Useful qualification suggestions

[Chris L]

Hi there,

I'm 16 and a student doing GCSEs in 1 month.

I am wondering what the best sort of A-Levels and Degrees to do for the area of audio engineer. (had to say audio - it feels more mathematical )

I've started a maths A-level after getting my GCSE last year and am doing a Music Technology A-Level, with plans to add to that Further Maths, Chemistry and Electronics next year.

I have been advised (other than getting to know people) to do a general degree and then specialize in a masters.

So would doing an analogue electronics degree and then a specialized audio systems masters be a good plan? (I would like to be in sound design/equipment design).

I also do some live sound stuff at small rock gigs so I would say I've gained some useful, broad and basic knowledge on a subject which takes a lifetime or more to perfect.

 

 

Chris

[ChrisD]

I'd do Theatre Studies or Drama AS or A-Level. I would personally say if you have experience of acting and are working as an LX or noise boy in a theatre, it can help a lot. Just being able to see things from an actors perspective helps. I'd also have a little read thru the rest of the topics in this forum as many other people have given or asked for advice on the same topic.

 

If in doubt, give it a google. I'm sure you can find CVs for people who work in the sound industry online and it should give you an idea of the different paths there are.

[Simon Lewis]

Chris,

 

It would help to know what areas you intend working in... If by audio engineer you mean 'sound mixer' then there are many people in the business who have no qualifications, or who started out studying engineering/law/humanities etc. but discovered theatre or the university’s tech society and dropped out of their studies!

 

Many would argue that a qualification isn't needed - you can learn on the job, and good attitude / good timekeeping and good personal hygiene will make you acceptable to hire companies! Furthermore, these same people may well decry those with a 'qualification' as they will have met people who insist that their diploma or degree makes them eligible to be A1 on a world tour...

 

So is it worth getting qualified? Well I would suggest it is, but there are various approaches:

 

1) To get hands on training - here you are taught 'how' to do it (wind cables, hang speakers, mix bands etc.). This may well be at a performing arts college or a BA degree, although the degree should also be getting you to ask 'why' you do it this way, and something of 'how it works'. Courses with this approach are likely to be vocational and specific to your area of interest.

 

2) To get a technical knowledge of the subject, with learning skills that are transferable across different subject areas. Here, you may be learning technology at a performing arts centre, but possibly studying a more engineering based course. You may have some hands on training, but you will be asking 'how does it work' as much as 'how do I work it'.

 

3) To get a fundamental understanding of the subject's principles, often taught in a broad subject discipline. Here, you may be learning pure electrical and electronic engineering, physics, acoustics etc. The material is excellent, but may lack specific application to your subject of interest.

 

Since you want to do sound design / equipment design the inclusion of a technical degree is a good one. However, I would not limit it to purely analogue electronics. Many pieces of audio kit have some element of digital design, and the trend is very much towards DSP based implementation of analogue processing.

 

Given your subject choice to date, I'd suggest either taking electrical & electronic engineering or an audio electronics course at degree level, or taking a subject specific course that includes a high proportion of electronics. You can select an MSc in digital design, analogue systems or DSP should you wish to develop your skills further.

 

Incidently, if you are considering a technical degree, please don't take Drama or Theatre Studies :-) (apologies to Chris D!) you need to have a strong technical grounding, and A level maths etc. is what you 'll need for EEE etc.

 

Without wishing to blow my own trumpet too much, the University of Derby offers two courses that are between 2 & 3 above: BSC(Hons) Music Technology & Audio System Design, and BSc(Hons) Sound, Light & Live Event Technology. Both are externally accredited as engineering programmes by the IIE, and therefore offer progression to Incorporated Engineer status.

 

If you wish to know more, please contact me at s.lewis@derby.ac.uk

 

Good luck with your studies!

 

Simon Lewis

[Chris L]

Thanks,

The 'how does it work' thing is what I'm really after here and sums it up well.

I'd looked at both those courses, and had a lot of thought about them and opted to try and find a good analogue electronics course, because I can learn a lot of the sound and lighting stuff from my hobbies (I do try to do a lot of gigs).

I'm looking into the electronics thing, and I'll try to be open minded, but I don't really like digital electronics as much (it just 'feels' too easy/simple to me).

I'm really after being able to do most of: mixing/live sound design (where to put speakers at Glastonbury or smaller equvilent), sound system design (say where to put the speakers for a new theatre) or equipment design. (I love a technical/logical challenge).

 

 

Chris

[Simon Lewis]

Chris,

 

By all means, consider the analogue electronics route, but I suspect that you haven't been exposed to the more complex issues in digital electronics. microprocessors, PICs, embedded systems and DSP. This can equal or transcend the material you will study for analogue electronics.

 

It is not realistic to separate the world into analogue and digital - since most devices embrace both technologies, and (as mentioned previously) the rise of devices such as Soundweb and MediaMatrix and the introduction of reliable digital multicores and audio over TCP/IP mean that the future of audio is very definitely digital!

 

Furthermore, the electronics aspect is but part of the picture. You will need to understand the electroacoustic element as well. This is vital for your aspirations for sound equipment design - probably more so than the electronics strand!

 

In addition to the programmes we run, you should consider electronics or preferably electroacoustic programmes at Salford, Southampton, Surrey etc.

 

Good luck with your search - and please do pop over to one of our Open Days to see the work we carry out.

 

Regards,

 

Simon Lewis

[Chris L]

I will try to come down on an open day so I can get an idea of the different aspects, and am looking at a general electronics degree now, with an audio systems post-grad. qualification. I am a bit of a fan of analogue, because (at my level, at least) it is much harder and is more challenging. I know everything will become digital and I am aspiring to this, I have also done some microprocessor programming. I'll see what comes up, then.

 

Thanks very much for your advice.

 

Chris

[J Pearce]

In my research so far it would seem there are 2 routes, the technical route taking physic, electronics maths etc... and the drama route taking theatre studies etc.

These seem to lead to different places, the technical route seems to lead to universities taking a science based course, whereas the drama route leads to on the job training or a drama college taking an art based course. [art used to mean all things creative].

 

What does everyone else think?