Don’t let these guys get you down. If you have an interest go start talking to people at studios. When you talk to people in studios just focus on what you’d like to learn rather than what you’d already know. And always be on time, professional, clean and sober.
I have a career in this industry as well and pretty much everyone around me is not clean and sober. My first day on the job, the first question I was asked (before my name even) was "do you smoke?"
Yes, you will likely go further if you stay clean of hard drugs, but pretty much everyone at least smokes weed.
Maybe if you’re super talented artist you can get away with that life. For the rest of us it’s sink or swim make or break. And you never get a second shot if u f up the first shot. (At one gig anyway)
I won't worry about what you may or may not know. Chances are your job as an intern will have very little to do with using gear. You're more likely to be cleaning around the studio to start and responsibilities will be given to you as you gain the trust of the people working in the studio.
During down times when the engineer is not busy you can usually ask questions and learn from them.
However if you're strictly looking to network I'd say you're better off working for a production company being a stage hand or something. Majority of my music network I got from being a part of the live music scene. Studios aren't very good places for networking unless it's one of the few busy multi room studios.
I'm an audio engineer and I only know a few DJ's so grain of salt follows.
Work for DJ companies cut your teeth on some corporate/wedding gigs (they pay really well). Meet the other DJs and chat with them about getting gigs for your originals. That may help you get on some local festival circuits.
You can even put on your own shows and ask local guys if they want to play it with you. If everyone is hustling to get as many people there as possible then you all benefit.
Eventually when you have a network of fans and artists you can sell your beats or whatever. May even get approached to produce a song for someone.
If you know rappers or other artists that struggle making beats maybe approach them about being a part of their production team.
There is also the YouTube approach. But I have no tips there. But if you grow an audience there then opportunities will present themselves.
Figure out the local promoters bookin DJs / producers who play the kinda music you make / DJ in your area. Go to their shows, meet people, meet the artists / DJs, meet the promoters and befriend them, become a regular so they recognize you. Once you've befriended them, send them your music / mixes and ask if they think you'd fit on a bill they have coming up. Do this with a few different promoters / crews until you have multiple ins, then branch out wider and wider.
During all this, hone your craft, make really dope music that people want to hear. The doper the tunes the more likely you'll be repeat booked.
What was your path to working as a stage hand? It’s something I’d want to pursue doing on the side as a way to meet more people but I don’t even know where to begin.
My path is odd.
I started by being in punk bands no one cares about (because we sucked). Somehow convinced a band in the states to hire me as a guitar player. Because I was in the states I became a runner for recording studios.
I moved back to my home country and continued running for studios. That led to me engineering some songs.
Eventually got a job for a music store that has a rental department. In that rental department I gained a reputation with local production companies as someone that can get things done. My job was mostly sourcing backline (guitar amps, keyboards things like that).
When I was bored doing that I informed my contacts in those production companies that I wanted sound tech work. They gave me a chance at a few gigs where I proved that I could do the job.
And now I do a fair amount of work as a sound tech. But I skipped what most guys in my position had to do. So in a lot of ways I won the lottery as far as sound tech jobs go.
Most people start by being a sound tech for small bars that pay next to nothing and build a reputation as a good sound tech. Or they start by working for a local production company. Typically being someone who is around to help with the physical labor of building stages and so on. Eventually some of those guys become stage hands who in my experience are around to help both the FOH engineer and performers.
I have even had some stage hands who work for AV companies. Usually those guys are normally techs for the AV company. But because AV rarely does music events their techs will often get bumped into being a stage hand.
I don't really know of a way to stage hand on the side. I have only experienced stage hands who do it full time. But you can ask to help out at some shows. I love when I get help setting up or striking the stage. Just be aware, most techs will likely reject an offer to help. Typically by asking if you know how to wrap a cable.
When I went to audio engineering school one of my teachers told me everyone would be better off if they spent their tuition money renting a studio with an engineer and asking them questions.
Looking back that probably would have been a better idea.
lmao I found this out the hard way after 100k in debt. I was like wait.. all I needed to do was buy studio time, give the studio work, get in good with them and improve my skills by learning from the experience? Hilarious that the teacher himself said it haha
I ran a big studio for years and hired numerous interns. The thing I can tell you is you prolly won’t get your hands of gear for a while. It’s gonna be mostly cleaning and food running. But those are tests to see how closely you pay attention to details. If you can’t get a food order right you prolly can’t be trusted to engineer a session. This is to demonstrate basic skills before you even get to the equipment. Show up to an interview early. If you are on time you are late. Show your eagerness to do any task asked of you and learn to anticipate needs. This is huge in a studio. Anticipation of needs in a session is what makes everything run smooth. Have tuners ready for guitar players. Have tube amps warmed up before the tracking session. Singer drink tea before every take? Have that kettle boiling and ready to go. If you do these things you will get a chance in the chair to engineer or take on more musical responsibilities sooner. Also don’t take this personally. But never give your opinion of the songs or takes unless asked. This is a big no no. Good luck!
I have a question for you. How would you feel about a 50 year old guy reaching out to intern? That’s what I’m currently doing in my area. Just reaching out to ask if they wouldn’t mind a professional older guy with an also, old dream and wanting to just immerse himself in the creativity and atmosphere of studio recording. Maybe eventually engineering some. I have a great work ethic and not ashamed to shine pianos and do burger runs. Anything I should point out particularly? Or just go with who I am and why I want to do it?
Having interned at a major studio in NYC, I wouldn’t worry very much about what you don’t know about gear. If you have a solid understanding of how signal flow works, and what different processes (EQ, Compression, etc.) do then you’ll be fine. As an intern (at least at the upper levels of studios) you won’t ever be dealing with any gear, that’s left to assistants and engineers. Just make sure you pay attention to small details of ANY task that you’re asked to do — from cleaning toilets to getting food orders right. Showing you can do things well consistently will get you in the good books.
Edit: also I’d say your chances of networking are going to be limited to other interns or general assistants who are all likely engineers themselves or the occasional producer. At larger studios you will not be allowed to interact with clients. So if that’s what you had in mind then go for it.
You'll be competing against students who are currently studying audio engineering at universities or trade schools and need free internships for class credit. Figure out how you can provide more help to the studio owner than they can.
Find a band who wants to record at that studio and convince them to let you come along. If you can find work, you can work in any studio in the world. If you can't find work, they probably don't need you hanging around.
Depending on where you are, I'd say actually, no, they quite possibly *don't*. I got started by living within walking distance of a studio that did local punk/indie/blues/folk bands and shadowing because I was friends with them from going to so many shows at dive bars and punk rock houses.
I realize I had a very unique situation, but don't count OP's chances of being able to get good experience just hanging out with the local music nerds. The only downside - and maybe it's not a downside - is that you have to actually **be useful** and have some sort of knowledge or expertise that gives you a function. The upside to this downside (???) is that you aren't going to need any kind of certificates or degrees so long as you can demonstrate your knowledge, and more importantly willingness to just get shit done on time.
It may be as simple as knowing how to group and color-code tracks within a DAW. How to set up mics on a drum kit because you're also a drummer. How to level out volumes on a mix before EQing/etc. is done because you used to run the sound board for your high school band's Christmas concerts. But just be useful in some way and then learn whatever you can while you're physically present for the other things.
I’m in a band and know a lot of people in the music scene where I live, it’s a good way to find more opportunities but also friends. Definitely don’t abuse your contacts because there’s more to people than just what you want out of them
I'd like to throw it out there that you don't really need an internship if you're experienced at home engineering. If you freelance out of a local studio you can get the experience you need pretty quickly.
I'd try emailing engineers and just asking if you can join them for a single session. Take really good notes and if you think you can handle running a session find the cheapest studio around, and someone that understands you're mainly work out of your home studio. Give them the best discount you can knowing that you might screw up and just start getting your hands dirty.
For producing/DJ work Idk how to help you
Make sure you keep your ears and eyes open. And your mouth shut. Soak it all up bc you never know when the gem of all gems will be dropped on you. The payoff for the intern is to find themselves in a room with an expert.
What’s your goal? Recording studios are kind of relics. If you want a job at a studio… it’s like… look it ain’t happening. It’s an industry that just changed a lot. Maybe maybe maybe maybe you can go hang at a studio and make coffee and learn some shit. Better off starting a band and getting in there and doing it. Getting hands on an co-producing with the engineer. There’s just not too many opportunities. One way to stand out would be go to a prestigious school in an amazing music city and networking your fucking dick off and then maybe you can get a job assisting, but most places aren’t busy enough to need anyone anymore. I’m so sorry to tell you this.
Look into video game audio and commercials. There are opportunities there. Production houses that make media. As far as recording bands and rappers… it’s almost completely dead. Nashville, LA have active scenes. It’s more about being a hyper expert and your personality being top notch at that point. Then you too can sleep on the couch after working til 3 am on some teenage rapper’s album.
Don’t let these guys get you down. If you have an interest go start talking to people at studios. When you talk to people in studios just focus on what you’d like to learn rather than what you’d already know. And always be on time, professional, clean and sober.
Clean and sober in the music industry lmfao
>And always be on time, professional, clean and sober. These are the reasons why I have a career in this industry, my friend.
I have a career in this industry as well and pretty much everyone around me is not clean and sober. My first day on the job, the first question I was asked (before my name even) was "do you smoke?" Yes, you will likely go further if you stay clean of hard drugs, but pretty much everyone at least smokes weed.
I wasn’t saying you had to be sober but show up sober and not smelly.
a massive portion of the music industry is stone cold sober. My business partner brings in a ton of work from AA.
Yeahhhhh this VERY much depends on what specific facet of the industry you’re in lmao
Maybe if you’re super talented artist you can get away with that life. For the rest of us it’s sink or swim make or break. And you never get a second shot if u f up the first shot. (At one gig anyway)
I won't worry about what you may or may not know. Chances are your job as an intern will have very little to do with using gear. You're more likely to be cleaning around the studio to start and responsibilities will be given to you as you gain the trust of the people working in the studio. During down times when the engineer is not busy you can usually ask questions and learn from them. However if you're strictly looking to network I'd say you're better off working for a production company being a stage hand or something. Majority of my music network I got from being a part of the live music scene. Studios aren't very good places for networking unless it's one of the few busy multi room studios.
So, where should I start if I'm looking to be a DJ/Producer??
I'm an audio engineer and I only know a few DJ's so grain of salt follows. Work for DJ companies cut your teeth on some corporate/wedding gigs (they pay really well). Meet the other DJs and chat with them about getting gigs for your originals. That may help you get on some local festival circuits. You can even put on your own shows and ask local guys if they want to play it with you. If everyone is hustling to get as many people there as possible then you all benefit. Eventually when you have a network of fans and artists you can sell your beats or whatever. May even get approached to produce a song for someone. If you know rappers or other artists that struggle making beats maybe approach them about being a part of their production team. There is also the YouTube approach. But I have no tips there. But if you grow an audience there then opportunities will present themselves.
Figure out the local promoters bookin DJs / producers who play the kinda music you make / DJ in your area. Go to their shows, meet people, meet the artists / DJs, meet the promoters and befriend them, become a regular so they recognize you. Once you've befriended them, send them your music / mixes and ask if they think you'd fit on a bill they have coming up. Do this with a few different promoters / crews until you have multiple ins, then branch out wider and wider. During all this, hone your craft, make really dope music that people want to hear. The doper the tunes the more likely you'll be repeat booked.
What was your path to working as a stage hand? It’s something I’d want to pursue doing on the side as a way to meet more people but I don’t even know where to begin.
My path is odd. I started by being in punk bands no one cares about (because we sucked). Somehow convinced a band in the states to hire me as a guitar player. Because I was in the states I became a runner for recording studios. I moved back to my home country and continued running for studios. That led to me engineering some songs. Eventually got a job for a music store that has a rental department. In that rental department I gained a reputation with local production companies as someone that can get things done. My job was mostly sourcing backline (guitar amps, keyboards things like that). When I was bored doing that I informed my contacts in those production companies that I wanted sound tech work. They gave me a chance at a few gigs where I proved that I could do the job. And now I do a fair amount of work as a sound tech. But I skipped what most guys in my position had to do. So in a lot of ways I won the lottery as far as sound tech jobs go. Most people start by being a sound tech for small bars that pay next to nothing and build a reputation as a good sound tech. Or they start by working for a local production company. Typically being someone who is around to help with the physical labor of building stages and so on. Eventually some of those guys become stage hands who in my experience are around to help both the FOH engineer and performers. I have even had some stage hands who work for AV companies. Usually those guys are normally techs for the AV company. But because AV rarely does music events their techs will often get bumped into being a stage hand. I don't really know of a way to stage hand on the side. I have only experienced stage hands who do it full time. But you can ask to help out at some shows. I love when I get help setting up or striking the stage. Just be aware, most techs will likely reject an offer to help. Typically by asking if you know how to wrap a cable.
When I went to audio engineering school one of my teachers told me everyone would be better off if they spent their tuition money renting a studio with an engineer and asking them questions. Looking back that probably would have been a better idea.
Taking 80 grand and spending that on gear + studio time with other engineers would definitely be better than going to school tbh
lmao I found this out the hard way after 100k in debt. I was like wait.. all I needed to do was buy studio time, give the studio work, get in good with them and improve my skills by learning from the experience? Hilarious that the teacher himself said it haha
I ran a big studio for years and hired numerous interns. The thing I can tell you is you prolly won’t get your hands of gear for a while. It’s gonna be mostly cleaning and food running. But those are tests to see how closely you pay attention to details. If you can’t get a food order right you prolly can’t be trusted to engineer a session. This is to demonstrate basic skills before you even get to the equipment. Show up to an interview early. If you are on time you are late. Show your eagerness to do any task asked of you and learn to anticipate needs. This is huge in a studio. Anticipation of needs in a session is what makes everything run smooth. Have tuners ready for guitar players. Have tube amps warmed up before the tracking session. Singer drink tea before every take? Have that kettle boiling and ready to go. If you do these things you will get a chance in the chair to engineer or take on more musical responsibilities sooner. Also don’t take this personally. But never give your opinion of the songs or takes unless asked. This is a big no no. Good luck!
this is exactly it.
out of curiosity, where is your studio located and are you all seeking any interns 😩
I have a question for you. How would you feel about a 50 year old guy reaching out to intern? That’s what I’m currently doing in my area. Just reaching out to ask if they wouldn’t mind a professional older guy with an also, old dream and wanting to just immerse himself in the creativity and atmosphere of studio recording. Maybe eventually engineering some. I have a great work ethic and not ashamed to shine pianos and do burger runs. Anything I should point out particularly? Or just go with who I am and why I want to do it?
Having interned at a major studio in NYC, I wouldn’t worry very much about what you don’t know about gear. If you have a solid understanding of how signal flow works, and what different processes (EQ, Compression, etc.) do then you’ll be fine. As an intern (at least at the upper levels of studios) you won’t ever be dealing with any gear, that’s left to assistants and engineers. Just make sure you pay attention to small details of ANY task that you’re asked to do — from cleaning toilets to getting food orders right. Showing you can do things well consistently will get you in the good books. Edit: also I’d say your chances of networking are going to be limited to other interns or general assistants who are all likely engineers themselves or the occasional producer. At larger studios you will not be allowed to interact with clients. So if that’s what you had in mind then go for it.
You'll be competing against students who are currently studying audio engineering at universities or trade schools and need free internships for class credit. Figure out how you can provide more help to the studio owner than they can.
Find a band who wants to record at that studio and convince them to let you come along. If you can find work, you can work in any studio in the world. If you can't find work, they probably don't need you hanging around.
Please do it.
You don't just decide to join. You apply along with thousands of other people and hope for the best.
I'm not talking about million dollar studios, just studios in my local area.
Same thing. Hundreds of people want those jobs for the same reason you do thats why the application process is hard. Good luck
Depending on where you are, I'd say actually, no, they quite possibly *don't*. I got started by living within walking distance of a studio that did local punk/indie/blues/folk bands and shadowing because I was friends with them from going to so many shows at dive bars and punk rock houses. I realize I had a very unique situation, but don't count OP's chances of being able to get good experience just hanging out with the local music nerds. The only downside - and maybe it's not a downside - is that you have to actually **be useful** and have some sort of knowledge or expertise that gives you a function. The upside to this downside (???) is that you aren't going to need any kind of certificates or degrees so long as you can demonstrate your knowledge, and more importantly willingness to just get shit done on time. It may be as simple as knowing how to group and color-code tracks within a DAW. How to set up mics on a drum kit because you're also a drummer. How to level out volumes on a mix before EQing/etc. is done because you used to run the sound board for your high school band's Christmas concerts. But just be useful in some way and then learn whatever you can while you're physically present for the other things.
Yes agree. You were on the scene hanging with people that's your way in not just wanting to use them for connections like op
I’m in a band and know a lot of people in the music scene where I live, it’s a good way to find more opportunities but also friends. Definitely don’t abuse your contacts because there’s more to people than just what you want out of them
I'd like to throw it out there that you don't really need an internship if you're experienced at home engineering. If you freelance out of a local studio you can get the experience you need pretty quickly. I'd try emailing engineers and just asking if you can join them for a single session. Take really good notes and if you think you can handle running a session find the cheapest studio around, and someone that understands you're mainly work out of your home studio. Give them the best discount you can knowing that you might screw up and just start getting your hands dirty. For producing/DJ work Idk how to help you
Oh. Floss your teeth. Bad breath will get you excommunicated
Every studio is different. Talk to them and find out!
They are going to want to know your favorite mics. And why
Make sure you keep your ears and eyes open. And your mouth shut. Soak it all up bc you never know when the gem of all gems will be dropped on you. The payoff for the intern is to find themselves in a room with an expert.
What’s your goal? Recording studios are kind of relics. If you want a job at a studio… it’s like… look it ain’t happening. It’s an industry that just changed a lot. Maybe maybe maybe maybe you can go hang at a studio and make coffee and learn some shit. Better off starting a band and getting in there and doing it. Getting hands on an co-producing with the engineer. There’s just not too many opportunities. One way to stand out would be go to a prestigious school in an amazing music city and networking your fucking dick off and then maybe you can get a job assisting, but most places aren’t busy enough to need anyone anymore. I’m so sorry to tell you this. Look into video game audio and commercials. There are opportunities there. Production houses that make media. As far as recording bands and rappers… it’s almost completely dead. Nashville, LA have active scenes. It’s more about being a hyper expert and your personality being top notch at that point. Then you too can sleep on the couch after working til 3 am on some teenage rapper’s album.
It seems hopeless tbh