What level are Slate Digital Cup Members in regards to Audio work?

[danmanisa]

As I go about setting up a little side semi-professional business as a mixer and recording 'engineer', I started to wonder what other Slate Digital Cup members positions were in the musical world.
At a guess, I would say we have a vast array of experience and differing uses for our studios and equipment, but I thought it might be good to see just what that spread is.

At this point, I am only interested in people participating in the Slate Digital Cup. Thanks

I'm not sure if I've covered all options, but it will give us an overall idea. It may also highlight how awesome this community is in that all these people of varying levels can co-exist beautifully together! Not that we didn't know that already.

So where does your studio sit in the scheme of things?

[Jeronimo Mora]

Most of the money I make comes from teaching people how to record, mix, and master. I'd love to take on tracking, mixing and mastering of my own, but due to space issues, tracking is not possible. I've tried to team up with people. They track, I'll mix and master, but none of them followed through or can't. I have an ad on craigslist for strictly mixing and mastering jobs. One hit. No follow ups.

So if you want a lesson or two. Send me a message. If you'd like to team up. Send me a message .

[kakeux]

Purely a hobby for me!

[fHumble fHingaz]

I chose "Other" - I'm somewhere between "purely a hobby...", & "It's a part time business..."

In other words, I've only had a handful of mixes that have been paying ones - I don't actively advertise for business - whatever jobs I've done have been through the RR "network". I can't really call it a part time business, because I can earn about 3-5 times more per hour doing my (relatively low paying) day job. The paying jobs only really provide a little bit of money to invest in plugins etc..."hobby money".

[acidfrost]

It's a part time business for now. I'm on call for live gigs and have some customers here and there for tracking/mixing. I'm aiming for a full time business but since I'm starting I have to gain experience and a clientele.

[JoshERTW]

I semi-actively advertise, haven't gotten into any major/published advertising yet, but I've had a logo designed professionally, business card's made up that I hand out at public events with music/to buskers or whatever, some T-shirts made that I sell through my Facebook page for now, plus I pursue any opportunities that seem to present themselves and I've made a bit of cash off this so far.

The goal is to transition from my current full time job to full time recording guy when work volume and the rates I'm able to charge justify it. Probably won't be until the kid's are older - Right now I'm a bit more selective in my work than I should be, as otherwise I'd have no time to do anything and my wife would lose her mind - My goal this year was to have one paying client per month (even if it's the same one over multiple months for a big project which is what I'm doing now) and so far that's working out pretty well.

I also want to be sure I can squeeze in a Slate competition each month as it's been great fun, great for learning and sharpening my ears, plus it makes excellent Portfolio material.

[jackslab1]

It's a hobby for me right now. I'm working towards a web site and recruiting. I would love for this to be a full time job so I don't have to do my real job no more. (Been doing swimming pool construction for 22 yrs now. I'm done with the heat)

[shackman]

Poor poll. Assumes everyone here is an engineer. I'm not!

[brandondrury]

My situation is a bit weird as I basically have two full time jobs. My studio gig easily chews up 40 hours per week plus I have RecordingReview.com which easily chews up another 40 hours per week. Sometimes I focus on one more than the other.

My income varies. When I'm releasing products like Killer Home Recording I make quite a bit more with the site, but on a normal month I make more in the studio than I do from sales or ad revenue from the site.

Because RecordingReview is something that I believe in, I insist on giving it as much attention as I can. That's why I took down my Echo Echo Studios webpage and just redirected it here. I still get more business than I can deal with from old clients. I've got an assistant now. While it's very early, I'm hoping that will allow me to start heavily marketing the studio when he's ready to take on sessions. We'll see. It would be nice to kick the studio in the balls a bit and have it completely booked up again (without me in it all the time ).

Other than the all structure it resides in, my studio is dabbling with the full-blown pro model at least in regard to equipment and possibilities.

[danmanisa]

Poor poll. Assumes everyone here is an engineer. I'm not!

Sorry mate, not meaning to leave anyone out. I guess in a 'mixing contest' I kind of was assuming that everyone here was an engineer (loosely applied term if ever there was one!). I did put 'other and I would love to know what your situation was too!
As stated, I am simply keen to see the position and goals of members of the Slate Cup. I would be guessing many are not only looking to improve their skills through the competition, but also to see if they have what it takes to push on a little further and become a bit more serious about the business side of things.
See you around the cup.

[JoshERTW]

Sorry mate, not meaning to leave anyone out. I guess in a 'mixing contest' I kind of was assuming that everyone here was an engineer (loosely applied term if ever there was one!). I did put 'other and I would love to know what your situation was too!
As stated, I am simply keen to see the position and goals of members of the Slate Cup. I would be guessing many are not only looking to improve their skills through the competition, but also to see if they have what it takes to push on a little further and become a bit more serious about the business side of things.
See you around the cup.

I'm an engineer, and I have the ring to prove it

Though I'm a bit behind on my paperwork

[bobbybovine]

Totally at hobbyist / education level right now. I am ONLY working on SDC mixes right now. I have a few friends that have some recordings that I am begging to let me "fix" for them for the experience. My studio err basement is in total disarray. Trying to get it acoustically treated (well about 40% of what I would like to do) in the next couple of weeks.

[killingpingu]

Would love to make some money from this gig, maybe even enough to quit the day job... but for the time being trying to juggle raising three noisy children and a full time job with my partner who is coming up to her final year at university (studying from home) doesn't make it easy to find time to plant myself in front of the DAW. I'm hoping that once the little one starts school and my partner graduates I'll be able to put some serious time into this music thing. I'm wanting to take a course on making music for media (TV, radio, games, web etc...) and I've been toying with the idea of joining taxi.com. Are there any Taxi members here? What do you think of it?

Anyways, that won't be until next year at the earliest. Until then I'm just trying to learn as much as I can and improve my mixing skills, which this Slate Cup has already done! Learnt so much from all the feedback and hope to learn a lot more in the next few months!

[bobbybovine]

Would love to make some money from this gig, maybe even enough to quit the day job... but for the time being trying to juggle raising three noisy children and a full time job with my partner who is coming up to her final year at university (studying from home) doesn't make it easy to find time to plant myself in front of the DAW. I'm hoping that once the little one starts school and my partner graduates I'll be able to put some serious time into this music thing. I'm wanting to take a course on making music for media (TV, radio, games, web etc...) and I've been toying with the idea of joining taxi.com. Are there any Taxi members here? What do you think of it?

Anyways, that won't be until next year at the earliest. Until then I'm just trying to learn as much as I can and improve my mixing skills, which this Slate Cup has already done! Learnt so much from all the feedback and hope to learn a lot more in the next few months!

Your situation sounds identical to mine (pretty much). The young children thing really makes it challenging to get the time at ye ol' computer!

[JoshERTW]

Wow, I've never seen that Taxi site - I'll definitely have to take a more serious look at them.

There's a listing on there right now for a returning hit TV show looking for 70's influenced rock - I'm gonna guess it's either Walking Dead or Son's of Anarchy. Those shows have some of the most perfectly selected independent music of anything going right now.

I'm in the same boat as you guys re: young-in's - I get up at 6 and got to bed at midnight most days in order to squeeze an hour or two in on either end of the day to get musical things done. Lately I've been wasting tonnes of time playing Diablo 3, but I've made about $400 off it, so it's not really a 'waste' haha

[dizzydog]

Wow, I've never seen that Taxi site - I'll definitely have to take a more serious look at them.

you can start right here

[JoshERTW]

you can start right here

Excellent - thanks - will avoid as if plague

[eadsass]

Rules do not belong in music. Like food, there are flavours that work well together, but in the end, it's each person's taste that determines the quality of the meal.

_________________________
Sonnenbrille Ray Ban online

[Prodigal]

Huh? For the past few years I have given my time and knowledge away, mostly to projects I believe in. The rest by request. Before moving to a new area, getting married to a wonderful woman, and having wonderful children I freelanced quite a bit, and owned a project studio.

The work I do these days revolves around the technical aspects of broadcast audio and video.

[ncls]

Err, hobbist too and I don't have a job around music or this area. I don't have any kind of studio of whatever. Only computer on the desk and a pair of monitors
No money coming from that. The opposite instead, I mean it only goes out my pocket

[TopBobSecret]

Hey Dan and fellow SDCupper's,
I am fairly new to this mixing stuff (2 years) and I have learned most of what I know here! A large part in the past few months.
I am a songwriter/singer/musician of 25 years and I began getting into MIDI programming of my own songs in the mid '90's, at the time, audio recording into a 4 track mixer that I have yet to truly utilize and any recording I did on it sounded like crap!
I am pretty much self taught in everything, but I've had formal training in singing and basic music theory.
In a way that includes this home studio endeavor in both respects, as I am learning on my own but being taught by unofficial "professors" in the home recording world, and sometimes beyond.
I used to think I was capable of audio recording, but I had a computer that was way out of date and when it finally died, that brought my internet search to Brandon's site and I downloaded the "Killer Home Recording: Setting Up" free download to understand computer specs and technical needs for a Killer Home Studio!
I am still way low budget and I am still learning a b-load every mix. I am still capable of putting out good stuff with a AbletonLive8 lite DAW on a 2005 Mac G5 with a Fender Squire guitar, a couple of Roland keyboards/synths, and a no name condenser microphone.
I am, mostly, just trying to get a quality version of my own music down to showcase.
I have realized that mixing and mastering is an entirely different art form in itself and so much more than playing the right notes, even on good equipment. I just want to do selfishly right-by-me! You know!?
- To progress- TopBob

[ncls]

Mainly the same

[bozmillar]

purely hobby. In fact, I hate recording other people. Though technically I do work in audio, but not related to music at all.

[LePou]

Err, hobbist too and I don't have a job around music or this area. I don't have any kind of studio of whatever. Only computer on the desk and a pair of monitors
No money coming from that. The opposite instead, I mean it only goes out my pocket

Pretty much the same here but lucky you, at least you have monitors
The only time I have to involve in music is when my daughter is in bed, so using monitor is a no go... headphone is my only option.

[iamalex123]

Part time/side project. I do work in a studio, tracking and mixing, but the majority of my audio work comes through live sound, and playing bass for a small time band. Would love to do it more reguarly, but regular engineering doesn't leave a whole lot of free time