Best School for Audio Engineers?

[Eeeff]

I'm very much interested in pursuing a future in Audio Engineering. I've been looking around for a few schools that offer the course but I'm not too sure which is the best. I found "Sound Training Centre" in Ireland that provides a 2-year course in Sound and Music Technology, but there's just a few things that make me paranoid concerning legitimacy of this school.

It would be greatly appreciated if you guys could give me some input on a great school.

Thanks!

[String7th]

You only need 2 things that cost a lot less than any trade school out there:
Gospel of the Supreme Overlord Commander

A budget of maybe $1000 for an interface, monitors, mics, cables, stands and etc. More if you don;t have a computer. And a bunch of friends in bands to record for free and the patience to do it over and over again.

[paul999]

The school of hard knocks my friend. Save your money, buy Brandon's book, ask question's here. I am fortunate to own a busy studio and have never taken a single course on recording. Read tons on the subject though. A business degree would help your studio more than a recording course. I am not a better recording engineer than a lot of these guys but I am one of the few that earns a living at it. I know how to market my studio and was willing to do the work to make it happen.

[String7th]

But as a more productive answer:

I'm not sure how the degrees and certifications are outside of these USA, but here it doesn't hold water to an awesome sounding portfolio and knowledge of basic audio theory and tools. So I wouldn't rely on a school to guarantee you a job in a major studio, but learn what you can and practice to get good at audio engineering. Be better than the "other guy" and you can go farther than just skiting by and expecting a job. This is unline any career path or industry.

[superpete]

Here in Australia the only ones I've Heard are JMC acedamy and SAE Institute. I was considering studying at one of these places and am planning to apply for a scholarship [just out of school and figure, why not? someone else is paying, i get the benefits.]

But i cant afford the school, and don't really wanna be in debt for school loans etc and id much rather spend thousands of dollars on equipment, room acoustics, Brandons book or even a studio..

It seems that in Australia, you dont NEED formal qualifications but if your trying to get in the industry [live sound/music production] and you have a degree or diploma people will give you a chance as you are being tought things by "professionals and you should be able to be trusted with the multi million dollar gear

Also, a lot can depend on WHO you know rather than WHAT you know.

I know of a lot of dumb shits that have been given a chance cos they knew someone while people who have n ide of whats goin get left in the corner to fight for a chance

[bozmillar]

I'll just reiterate what everyone else has already said. I don't think schooling in sound recording really has much merit. I'm sure the classes are all pretty interesting, but you wouldn't learn anything that you couldn't learn on your own. Like Paul said, a business degree will do far more for a music career than a music degree will.

If you are recording for someone, I can pretty much guarantee that they will never ask where you got your music recording degree. The only thing people care about is what sort of results you can give them.

I guess it's also important to know that it's not like anything bad will come from paying tuition to go to a school to get a degree in recording technology. I just don't think it's the best way to spend your money when you can spend it on gear and books instead.

I don't think there's anything that you will learn in any school that you wouldn't learn in brandon's book.

[richiebee]

Originally Posted by bozmillar

but you wouldn't learn anything that you couldn't learn on your own.

I disagree with this. There's nothing more valuable that getting the ears of someone with lots of more experience than you. Sure you can train your hearing, but it'll happen a lot quicker if you know what you're listening for.

I've never had formal training and am sorry that I haven't. There are no studios local to me with great engineers, so there is noone to mentor from. Learning on my own, while extremely enjoyable, is slow and uncertain.

I run recording technologies at a university music school, and some of my students have gone on to one of Canada's top schools in recording - McGill - this is a school that takes just 7 students per year into their recording program, and most of them come from the 15 max that they take each year into what's known as the Q year. What they have learned in two years there is much more than I've learned in the 15 or so years that I've been doing this stuff on my own. I have access to good equipment and good musicians. I lack the personal mentorship that I think is important to get to the next level.

[bozmillar]

yeah, I guess that's true. in a school, you can hopefully expect that the people you are learning from know what they are talking about, and if you are paying them, they won't just give you a quick answer.

Around here, you can find some pretty wild claims from people who don't know what they're talking about, and always requires a background check to make sure they are legit. Even if they do know what they are talking about, you may not get the most detailed answer.

I'd still say your better off with a engineering or business degree to help you understand either the concepts or how to make money.

[dmmi]

I went to A local College and studied Music and majored in recording.....

I have to agree, you get WAY more, and quicker than teaching yourself.

(Mind you I didn't practice it for over 10 years, so I've forgotten mostly everything and am learning basically from scratch anyway....haha)

If I were to go back now.....wow, I would excell so much quicker than trial and error...mind you trial and error is the type of learning you don't forget!

Ironic hey

[bozmillar]

Good point dmmi. I personally remember very little of anything I learned in school. Every rare once in a while while taking classes, I'd have a teacher talk about something that would make me think "hey, that is pretty cool," then I'd end up studying that topic on my own. I guess it did end up sparking a lot of thought and topics to study up on, but I can't say that a lot of my learning came from school.

So I guess it depends on which way you learn best. when I see how clueless some people are when they come out of a recording program at a school, it makes me wonder what they spend their time learning. But I guess the same could be said of any program.