Online learning vs formal education in today’s audio industry
In the early days of audio, there were no real options for formal education. People learned from teaching themselves, by trial and error, and with mentors and internships in studios. As technology became more accessible and interest grew, educational institutions capitalized and created programs, followed by the more recent influx of online courses and tutorials.
For some people, post-secondary education in audio engineering can be helpful, it can help when applying for certain jobs, but it is not necessarily the best path, or the only path, in the audio field.
Self-directed education through online learning is becoming better and better and is gradually being seen as a legitimate qualification when looking for work. So why choose one over the other for your career path?
Formal education vs self-directed learning
I did go through formal schooling at a specialized trade-specific college. While I am very grateful for my education, I’ve seen a lot of change during my time in the industry, in both the industry itself and in the educational landscape. These changes call into question whether it’s worth considering a self-directed educational path over formal schooling.
The increased interest in music creation has lead to an influx of self-directed education opportunities through online courses and YouTube.
Many people argue that it’s harder to find reliable quality content on the internet since anyone can make content, but they don’t realize that not all schools have quality programs either. Essentially, you need to do your research and find the right program for you in either case.
Audio engineering and music production is a unique field. So much of the craft is learned by making mistakes and being “on the job”. Like any creative industry, there are many variables and different ways to do things, all directed by an individual’s creativity, situation, and the tools they have on hand.
Cost
Any post-secondary program has a large cost, as many people know, and audio is no different. Program tuition can start at 20k per year, with living expenses, computers and software on top of that.
Online education is either free through youtube or free content, or you can join a subscription group or buy online courses which would still only be a few hundred dollars over the course of the year.
The filler content
What each person perceives as “filler content” when looking at a program’s curriculum will be different depending on their end goal. I do agree that it’s good to get a well-rounded base of knowledge, and you never know what new things will inspire you and may become your specialty.
For some people, this variety is a big positive for attending audio school. However, many people already know their area of interest and don’t care about exploring other options. The downside then is, overall grades will be pulled down and won’t accurately reflect the knowledge of their specialty.
For example, someone may know for a fact that they DO NOT want to do live sound (like myself, I’ve tried it and it really doesn’t work for me), but yet they still have to study that information and get good grades even though they do not see the value of that info.
Often formal schooling falls short in making the connection between the content they are teaching and your specific area of interest. For example, when I was in school I learned to solder in the “live sound class”, and it wasn’t until a couple of months into my internship that I realized the value of soldering in “studio work” as well. School had never pointed out that connection for me.
The law of averages
Because formal schools follow the law of averages for learning styles and speeds, it could result in wasted time or missed information, and may not fit your learning style.
With online education, learning is done at whatever pace makes sense for the student, with content that is niched and applied to a specific area of interest, making no “filler” content. One-on-one assistance is a great way to learn, however, most school programs don’t have this as a priority or capability.
Audio engineering is not about making music
There’s more to engineering than just making beats or cool guitar amps, and many people going into these programs don’t realize that. Audio engineering schools aren’t designed for those who just have an interest in music or want to be artists. The focus is much more technical therefore a disappointment to many who assumed it was about “making music”.
While being able to record your own music can be helpful in your pursuit of being a songwriter or artist, going to a dedicated audio engineering program is much more technical. Online tutorials could make it much easier and simpler than spending so much time and money learning largely unnecessary skills.
They teach the fundamentals
Schools are good at teaching you the fundamentals in a well-organized fashion, however, the basics are ALL they teach you.
I have seen many graduates who are under the illusion they know everything when they come into the studio. They soon realize they only have enough knowledge to get them started. When schools are teaching a well-rounded program (in a year or two), they only have time to skim the surface of each subject.
Those who simply take the knowledge fed to them and don’t go out of their way to learn more, will find themselves at a disadvantage when looking for a job against others who have done their own self-directed education alongside their formal schooling.
Meeting like-minded people
When in school, you know you’re surrounded by like-minded individuals who are all learning and interested in the same field you are. It’s nice to have a group of friends in the same industry when you leave school. Growing a network with or without school is important, school just makes it a little easier to start.
There are many free online groups to be a part of, and many online education programs offer private support groups to facilitate that sense of community, even when doing self-directed learning.
You get a sense of how it is in the industry
Many of the programs boast that they have faculty members who work (or have worked) in the industry and can describe aspects of real-world work. However, they also tend to hold back the undesirable aspects of the industry not wanting to deter people. Even if/when they described what it’s like outside of school, many people either wouldn’t believe them, call them jaded, or believe their own experience will be different.
When I was in school, I had a professor who gave a class he called “How to not be a douche bag” and another class on how to clean microwaves and get coffee orders. A couple of years later, he was forced to pull those classes due to complaints that they were offensive and irrelevant to audio. The thing is, those classes had some of the most practical information to get (and keep) internships at major studios.
The school will help me get a job
Schools advertise their employment numbers to get more people to enroll. However, what they don’t tell you is where those alumni are employed. The statistics include those employed at a local coffee shop or music store, which is hardly the world-renowned engineers they would like you to believe every single one of their graduates are.
Many institutions do have connections to the industry, and that does help the chances of getting opportunities. However, they also have all your classmates and previous alumni who are also looking for those same opportunities. Jobs are not simply handed out, and it will still require a lot of work to find and obtain them.
The job market in audio is shrinking
One of the biggest reasons people tend to want to get a degree is to be able to get into a job. However, as the number of audio schools and graduates grows, the number of jobs in the industry requiring that degree is shrinking.
Unlike many careers, there are many more graduates than jobs in this shrinking market.
In the audio field, unpaid internships are the way to get your foot in the door, and paying jobs usually don’t pay enough to warrant the large amounts of student debt acquired to get them.
This is not to say you can’t make a living making music, it’s just not in the same “safe and secure” employment as other careers. Many people making a living in the industry are in the freelance path, which typically requires even more time and effort upon leaving school.
Access to studios and cool gear
Many programs have access to pretty nice studios where students get lab time. However, there are two things that may not be immediately apparent.
First, while you do get to use the studios, the time you spend in them depends on the number of students you’re sharing with. Many projects are group projects, which means you are also dividing the time with other group members. Time will still be needed outside “in-studio” time to work on projects, so it’s an illusion that all your schooling is spent in professional studios.
Second, many people spend hours learning how to use those pieces of gear specifically (and the school encourages that) however, there is a good chance that many people will never get to see or use that gear ever again. While learning on an SSL console sounds amazing (and it is) most people don’t use SSL consoles day to day.
It’s less about that piece of gear and more about the transferable knowledge it teaches, but most people forget that. The nice studios are a great advertisement for the school, but do not necessarily represent your actual educational environment.
After recording in a professional studio with the top notch gear, it can also be difficult to adjust to the reality, after graduation, when none of the same gear is in your day-to-day toolkit.
You get a diploma
When applying for a job in the audio field, the diploma is generally not something many employers actually care to see. Bands aren’t asking for diplomas when looking for someone to produce or engineer their record, they want to hear a portfolio of work.
Someone who has learned on their own outside of school could have an extensive catalogue of great work, which will land them more jobs than a “diploma”. Upon graduation, there’s still a lot of work that needs to be put into building that skill-specific portfolio. Especially in a creative industry, a “resume” of work is something a “diploma” can never replace.
A diploma can still help you get noticed when applying to a more traditional employer like a major studio or post house, however, they still like to see portfolios of relevant work to make sure you will be a good creative fit.
In the music industry, good work and a good work ethic are general more important than “a piece of paper”.
To sum it up
Everything in the audio comes down to how well you know what you’re doing, and the portfolio you have.
I believe formal education is still beneficial for;
Those who need the security of knowing they have diploma.
Those who want a diverse foundational knowledge of the audio industry, in a well laid out crash course.
Those who know they want to grind towards a more traditional job (major studio or post house) where their diploma could be helpful.
I think self-directed education will be sufficient for;
Those who are cost conscious but self-motivated enough to seek out good programs for their areas of interest.
Artists who want to record themselves better.
Beatmakers and producers who just want to work with local bands and who have already started doing that.
Recreational music creators.
Some advice I would give; start learning online, do an internship, and get a mentor. This allows you to test the waters, see the possibilities out there, and see if you actually like the real industry before spending large amounts of time and money for a fairly passion-driven business.
Many people are more than happy to help someone just starting out if they have a passion for learning. Internships have some downsides, (getting coffee is a very real part of the job) but it will allow you to be surrounded by the people and the work you hope to do.
Working in the audio industry is more of a lifestyle than a job. Although it’s a difficult industry, with enough motivation and passion, a drive for self learning and networking, it can be very rewarding. You can be successful with or without a diploma.
Always Be Creating.
