5 top tips for a 1st year Audio and Music student
5 top tips for a 1st year Audio and Music student
Being a first year Audio and music student has opened my eyes to so many opportunities and taught me so much. Whilst it took me a few weeks to get the hang of the lectures and content, I am now loving it. Here are 5 top tips that I feel would be super useful to all the future audio students!
1) Book Studios
As a first-year student, it is important to get to know the studios at every opportunity you get. As soon as you get the chance, book out a studio with friends and just have a jam recording session. Not only can this help with your knowledge and skills, but this is a great way to get to know people on your course, or in the music department, that you could potentially work with on assignments in the future! First year is all about exploring and networking, just have fun!
2) Assignments
The move from college to university can be challenging, especially on a music course if you don’t have a big musical background. My lecturers during my first year have been so helpful, if you ever need help in the studio or on a Pro Tools assignment, they are always willing to advise you and give you support.
3) Listen to music
Another great tip I learned was to explore as many different genres of music as you can. During your course you will be asked to compose melodies and put mixes together, so discovering new genres of music can be good for inspiration. An amazing website for this is Every Noise at once. There are thousands of different genres of music on there to discover, as well as popular and new artists in that genre. (https://everynoise.com/)
4) Don’t be afraid to get things wrong!
First year at university is all about exploring new things and learning from your mistakes, so during lectures, when there is a chance to take the lead on the mixing desk, do it! One thing I wish I had done is throw myself in to these opportunities more, the only way a lot of people learn in the studios is by actually doing it themselves, and don’t worry about getting things wrong, sometimes you can’t get it right until you’ve made mistakes!
5) Be openminded!
One thing I am constantly thinking about is what I want to do after university. Keeping an open mind when exploring new skills and parts of the industry really helps. For example, I never thought I would want to go into DJ-ing, however I had the chance to have a go on a DJ deck, and it blew my mind! You never know if it’s right or not for you If you don’t give it a go. This also applies when looking for your first music related job, look for any opportunities out there, and don’t worry if it’s not something you want to do long term, it’s great experience to have, and gets you a foot in the door to the industry.
