Can You Tell Me A Little About "The Break"

Motley Crue

I'm starting off in the world of Music Production, I've been involved in Radio Broadcasting and Production since I was 14 and I'm now 25, and have worked for some National Irish and UK stations in the process.

I've been lucky enough to have been involved in some great stuff - but as life goes, at the moment it's still not been enough to give me that career that I want...I mean, every good job I've had has ended amicably and I've a host of good references and qualifications etc but I'm still finding trouble getting THAT job

I'm young in the grand scheme of things, but not too young that I can start everything over, and I wouldn't have changed anything for the world - but I was wondering, what kind of break did people who work for Music Production companies and do Live Sound for bands have here? Can you share some experiences as to how you managed to get into a long term job or indeed a short term job - or how you managed to get what you consider to be the "break" you were looking for?

I'd really appreciate it, as it would give me pointers on what to do to move forward, identify like minded people and maybe something I haven't tried...or just give me some confidence on the days when I feel this drought might never end.

TelePaul

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SaFTm2bcac

Everything you need to know about the break

Rockshamrover

Motley Crue wrote: »

I'm starting off in the world of Music Production, I've been involved in Radio Broadcasting and Production since I was 14 and I'm now 25, and have worked for some National Irish and UK stations in the process.

I've been lucky enough to have been involved in some great stuff - but as life goes, at the moment it's still not been enough to give me that career that I want...I mean, every good job I've had has ended amicably and I've a host of good references and qualifications etc but I'm still finding trouble getting THAT job

I'm young in the grand scheme of things, but not too young that I can start everything over, and I wouldn't have changed anything for the world - but I was wondering, what kind of break did people who work for Music Production companies and do Live Sound for bands have here? Can you share some experiences as to how you managed to get into a long term job or indeed a short term job - or how you managed to get what you consider to be the "break" you were looking for?

I'd really appreciate it, as it would give me pointers on what to do to move forward, identify like minded people and maybe something I haven't tried...or just give me some confidence on the days when I feel this drought might never end.

Welcome aboard MC, I think 90% of the people posting here are still waiting for that break:D.

Sounds like you've already had some success in your life to date. Keep plugging away as they say.

PaulBrewer

My most interesting 'break' came through a combination of Ireland's National Broadcaster and that paragon of hard music Daniel O'Donnell !

I worked as an 'Audio Consultant' on 10 D.O'D TV shows in 1990ish.

My background up to that point was country Studios with the inevitable country music clientele.

At the end of the 10 shows I'd had enough and hung up my (metaphorical) Cowboy boots.

I called my friend who was touring with a US band Hugo Largo who had been supporting That Petrol Emotion, a 'spinoff' band of The Undertones.

My friend mentioned the Petrols were looking for crew - I asked him to organise a meet with their tour manager which he did.
I flew to London that weekend off my own bat (when flights were dear!) met the guy and got the gig.

Over the next 5 years I toured the US twice from New York to LA, Australia once, did numerous UK and European Tours plus loads of Festivals (including the Feiles in Thurles) with Andy White, That Petrol Emotion, Something Happens, Voice of the Beehive and Madness.

Thanks Daniel .....

MilanPan!c

I thought your big break PB was hooking up with the talented one in Crystal Swing.

dav nagle

Hey,


I am getting my third break which will involves the writing and recording of a pop album, the budget is scary. I have never been more scared in my life, I have recorded three unsigned albums and a ton of demos for people so it's a major step up with a major distribution label and needless to say I am terrified of it failing and I will do anything in my power to insure it's success. I will be investing in new gear, that is a fact.

What I am getting at is be careful what you wish for because you have to be ready to say 'I can do that album if you give me the money'.. and most importantly follow through. The same goes for getting a job as an engineer or producer, say if I gave you €1000 and said by the end of the day I want you to have the guts of a strong track produced, could you program, play and deliver? Make sure you have the training required and most importantly the confidence, confidence comes with experience, have you got much experience beyond radio? The beauty of running your own business is that often you are thrown in the deep end and therefore you make a few mistakes, but ultimately you survive the session and deliver, and that is what is important, the ability to survive in very stressful conditions. The next time you get the same job you know what to expect. The voice over industry in my eyes is a pain in the ass, everything has to be done within a time limit, I don't mind these jobs but if I don't get them I don't really care. I will say one thing, I never would have got any break if I didn't make the leap from home to town and setup a proper business.

I got the break by listening to the right people, never stopping, and by keeping my ego and feet firmly on the ground. I made my own break by setting up a commercial studio which gives labels and executives a place of contact, from there you build up a strong relationship and call when you say your going to call. I got a pitch for a major Guinness add last year and we didn't get it but it was a break nevertheless and we got paid for the demo which kept us happy and our confidence up. So even when you think you have got a break it may not work out, so be prepared to take knocks.
I got a chance to do the audio demo for a 360 game and I seemingly over quoted them, lost the job, but hey you live and learn. So break one and two both failed. Both times I believed I was in, it's like having a lotto ticket and believing you have a good chance of winning. I know very talented engineers who won't go commercial because they wont put themselves out there or take a risk, in my books that is a waste of talent. The truth is that break 3 could fail, but someone somewhere along the line will like you for who you are and what you do and offer you something, you can't put a time limit on it, I am 29 and my first 3 breaks came in the last year.

If I said to you OP what would be your dream job right now what would you say? What can you bring to the table that others can't? if you fill this gap you have something special, useful, if you can't then maybe you need to find that out first. If you become an pro in one specialized area people will recognize you for that and you may very well find yourself working in the recording business.

In the words of Paul Brady 'The world is what you make it'..

PaulBrewer

MilanPan!c wrote: »

I thought your big break PB was hooking up with the talented one in Crystal Swing.

That's da next one!

Rockshamrover

MilanPan!c wrote: »

I thought your big break PB was hooking up with the talented one in Crystal Swing.

Now there'a an oxymoron of gigantic proportions

MilanPan!c

Rockshamrover wrote: »

Now there's an oxymoron of gigantic proportions

I wondered how long it would take...



:P

TelePaul

PaulBrewer wrote: »

Something Happens

No way!!! Awesome.

Motley Crue

dav nagle wrote: »

If I said to you OP what would be your dream job right now what would you say?

It's funny, I would probably have said a Sound Operator

Next week, an Amateur Theatre company is allowing me to run their Sound set-up for their Production in an extremely high class auditorium, there's going to be about 1400 people in attendance (and rising). I'll be working mostly alone rigging microphones, cables and everything together and hoping that the t's are crossed and the I's are dotted

It's a great opportunity, even if there is no money involved, but I couldn't be more scared lol

I think I know now how you feel in your new position. I think it's more I doubt myself too much, even though secretly I know I can do most of this stuff in my sleep, but just the idea of someone saying "OK, you're in charge, do what you like!" has kind of thrown me. Incidentally, I've only gotten this position because the previous Audio manager has been taking so many paid bookings, and can't commit the time to it.

Maybe this will be something towards "The Break" I've been hoping for...

jimi_t2

Motley Crue wrote: »

Next week, an Amateur Theatre company is allowing me to run their Sound set-up for their Production in an extremely high class auditorium, there's going to be about 1400 people ...

Did sound for a Charity 24h Panto (casted, rehearsed, rigged etc... in 24h from start to finish, including all the sound work)

Couple of wireless mics, live band, some basic audio cues from a fecking CD player. (Our in-house one was screwed into the box, so no cue).

Oh yeah, and a bit of a projector thing.

It was for charity so the show sold out in a proper rigged theatre to about 800. Only pro on site was there to help us raise the trussing to the hangpoints (no lighting grid) so we didn't make ourselves and insurance liability.

Spent most of my time trying to kick out actors from under the DMX board/Sound desk who were trying to catch 15 mins kip.

So yeah. Minijack broke on the laptop day of the show. As did all the USB ports. Ended up with one of us behind the screen with a 20m VGA cable going up the rigs to the projector from the broken laptop, and the other up at the desk somehow trying to somehow sync the soundtrack for it. An elaborate pause and coughing system entailed the scariest moment of my AV life. Hoping one of the 800 people in the wouldn't be doing a ''projected'' cough around the same time...

NEVER AGAIN.

[caveat] There was definitely a better way to have done this, to say we were delirious with lack of sleep would be an understatement. We weren't even allowed touch the rigging after about midnight (we started at 8pm) for insurance and that. 2 actors missed their cues because they fell asleep standing up in the wings, like horses.[/quote]

Motley Crue

jimi_t2 wrote: »

So yeah. Minijack broke on the laptop day of the show. As did all the USB ports. Ended up with one of us behind the screen with a 20m VGA cable going up the rigs to the projector from the broken laptop, and the other up at the desk somehow trying to somehow sync the soundtrack for it. An elaborate pause and coughing system entailed the scariest moment of my AV life. Hoping one of the 800 people in the wouldn't be doing a ''projected'' cough around the same time...

NEVER AGAIN.

There's me thinking I'd get moral support lol

jimi_t2

Motley Crue wrote: »

There's me thinking I'd get moral support lol

Ah no definitely!

Just don't do the whole fecking show in 24h...