What position have you received and at what company/studio?

I’m a freelancing music producer and I bring work to many studios, but I mainly work out of Chalice Recording in Hollywood. I bring in clients to the studios at a certain rate and I “hire myself” within the artist’s budget. However, I am not employed by a studio.

Check out page 4 of the “Running A Studio” PDF found in your Audio Business materials (Cycle 5 Week 2 Folder) – that page is my career.

How did you become a freelance producer?

Through fellow CRAS grads who worked at Chalice actually. I never interned there. I visited the studio a couple times to hang out and connect with friends who were making music there. I had indie production clients at the time, a lot of them looking for time in a real studio at a reasonable rate. So I started bringing clients through the door when downtime was available, with the intent of bringing money to my friends.

What are your responsibilities?

Usually, I’m producing the song for a client and taking them to the studio as part of my services. An artist will have an idea of what sound they’re going for, it’s my responsibility as a producer to make what they hear in their head manifest, and then get it all into Pro Tools. The artist and I will go back and forth until we both feel like a song is complete, then we go to the studio with it.

I work with a couple different tracking engineers there to get the best takes with some really awesome gear. I’m usually manning the talk back on the SSL during that time to make sure the artist is comfortable in the booth. The way an artist feels while tracking is just as important as the gear to me. However, more important than the gear, is having a professional engineer there who knows the studio to its fullest capabilities! After we’ve had a successful tracking session, I will take the files, comp and produce the vocals, then send off the stems to a mix engineer. The best mix engineer I know is actually a great friend of mine; an assistant engineer to Manny Marroquin, who I met at CRAS. I met that friend at a teacher’s show that I didn’t actually want to attend by the way… be up for anything!

With that being said, my main responsibility is to provide a high quality product from start to finish: Good song, HQ vocals, and a great mix all included in one budget.

If you could give some advice to our current student body, what would it be?

Be the best student you could possibly be while you are at school there. Take advantage, use the rooms, and get really sharp with your people skills. Get used to working with people you don’t know, in a timely manner, while dealing with their egos. There are a lot of interns going out from all sorts of great schools like CRAS. However, an internship doesn’t guarantee you a job in the industry. I did two of them and I learned a lot, but they didn’t hire me. I had to find my own way in and subsidize my stay out here by working some odd jobs which interfered with my internships naturally. We all have to pay our stay out here, thus, there are some students who can dedicate more time to their internships then others. I found my way in by having a steady clientele and bringing in paying work to all the studios I could.

Lastly, learn as much as you can while you’re interning, make solid connections while you’re there, and network outside with other CRAS grads. Check in on people constantly, even just a text message in the morning to say what’s up. It all goes a long way, but, think beyond your internship and how you could possibly connect all your working relationships to put yourself in the center.

By CRL Public Relations

Sometimes the signs align in a fashion that point the way for a person to follow. Andrew Schubert recognized those signs, which led him to The Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences (CRAS; www.cras.edu), and a new life as a mixer and independent producer.

Although he wasn’t a musician, Schubert had always been interested in music. He was an avid record collector with tastes in all genres and always looking for his next favorite song. He was managing a small picture frame shop in Arizona when a friend of his, CRAS graduate Donald Van Slyke, suggested he look into a CRAS education.

“I was a big Steve Albini fan and had just started to learn about his recording techniques, so Donald let me hang out in the studio,” Schubert said. “I got to where everything was pointing to CRAS. Also, I felt like I wanted to contribute to music rather than just consume music, so I thought I would try my hand and go to school.”

CRAS was an awesome experience for Schubert, who got to learn about music from the valuable one-on-one time with top-tier professors to working on state-of-the-art equipment. He appreciated the smaller class sizes with other students who had similar passions for music and we supported each other. And he really loved that the school stayed open and available all night to students so that they could schedule sessions in the CRAS studios that could last most of the night.

“I was super stoked that in addition to the latest digital equipment, CRAS still taught the use of tape, which is the main reason I chose CRAS over other schools,” he said. “I already knew there was a difference in sound quality, and the professors were teaching us the about those differences and we got to work with the different formats.”

He also appreciated that the professors grounded expectations with what was going to happen in the real world environment. “They did a really good job of letting us know that we weren’t going to leave CRAS and be millionaire record producers,” Schubert said. “We were going to be interns. We were going to clean stuff up and just be around. We were going to have to work from the ground up and impress people that way.”

Schubert landed a runner position at Resonate Studios in Burbank, Calif., where he got to work with Chris Lord-Alge and other producers. A few months later when Lord-Alge left to start MIX LA Studios, Schubert was asked to come along as the full-time runner.

When he was in the studio, Schubert spent a lot of time with Lord-Alge’s engineers learning about what they were doing and how they did their job. Eventually he was asked to sit in and was soon assisting during sessions.

Schubert advanced through MIX LA and became the studio manager. In 2014, he left the company and started his own independent 24-track analog studio, Golden Beat Recording Studio, working with bands such as Together Pangea, Mean Jeans, Brews Willis and Wand.

“I am obsessed with music and sounds,” Schubert said. “I enjoy the record making process in all its aspects, whether it be pre-production, recording, mixing, editing, overdubbing…I love it all and always look forward to the next challenge.

“CRAS really helped me to see the possibilities and to help me enter a highly competitive field with the tools and knowledge I needed to get an edge. Without CRAS, I wouldn’t be where I am now.”

The Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences is composed of two nearby campuses in Gilbert and Tempe, Ariz. A CRAS education includes broadcast audio, live sound, film and TV audio, music, and video game audio, all taught by award-winning instructors who have all excelled in their individual fields, including sound reinforcement, audio recording and production, digital recording, troubleshooting/maintenance, and music business.

The 11-month program is designed to allow every student access to learn and train in all of the Conservatory’s studios which are comprised with state-of-the-art audio recording and mixing gear, the same equipment used in today’s finest studios and remote broadcast facilities, including Pro Tools 11, API Legacy consoles, SSL AWS consoles, Studer Vista consoles, and much more. All students must complete a 280-hour industry internship to graduate from the Master Recording Program II that may ultimately lead to industry employment.

For more information on the Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences, please visit www.cras.edu, contact Kirt Hamm, administrator, at 1-800-562-6383, or email info@cras.edu.

Ryan Benson, 2015 graduate, understands what it means to gain experience. His internship experience, work ethic and education got him to where he is today. Read about what hard work and a good attitude can get you!

What position have you received and at what company/studio?

Currently I work at the Switch TV (it was Pacific Television Center Prior to 11/8/2016) as a Master Control Room Operator, and do freelance edit shifts for Media City Sound on the side.

How did you obtain this position?

I obtained my position at The Switch TV by applying online and interviewing. I got the position because I mentioned that CRAS taught me encoding, decoding, embedding and de-embedding.

What are your responsibilities?

I am responsible for booking, setting up, maintaining and trouble shooting satellite and fiber signals across the globe. I deal with a multitude of audio and video encoders, decoders, real time frame rate converters, VTRs, digital file play outs, running sound, camera and lighting for live shots (1-2 person interview cut aways, commonly on a news channel like MSNBC or CNN) while also being responsible for our 24-fiber services that carry network channels like E!, MTV, and TBN.

If you could give some advice to our current student body, what would it be?

Always keep going. I worked at an audio post house (Media City Sound) for minimum wage for 8 months before getting my current job. It was brutal and unfair, but it gave me the skills I needed – and my resume what it needed – to obtain my current position. I also still do freelance edits for them.

Advice tip #2 is: Don’t burn bridges; you’ll want to cross them again later.

At CRAS, we want to see you succeed in both the classroom and the real world. During our 11-month program, we teach you the skills you need to become an audio engineering chameleon, equipped to handle situations both on-set as well as in the studio. The 12-week internship is an integral part of this process.

What position have you received and at what company/studio?

I am one of the three Audio Engineer’s at L.A. East Recording Studios, owned and operated by Non-Stop Music, in Salt Lake City, UT. Non-Stop Music is a “Production Music” company under the “Warner/Chappell Production Music” umbrella of companies, owned by the Warner Music Group.

How did you obtain this position? (Did you apply? Intern there first?)
I walked in and DEMANDED IT!!! Haha no, just kidding. “L.A. East” was actually one of my top 3 studios that we sent my resume out to, for an internship.

I interned for almost a year, and was then offered a job doing data-entry in the offices for Non-Stop Music. About a year of data-entry (and sneaking in to help setup for sessions) one of the engineers left the company, and I was able to take his spot.

What are your responsibilities?

Pretty much anything you think an audio engineer does, we all do. Tracking, editing, mixing, mastering… Every now and then, we can throw in syncing picture if we’re recording a movie trailer, or film score.

If you could give some advice to our current student body, what would it be?

While you’re in school: Don’t be afraid to ask the “stupid questions”, if it helps you learn something you haven’t quite grasped. Book the studios, and stay as late as possible, just practicing little things. Try different, “crazy” signal flow routings, get your signal lost, and find a way to get it back…you’ll learn many many things. Also, as great as your instructors are…remember, the project staff can be a HUGE resource of information. Pick their brains in addition to your teachers’.

After school: Don’t give up! Sometimes it can be a grind to get a gig. (whether that is a paying gig, and internship, or even a part time job at a grocery store, while you’re finding work) Keep your head down, and if you look in the right places, and talk to the right people, there will always be an audio gig around! This is particularly true if you are heading into a “smaller market”. I was unsure what the audio industry would be like in Salt Lake City, but after being around, there are so many opportunities, if you can be well practiced and willing to keep learning. Studio, Location Sound/Broadcasting, Voiceover, Live Sound (seriously, bars shuffle in and out of sound-guys like cards on a poker table) Get out there, meet some people, be nice, remember where you came from and stay grounded, and gigs will start coming your way. Good Luck!

Live Sound Engineer – Front of House – Production Management

Mike Yerkman graduated from the Conservatory program only 2 years ago and is already working tons of live sound gigs as a FOH (Front of House) engineer and production management!

Check out his story.

What position have you received and at what company/studio?

I work monitors and front of house as well as some production managing at Double Door, which is located in Chicago.

How did you obtain this position? (Did you apply? Intern there first?)

I interned at this venue through CRAS and landed a position almost immediately after completing my 280 Hours.

What are your responsibilities?

All nights are different in their own ways. Some nights I’m on monitors for a band. That includes setting up mics, ringing out monitors, and running sound for anywhere from 2-5 bands. There have been nights where I have had 12-band shows. Other nights I’ll work FOH in our smaller downstairs venue, called Door Number 3, where usually DJs or punk bands play shows. These shows are also when I’ll production manage, which includes keeping track of capacity (downstairs is 125 persons max, so it fills up quick on some nights). It also includes peeping green rooms and paying the performers.

If you could give some advice to the CRAS student body, what would it be?

Spend time in the studios while in school. Honestly don’t leave. Take notes and work as a team with your classmates. When you leave for your internship, stay on Pro Tools, and if you and to do live sound, study your frequencies and the Avid Venue console.

Congrats on your success, Mike!

Live sound is just one of the Five Focuses of audio engineering that CRAS trains students for. This is just one example of the many jobs available to people interested in working in the music production world. Click here to learn more about Live Sound, or contact us at 888-930-1991.

Center Stage – Graduate Spotlight is our blog series “spotlighting” on CRAS Graduates who have shared their success stories with CRAS.  These stories will show you how unique and different every student’s experience is during their internships and the beginnings of their careers in audio.  This spotlight post is on Chris Robbins. 

Chris Robbins started at CRAS in November 2014.   And now he has been hired as Assistant Engineer at Chez Boom Studios in Austin. Hit the Continue button to read his story!

While on campus, he started a podcast with a few classmates.  Each cycle they would get together to recapping the cycle they had just completed and then put out the podcast.  Check it out Cycle 6’s podcast here!

What position have you received and at what company/studio?

Assistant Engineer At Chez Boom Studios

How did you obtain this position? (Did you apply? Intern there first?)

This was an internship that ended in a Job

What are your responsibilities?

ADR, VO’s, Audio books, Clientelling, PRO TOOLS!! I also get to submit my music for radio and television jingles.

If you could give some advice to our current student body, what would it be?

Slow down, Stay calm, and listen. Be open-minded and ready for anything! The number one greatest skill you can have in this business is a positive attitude no matter what the situation.

Now check out the studio that Chris works at!   ChezBoom Audio

About The Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences

Based in the heart of The Valley of the Sun with two campuses in Gilbert and Tempe, Ariz., The Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences (CRAS) is one of the country’s  institutions for audio education. The Conservatory has developed a unique and highly effective way to help the future audio professional launch their careers in the recording industry and other related professional audio categories.

For more information about CRAS or our Master Recording Program II visit our website or call an admissions representative today! 800-562-6383

Daniel started at CRAS in the beginning of 2013. Here is what he’s been up to since…

What position have you received and at what company/studio?

Hype Man. Also, I’m an electronic tech and a guitar tech at a new and growing company called British Audio Service and Music.

How did you obtain this position? (Did you apply? Intern there first?)

When I first moved to Nashville I got a job working midnight to 7am in a warehouse as a repair tech where I was able to practice SMD soldering and eventually get IPC certified. After 7 months my internship at Starstruck was ending and the warehouse life was driving me crazy, so I left and went to find a new job. About a month later I was driving home and saw a music store to my left, so I went in to see if they were hiring. The first thing they asked me was if I was a tech so, me not knowing anything but how to solder really well was like, “Yes!” I didn’t have my resume with me so I drove home and updated it real quick then came right back. A couple days later I got the call saying I was hired. My first day was a disaster because I didn’t know what I was doing.

I told them I would work for free until I was able to hold my own and two weeks later I was getting paid. The owner Shane really took me in and along with Ben and Mike they gave me the tools I needed to grow as a technician. It’s been two years now with these cats and I still learn something new every single day.

What are your responsibilities?

Repairing/Restoring/Modifying tube amps, consoles, keyboards, pedals, and stringed instruments. Training and teaching the interns. I talk gear with all the customers and nerds that come in which is probably the best part. I do all of the carpentry work and pretty much anything as needed. Our real commodity is problem solving and the problem isn’t always electrical. Most people just want help with their tone and trust our knowledge and experience to either point them in the right direction or take them there entirely.

If you could give some advice to our current student body, what would it be?

Help as many people as you possibly can and stay humble. Make people laugh! Also, carry around a pack of smokes (spirits preferably). Even if you don’t smoke. I have met countless people through sharing. The goal is to meet as many people as you can and to always be respectful. Everyone knows something you don’t know and you need to learn what that is.

Our next Graduate Spotlight will be Chris Robbins. Stay tuned!

About The Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences

Based in the heart of The Valley of the Sun with two campuses in Gilbert and Tempe, Ariz., The Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences (CRAS) is one of the country’s institutions for audio education. The Conservatory has developed a unique and highly effective way to help the future audio professional launch their careers in the recording industry and other related professional audio categories.

For more information about CRAS or our Master Recording Program II visit our website or call an admissions representative today! 800-562-6383

Most recently, we had 3 incredible grads stop by and tell us about their lives.

Nik Karpen – After graduating in 2004, he worked as a full time staff engineer under Chris Lord Alge. Nik has earned credits on albums by Green Day, Muse, Joe Cocker, Stevie Nicks, Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood, Rise Against, and more.

Kris Pierce – He currently works for Theatre for a New Audience at the Polonsky Shakespeare Center in Brooklyn, New York. Kris was worked on Julie Taymor’s “A Mid-Summer Night’s Dream”, and Steve Martin’s “Bright Star”.

Ike Schultz –  Ike graduated from the Conservatory in 2012, and went on to work on projects like Kanye West’s “The Life of Pablo”, Rihanna’s “Anti”, Calvin Harris’ “Motion”, Adele’s “25”, Megan Trainor’s “Thank You” and many more.

Nik is a freelance audio engineer in Los Angeles, California.

My CRAS experience was full immersion in everything audio. CRAS did a great job of taking me with just an interest [in audio recording], to feeling confident that I could walk into a professional facility and succeed.

I interned in Los Angeles, at Conway studios, which has since been reborn as EastWest Studios. It was very intimidating being in these world-class studios, with world-class artists. Thankfully, all the experiences and education that I had gotten at CRAS proved to help me cope with that, and ultimately excel.

Looking back, after 12 years in the audio industry, it’s amazing to think that I’ve actually been able to get where I wanted to get. What allowed me to persevere were all the little successes, at every stage – moving to Phoenix to go to a recording school, taking the jump to move to Los Angeles to try to just get an internship at a world class studio, and having that become a paid job was such amazing, positive feedback that it keeps the fire burning.”

Check out Nik’s full interview here!

Kris Pierce graduated from the Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences in 2005.

I came to CRAS expecting to learn what exactly I was doing in the studios. What is EQ really doing? What is compression really doing? I already knew how to use them, I already knew how to mix. I just didn’t know technically what I was doing.

CRAS helped me by teaching me technically what I was doing. It provided me with great training, and an internship that started a professional career. My CRAS experience was one of the best experiences of my life. I still look back at it as the best 9 months I’ve ever had.

I went to Electric Lady Studios for my internship. My experience at Electric Lady really taught me how to focus on anticipating what a client needed. It taught me how to create a comfortable atmosphere for the client. An example there would be when Snoop Dogg would come. We would have a very specific vocal booth that we would build for him that would have plush carpets on it, and be very decked out. It was very specific to him, so if we had 24 hours notice, his setup would be ready for him.

Hear all of Kris’ interview here!

Ike Schultz is the assistant engineer at Larabee Studios, in North Hollywood, Los Angeles, California.

My CRAS experience was fantastic. Throughout the entire time that I was here, I felt that I was consistently learning at a pace that was both thorough and efficient. For my internship, I transitioned into being one of Manny Marroquin’s mix assistants.

Working for Manny Marroquin was a great experience. The amount that I was able to learn and acquire working for someone at that high of a level, in that specific field of engineering, was a once in a lifetime opportunity.

My education at CRAS prepared me very well for the internship that I had. Being able to walk into a room and know on a fundamental level the things that were going on. That allowed me to pick up the pace very quickly. What I got out of the internship was more than anything I could have asked for. To be placed in the particular situation that I was, and to be working at that level of the music industry, was something that I never would have expected.

Check out Ike’s entire interview here!

CRAS hosts up to 4 CRAS Graduate Panels a year – each CRAS Graduate Panel allows graduates in various industries in audio to share their experiences with our student population as well as our Open House guests.

For more information about CRAS – head to our website: CRAS.edu

Graduate success is always great to write about. It’s exciting to hear first hand of a student’s success! This is why I am so excited to write this post about our graduate, Kevin Anyaeji.

We were recently able to purchase a couple copies of the plaque for Kevin’s work on Cheryl’s album “Only Human”, which was recently certified gold! We like to purchase copies of all our student’s credited works, which we proudly display onsite at our campuses.

He has been working in the audio industry for a little over 4 years and has had some great success. Right before leaving, I approached Kevin and asked if he’d be interested in an opportunity that we had just received. Without hesitation, he said yes and the rest is pretty much history!

Kevin was able to intern at a private facility, with A-List engineer/producer Wayne Wilkins, who had just relocated to LA.

Wayne was originally an engineer/producer in England and had relocated to LA to work with his clients. Wayne’s discography is amazing. He’s co-written and co-produced songs for Natasha Bedingfield’s “These Words”, “Single” and “Love Like This”; Beyonce’s “Sweet Dreams”; Cheryl Cole‘s “Fight For This Love” and “Promise This”; and Jordin Sparks’s “Battlefield”. You can see more about Wayne Wilkins on his website: www.waynewilkins.com

A few months ago, I ran into Kevin while he happened to be at our Gilbert location one night for a session. He thanked me for everything, and said that he owes it all to me. I was very humbled by his gracious comment. I thanked him for the kind words, but reminded him that all I did was offer him an opportunity; his hard work and character allowed him to move forward with his career.Kevin had remained with Wayne after his internship was complete. He’s even called CRAS and requested interns.

This past week, I got an email from Kevin with some great news! He had flown to London and had been part of the songwriting and recording sessions on Cheryl Cole’s new album. Her first release was “Crazy Stupid Love”, featuring Tinie Tempah. This song has hit #1 on the charts in the UK and has remained there for the past 6 weeks.

Check out Cheryl’s video for her hit single “Crazy Stupid Love”

The hit single has also certified as Silver with BPI, which is the equivalent to the RIAA certifications here in the US.

If you’d be interested in taking a chance with a great internship opportunity and would like to attend CRAS, apply here: http://www.audiorecordingschool.com/online-app.html

Congratulations to Kevin with his success and we hope this is just the beginning for him! 

If you are curious about what other work CRAS grads have done, check out this link here!