Do i need my own gear if i'm going to study sound engineerin

[nitrovo]

I'm going to study sound engineering next year. Not in singapore. Same stuff though.

I want to get my own gear so I can record stuff, practise, experiment etc. Basic things like a soundcard, mic, mixer from my friend possibly.

He says i'm not going to learn much if i get older 2nd hand stuff becuase its not what sound engineers are using, tis outdated etc. and asking why I need my own gear.

I have no idea what to expect at this institution next year so I dont know how booked the studio will be, what sort of gear they're using etc.

I'm only doing the basic course so I can learn the basics and then experiment and do things my way, instead of saw the SAE way as they only teach one way.

Discuss.

 

[blueprintstudios]

Re: Do i need my own gear if i'm going to study sound engine

don't quite understand how outdated can a piece of gear be unless it's some new invented audio technology. i think you only need your own gear because you need to familiarize basic functions and be more confident hands on. if your new school has a big time phat SSL mixer, of course you can't possibly (unless you're seriously that loaded) own that same exact piece of mixer to practise at home.

i've never been to an audio school before but I'm sure as common logic if school's courses and high end equipment teaches you : A to Z.

and using your own basic home equipment = ABCDE

and when you work in a studio that isn't as killer as your school's gear = ABCDEFGHIJK

you understand that some ppl aren't bright learners, learning A to Z one shot can be pressurising, so they start by getting their own gear to play with. learn A to E first.. then try to work as a small time apprentice in a small recording studio (A to K) by then you would be confident enough to handle L to Z. until you master "singing A to Z" , then it's up to you to outdo yourself and sing Z to A backwards.

SAE/schools probably teaches "one way" because what they do is give you a pair of skeleton keys, teach you how to use them, to open your own doors. it's cliche to say this but it all boils down to yourself. studying anywhere else would be useless if you don't take your ears and experience outside of the book.

hope i'm talkin sense

60¢ worth.

 

[sj2six]

Well, since you mentioned that you would like to experiment your way after the course, then you will still need to own some gears of your own eventually rite?

I would still recommend you to setup your own home studio. It's much better and convenient. Even if you are attending sch, if that sch have got those really high-end expensive setup like a Solid State Logic or something, yes, go ahead and take advantage and make full use of them. But after all, the operational concept and signal flow is about the same despite whether you have a expensive setup or a small one at home. Having your own gears allows you to learn more when you r free at home anytime. You can even do sch projects at home, get some free-lance proj to earn some cash during your schooling, etc. School's studio normally have a limited time-slot per student can book. Coz there are so many student sharing these studios, if one were to place a booking of 24hours, then everything will be cock-up. Hence, most sch do have a limited timing per student can book. Not forgetting that these studios are also being booked by lecturers for conducting lessons. So it's best to have your own setup at the end of the day. After returning home from sch, at least you are able to try-out what you have learnt if you have a setup at home. And you can't deny that most people are more comfortable and learn better at you home sweet home bedroom than in sch where there are so much distract. Whether it's a Solid State Logic that you use in sch, or a budget small setup at home, at the end of the day it's still about your ears, and training your ears requires years and years of training.

Technology wise, whether it's outdated or not is not the main concern at the moment for you. Yah. It's true that technolgy can allow you to do alot of things that many can't do in the past. But if you don't even have some foundation and understanding, and most impt., your ear!!, and you wanna go straight to get the most expensive and latest gears, then it doesn't make sense. Many times, you can find great deals from 2nd-handers.

Enjoy man.

 

[nitrovo]

thanks man.

convinced dad to get my a mic and toneport for my own recording and might get my friends mixer aswell.

My campus is 40min train ride away and my course operates 3 days a week so tis ahssle for me to go there and sue their stuff.

 

[blueprintstudios]

ah yes, a good start would be a safe mic - sm57 / or sm58
tone port UX2 is good. since it's a soundcard/micpreamp/guitar d.i emulator in one. so probably next time when you record drums you could go:

drums > mics > mixer (stereo) > UX2

do keep us updated.

 

[gsonique]

sound engi ...is an art just like playing an instrument ....you will pick up tricks along the way ....and gear!!
Start school first...look into gear later !!

i have worked best with self taught sound people compared to text book worms...so get the basics, learn from the best and do your own worx.

 

[sofyan]

listen to blueprint, he speaks sense.

 

[soft]

start doing something, anything. 2 advantages. if you learn something, you become better. if you become more confused, at least you know what to ask when you attend the course.

 

[blueprintstudios]

ah yes that's a good way to put it.

"If you don't know, Ask."
"If you don't know what to ask, find out."

 

[soft]

when i was studying, i use softimage and alias in school. at home, i use lightwave. it never hurts to learn more software and use more tool.

grap any gear + daw you can get your hands on and record ... record .. record...

 

[parablue74]

Answer yourself this question, can you learn guitar without a guitar, just by going for guitar classes all the time???

 

[exin]

honestly speaking ... i'm very into the recording arts as well but i'm very much self taught. my school has a small recording studio armed with Digidesign racks and ProTools LE ...

all i had to do was to occupy the studio and sit down and go through what my lecturer taught me. each time i don't understand i crash his other classes and ask him ... hahahah ... i figured that some day he may have gotten annoyed with me .... but that's how i learnt.

another thing is to READ READ READ READ and READ ... and understand of course .. there are tons of websites on the web that gives you invaluable information on recording .. one of them would be www.tweakheadz.com .. not sure if i got the URL right but something close. tons of information ...

there are alot of ways to set up your home studio. correct me if i'm wrong but you can set it up in more like a music production studio .. e.g. working solely on music composition and stuff .. so you don't really need an elaborate setup. Just a simple midi keyboard .. mixer .. near field monitors and some composition software and you're set to go ...

there are others like a full live band studios .. which is certainly more expensive and require more space .. so i guess it's what you really want.

my suggestion is that you go learn what you have in school first and just get it into your system. Show enthusiasm by leeching on the lecturer.. asking him questions ... bugging him about stuff .. and warming your studio chair seat by hogging the studio for yourself so you can learn and experiment ..

hope that helps .. =)