Hello all!

So I've been lurking and posting in the forums for a couple of weeks now and a lot of you guys are/were working musicians. So I have a question, how can I enter the music industry? Now, I'm on a sophomore in college with a minor in music and have plans to fall back on but I've always been interested in music. I want to get an internship either during my school year or during the summer at a recording studio or something to get more experience.

My question to all the people out there who make their living off music, how did/do you do it? Does anyone know of any studios in the Columbus/Ohio or Boston during the fall, winter, and spring (Summer for Boston) that accepts interns? Thank you in advance for any wisdom you'll all provide to a pretty young musician!

Michael

You seem to be on the right track. I strongly recommend getting a minor in sound or recording engineering. It is a great backdoor into the industry where you can make some real good money. If you do decide to pursue that route, it will also be easier to get your internship as you can say you are minoring in it.

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Laughing out loud with fear and hope, I have a desperate plan ...

Unfortunately, my school doesn't offer sound or recording engineering since it's a pretty small Liberal Arts school. Though, I am working an organization called Red Tech on campus which essentially does sound and mixing for student organized events and concerts. Thanks for the advice!

Hi chung: it's boringly simple at this stage - you need to write lots of letters to lots of studios, production companies, management companies, etc etc, and ask if they will take an intern. Be willing to go anywhere and do anything for little or no money and something will likely come up.

Oh, and write a very good, clean, concise letter. The number of people who get no further because of a smart-arsy, inappropriate or just badly spelled letter. And include return postage: that shows willing - as does a letter rather than an email.

Then, unlike some interns I've come across, use the time of the internship to work hard, show heaps of enthusiasm and - at appropriate moments - ask lots of intelligent questions. And do some networking. Add names and numbers to your address book.

I know of people who arrived as an intern and within a few years are high up in the organisation. Depends on them looking like the right person for advancement. Most internships don't work out that way, of course.

You need some luck and the nouse to jump on chances when they come your way. Keep at it and you'll get there. Meantime, add to your musical and technical education. No such thing as someone who knows too much.

Good luck! - C

Thank you Ceri for the advice! All very very good that I will apply when the moment arises. Do you by any chance have recommendations to certain studios and companies I should shoot a letter to that would give me the best experience?

Hi again chung: you're welcome!

Far as recommendations go; not my part of the world I'm afraid, so I'm of no use there.

In fact, where I live so many of the famous recording studios have closed or are under threat, so it's a hard time to be thinking along these lines. But while you're about it why not add live venues to your list to write to? Theaters and such where music is played usually have in-house technical crew. Perhaps they'd give a short internship, so check out their staff list and write to the production manager, sound engineer or whoever.

Another option to try.

Good luck - C

Ceri, that is great advice Bro, if chung_m (welcome to the Forum chung_m) follows through he will get an internship for sure!

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you can save the world with your guitar one love song at a time it's just better, more fun, easier with a fender solid body electric guitar or electric bass guitar.

Hi Chung, Ceri's advice is spot on,a lot of places are impressed with eagerness to learn and commitment moreso than experience.If you show that you are eager to learn and passionate about music that may impress the right people.As he stated an eloquent concise letter will also help immensely.Best of luck to you and please let us know how you make out with it.

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'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.

chung,
Welcome to our august group. As a former engineer and musician in the Nashville music scene(Sony Music Nashville) I will give you two words, network and chops. Network with folks, you make your breaks that way, get involved with and in the AES (Audio Engineer Society) another great route. Chops, everything from mic techniques to recording head alignment to splicing to digital medium. Contrary to what some folks think a kid who has his chops down and is eager to work and works well with the chief engineer will always get to have more hands on experiences. I had a great time in the industry but the military called to me more so that was why I didn't stick with it as a full time living. Good luck and let me know if I can do anything for you.
ABS