KVR Audio

koolkeys · Post by **koolkeys** » Tue Mar 29, 2005 5:22 pm

Well, audio engineering will give you plenty of options. You'll learn about many of them through school, and even be able to actually participate in them. Wanna do sound for picture? You get to do that. Wanna learn live sound. You got it. Whatever you want to do, it's a great way to start. Good luck!

Koolkeys

Shane Sanders · Post by **Shane Sanders** » Tue Mar 29, 2005 5:23 pm

Just Float wrote:I'm so lost now. I have no idea of what to do with my life. I hate sitting around here taking classes that dont teach me anything. I dont even care that much for design anymore. Im good at it but it doesnt interest me the way music does.

How old are you? If you are young, it's not unusual to feel somewhat scattered with you energies.

Just Float · Post by **Just Float** » Tue Mar 29, 2005 5:33 pm

I'm 21. I know im supposed to be confused about my future. And I don't even think it matters what I do. All I need is food and shelter. But I have to pay for these things and I want to be doing something I enjoy. When someone tells me my chances of being happy doing this or even that my chances of doing it are slim it's really kind of dissapointing. I've already learned that there is no easy way of finding the answers. And no one gives you anything. Is that a good start?

Shane Sanders · Post by **Shane Sanders** » Tue Mar 29, 2005 6:01 pm

Just Float wrote:I'm 21. I know im supposed to be confused about my future. And I don't even think it matters what I do. All I need is food and shelter. But I have to pay for these things and I want to be doing something I enjoy. When someone tells me my chances of being happy doing this or even that my chances of doing it are slim it's really kind of dissapointing. I've already learned that there is no easy way of finding the answers. And no one gives you anything. Is that a good start?

It's definitely wise to try and find a commercial outlet for your talents. I've had plenty of jobs that have nothing to do with what I love. It's a living hell.

So, I think it's best at your age to avoid debt (even student loan debt if possible) and just try to find a way to break into what you think you might like doing. Discoverying what that is may take a while.

Visualize being in front of a computer for 8-10 hours straight. If this seems somewhat scary, then that may be a clue that graphic design is going to be a challenge. On the other hand, if that doesn't bother you, it's something a lot of people simply cannot do because they don't have the powers of concentration for it. When you combine that "sitting still" discipline with both a knowledge of the right software and some natural talent, it might lead to something fulfilling. But take it from me, there's always going to be days where you just want to be a farmer. It comes and goes.

Markleford · Post by **Markleford** » Tue Mar 29, 2005 6:22 pm

I went to Ohio State University in 1988 as an Audio Engineering major. It was a combination Electrical Engineering and Music program. As such, I was required to take all EE pre-reqs including calculus, diff-eq, and physics, in addition to taking music theory and performance classes.

Then they discontinued the major after my first year. I wound up in Computer Science, since I already had completed a significant amount of the required coursework.

So dig a little deeper: some Audio Engineering programs have *actual* engineering involved!

- m

deastman · Post by **deastman** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 1:05 am

I did't mean to paint quite so bleak a picture. You are still young, and have time to explore different career paths.

I agree with the advice to avoid running up a lot of student debt. Under no circumstances should you attend a specialized trade school- those place are insanely expensive!

They may provide a highly focused curriculum, but there is nothing that you couldn't learn by attending a community college, coupled with a healthy dose of self-education from books, magazines, trial and error.

Even if you do spend a lot of money to get a fancy degree from a fancy school, chances are you'll still have to start out at the bottom of the workforce, working for little pay or, more likely, an unpaid internship. But, if you are really willing to study hard, develop your technical and social networking skills, and take any menial job which could advance your career, then you are bound for success.

I also agree that you have to be passionate about the work that you do. If you don't see a future in graphic design, then now is the time to take a chance and try something new.

Don't wait until you're saddled with a spouse, kids, and mortgage payments to start thinking about career changes. Oh wait, that was me.

Just Float · Post by **Just Float** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 3:57 am

Are all the schools mentioned earlier "specialized training schools"? Cos that's what I was planning on doing. My community college has no audio engineering type classes. So wouldn't the only way to get a job in this field be to go to a specialized school? I don't see it happening anytime soon if I just waste my time learning other things.

Shane Sanders · Post by **Shane Sanders** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 4:42 am

Just Float wrote:Are all the schools mentioned earlier "specialized training schools"? Cos that's what I was planning on doing. My community college has no audio engineering type classes. So wouldn't the only way to get a job in this field be to go to a specialized school? I don't see it happening anytime soon if I just waste my time learning other things.

MTSU is a liberal arts college that just happens to have a famous audio engineering program. They also have a mighty nice aerospace program as well as one of the least expensive ways to get a teacher's certification in Tennessee. Here's a link: http://www.mtsu.edu/

xoxos · Post by **xoxos** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 4:48 am

Shane Sanders wrote:..that "sitting still" discipline..

aah.. and the "still sitting" discipline..

Shane Sanders · Post by **Shane Sanders** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 4:58 am

xoxos wrote:
Shane Sanders wrote:..that "sitting still" discipline..
aah.. and the "still sitting" discipline..

yes, grasshopper, the pixel is your friend...

lol

but seriously, not everyone can do it, and one can use it to help survive in a competitive market. And file management is definitely a discipline, too. The sheer number of small details and iterations of pixels I have to keep track of in a day is staggering consider that most people have trouble just remembering that left-clicking and right-clicking are two different worlds.