Education · 1 of 4

The path

Short training, then a long apprenticeship in practice if not in name.

  1. 1

    High school

    Grades 11 and 12

    Music, physics and computer studies. Record your friends' bands. Run sound for the school play.

  2. 2

    Audio program

    1 to 2 years

    A one-year private audio school, a one-year film sound program, or a two-year college music technology diploma.

  3. 3

    Assist and run live sound

    1 to 2 years

    Bars, theatres, churches, conference centres. Hundreds of hours of fixing problems fast.

  4. 4

    Specialize

    Year 2 to 4

    Music mixing, film post-production, game audio, live touring or broadcast. They stop overlapping quickly.

  5. 5

    Lead the room

    Year 4 and beyond

    Mixing your own sessions, supervising a sound team, or running front of house for a touring act.