making a living

hey all, I'm studying electronics tech at my local community college. I'm a career changer, because my former career and industry ceased to exist last summer. I've been an audio nut and musician my whole life. I'm trying to figure out how to apply my growing skills to an audio related career. I talked with Dan Kennedy over the phone a couple of days ago. He told me his story and related how his analog audio work is very closely related his industrial control work. I'm just trying to figure what my options are and network into something good. I pm'd with PRR and Bcarso on the topic, each giving good insights. PRR suggested I throw it out to the forum to see what people have to say. What kind of work are people doing out there? Are most of the diy'ers hobbiests, or professionals? Or a little of both? Is there any hope of finding meaningful, remunerative work out there? BTW, I live in the Detroit, MI area.

I'm a musician...

Well, I'm a mastering engineer, and 95% of my income these days is coming from mastering people's music. The rest 5% comes from occasional audio electronics related stuff. A few weeks ago I finished a small console built from Finnish modules. The next one is a Neve-ish preamp for an old customer.

I don't want to start manufacturing things professionally. It would need a 100% commitment. I'm actually trying to get rid of some electronics work since I do a lot of mastering and I usually have to reject/move mastering jobs to make space for someone's electronic work.

And you can NEVER get proper income from custom jobs. There's always more work than just putting the thing together. Thus I try to limit it to interesting jobs where I can also learn something.

Whatever you're gonna do, make a commitment to it. That's what I believe in. I don't think I would have got the mastering thing going if I didn't quit my day job and just decide that I'm going to do mastering for living.

Do whatever your heart tells you to do. This particular thing is where you can get best. Maybe no big help but it´s a way how you can find your way through decisions

I'm a technician at a recording studio and often feel as if the industry is going to disappear one day and I'll be back in college for geology or something.

May I ask what your previous career was? Just curious.

~B

If you've got the physical and mental ability, check out utility work.

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Very in-demand skill, good pay, work outdoors, but not always easy and not for everyone, especially if you are raising a family.

career and industry ceased to exist

Click to expand...

get ready for that to happen here.

Studios still do work and techs still do work, but there is no time to find your way around right now cause when you are ready, it will be really over. So if you follow something you love, not like or think is OK, then there still will be enough of whatever that is for you to fight for some floor space.

If you're the kind of person who hussles , then you may do well no matter
what it is .
If you want the security of a pension , health benefits or sane hours
you're not likely to find them fast . [ in music or recording ]

If you don't enjoy what you are doing , it can be like a jail .
[ and if that's not providing a good income , why bother ? ]

Some places may have work , but not jobs
you can see this as a studio owner tell you that he'll cut you a great deal
on time if YOU want to bring someone in .

I'd say , take a course or study self employment schemes and if you're
willing to take that angle , at least you'll be a little more prepared for
it " being up to you "

Oh , and start now , investing in some kind of plan , but make sure it's safe [ GIC'S or something ]

Sonicmook, I worked in processing center for a very large subprime mortgage lender. The money was good, but I hated the work. It was definately a prison.
I'm quite aware that music scene/studio scene is not a money maker.

What I'm looking for is more information from people working in areas of electronics closely related to audio. For example, Dan Kennedy spoke with me at length about how instrumentation and industrial control equipment use the same core technologies as audio. He has to deal with system noise and signal amplification in control circuits and data acquisition circuits. Ideally, I'd like to find work that would build skills that carry over to audio and where audio knowledge and experience carries over. My ultimate goal is to be an audio designer and manufacturer, but I have to make a living while I work on my ideas. Frankly, I have a lot to learn, projects to develop etc. before I'm ready, so it's a process.

Then , you still need to study the market & competition for products
[ who's company is doing well and set to adapt ? ]
How many designs go unrealized because they can't compete or want
them stolen with off shore manufacture .
Perhaps targeting companies that seem to have potential , but code
writing, especialy for windows will go on for awhile , looking for the right
fit if you know what you want is a direction .

My wife and I were at our anniversary dinner two years ago and a company was having their holiday party. They were totally psyched, high-fiving, etc. I had just lost my job of 13 years teching in a studio and I asked what their company was- mortgages! They were all so happy then. . .

Use the resources at the college. They have stats on career fields. Audio for music specific is tough, because thinks are so scattered into the wind. Even in NYC you have very few multi-room studio facilities in operation with farm systems for techs, engineers, or management. So in that way it is more difficult to "learn on the job", because now there are 2000 small setups, many in people's apartments, where it is tough to get in the door with minimal training. People with skills from previous jobs or audio programs in schools will get preference, but even then they have to work much more than they used to to get a staff job.
Broadcast has not been hit as hard, and there you have employer pools in any city over 200k.

I agree with the aforementioned hustling and job enjoyment. It never seems like work when you love it, and it does not hurt as much if you are being taken advantage of- which happens a lot in the music biz

Well, I am an eternal student. I convert all our properties to laboratories trying to find the optimal solution for live recorded concerts and the best reproduction quality. Background: one of the best Electronics education institution in Siberia, audio engineer in Philharmonics' traveling group, then lot of experimenting alone while working in software field. To be continued...

Music equipment repair including lutherie and electronic keyboard repair, VCR and TV technician, industrial electronics, radio electronics, oil field scada and security, power company scada, calibration tech, a/v tech, copier repair and electrical assembly and testing of large power generation controllers have all been my bread and butter at one time or another for the last thirty five years. I guess it helps a guy to cross train and try to work for employers you know won't go under. In particular if you want a nice family life.

As far as a music related career in a studio, move to a major market and try to worm your way into the best TV or radio station in town.

Did I mention cross training? Seriously these days "don't quit your day job" is becoming every frustrated musician's and or studio hopeful's new watchword.....kinda like the bad 'ol days.

good luck
gb

[quote author="jensenmann"]Do whatever your heart tells you to do.[/quote]

:thumb:

eD

Sodderboy, enjoy the irony. I agree, broadcast should be a good place to go. One of the top radio stations hired two techs last fall, but they wanted experience or a completed associates degree, so I missed out on that one. There are automotive suppliers in the area that do audio related stuff as well. Even though auto manufacture is dispersing away from Detroit, the corporate headquarters are still here as are their R & D. Perhaps something will come up that way.

Here's mortgage story for everybody:
I used to work with a loan officer who would refinance his mother once a year and charge her $12,000 in origination fees. He made the local news one night when his girlfriend doused him with rubbing alcohol while he was sleeping and lit him on fire. He survived.

Wavebourn, do you support yourself with the recording business?

It's been the business model paradime [ spelling ? ]
for some years now to have a predictable cost by using
more temp & casual employees , but
the stories also surface of the aging baby boom generation
leaving holes of employment , so
one would suppose that , that may also be an indication of a good
workplace ..................the company or organization that has a plan
, and / or cares about it's employees' and the quality of product & service
, not just bottom line

As a guide , if you can find those conditions in addition to your hussle
you may land in a better spot than most