how good of a living do studio tech/ producers make

violatedppl · #1 11-17-2005, 12:36 AM

Right now I am 18, in my first semister of college and hate every minute of it expect my music theory class, I have had 7 surgeries from the ancle down and have arthiritis or however you spell it since I was 16. And I know I need a job that I can set down, and this is something I REALLY enjoy, and was wondering if anyone here has experince in this line a work and what is the pay like. Could it pay the bills and still have money left to buy my toys with. I live in the san fran bay area so finding work probably wont be a problem. just wondering from people who have done it what it is like.

Munjibunga · #2 11-17-2005, 12:40 AM

How much do bassists make? Same thing. It ranges between nothing and millions of dollars.

popinfresh · #3 11-17-2005, 01:00 AM

^^123.

I know some studio producers getting next to nothing.. Yet the best producers in the business would be getting a stack I bet.

Kinda the same with almost any job really.

dhadleyray · #4 11-17-2005, 01:37 AM

From what I know, a realistic scenario is..

Find a studio and apprentice while you're learning, if you make more than $5,000 the first year I'd be amazed, BUT, if you get involved with logic, pro tools, or live, then you will more than likely be involved in the songwriting and arranging. Then your income has a greater potential. In most of the studios I work in, the artist writes a song, the engineer/producer makes suggestions (usually to get a piece of the songwriting credit), and winds up getting royalties if anything happens.

I've done sessions where when I leave the studio, I ask the producer who wrote the song, three months later when I hear what's going to be released there are up to 6 people on the list compared to the original one.

Get involved in the songwriting and it'll help, although there's nothing predictable about this business...

Philbiker · #5 11-17-2005, 06:12 AM

File sharing and the proliferation of high quality small scale production is transforming the music business. The work that these guys do (the guys who do it day in day out as their day job) is becoming more and more competitive as the large budget major label jobs dry up. Like most of the music business, if you want to make a good living, do something else and pursue it as a hobby. If you absolutely love it, are very talented, and live and die by it, go for it. Just because there is less work doesn't mean there's no work, and really good people are always in demand.

**baba** · #6 11-17-2005, 07:14 AM

About your first semester....the first two years of college suck because you take all the general education crap. The same stuff that you were force fed in high school, but at a different level. Hang in there, it gets better in year 3 and 4 when you actually take classes you DECIDE to take.
I think studio work can be a hard road but very rewarding if you truly enjoy it. A degree is a nice thing to have on a resume.

lbpark · #7 11-17-2005, 07:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by baba

About your first semester....the first two years of college suck because you take all the general education crap. The same stuff that you were force fed in high school, but at a different level. Hang in there, it gets better in year 3 and 4 when you actually take classes you DECIDE to take...

This is so true. The third and fourth years may not be easier, but they'll certainly be more interesting, unless you're undecided.

violatedppl · #8 11-17-2005, 09:59 AM

Yeah, But the school I am thinking about going to you get a Bachelor of Applied Science, have your degree, and hopefully still make a decent living. Because it seems to me that for some unkown reason, if you have worked in a field for 10-15 years, and some 22 year just comes out of college, guess who gets paid more and who will get the job. damn little peices of paper