Should I go to Audio School?

November 9, 2011

Deciding to attend audio schools in order to become a technician may not be the best way to go if you need to get a good job right away. Working as a sound technician in a radio or music studio depends on how well you work with the technology and who you know in the industry more than the diploma you have. School can be expensive and time consuming, which is why more and more people are deciding to skip college and go to work right away, or be an apprentice for a while, which is a great way to break into the industry.

Apprenticing is a lost art that is coming back in many industries. Throughout history, the way you got into a field or a job was to apprentice with an experienced professional. This way you got to learn all the aspects of the actual job, how to do whatever the job entails, and you will already have connections because the person you work with will have introduced you to peers who work in the same field you do. You had to work with this person for a certain amount of time, until you really learned how to do things.

Working as a technician is one of those fields that you must learn first-hand. Going to school cannot really teach you what it takes to work in that type of field. Most colleges with real audio technician programs do not even have enough capacity to allow each student to really sit down and familiarize themselves with the latest technology. Most audio schools cannot even afford to have the latest technology for students to work with.

Calling up your local studios and asking them if you can work there for cheap or free is a great way to get started. You will get the first hand education you need, get the chance to network with plenty of professionals working there, and have enough experience on your resume to be able to get hired elsewhere. Experience really matters. Having good references and a long list of places you have worked will get you a job. Most executives working in radio or music studios prefer those people who have not gone to school because they did not waste the time in a classroom, but instead actually worked in the place they want to have a career in.

Going to audio schools is a decision you must make. There is no right path for everyone. Some people prefer to attend school, and some go to work right away. You must decide what you want to do.