a web designer for a music company or something.. doing telecommuting - working from home - that'd be good.

After talking to a lot of people about this.. (a lot trust me) I realise the whole not having enough time thing is something I put on myself.. I've realised I can work part-full time in an IT job and work on my music (and have a life/girlfriend etc).. and actually progress with it... its got a lot to do with time management.

If I ditched IT and went all for my music, I could see myself getting in a situation where... I'm not getting enough income... and it's causing problems.. So I figure, I use a part time job (IT..hopefully with some relation to music/recording) to cover my living costs etc. and any extra cash I save/generate from my music I can put into the music ventures.. hoping to eventually get a stable career/business in the music industry...
(got that feeling I've repeated myself - about 100 times)

it's also good I suppose having something else occupying your time (ie a different job), because when your time is limited, you learn to make better use of the time that you have.

can anyone recommend to me a really good book/web site for building a studio. (the cheap way) ?
also, any tips for building a home recording studio in a rental property :D ? (I think I mentioned my equipment above) I'm looking at recording my own band, other bands/artists from home.. and I'd like to build a studio (without knocking down walls etc) - or should I (:( ) be working the next 10 years in a lovely IT job to afford my own place/studio etc.?

Thanks again for all your posts. btw Krakit, im nearly 20.
 
musicfest said:
(got that feeling I've repeated myself - about 100 times)
Click to expand...
I got the feeling you did that too... :D

That's about what I'm doing. Working, trying to get an interesting job in between, and music in spare time... That leaves me no time to get some rest untill every few months when I break down, get sick and get some days off. I'm working during week, studying music after my hours, and recording demo's and mixing concerts in the weekend. Thinking about part time jobs, working 4/5. But first I think I should get some more experience at a full time job.

Well. Go get famous, part time whatever. You can't really go wrong. Either you get a job and work on your future, or you don't and have a good time scraping the ends together. It's really a win-win situation. Job is fun: all the things money can buy you, less time to play with them. No job is fun: all the time you want, and with some luck, you'll get some toys to play with too...

Hey! Now I got that feeling too about repeating myself.
Oh, btw krakit, I'm 24. :D
 
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