I am 14 and a freshman in my town high school. I am WAY above average intelligence, my father is a biochemist and my half brother is a statistics professor at Brown. I could probably outdo them as far as the academic or biotechnology fields go, but that's not my "thing". My thing is music. I'm not just a boy who has a guitar 'cause I want to look cool, I play and sing and write for hours and hours everyday. And THEN...I look at the statistics for "making it" in the real life music field. I'm real good even after doing this for about a year, but I'm probably not going to be grammy-winning even if I have all the right timing, luck and friends in high places.

I am thinking of getting into music production or studio management as a profession. This is not my cop-out instead of having a "real" job as some people (teachers) have implied to me. I can seriously deal with being poor as shit for a decade as long as I get to do what I love. I have no desire to be a "famous" production engineer, etc., I just think it would be absolutely BRILLIANT to be able to grow up, do my time making coffee, then go on and open and (co-)manage a medium-sized studio on the outskirts of a city. I'm sure there is a market for rehearsal rooms, quick demoing, etc. I am passionate about music and helping other people become great. I have good people skills especially when it comes to making friends with other musicians (even older, more experienced ones) and even better at business concepts.

I know quite a few (3+) people here on bandamp co-manage or work in the music production area, and I'd appreciate it if you basically throw all the information you can think of at me. What kind of colleges that I will need to go to (to seriously be a studio manager, or work at one...FullSail? Berkley?), what experience I'll need to be treated seriously, etc. I want everything you can throw at me. I have more than the average dollop of maturity, I'm not "bragging", I just know myself and don't want to be treated like a four year old with big dreams anymore. I want to know what I have to do, to do what I want to do.

Wow. That kinda got long...

INFORM-IZZLE ME!

Can't help you with the information front but for fuck sake kid, don't loose your spark. Don't ever think "maybe they're right". Do what the fuck you want to do and don't let the system take you down just because if your intelegant they wan't you on their side and they'll kill your moral if you go against their word. You are blatently very intelegant as you've figured academics is nothing in comparison to doing what you really care about. Good work. Keep it that way.
Wish you the best of luck. Sorry I couldn't actually give you any real help though....
KI

Hi there,

Didn't catch your name in that, but I'm going to assume it's Zach.
Anyway, it seems you have some negatives. Teachers. Obviously these won't be the people in your life for the long term so aslong as you've got support from family and friends you should be alright!

The only let down at the moment you obviously have is your age in respect to getting investment to start this "studio" of yours. I would start with low-budget setups, but not one that will hinder a learning curve. Of course the music industry will most likely change once more like it did in relation to analogue and digital.

Obviously with a 4-track and a microphone you can do wonders. One thing is for certain though, you need money.

Anyway, sorry for wasting your time, best of luck,
Aaron

Whatever you may think of music (in what way whatsoever) as a profession, Zach - it's a job like any other! It has good sides and not-so-good sides...

Wanna know where to start? Get an education in business management. Then you'll have the theoretic bagage to start up, run and keep a business going in any field you like. In this case it'll be a music production studio.

Good luck!

I have to agree with PX on this one. Music has nothing to do with the production side of it. You can be freakin Eddie Van Halen on the guitar, but if you aint got business savvy, you aint gunna make it...

 Got to school, get edumacated, and then go bug the heck outta studios, big and small, small usually will hire you quicker. unless you can get an internship at some larger one, but that's hard to do. Anyway, get some wrok experience under your belt, it helps to also look into some studio production classes. I honestly suggest majoring in business, not studio production, because, You will actually go farther in the field. The cash cows, err, investors, only care about business, not how well you can mix....I thought about it, once, but I am too stupid.

   JimK

Are you at some kind of 'decision' point in your life? Do you have to choose some course or study now ?

If you ask me, the very fact that you 'did' post and 'what' you posted shows that you are indeed, as you say intelligent enough, and that you are doing what you want to do, in every way!
Stay focused.
Never take your eye off the ball!
Get educated, take every thing your school can throw at you, soak it all up now that you can, and at the end say 'thank you very much' and then just keep on going!
Get on your bike and go around every small/large music studio asking for any kind of job, Saturdays, holidays any time, until you get one.
Find a way to tell them what you really want to do in your life, don't be as long as your post! lol
But definitely show them your enthusiasm! 
Be observant and be helpful.

As for courses, one such course I have also informed about is the SAE.
These guys are world-wide so you can study anywhere.
There are members who could tell you more about this!


Well! break a leg!      

yeah Kings pretty much hit the nail on the head.  Almost every good recording studio uses interns and offers internships (it is a way in the door). Your basically the gopher at first. Make the coffee take out the trash clean up put away cables, stand , and mics, sweep ect.  They will also usually teach you while you are there to.  Check with your local colleges we have U.M.KC. here that offers music degrees but also has recording engineering and music production stuff.  Some of our community colleges offer courses ...Johnson County Community College offers  several types of recording engineering and music and video degrees.  So check with your local colleges and schools. check with some of the recording studios too sometimes they offer courses too.

 If you are serious about your music then I would start taking lessons if our not already from a good teacher. or most colleges have private lessons there teachers give also.  Find a teacher that will teach you not only your instrument but can teach you practical music theory. 

 Whatever you do remember that you can only become good at something through dedication and hard work towards that goal.

Thanks for the responses guys!

I am taking lessons from a great teacher who is real good and guides me in my songwriting by teaching me music theory. I'm thinking about getting vocal lessons.

I think I'll apply in the summer for internships at the studios, I'll be 15 then.

We'll see how it all goes from there

Zach,
As a musician you will never stop learning or studying. You will always have teachers and always be teaching.
There is no end to that, ever. Maybe when you die it ends but I don't know yet.
No matter how good you think you are you must be humble. In order to find your path you cannot assume that you are "there" bacuase when you think "I'm there" you are no longer there.
Music is something that does not preclude everything else.
One of my professors in college told me that it isn't the killer musicians now (in college) that become the great ones it is the ones who do it for 40 years. If this is the case, which I believe is, then you have 39 years to go before you can say "I'm there". And, when you get there you may realize and say "i'm not there, yet".
In the music "BUSINESS" you need to know accounting, law, marketing, music performance, music production, psychology, philosophy, languages, mathematics, physics, and more. The business often has nothing to do with music; it has to do with business.
There are many more people out there that would exploit you and steal from you than help you.
Right now just do music and live life. Go to college and grad school and post grad. JUST DON'T QUIT PLAYING.
"If you want to go to heaven train your ear"
Remeber too that it is easier to buy studio time if you have money than if you are a poor musician.
Don't play for free; professionals get paid just like doctors and lawyers.
Good luck. Your elders are not completely wrong when they suggest things they have a lifetime of experience and, although it may not fit into your scheme you may understand in thirty years.
Wish you all the mazel.

One more thing.
Look at the universe as points of light rediating outward rather than boxes.

Sorry to yank your chain, but it isn't that easy. It's not about your intelligence, it's about who you are as a person and what u can do musically. If you are an arrogant jerk, then noone will want you as a producer.

Oh, and so many studios out there, it's way hard to break through. Trust me, I've worked with an owner of a small/medium scale studio/rehearsal space before.

Don't lose hope though, I'll see you all on MTV.