music technician

[MrsN]

My friend's son was doing a music technician course and wants to be a music technician, but the course was so badly run, with lecturers who were not interested, that it has stopped. He does not know where to go now. Does anyone know of a well-run course, or how he could get into a career as a music technician please?

[romko]

To be honest, in that line of work, experience and who you know is far more important than any qualification. You would do better spending the money set aside for course fees on some second hand equipment (mixers, PA, effects, recorders...) to play with at home, to gain hands-on understanding of how it works. An understanding of electronics is necessary.

 Getting experience at hospital radio or local tv channels would also be useful, even if not directly relevant, one thing I found out was that you never know who you may meet or what skills you might pick up which later come in handy.  Moving in local band and music circles will help make useful contacts and gain knowledge of the terminology.

Above all, you have to be passionate about the work, the equipment etc. and be prepared to have to go for periods without working.  and also expect other periods spent working long hours for little pay but valuable experience. Given that the music industry attracts huge numbers of people, it is fiercely competitive. Just having a qualification is not enough.

good luck  

[Kinsao]

I'm not sure what it's like, but Leeds University does a course on 'Musical instrument technology'. Presumably this includes options on the stuff he's interested in.