How do you make a living with 001

[j old school]

I am sitting here at my job in my cubicle, getting very frustrated. I would be interested to know if and how any of you make a living with your 001.

I would also like to know how you made the transition from a "real job" to audio production. My only experience is recording my own stuff. I think I do a pretty good job of it but it's not very lucrative. How does one enter this field? What are the options? Jingles? Sound overs? recording demos for bands? Is it better to specialize in one area, or spread out? How do you get your name out? There must be a way to make a living out of this skill and talent of ours!

All I know is that I don't really like my job, and I don't think I'm gonna go any more. I gotta go now - I have a meeting with the Bobs in 5 minutes.

[N-G-NEER]

There are many ways to get into the biz but you have to be willing to go one or two routes.
1 Go to school, get a good education at a school like full sail and you'll find that many doors will open for you. www.fullsail.com or 1800-can-rock The place is all that and more.

2. Go someware and intern. expect to spend the first two or three months emptying ash trays and cleaning toilets followed by being a go-for followed by getting some responsability for dropping off, and picking up Fed-ex packages and then learning dubbing and any other mundane chores they can find for you to do, and if your really good, and your really showing promise maybe someone will let you put up and old reel and mix. then you may get to be third asst on a session and after some time second asst and then asst engineer. Depending on the place at the point of becoming an asst you may be able to earn a paycheck albeit small maybe 5 or 6 bucks an hour. after two years or so maybe the engineer will get sick or have to cancel on a session and no one else will be there to cover for, so Boy!!! it's time to jump in the drivers seat. If your not ready, your done! Time to move on. If your lucky the client will ask for you again and maybe recomend you to another client etc. The down side is it takes years to learn how to mix well.
The truth is you don't know anything and no one is going to pay you for knowing nothing. and having no experience. I know it is a tough pill to swallow but almost all of us in the business have gone through one of these two routes.
I'm afraid there are too many wanna-be's out there with no talent and no knowledge and things are becomming very challenging even for those of us in the know. I spend more time keeping up with what is going on technologicaly then I do working. I've been in the biz for many years. My suggestion is call the number I gave you, prepare for the toughest year or two of your life and launch your career. Best of luck.
Neil Samuels

[metaltim]

Making a living producing music, who would have thought. Of course you can. With solely a 001?
I hope you don't mind living in an apartment.
As far as how do you go about entering the business. Well, not that I know, cause I'm not in it, yet. But I would start by going to school for it. There are many digidesign approved pro tools training programs all over the US. And that looks much better to someone then saying "Oh I know how to use this, I've been doing it forever."

You could start by recording any friends of yours who are in bands, get something out in the community with your name on it. If you are good at what you do, you will almost always succeed.
[img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

[DanyL]

After doing some jobs here and there I decided that I had enough. I called a school of recording and paid big bucks. after a year I had my diploma. 1 month after endless resumes, I receive a call from a major recording studio in Montreal, for a position as assistant-engineer.
After doing everything as assistant, editor, engineer, they gave me me the position of manager of the studio. I stayed there for 4 years. See the site http://www.star.ca/fr/studios/test/equipem.html
I left 8 months ago, and now I'm a freelance engineer in Montreal. Doing all kinds of stuff, and on different platform, like my Digi001 or TDM.

[Mr_Seven]

It depends on how motivated you are! And talented. I think it was here that someone mentioned starting a voice over business and soliciting work from less populated areas of the country where there aren't many studios. Using the internet to make the connection easier.

For me I've alloted 2 days a week to the "studio" stuff. I make a living with the other three days. Since I'm self employed it's easy for me to juggle the work around. Until I can make more than $100 an hour in the studio I have to do the computer thing to keep the disneyland passes active!

[Calvin]

I know what you mean. But don't think that getting into a school will make your life easy. I went to school for 6 months down in dallas, also while there I interned under a grammy award winning engineer. But alas, I had to move back home with the funds gone and went back to work. I have sent my resume out to many studios but few are looking for help right now. Especially here in Nebraska. I am willing to quit my job and move anywhere right now bit it isn't enough. So for now I work, I put in the hours at the job and save my money for my gear. If I can't get a job somewhere, well by golly I'm going to at least try and do as much of it as I can on my own, and some day maybe, own a real studio. Whatever it takes. Don't give up. Don't expect to not have to work for it. I am.

[j old school]

I may not be able to make the necessary commitment. I live in NYC, I have a Bachelors degree in Music Industry, and I am 4 classes away from finishing an MBA in CIS - will me completed in 5/03. I make a pretty comfortable living, working for a very well known brokerage firm. I am married, and plan on having kids very soon. I can't risk my salary right now.

PLAN B - weekend projects out of my home. Are there any of you in a similar situation as me running recording/production business this way? I guess I want to be more than a hobbyist.

[Roy Howell]

j,
I write jingles and songs, but I can always rely more on jingles for steady money.
If you were interested in writing jingles (even just lyrics is pretty good $$), I would find out (from local radio) what companies are in your area, and try to find a spot with them.
I use PT to record jingle music here at my little studio, but I go to a 'big' studio to dump the music, do the vocals, and mix. And for songs, I can usually count on the producer to recut the whole thing... but PTLE is great for songwriting, making samples, and just experimenting.

[WorldOfWiz]

I have a Bachelors degree in Music Industry

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Oh I hate you!!!! [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img] I wish I had that and lived in new NYC. That dergree should help you make cash.

Wiz [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

[H-man]

J Old School- I hear you and I'm in the same boat as you. I live in NJ and work in NYC, we should hook up some time and do some recording or possibly start something up together. Click on my e-mail and drop me line. Talk to ya later. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]