Getting into studio engineering/producing

[eraserhead]

Let's say, hypothetically, that lately I've been considering a job in the recording industry as a potential career. Not totally seriously, just kicking the idea around. Recording fascinates me even though I have limited experience with it. I know I want some sort of career in the music industry, but I'm not dumb enough to believe that I can make it as a performer. So my question to the studio junkies out there is: what can I do to get my foot in the door as a record producer?

Keep in mind this is all hypothetical; I'm only toying with the idea right now. I'm going to college in Eau Claire and I fully plan on finishing my education there. I'm just curious about recording as a career.

[drivthru182]

Well, is there a music industry program at Eau Claire? I know at my school we have a big music industry program.

[eraserhead]

There's not really...there's a HUGE performing arts program, like orchestra and jazz and such, but nothing concerning the industry itself. There might be a few classes concerning studio technology though, now that I think about it.

[Tristan Needler]

If you want to produce, you need to really know music. You'll have to take the bands songs and tell them what to add, take out, where to change chords, basically rework their songs with them to get them sounding good. You don't necessarily need to know much about equipment for that, you just need to be amazing at music.

As far as engineering, I'd suggest starting by getting some starter recording equipment, recording everything you can, and get an internship at a studio. From what I've heard from people in the business, it's all about making connections with people who are already engineers.

[The Boathouse]

Regardless of what music you like, being a producer means you have to know how to make songs great. It's your job. Listen to great records.

Kind of Blue - Miles Davis
In the Wee Small Hours - Frank Sinatra
Giant Steps and Blue Train - John Coltrane
Queen - A Night at the Opera, A Day at the Races
Sam Cooke - any and all of his material
Otis Redding - same as above

The list goes on and on and on...but you've got to have a foundation in recordings that are acknowledged as great, by artists who were part of timeless recordings and who wrote timeless songs.

[brandnew741]

Basically it depends on whether you want to produce or engineer... or both. If you want to go the engineering route, it helps to get some kind of formal education in recording so you aren't clueless when you get to a studio. Some studios you can get in as an intern or runner without formal education, but some require it. You'll have to do bitch work for several months before you'll get to assist on sessions. Then from assisting you can move to engineering, and onwards to producing.

Pretty much everyone wants to be a producer, so the best thing I can think of is to get good at recording local bands by knowing what Tristan said.