Audio/Acoustic Engineering

College Majors Engineering Majors
1

<p>I recently stumbled upon this field, and it sounds like my dream job. I've done some reading about it, and have a few questions. It seems like a pretty small field, only 14,000-20,000 people in the US were employed in it last year, so I'm not sure many of you will know much about it, but I figured why not ask. </p>

<p>1) Basically, CMU has everything I want: <a href="http://www.cit.cmu.edu/current_students/services/majors_minors/engineering_minors/audio.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.cit.cmu.edu/current_students/services/majors_minors/engineering_minors/audio.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Anyone know of comparable programs? I obviously can't just apply to one school, and while I'm at the top of my class, top ECs, etc. CMU engineering is still incredibly competitive. I would most likely pursue an undergrad in physics at CMU, since the program I want is a minor. </p>

<p>2) Job prospects. I read that the US Bureau of Labor Statistics expects growth, but not at the pace of employment growth throughout the rest of the US. I worry that because of the ease of recording on computers, studios will become almost obsolete. </p>

<p>3) When I try to look for programs online, most "acoustic engineering" programs are set up as subsets of mechanical or aeronautical engineering, so they aren't really geared toward music. While I could see myself doing one of those jobs, I would much prefer to be in a studio. If I get a degree as a mechanical engineer with a concentration in acoustic engineering, can I still get a job in a studio?</p>

2

<p>1) Whilst not exactly comparable, there are programs such as LA Recording School, SAE Institute (where I graduated from), and Full Sail-- These kinds of programs are what you want if are looking for strong emphasis in the recording arts and audio production (and film/tv sound). These programs, however, lack the rigor, theory, and depth that CMU might provide, but offer a sense of hands on practicality.</p>

<p>2) Employment in a studio isn’t exactly the best outlook at all–things may have changed now, gotten better or worse. As far as I know, of all my classmates that graduated with me at SAE, not everyone landed a job at a recording studio. The ones who could network and knew their music and techniques, did. I didn’t land one myself, because of my music type (house, techno), I didn’t network, and I wasn’t as talented as I am now. There are some independent studios out there, but most of them are for rock/pop/contemporary music. Just because you graduated from CMU, studio HR won’t hire you on the spot necessarily.</p>

<p>Studios will NEVER be obsolete. They will dwindle in numbers, but they will never go away. There is a creative-vibe to be maintained at a studio: the feeling that you are in a high-tech, well-designed acoustic/recording place allows musicians to express themselves in top, accurate form. The music industry is unpredictable, everyone is always churning out stuff hoping to score the biggest hit. Film scoring will always be around, so is TV/post production.</p>

<p>3) No. You will end up working for a audio-technology company, mostly in acoustics design/noise control. You might end up working alongside EEs, who design amplifiers, systems, speakers, microphones, synthesizers, outboard gear, and what not. You will probably end up optimizing, testing, modifying whatever they make. Yeah you might be in a studio once in awhile, but if you mean Day-to-Day as your typical audio engineer, working with musicians, most definitely not (you are WAY overqualified in some aspects, and underqualified in others). Having a supreme ear in what makes something sound good is a ticket to a paying studio job, but like you said the program isn’t “geared towards music”. And you will most always end up as a lowly intern (for who knows how long and how much).</p>

<p>If you’re willing to put up with some of these things, then yeah theres nothing to stop you from trying to achieve your dreams. It’s just that there is a reality to some of these things, and the reason why I am going back to college to pursue Mech Eng (money and security). I have to admit, that I would have never gotten back into engineering if I didn’t try learning to be an audio engineer. In fact, it made me develop a passion for designing and manipulating things. I haven’t completely abandoned my audio background: it helps me with the skills to network, analyze, collaborate, and produce. I just recently finished a chilled-out breakbeat song with a vocalist (who also graduated from SAE). I also got a job offer to spin at a nightclub as well (my second time professionally). </p>

<p>The guy who offered me a job gave me a long speech on being an engineer and being someone who loves music; that I had to really dig up the ground and be willing to try and find these jobs. He didn’t convince me, but I didn’t count him out. I’d hate to give up one for the other, why can’t I have both?</p>

3

<p>I have a degree in Audio Engineering (more music and studio geared) and I decided to go back to get a Mechanical Engineering degree, for completely different reasons. I’m not sure about the Acoustic Engineering that you speak of but I assume it would involve designing rooms and materials and such. If you want to work in a studio, your two routes are to do unpaid internships for a while and get to know the studio from experience, or to go to school for it, gain knowledge and be one-up when you go looking for jobs internships. However, if this is the case, I don’t see any reason why one would go for mechanical, it really has nothing to do with music/studio work.</p>

<p>It is a growing field but schools are spitting out audio engineering/recording students left and right so it is still competitive. The best jobs are in the cities (think the big 3, LA, NY and Nashville), but you can find scattered opportunities everynow and then. I landed two different jobs in the field about 10 mins away from home, and I live in the country.</p>

<p>The pay is not great, but if it’s something you know you’ll love then you’ll be able to make it work.</p>

<p>I did FullSail’s Recording Arts Program, learned a lot about large consoles, software like ProTools, equipment and gear, signal flow, running studios, etc. It’s a great program, there are other ones across the country at different schools that I’ve heard to be good too.</p>

<p>Overall though when it comes to recording and working in studios, the degree may have “Engineering” in the name, and in principle it is a form of engineering, but it’s a totally different animal from traditional engineering disciplines like mech/electrical/chem/etc. So if you want to work in a studio, stay away from the traditional disciplines and look for Audio Engineering or Recording or Studio or similar buzzwords.</p>

4

<p>On the east coast, UMass-Lowell has a good sound engineering program.</p>

5

<p>The University of Miami has a very well-regarded program in Audio Engineering. It’s really a fully accredited Electrical Engineering degree, but there’s an extremely heavy emphasis on audio, so much so that the required number of credit hours for the major nearly constitute that of a major and a minor put together. There is some focus on music (you take one course in music theory and one in recording, and there are numerous music/recording electives you can choose from as well) but the primary focus is from an electrical engineering standpoint.</p>

<p>I’m pretty biased, as I’ll be at Miami next year majoring in Audio Engineering, but I was accepted to several straight-up recording programs in music schools (IU Jacobs and UMich) and chose Miami because frankly, job prospects in the recording industry are EXCEEDINGLY bleak. I’m definitely going to continue to be involved in recording, but an engineering degree won’t limit me to that.</p>

<p>Keep in mind that the vast majority of professionals making a living in the recording industry do not have degrees from 4-year colleges. Should you choose to pursue a career in music recording, it will be based on your talent, your personality, your work ethic, and a whole lot of luck- not the piece of paper you earn after 4 years.</p>

6

<p>Rokr is right. My son majored in audio engineering, with heavy music emphasis, for 2 years before switching to computer engineering and having to start over practically from scratch. It will greatly improve his career prospects, and he can always keep a hand in music. Right now, he’s getting his fix by playing in a rock band.</p>

7

<p>I was just about to suggest U of Miami. I’m also considering their program. I first heard of their program from an active manufacturer of boutique audio equipment nearly a decade ago. He gave a very glowing review of his experience with UoM. </p>

<p>The only other serious Audio Engr. programs that I’m aware of are at a few schools–a few California ones, especially Stanford. </p>

<p>Again, the OP about programs dealing with Acoustical/Audio Engr., not Sound/Recording Engr., even though countless Sound Engr. programs are mislabeled as Audio Engr.</p>

8

<p>Alwaysleah, I am looking into similar programs. I know this post is a little old at this point but I’m curious as to what you ended up doing. I went to a trade school in New York for a year for audio recording and ended up working in live event production for a few years, live sound mixing, some recording, etc. Now I want to get into acoustical consulting/engineering. The career opportunities seem much more fulfilling and it’s something I’m interested in. Did you end up going to CM?</p>

9

<p>S in in the Acoustical Engineering & Music program @ University of Hartford. It is part of the Mechanical Engineering program.</p>

<p>[Acoustical</a> Engineering and Music | University of Hartford](<a href=“http://www.hartford.edu/academics/AreasofStudy/UndergraduatePrograms-listingpage/Acoustical_Engineering_Music.aspx]Acoustical”>http://www.hartford.edu/academics/AreasofStudy/UndergraduatePrograms-listingpage/Acoustical_Engineering_Music.aspx)</p>

<p>It is a totally separate program from the Audio Engineering Technology program (also part of the school of Engineering</p>

<p>[Audio</a> Engineering Technology | University of Hartford](<a href=“http://www.hartford.edu/ceta/undergraduate/technology/AUD/default.aspx]Audio”>http://www.hartford.edu/ceta/undergraduate/technology/AUD/default.aspx)</p>

<p>or the Music Production & Techology program, which is part of the Hartt School…</p>

<p>[Music</a> Production and Technology](<a href=“http://uhaweb.hartford.edu/musicprod/Musicprod/Welcome.html]Music”>http://uhaweb.hartford.edu/musicprod/Musicprod/Welcome.html)</p>

<p>I know this thread is old but I figured I’d throw these in there.</p>