A Survey of the Professional Audio Industry in an Eight State Region

DOCUMENT RESUME

ED 359 404

CE 064 065

AUTHOR

Lightner, John W.

TITLE

A Survey of the Professional Audio Industry in an

Eight State Region To Assess Employers' Perceived

Value of Formal Audio Education and Their Perceived

Training Needs for Entry-Level Employees.

PUB DATE

NOTE

173p.; M.S. Thesis, Ferris State University.

PUB TYPE

Dissertations/Theses

Masters Theses (042)

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MF01/PC07 Plus Postage.

DESCRIPTORS

*Audio Equipment; Community Colleges; *Education Work

Relationship; *Employer Attitudes; Employment

Potential; *Employment Practices; *Employment

Qualifications; *Entry Workers; Higher Education; Job

Skills; Labor Needs; Two Year Colleges

IDENTIFIERS

Lansing Community College MI

ABSTRACT

A community college conducted a study to determine

how employers perceived formal education for audio

professionals--both baccalaureate and associate degrees from

community colleges, employers' training needs, how they judged

entry-level employees' qualifications, and the availability of

internships and entry-level employment. The study surveyed 564 audio

professionals in an 8-state region, with 154 (27 percent)

responses.

The survey found that most employers (recording studios)

were very

small (three or fewer full-time employees with about the

same number

of part-time and contract employees). A predominant finding is that

industry practitioners want the schools to form attitudes

as well as

technical skills. Respondents cited the need for "people skills"

above technical skills; thinking skills were also requested. Most

wanted applicants to have a bachelor's degree

or at least 2 years

experience past a two-year degree. Employers also tended to emphasize

the traditional studio gear, indicating that these smaller studios

have not been able to upgrade to the technological advances in

the

industry. The outlook for entry-level jobs

was not good, and

employers also did not like to use interns. Four conclusions

were

reached: the community college needs to do public relations work

within the audio community to raise the perception of the abilities

of students with two-year degrees; attitudes should be taught in

formal setting; internship opportunities should be pursued by

the

college; and follow-up research of the college's graduates should

undertaken. (Nineteen appendixes contain the questionnaire,

cover

letter, explanations for the study, and detailed analysis of

responses to questions. A bibliography lists 29 references; 29 tables

are included in the report.)

(KC)

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Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that

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from the original document.

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A SURVEY OF THE PROFESSIONAL

AUDIO INDUSTRY IN AN EIGHT STATE

REGION TO ASSESS EMPLOYERS PERCEIVED VALUE

OF FORMAL AUDIO EDUCATION AND THEIR

PERCEIVED TRAINING NEEDS FOR ENTRY-LEVEL EMPLOYEES

John W. Lightner

U S OEPARTMENT OF

EDUCATION

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of ECII.K.st.Ohe, Research

and ,hp,o,e-^en!

ED CA TIONAL RESOURCES

INFORMATION

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PERMISSION TO

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TO THE EDUCATIONAL

RESOURCES

INFORMATION CENTER

(ERIC1."

A Thesis

Submitted in Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Degree of

Master of Science in Occupational Education

in the College of Education

Ferris State University

Winter 1993

BEST COPY AMAMI

John W. Lightner

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The author wishes to express his appreciation to those

individuals who were instrumental in the completion of this work.

Dr. Ed Cory, who was the project advisor, for his willingness to

help in working through the many schedule conflicts that arose

from my full-time employment at Lansing Community College while

trying to write a thesis and for his guidance in the project.

Dr. James Greene, my Program Director at L.C.C., for his support,

counsel, and critical reading of the final manuscript.

Mr. Marc

Smyth for his input on data processing concerns.

Mrs. Bonnie

McGraw and Mr. John Witt for their assistance in preparing the

mailing pieces.

Certainly no acknowledgement would be complete-

or appropriate--without thanking my family for their support,

especially at certain critical times when becoming a recluse was

necessary to complete the task at hand.

I would also like to

thank all those busy individuals in the professional audio

industry who took the time to thoughtfully respond to my

questionnaire.

It is my hope that the input they have given will

be helpful in making audio education better able to do more to

meet their needs.

Page

Table of Contents

Page

Chapter I: THE PROBLEM

Introduction and Background

Statement of the Problem

Statement of Research Questions

Scope of the Study

Assumptions

Outline of the Report

Chapter II: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Organization

Historical Background

Literature Related to the Research Problem

The Changing Nature of Apprenticeship

A Potpourri of Industry Input and Criticism

How Should the Schools Respond?

Literature Related to Mail Survey Questionnaires

General

Design Considerations

Summary of Literature Reviewed

Chapter III: PROCEDURES

Description of Research Methodology

Research Design

Selection of Subjects

Instrumentation

Data Collection

Development of the Questionnaire

Revision of the Questionnaire

Administration of the Questionnaire

Data Processing and Analysis

Chapter IV: RESEARCH FINDINGS

Introduction

Demographics

Research Question 1

Research Question 2

Research Question 3

Research Question 4

Miscellaneous

Mailing Data

. .

Qualitative Findings

General

Response Sorts

Explanation of Findings

Page ii

Table of Contents (cont.)

Page

Chapter V: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Introduction

Review of Procedure

Recommendations

APPENDICES

Appendix A: Questionnaire

A-1

Appendix B: Cover Letter

B-1

Appendix C: Question #1: Listing of "Other"

Business Activities

C-1

Appendix D: Question #11: Listing of "Other"

Disciplines

D-1

Appendix E: Question #12: Listing of Explanations

E-1

Appendix F: Question #13: Listing of Other

Qualifications

F-1

Appendix G: Question #15: Other Training Needs

G-1

Appendix H: Question #16: Listing of Specific Gear

. .

H-1

Appendix I: Question #17: Evaluations of Two- and

Four-Year Graduate's Interpersonal Skills

I-1

Appendix J: Question #18: Evaluations of Two- and

Four-Year Graduate's Communications Skills

J-1

Appendix K: Question #19: Respondent's General Comments

on Student Preparation by Post-Secondary Schools

. K-1

Appendix L: Question #23: Respondent's Suggested

Questions

L-1

Appendix M: Comments to Question #12 by Respondents

Preferring Associate's Degree

M-1

Appendix N: Comments to Question #12 by Respondents

Preferring Bachelor's Degree

N-1

Appendix 0: Comments to Question #12 by Respondents

Answering Question #10 Other than Associate's

Bachelor's

0-1

Appendix P: Other Areas for Question #13 by

Respondents Whose Primary Business Activity

is "Recording Studio" or "Audio Post Production"

P-1

Appendix Q: Pre-Employment Training (question #15)

Preferences by Respondents Whose Primary Business

Activity is "Recording Studio" or "Audio Post

Production"

Q-1

Appendix R: Other Areas for Question #13 by Respondents

Whose Primary Business Activity is "Sound

Reinforcement-Local," "Sound Reinforcement-Regional,"

or "Sound Reinforcement-National"

R-1

Page iii

Table of Contents (cont.)

Page

Appendix S: Pre-Employment Training (question #15)

by Respondents Whose Primary Business Activity

is "Sound Reinforcement-Local," "Sound

Reinforcement-Regional," or "Sound

Reinforcement-National"

S-1

ENDNOTES

END-1

BIBLIOGRAPHY

BIB-1

List of Tables

Table

Page

Primary Business Activities of Respondents

Recording Studio: Number of Business Activities

Audio Post Production: Number of Business Activities

Sound Reinforcement-Local:

Number of Business Activities

Full-Time Employees

Part-Time Employees

Sub-Contractors

Educational Level Preference

Desired Educational Level

Rank-Ordered Disciplines for Associate's

or Bachelor's Degree

Four-Year vs. Two-Year Rating

Interpersonal Skills

Communication Skills

Training Areas

Additional Training Areas

Train On Specific Brands

Experience Factor In Hiring

Rank-Ordered Job Qualifications

Number of Interns Each Year

Interns Compensated

New Entry-Level Each Year

Like Results

Additional Questions

Page v

List of Tables (cont.)

Table

Page

Mailing Summary

Mailing Corrections

Unforwardable By State

Forwarded To New Address By State

Addressed O.K.

Respondents By State

Page vi

CHAPTER I

The Problem

Introduction and Background

This study was undertaken to determine how employers

perceived formal audio education, their training needs, how they

judged entry-level employees' qualifications, and the

availability of internships and entry level employment.

This was

done in an effort to determine how the changing nature of the

industry may be best served by formal post-secondary education

and training.

The fields of Audio Recording, Audio Production, and Sound

Reinforcement have traditionally defined the professional audio

vocations in the United States.

Audio Recording deals with

studios whose primary function is in the

area of music recording

for records, tapes, and compact discs.

Audio Production

facilities handle the more commercial end of the business: hard-

and soft-sell productions for commercial and industrial clients.

The venues frequented by popular entertainers

are serviced by

companies in the Sound Reinforcement business who provide sound

support for live audiences at festivals, auditoriums, and

arenas.

These vocations are inextricably tied to the entertainment and

consumer industries which, according to Polon (personal

communication, October, 1991), have been built by the baby

boomers.

But there are economic and technological

pressures placed on

the professional audio industry--like

so many other industries in

Page 1

this modern world--which force constant change, much like the

earth in an earthquake zone as it seeks to find a resting place.

"To remain profitable today, a major studio almost has to be in

the production business, as well as the studio business" (Burger,

1988, December, p. 44) and, "Diversification into video- and

film-related markets [allows] studios to tap into new profit

centers" (Chan, 1988, December, p. 20).

Still, one of the more

prominent pressures is the expansion of technology.

Chan (pp. 20

& 22) further relates that the digital audio workstation--an

integration of a variety of hardware into

a single computer

driven system--has become an industry buzzword.

Dunn (1988,

July, p. 61), quoting Ken Pohlman, Program Director of the School

of Musical Engineering at the University of Miami (Florida),

says

that the future lies in the workstation concept.

The

workstation, and other concepts like it will undoubtedly continue

to pressure the industry to change the

way that it functions.

The educational community has responded to the changing

nature of the industry and the increased sophistication of the

technology employed by offering formal educational and training

programs for persons interested in the professional audio

industry.

Polon (1992a, August) capsulizes the genesis of audio

education in this way:

There were a few sparse curriculums in engineering

or physics

with a specialization in audio at

some four-year state schools

Page 2

and one or two good two-year programs by the 1970s, but the

explosion of audio education was a phenomenon of the 1980s.

(p. 92)

With all of this has come a change in the perception of the audio

industry.

Kenny (1990, July) states that, "There comes a time in

most industries when jobs are no longer thought of as trades but

as professions.

We have reached that time in the audio recording

industry."

(p. 35)

Statement of the Problem

This present study was undertaken in an effort to bring

some

objectivity to this rapidly developing field of professional

audio and to provide guidance for the Media Technology Program

Lansing Community College as courses are designed and students

counseled.

Quite specifically, this study surveyed audio

professionals in an eight state region to ascertain their

perceived value of the present level of audio education and

determine their perceived training needs for potential

entry-

level employees.

Further, this study was undertaken to make a

small beginning at filling the void that exists for

scientifically based studies' in the literature of this

professional vocational area.

Page 3

Statement of Research Questions

This study was undertaken to collect data relevant to the

following four research questions:

What value do employers place on formal education?

What are the rank-ordered training needs of employers?

What are the rank-ordered qualifications of entry-level

employees as seen by employers?

What is available to graduates in terms of internships and

entry-level employment?

Scope of the Study

This study was conducted with several limitations.

First, the

professional audio industry is relatively small; having,

according to Polon (personal communication, October 1991), only

about 10,000 jobs in the 'traditional' audio disciplines

previously described.

Second, the population is not well

identified in any type of comprehensive census, although a number

of practitioners can be found in documents of a directory nature

aimed for fellow professionals.

Third, and last, the budget for

this project was of necessity limited and that precluded any

follow-up on non-respondents.

Assumptions

One essential assumption was made as this research was being

designed.

That assumption is that graduates of Lansing Community

College are more likely than not to seek jobs in the region

including Michigan and the surrounding states.

It was for this

Page 4

reason that the eight state region of Michigan, Wisconsin,

Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee was

chosen as the geographic limit to this work.

Further, some LCC

graduates seeking a four-year degree have to choosen Columbia

College in Chicago or Middle Tennessee State University at

Murfreesboro, suggesting that they may still remain in the region

chosen.

Outline of the Report

The remainder of this report begins with a review of related

literature in Chapter II.

Here, the existing literature as found

in the professiona. 'trades' and elsewhere is discussed in an

effort to determine the general consensus on the status of audio

education and employment for graduates of such programs.

Also,

the literature pertaining to mail-survey questionnaires is

perused as it relates to a study of this kind.

Chapter III will

detail the procedures used in designing this study, its

instrumentation, as well as data collection and analysis.

Chapter IV the research findings will be displayed and discussed

as well as the relationships these findings have to the

literature.

Finally, Chapter V will present conclusions to be

drawn from the results of this study and recommendations for

future research and related activities.

Page 5

CHAPTER II

Review of Related Literature

Organization

This present chapter is divided into two parts.

The first is

a review of the existing literature concerning audio education

and its relationship to the industry.

This literature, of

necessity, comes from the 'trade' publications as well as papers

presented at SPARS (Society of Professional Audio Recording

Services) conferences.

This limitation occurs since scholarly

journals containing scientific studies of the industry and/or

audio education could not be located and--given the infantile

nature of audio education--are assumed to be non-existent (See

Endnote 1).

The second part concerns itself with literature

germane to the elements of mail-survey questionnaires such as the

one used to gather the data for the research discussed herein.

Historical Background

Audio as an industry had its beginnings in the traditional

recording studio--a place where music recording for records was

part and parcel of the business.

Only recently has that status

been subject to change.

Martin Polon of Polon Research

International (personal communication, October, 1991) states that

ten years ago a recording studio staff spent about 80% of its

time making recordings for records, but by 1991 only 20% of a the

staff's time was spent in record work.

Today, the engineer who

specializes in music recording is on the wane.

Hirsch (1985,

Page 6

Spring, n. pag.) contends that the day of the audio specialist is

gone and that modern audio demands diversification of skills if

an individual is to survive in the present audio environment.

Literature Related to the Research Problem

The Changing Nature of Apprenticeship

The professional audio industry has traditionally taught its

practitioners by using an apprenticeship system where an

individual was employed based on personal characteristics and

trained in-house in the ways of audio craft.

According to Pritts

(1985, Spring), however, "It appears that the system can no

longer trust the ancient apprenticeship method of preparing

employees."

(n. pag.)

He further contends that the ancient

system taught "how to do," not "how to learn."

The

apprenticeship system is not extinct, but its use has become

limited.

Douds (1985, Spring) gives yet another reason for its

dwindling use in that, "This process of apprenticeship is still

used today; however, the costs incurred in training an entry-

level employee form the 'ground up' may be very great!"

(n. pag.)

In addition to the content concerns raised by Pritts and the

cost concerns stated by Douds, Grundy (1984, Fall) points to time

saying that, "Up until the 1960's, in the days when studios were

booked by the week or even by the month, there was ample time for

a seasoned engineer to put his arm around a junior member of the

staff and show him the ropes."

(n. pag.)

Page 7

The apprenticeship has undergone a transformation from its

traditional role into a tool used by audio educators to give

students a transition from school to the oft cited 'real world.'

The schools call this phenomenon an internship.

According to

Miriam Friedman, program director at The Institute of Audio

Research, "The big thing a student has to understand is that a

recording studio is a commercial operation.

The internship is

sort of a halfway house where they learn the realities of the

business world." (qtd. in Kenny, 1990, July, p. 41)

This

experience is considered so valuable by the schools that,

according to Kenny (1990, July, p. 38), one is either provided by

the schools or students are required to seek their

own internship

experience as a part of job-search training.

He further states:

The days of hanging out in a studio alleyway, hoping to be

asked inside for the big break, are on the decline.

It's not

that you can't find a job by bumping into the studio manager

at the right time.

It's just that studios, like every other

business in the audio industry, are turning

away from their

own apprenticeship programs for second engineers and are

looking to recording schools for potential employees.

(pp. 32

& 34)

The apprenticeship system is, therefore, prohibitive in relation

to the type of skills taught, its cost, and time constraints

involved.

But transformed into an internship, it plays the role

of transition from school to the everyday world of audio.

Page 8

A Potpourri of Industry Input and Criticism

Prior to the time when a student is ready for an internship

the schools have a variety of facts, concepts, principles,

skills, and attitudes to address.

According to Pritts (1985,

Spring) the students want the schools to help them to prepare for

a technical world that doesn't yet exist, but he quickly counters

that, "The biggest favor we can do them is to make them

'educatable.'"

(n. pag.)

David Leonard, chief administrator of

Trebas Institute of Recording Arts, flatly states that, "The most

important thing we're trying to do is to help students learn how

to think, how to solve problems, how to work in different

situations in studios." (qtd. in Dunn, 1988, July, p. 64)

And

Hirsch (1985, Springl adds the conclusion: "And finally we must

teach professional attitudes and increase awareness of what goes

on day-to-day in the world of audio."

(n. pag.)

But why not just teach students how to operate equipment?

Friedman asserts that, "The operator who understands technology

is, in fact, a much more sophisticated operator." (qtd. in Kenny,

1989, July, p. 73)

In fact, the advent of the microprocessor

(Alan Kefauver, director of recording arts and sciences at

Peabody Conservatory, qtd. in Kenny, 1990,

p. 36) has made

education a much more important part of preparation for the world

of work in audio.

Moylan (1988, December) says, "Today, a market

exists for computer-literate individuals (in fact, long-term

employment without some computer knowledge is not likely)."

(p.

30)

And to those who would insist that creativity is all that is

Page 9

required, Lambert (1989, July) adds, "Even if we are born with

that creative spark, we must learn the necessary skills to take

advantage of opportunities presented to us." (p. 14)

Perhaps the greatest amount of criticism comes as a result of

graduates' poor command of 'people skills,'

Lambert (1989, July)

chides,

"I seldom hear of students being involved in classes that

feature 'Psychology of the Talented Artist' or 'How to Salvage a

Perilously Rebellious Overdub Session.'" (p. 23)

A further

criticism comes from John Fry, owner of Ardent Recordings

(Memphis, TN), who says,

". . .

often we really don't teach too

much about what it's like to work, and what the elements of

delivering service and excellence in work are." (qtd. in

Jacobson, 1988, July, p. 107)

The need for thinking skills and appropriate attitudes is

driven as much by technology as it is by the people-centered

nature of the audio business.

What happens to the engineer who

has worked twenty years in the business and is overtaken by

technology?

Without the ability and initiative to engage in

self-training, he/she will render himself/herself unemployable.

Pritts (1985, n. pag.) warns that the need for retraining is

totally dependent upon the ever changing technology that the

industry uses.

Potyen (1988, July) graphically states it thus,

"It seems no matter how many machines you learn to use, the army

of the latest generation machines continues to advance--sort of

like Mickey Mouse and the insurgent brooms in the 'The Sorcerer's

Apprentice' from the Disney classic, Fantasia."

(p.

61)

Page 10

A quick glance at the section titled "Recording Schools,

Seminars & Programs" in the Mix Master Directory of the

Professional Audio Industry immediately reveals a variety of

entries ranging from four-year schools to seminars lasting just

weeks.

Which of these will prepare a student for long-term

employment in the audio industry?

According to Pritts (1985,

Spring), "Short courses in a craft are best applied in gaining

'craftsmanship,' but are of little use to someone who cannot

apply it to a firmer knowledge base." (n. pag.)

He goes

state that multi-year studies that offer no hands-on are

better since,

. .

they never get around to showing us

on to

little

'why' or

to fostering creativity."

(n. pag.)

Lambert (1989, July)

elaborates on this theme: "So those training sessions in the

school or university--usually involving too few actual hands-on

hours at the board, and seldom if ever with 'uncooperative' or

'anxious' clients--offer little comparison to real life." (p. 23)

It could be inferred that Alexander (1985, Spring) is offering

an opposing view when he states, "The goals of many audio

educational programs are centered around student wants and do not

always reflect the actual skills required in the workplace." (n.

pag.)

Opposing in that students always want more hands-on and

minimal theory.

Dee Robb, owner of Cherokee Recording Studios

(Los Angeles, CA), offers a similar complaint by saying,

". . . I

think the schools are very subjective in the

way they teach

people; out of touch with what's going on." (qtd. in Jacobson,

1988, July, p. 173)

Page 11

2.0

For the schools which do provide hands-on training with

industry representative audio equipment, some important--and

expensive--choices must be made.

Igl (1988, July) contends, "It

is recommended practice in vocational technical education to

replicate tools, materials and working conditions of industry as

closely as possible in the training environment." (p. 64) How

close must this be?

Recording engineer Mike Mancini states, "Now

the industry as a whole dictates what you have to buy. You've

got to have a SSL or a V-Series Neve and Mitsubishi or Sony

digital tape machines." (qtd. in Burger, 1988, December, p. 46)

Jimmy Dolan of Streeterville Recording Studios (Chicago, IL)

agrees, "There's got to be hands-on experience with this

equipment (SSL and Neve consoles] and that's not been part of an

apprenticeship or internship program." (qtd. in Jacobson, 1988,

July, p. 172)

At the same time, however, the audio business is changing.

Dolan says, "The engineer of the future is an all-around

engineer.

The music engineer, as the industry has known it, is

on the decline." (qtd. in Jacobson, 1988, July, p. 172) Mike

Mancini (qtd. in Burger, 1988, December, p. 48) indicates that

engineers are going to have to know more about MIDI (Musical

Instrument Digital Interface), while Chan (1988, December) says,

"The change in operating methodologies based upon the workstation

concept will lay the foundation from which a new level of user-

friendly interfaces will be developed, and the subsequent job

Page 12

scope of the specialist will evolve into that of a generalist."

(p. 28)

The business which the industry engages in is also in a state

of flux.

Studio owner Chris Stone says, "The old 'diversity or

die' axiom is also important to profitability because the visual

business is still more profitable than the record business."

(qtd. in Burger, 1988, December, p. 44)

Chan (1988, December)

states that the new digital technologies will make this a more

viable opportunity.

He says, "Aside from the studio's main

business, many have integrated digital audio technologies with

their existing operations to offer audio-for-video services such

as off-line audio assembly, sweetening, audio post and layback."

(p. 26)

A possibility also exists that much of the new technology will

be implemented in studios outside the mainstream 'commercial'

applications.

Recording artist Patrick O'Hearn says,

"I think

that there will definitely be more progress made in the state-of-

the-art project/home recording studio." (qtd. in Burger, 1988,

December, p. 44)

How Should the Schools Respond?

Lambert (1989, July) starts a possible prioritized list by

stating, "Of greater importance [than technical skills] are the

people skills that set apart the seasoned engineer, producer or

musician from the individual new to the business."

(p. 14) David

Porter, of Music Annex (San Francisco, CA), adds,

I think

schools have to put students in real situations with clients."

Page 13

(qtd. in Jacobson, 1988, July, p. 72)

And Jones (1991, August)

would end the list by saying, "Finally, the modern educational

environment must empower everyone it touches to be successful in

a demanding, highly competitive changing marketplace by teaching

how to think, inductively and deductively, how to cope with the

increasing stress and pressures of our modern production

environment

."(p. 25)

Perhaps this is most eloquently

summarized by Hirsch (1985, Spring):

Still, history tells us that no person was considered educated

unless that education was well-rounded and without bias; a

place in time where Art and Science were taught as two

inseparable aspects of the same reality; where the best of

classical thought was preserved and integrated into the newest

discoveries; where being a whole person was considered to be

the highest virtue; where instructors were hired for their

real world achievements and where fellowship with students was

considered equally important with the specific knowledge

imparted in the classroom.

(n. pag.)

This reference to the first Renaissance comes as Hirsch calls for

a similar renaissance in the audio industry.

The schools, according to Alexander (1985, Spring) have two

major responsibilities, "It is our responsibility to prepare our

students with the necessary skills and to give them a realistic

expectation of what the field has to offer them."

(n. pag.) In

the area of necessary skills, Hirsch (1985, Spring) states, "The

total audio person must be able and ready to deal with every

Page 14

possible interface.

Moreover such a person must possess a depth

of knowledge and a flexibility of attitude that would facilitate

learning of new technologies not yet on-line." (pp.

1 & 2)

Realistic expectations come first through school training and

are then are reinforced by the internship experience.

The

groundwork for student expectations must include, according to

Stone (1992, February), the realization that, "Studio engineers

put in long hours for little pay.

Second or assistant engineers-

-where everyone inevitably starts out--are often no more than

glorified gofers or janitors, and even graduates of name

institutions are not assured of this position."

(p. 137)

And

Moylan (1988, December) adds that, "Very few of these people

[those in the U.S. audio industry and related fields] have

'glamour' jobs producing, tracking or mixing big-name artists.

In fact, many pro audio positions have no direct connection to

the creation or performance of music."

(p. 30) Thus, internship

experience of some kind is cited as a critical element in a

formal audio education.

Polon (1992b, August) asserts that,

"This [established internship program] is especially important

for four -year and some two-year programs where internships

provide both real world contact and 'a foot in the door.'"

(p.

111)

The role of the schools in preparing future audio industry

personnel is possibly best summed-up by Douds (1985, Spring):

Through better audio education everyone benefits: students

are

better prepared for the marketplace; studio

owners find better

Page 15

workers who are more productive; clients receive better

expertise for their money; and, in the long run, the consumer

benefits by receiving better engineered audio product, whether

that product is a record, cassette, compact disc, videotape

tv/radio commercial, film, etc.

(n. pag.)

Literature Related to Mail Survey Questionnaires

General

Much research in education is based on information obtained

through the use of a mail-survey questionnaire.

This data

collection process, like much that is conducted in the field of

education, falls under the category of survey research, which,

according to McMillan (1989), is defined as,

"The assessment of

the current status of opinions, beliefs, and attitudes by

questionnaires or interviews from a known population."

(p. 544)

The distinction to be made is that a mail-survey technique is

used.

Alreck (1985) says, "Perhaps the greatest advantage of the

mail survey is its ability to reach widely dispersed respondents

inexpensively."

(p. 44)

Erckis (1983) adds, "The distinction

between mail and other types of surveys is the fact that in

surveying by mail there is no person to ask the questions and

guide the respondent.

This gives rise to important differences

in survey design, questionnaire construction, and various other

aspects of the survey."

(p. 1)

A number of these considerations

are taken up at this juncture.

Page 16

Design Considerations

Most survey research takes a random sample of the population

as its subjects and uses the results to project results to the

entire population.

Alreck (1985) states, "The major reason for

sampling is economy.

To survey every individual in a population

using enumeration is ordinarily much too expensive in terms of

time, money, and personnel."

(p. 63)

He does not discount,

however, using enumeration, that is, surveying the entire

population.

One of the more pressing concerns in most mail-survey research

is the issue of nonresponse bias.

This kind of bias, according

to Alreck (1985) is, "A systematic affect on the data reducing

validity that results when those with one type of opinion or

condition fail to respond to a survey more often than do others

with different opinions or conditions."

(p. 414) It is not that

these people cannot respond but, rather, they will not respond.

Erdos (1983) describes the problem this way:

". . . when we speak

of a 'nonresponse problem,' we usually refer to people who can be

reached with proper and, if necessary, repeated effort and who

could answer our questions if they wanted to."

(p. 138)

Just what percentage of, returned questionnaires must be

attained to preclude nonresponse bias is a bit hazy, if not the

subject of a raging controversy.

Erdos (1983) emphatically

states, "No mail survey can be considered reliable unless it has

a minimum of 50 percent response, or unless it demonstrates with

some form of verification that the non-respondents are similar to

Page 17

the respondents." (p. 144)

Ereos does admit, however, that

findings from surveys with poorer response rates are occasionally

useful if no other data is available. (p. 145)

The other side of

the controversy is represented by Alreck (1985) who says, "The

single most serious limitation to direct mail data collection is

the relatively low response rate.

Mail surveys with response

rates over 30 percent are rare."

(p. 45) Alreck comes right back

to emphasize that the reliability depends on the sample obtained,

not on the number of surveys sent. (p. 45)

Perhaps one of the most important factors in ensuring a good

response rate is the actual questionnaire design.

Erdos (1983)

maintains that, "One of the main reasons for a respondent to

answer a questionnaire is the importance which he attaches to the

survey. If the questions look trivial or frivolous, the

researcher will lose some of his most intelligent respondents."

(p. 56) Sudman (1982) hastens to add that the look of the

questionnaire is of primary importance. He says, "The general

rule is that the questionnaire should look as easy as possible to

the respondent and should make the respondent feel that the

questionnaire has been professionally designed."

(p. 243)

There are a number of factors to consider when designing the

questionnaire document.

Erdos (1983) lists six:

The questionnaire must include questions on all subjects

which are essential to the project; it should contain

all the important questions on these subjects, but none

which are not purposeful.

Page 18

The questionnaire should appear brief and 'easy to

complete.' Reading it should not destroy this first

impression.

The reader must be made to feel that he is participating

in an important and interesting project.

The form should not contain any questions which could

bias the answers.

It must be designed to elicit clear and precise answers

to all questions.

6. Phrasing, structure, and layout must be designed with

the problems of tabulating in mind.

The saving of time

and money in data processing should be one of the

considerations. (pp. 37-38)

Above all, according to ^,udman (1982), researchers should

consider themselves fortunate to have the cooperation of

respondents

He says, "Researchers are fortunate that almost all

persons are willing to donate their time and energy to providing

answers to a survey."

(p. 259) This being the case, he asserts,

they deserve a well designed questionnaire and a sincere 'thank

you.'

The respondents are the recipients of this planning through

the questions actually posed to them by the questionnaire

questions designed to gather data applicable to the project.

Sudman (1982) says, "Since questionnaires are designed to elicit

information from respondents, one of the criteria for the quality

of a question is the degree to which it elicits the information

Page 19

that the researcher desires.

This criterion is called validity."

(p. 17) Alreck (1985 adds, "The manner in which questions are

expressed can all too often introduce systematic bias, random

error, or both."

(p. 104)

It appears that one key variable is the level of threat

elicited by the question.

Sudman (1982) contends that, "Open-

ended questions that require writing more than a few words are

perceived as both difficult and potentially embarrassing because

of the possibility of making spelling or grammatical errors." (p.

218)

But if the information needed requires a fair number of

open-ended questions, Erdos (1983) predicts success only under

certain conditions, "Open-ended questions are frequently used in

mail surveys, but the successful use of this type of questioning

will depend on the nature of the question, the interest of the

respondent in the subject matter, and the education and literacy

of the group surveyed." (pp. 48 & 50)

Questions are not the only items printed on the questionnaire.

In addition to the questions and related instructions there are a

series of number codes, called precodes.

Sudman (1982) states,

"Precode all closed questions .o facilitate data processing and

to ensure that the data are in proper form for analysis." (p.

231)

Indeed, one of the traditional rationales for structured

questions is their amenability to coding.

Alreck (1985) advises,

"Listing such codes on the questionnaire before data collection

avoids the extremely laborious and time-consuming task of

'postcoding' the alternatives.

In fact, one of the major reasons

Page 20

for using structured questions is the ability to precode the

alternatives." (p. 184)

A mail-survey questionnaire is accompanied by a letter.

Alreck (1985) explains the importance of the letter of

transmittal thus: "In the absence of personal contact and

interaction, the cover letter must explain the project and win

the cooperation of the recipient, and it must do so entirely on

its own."

(p. 206) So important is this letter that Erdos (1983)

insists that the percentage of returned questionnaires depends,

in large measure, on the effectiveness of this letter.

(p. 101)

Alreck (1985) states that the letter should be addressed to the

recipient in that, "Respondents are more likely to read a letter

that is addressed directly to them and appears to be hand typed

and signed than they are to a 'general' letter that is

unaddressed and obviously printed.

They are also more likely to

do what the 'personalized' letter requests."

(p. 209)

The contents of the letter must answer several questions that

the recipient is likely to ask.

Erdos (1983) lists twenty-two

items for the researcher to consider including in the letter:

Personal communication.

Asking a favor.

Importance of the research project and its purpose.

Importance of the recipient.

Importance of the replies in general.

Importance of the replies where the reader is not

qualified to answer most questions.

Page 21

7. How the recipient may benefit from this research.

Completing the questionnaire will take only a short

time.

The questionnaire can be answered easily.

10.

A stamped reply envelope is enclosed.

11.

How recipient was selected.

12.

Answers are anonymous or confidential.

13.

Offer to send report on results of survey.

14. Note of urgency-.

15.

Appreciation of sender.

16.

Importance of sender.

17.

Importance of the sender's organization.

18.

Description and purpose of incentive.

19. Avoiding bias.

20. Style.

21.

Format and appearance.

22. Brevity.

(p. 102)

Alreck (1985) reinforces these points with a useful twelve

question summary that could easily be converted into a checklist.

(p. 207)

One of Alreck's questions is, "When should I do it?"

Later he adds that, "Ordinarily over 95 percent of all returns

that will eventually be returned will be received within a period

of three or four weeks.'

(p. 217)

The mailing piece consists of the envelope, cover letter,

return envelope, and, sometimes, an inducement (Alreck 1985, p.

204)

With reference to the mailing envelope, Erdos (1983) says,

Page 22

"The name of the sender should appear neatly printed in the

corner of the envelope.

Good quality white paper, proper

addressing, and first-class postage (preferably stamped, rather

than metered) are all necessary in order to avoid any suggestion

that the contents of the envelope could possible be unwanted

mail."

(p. 118)

Postage is an important consideration with reference to both

mailing and return envelopes.

Alreck (1985) says, "The type and

amount of postage will affect the response rate.

The response

rate will be greatest when first class postage stamps are

affixed.

Response rate is least with a bulk mail permit, and

metered postage falls somewhere in between." (p. 206) But the

price to be paid for response rate must be weighed against its

importance.

Again, referring to postage, Alreck (1985) states,

"The use of first class postage stamps on return envelopes is a

costly technique.

It is not recommended unless it is important

to maximize response rate in every way possible." (p. 214)

One of the more frustrating aspects of mail surveys lies in

the area of undeliverables: mail which cannot be delivered due to

potential respondents moving and leaving no forwarding address or

forwarding addresses becoming dated.

Alreck (1985) asserts that

the percent of undeliverables is an indication of the quality of

the mail list that the researcher employed when designing the

sur ey.

(p. 217)

Data should be kept on the undeliverables.

Alreck (1985) states, "This information is not only useful to

assess the namelist quality, but it is also valuable to judge the

Page 23

potential quality and accuracy of the survey results and the

degree to which the sample will be representative of the

population as a whole."

(p. 255)

With so many factors to weigh, the researcher can easily make

a mistake which will affect the quality--and quantity--of the

data.

Erdos (1983) summarizes, "Some of the most common mistakes

of questionnaire construction occur because the researcher and

the respondent are not interested in the same things."

(p. 57)

Summary of Literature Reviewed

This review of literature has dealt with two major areas:

literature related to audio education and literature related to

mail-survey questionnaires.

The first area was restricted due to

the general lack of scientifically-based studies in this area.

Instead, it focused primarily on the 'trade' publications in an

effort to give a sense of the current status of audio education.

The second area focused only on those aspects of mail-survey

questionnaire construction germane to the present project.

overview of the major considerations follows.

The following conclusions pertaining to audio education

represent the principle findings which are relevant to the

present project:

An in-house apprenticeship program is generally too costly,

requires too much time, and is too limiting in the type of

skills taught.

It is, therefore, a prohibitive undertaking

for the average studio.

The alternative is formal

education.

Page 24

3.3

Schools need to focus on teaching students how to think in

order to enable them to solve the problems in the technical

world which is still on the drawing boards.

Schools should teach students to operate the technology

with understanding.

Schools should teach 'people skills.'

Schools should provide students with

a realistic

expectation of what the industry is really like.

Schools should use industry standard equipment.

Schools should teach a diversity of audio applications.

A long-term educational undertaking is

more likely to

achieve the above goals than

a short-term or seminar

course.

The following conclusions pertaining

to mail-survey

questionnaires represent the principle findings which

are

relevant to the present project:

Although sampling is the usual approach, enumeration

(doing

a census survey) is feasible in some cases.

A good rate of return is

necessary to mitigate against

nonresponse bias.

The size of an acceptable rate of

return is controversial

but return rates of approximately 30%

appear adequate.

Good return rates will be enhanced by: good

questionnaire

design, an effective letter of transmittal,

and a motivated

recipient.

Page 25

5. The success of extensive open-ended questioning is

dependent on the interest of the recipient.

Precoding will enhance efficiency.

Postage type is a consideration and will affect response

rate.

The quality of the mailing list will be determined by the

quantity of undeliverables.

These conclusions, coupled with the rationale presented in

Chapter I, suggest a number of applications to the present

research.

It was with these conclusions in mind that the

questionnaire, cover letter, and mailing were designed. Also

suggested was the use of more open-ended questions that is normal

as a means to probe respondents for data beyond the limitations

set by the closed questions.

3 ;)

Page 26

CHAPTER III

Procedures

Description of Research Methodology

This nonexperimental, descriptive research was conducted to

survey employers in the professional audio industry to determine

their perceived value of audio education as well as their

perceived training needs.

The research used a mail-survey

questionnaire designed by the researcher to gather the data.

Research Design

As a means of answering the research questions stated in

Chapter I, the recipients of the questionnaire had to be

identified, the questionnaire and letter of transmittal designed,

the mailing executed, the data extracted from the returned

questionnaires, the data processed and analyzed, and the data

analysis reported.

Selection of Subjects

The professional audio industry is relatively small and,

therefore, also relatively easy to find.

This ease of location

is enhanced by the service nature of the industry and the

naturally related characteristic that the industry wants to be

found--by clients.

This study used two standard industry sources to locate the

potential respondents to the survey instrument.

They were: 1)

Mix Master Directory of the Professional Audio Industry (Act III,

1991); and 2) ®Billboard's 1991 International Recording Equipment

Page 27

and Studio Directory (BPI, 1990).

From these, only potential

respondents engaged in recording, production, and sound

reinforcement were selected since they were considered to be most

representative of the market for which Lansing Community College

trains.

This selection totaled 564 potential respondents.

Instrumentation

Data Collection

The data needed to answer the research questions were gathered

using a mail-survey questionnaire.

This questionnaire was sent

to every audio business engaged in recording, production, or

sound reinforcement in the eight state region chosen for study.

Development of the Questionnaire

The questionnaire used for this research was developed

specifically for this project.

No other research of this kind

was located and, therefore, there was not an existing

questionnaire designed specifically for this kind of research.

The general portions of the questionnaire are similar to any

number of questionnaires used for a variety of research.

The

remainder was formulated to address the research questions.

Revision of the Questionnaire

The questionnaire was reviewed by several people with respect

to format, relevance to the research, and compatibility with data

processing.

These people included: Dr. James C. Greene, Program

Director

Media Technology, Lansing Community College; Mrs.

Bonnie McGraw, Audio Lab Supervisor, Lansing Community College;

and Mr. Marc Smyth, Coordinator of TeleLearning, Lansing

Page 28

Community College.

Mr. Smyth's review was targeted towards the

data processing concerns.

Also, input was selected from members

of the local audio community who

were not on the mailing list for

the survey.

Suggestions made by Mr. Glenn Brown, Glenn

Brown

Productions, were received back in time

to be used in the

questionnaire design.

Input form the above individuals

was incorporated into the

draft version of the questionnaire.

It was this revised

questionnaire (see, Appendix A) which

was mailed to the potential

respondents on the compiled mailing list.

Administration of the Questionnaire

A cover letter (see, Appendix B)

was drafted to accompany the

questionnaire, and it,.the questionnaire,

and a postage-paid

return envelope were sent to the 564 potential

respondents on the

compiled mailing list.

The mailing was personally addressed

either the owner, chief engineer,

or studio manager.

The

recipients were asked to return the

questionnaire in the postage-

paid envelope by October 10, 1992.

No follow-up mailing was

planned due to financial constraints.

A total of 154 questionnaires (27.3%)

was returned.

A goal of

30% was selected for the optimum

return rate for the

questionnaire.

The small difference between the

returned

percentage and the goal was further

reason to forego the follow-

up mailing which is so often conducted for

a survey of this type.

Page 29

Data Processing and Analysis

As a pioneering research effort in this field, the

questionnaire asked for a mix of quantitative data and

qualitative responses.

Both the quantitative data and the

qualitative responses were placed in a database (Alpha Four) and

the quantitative data were then imported into a statistical

package (SPSSD for Windows')

The quantitative data were statistically reduced and the

results of these calculations are the subject of Chapter IV.

The

qualitative responses are reported by question number in

Appendices C through L, and are briefly summarized in Chapter IV.

Using the logical command structure provided by the database, the

qualitative data were sorted to generate a summary of comments

pertaining to a number of respondent characteristics (see,

Appendices M through S).

The conclusions to be drawn from these

sorts are also discussed briefly in Chapter IV.

Statistical operations were restricted to summary and

descriptive statistics.

No attempt was made to project the data

to the national population since there is no reason to believe

that the respondents from a restricted eight state region are

representative of the audio industry nationwide.

To have done so

would have required a random sample (or a census survey) to be

taken from that population rather than the more restricted

population addressed by this research.

Page 30

3ri

CHAPTER IV

RESEARCH FINDINGS

Introduction

This study was undertaken to determine how employers perceived

formal audio education, their training needs, how they judged

entry-level employees' qualifications, and the availability of

internships and entry-level employment.

The self-administered

mail-survey questionnaire was designed to gather this needed

data.

Questionnaires returned by respondents were complete to a

greater or lesser degree.

Some respondents chose not to respond

to all of the questions posed.

Others responded to all of the

closed questions but did not choose to respond to all of the

open-ended questions.

Still others not only responded to all of

the closed questions but were very helpful in responding-

sometimes at great length--to the open-ended questions.

Any failure to respond was taken as a 'no response' and not

included in the data analysis as other than a 'no response'.

Also, closed questions where more than one response was indicated

were treated in the same manner (as a 'no response').

Demographics

The first page of the questionnaire (questions 1

4) was

devoted to determining the nature of the facility that the

respondent was representing.

Question #1 asked for the business

activities of the respondents.

Page 31

Ql: Which descriptors represent your comparv's primary

business activities? (Please check J all that apply.)

Table 1 shows the ranking of the responses.

It should be

noted that respondents were encouraged to check more than one

response to indicate all of the business activities conducted at

their facility.

Table 1

PRIMARY BUSINESS ACTIVITIES OF RESPONDENTS

Rank

Primary Business

Mean S.D. Freq.

Recording Studio

.675

.47 104 67.5

Production Co.

.396 .49 61 39.6

Audio Post Production

.260

.44 40 26.0

Remote Recording

.214 .41 33 21.4

Other.

.208 .41 32 20.8

Sound Reinf.

Local

.156 .36 24 15.6

Sound Reinf.

Regional

.149 .36 23

14.9

Remote Production

.136 .34

21 7.8

Multi-Image Production

.084 .28

13 8.4

Sound Reinf.

National

.078 .27

7.8

'See Appendix C for respondent's "Other" business activities.

Most of the respondents (67.5%) were engaged in the recording

business either as a primary activity, coordinate activity, or

subordinate activity.

Respondents engaged in production (39.6%)

and audio post (26.0%) combined to represent roughly the same

share of the responses (65.6%).

The data gathered from this question was further analyzed to

determine how many additional business activities the respondents

who were engaged in recording, audio post production, or sound

Page 32

reinforcement-local were conducting at their facilities.

Tables

2 through 4 represent this analysis.

Table 2 shows the business activities for respondents

indicating their facilities were involved in recording. Thirty-

five respondents (22.7%) represent businesses which are involved

solely in recording with no other business activities being

conducted at the facility (indicated by "0").

Twenty-six

respondents (16.9%) represent facilities involved in at least one

of the other primary businesses listed in question #1 (indicated

by "1").

The remainder were involved in as many as nine of the

other businesses along with recording.

The mean is 1.673

business activities (SD.1.923), median is 1.000, and the mode is

0.000.

The mode represents the 50 respondents (32.5%) who

indicated that their facility was not involved in recording in

any way.

Table 2

RECORDING STUDIO: NUMBER

OF BUSINESS ACTIVITIES

Freq.

22.7

1 26

16.9

11.7

3 11

7.1

3 1.9

3.2

6 3 1.9

7 1

9 1

Page 33

Table 3 represents the same type of data analysis for those

respondents who indicated that their business was involved in

audio post production.

Here, only one respondent (0.6%)

represented a facility where audio post was the primary business

activity. All others were involved in up to nine of the other

primary business activities listed in question #1. The mean for

this category is 3.075 business activities (SD.2.105), median is

2.500, and the mode is 2.000.

Fully 114 respondents (74.0%) were

not involved in audio post in any way.

Table 3

AUDIO POST PRODUCTION:

NUMBER OF BUSINESS

ACTIVITIES

# Freq. %

0 1 .6

9 5.8

10 6.5

3 7 4.5

3 1.9

3.2

2 1.3

7 1 .6

8 1

9 1

Table 4 shows the sound reinforcement-local category.

In this

category, three (1.9%) of the respondents were involved in no

other business activities.

But, again, the respondents

represented facilities which were involved in as many as nine

additional business activities.

The mean was 3.208 (SD.2.502),

Page 34

4:3

the median was 3.000, and the mode 3.000.

Here, 130 respondents

(84.4%) were not involved in any way in sound reinforcement-local

activities.

Table 4

SOUND REINFORCEMENT-LOCAL:

NUMBER OF BUSINESS ACTIVITIES

Freq.

1.9

1 4 2.6

2 3

1.9

6 3.9

4 1 .6

1.9

1 .6

9 1

Questions 2 through 4 were designed to determine how large

these facilities were by querying respondents about the number of

people who work at their facility.

Table 5 represents the data

on full-time employees (question #2).

Q2: How many people are employed full-time at your

facility?

Page 35

Table 5

FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES

Category Mean SD Freq.

1 3

.580

.495 87

58.0

.253 .436

38 25.3

7 10

.060 .238 9

6.0

.067

.250 10

6.7

Over 25

.040

.197

6 4.0

Of the 154 respondents, 150 (97.4%) provided data on the

number of full-time employees at their facility.

The data

indicate that 83.3% of the respondent's facilities do not employ

more than six individuals, and that over half (58.0%) do not

employ more than three.

Table 6 displays the data for part-time employees (question

#3).

Q3: How many people are employed part-part at your

facility?

Of the 154 respondents, 128 (83.1%) provided data on the

number of part-time employees at their facility.

Table 6

PART-TIME EMPLOYEES

More Questions

Mean

Freq.

Yes

.233

.767

.425

23.3

76.7

Almost one-quarter of the respondents (23.3%) did suggest

additional questions.

These questions are listed in Appendix L.

Mailing Data

As mentioned in Chapter I, this survey was limited to an eight

state region including: Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois,

Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee.

Due to the geographic

limitations the population was also limited and, therefore, the

survey was conducted as a census survey.

Under "Selection of

Subjects," in Chapter III, the population was identified as

numbering 564 potential respondents.

The survey was mailed to these identified individuals and

businesses with the distribution shown in Table 24.

Page 51

Table 24

MAILING SUMMARY

STATE

Total

Rtd.

Rtd. &

Net #

% of

Mailed Unusable

Re-Mailed

of Total

Surveys

16.8

30 5.6

48 4

44 8.2

120

6 1 114

21.2

1 2

23 4.3

76 14.2

18 3.4

TN 149 7

142 26.4

Totals

564

537 100.0

Some of the surveys were returned by the Post Office for a

variety of reasons.

Table 25 summarizes the reasons and number

of surveys involved.

Table 25

MAILING CORRECTIONS

Reason for Correction

Number

Returned by the Post Office

as Unforwardable

Addressee has moved outside

the survey region

Addressee unavailable for

response within time set in

cover letter (outside U.S.)

Returned with a forwarding

address by the Post Office

Total

£1

4.4

2 0.4

0.2

1.3

34 6.3

Page 52

Those mailings which could not be forwarded are summarized in

Table 26.

These addresses were, of course, dropped from the

mailing list.

Table 26

UNFORWARDABLE BY STATE

State

Number % of

State

4 4.4

0 0.0

3 6.8

6 5.3

1 4.3

3 4.0

0 0.0

7 4.9

Total

24 29.7

The questionnaires which were returned with a forwarding

address were re-mailed to the new address (with the exception of

the two who had moved outside the survey region).

This is

summarized in Table 27.

Here, too, the mailing list was updated

to reflect these changes.

Page 53

Table 27

FORWARDED TO NEW ADDRESS BY STATE

State

Number % of

State

3 3.3

0.0

0 0.0

1 0.1

8.7

0.0

0 0.0

1 0.7

Total

7 13.6

As a further check on the mailing list respondents were asked

to indicate if the questionnaire was addressed to the right

person (question #22).

Their responses are summarized in Table

28.

Table 28

ADDRESSED O.K.

O.K. Mean SD

Freq.

Yes

.912 .284

125

91.2

.088 .284

8.8

The 154 respondents were also tabulated by state.

Table 29 is

a summary of the geographic range from which responses were

returned.

Page 54

Table 29

RESPONDENTS BY STATE

State

No.

% of

% of Total

Mailed per Returned

State

MI 18

20.0 11.7

36.7

7.1

MN 15 34.1 9.7

32.5

24.0

39.1 5.8

26 34.2 16.9

KY 5

27.8 3.2

23.2 21.4

Total

154

100

The response of 154 (27.3%) was interpreted to mean that the

mail list complied from the sources listed in Chapter III was

adequate for the purpose of this survey.

See the last section of

this chapter for more on this topic.

Qualitative Findings

General

Respondents to this survey were very generous in supplying

their comments to the abundant number of questions which provided

for an open-ended response.

This was of purposeful intent due to

the pioneering nature of this research.

Here, the comments

offered relevant to the research questions will be viewed just as

they came from the questionnaires.

In the second part of this

section a review of comments which have undergone logic sorts by

the database will be perused.

Page 55

1. Research Question #1: What value do employers place on

formal education?

With reference to education (question #11), employers

emphasized the liberal arts as opposed to technical training. In

fact one respondent said, "A specific degree is not as important

as the fact that thcy have achieved and have capacity to grow."

These responses, taken together with those which follow, give a

strong sense that employers want an 'educated' individual.

That

is, someone who knows about many things and has taken time to

develop maturity. (See Appendix D)

When asked about the 2-year vs. 4-year comparison (question

#12), employers spoke to the issue of attitudes and the

additional maturity that two years of additional discipline can

bring.

A broader educational background provides the opportunity

to become a more rounded person.

But this was tempered with

cautions about the development of attitudes and a certain

distance from the reality of the real world. (See Appendix E)

Question #17, on the issue of interpersonal skills, brought

forth more criticism dealing with attitudes.

Respondents spoke

about unrealistic people skills, weak customer service skills,

and institutions not addressing their having not stressed these

attributes enough. (See Appendix I)

On the topic of communication skills (question #18),

respondents cited a lack of such skills.

They talked about the

emphasis being placed on technical skills with a resulting loss

of training in these skills.

Again, 4-year students were

perceived to be better prepared in this area. (See Appendix J)

Page 56

The general comments (question #19) focused again on

personality and attitude.

The real world was mentioned as was

the concern that the art of recording may not really be a

teachable subject.

Sales surfaced in these comments in that

employees are generally expected to contribute to the facility's

business by prospecting for new clients.

That the audio industry

is a business and it must be approached as such. (See Appendix K)

In summary, respondents want people with the advanced degrees

with the hope that two more years of training will develop some

commensurate level of maturity.

At the same time they are

counting on the schools to develop these people intellectually

and technically.

Not the least of the concerns lies in the area

of attitudes and people skills--a must!

Research Question #2: What are the rank-ordered training

needs of employers?

Areas where respondents felt that students should be trained

(question #15) once again focused on the development of attitudes

and client relations.

The attitude issue appears to focus on

unrealistic expectations, excessive demands, and resistance to

dealing with client's ideas.

The word "psychology" surfaced

frequently in contexts such as, "Psychology and people skills

(See Appendix G)

The issue of the 'right' equipment often surfaces in

discussions with audio practitioners and was the impetus for

question #16.

Even though the quantitative data indicated no

strong preference that students be trained on specific equipment,

the open-ended responses were predictable.

More often than not

Page 57

such manufactures as SSL, Neve, Mitsubishi, Studer, and Otari

were mentioned.

It must be noted, however, tnan many of the

responses again emphasized the use of a variety of equipment that

was pro format. (See Appendix H)

Research Question #3: What are the rank-ordered

qualifications of entry-level employees as seen by

employers?

The only question on the questionnaire that allowed open-ended

response to qualifications was question #13.

Once again, the

topic of attitude played a large role in the responses.

Experience was mentioned quite often but, again, it was attitude,

people skills, communications skills, and teamwork. (See Appendix

Research Question #4: What is available to graduates in

terms of internships and entry-level employment?

There were no open-ended questions which dealt with this

research question.

Response Sorts

In an effort to gain a better understanding of the answers

supplied by respondents to the open-ended questions, some of the

responses were sorted using the logical operators provided in the

database program.

Seven different sorts were executed and they

fell into three different categories.

It is a summary of those

findings in the three categories which follows.

1. Response to Question #12

Three different sorts were made as an approach to question

#12.

The first was: Respondents Answering "Associate's Degree"

Page 58

to Question #10

Comments to Question #12.

See Appendix M for a

complete listing.

Here, the sort brought a sharper focus to an analysis of the

comment7s.

Although the oft cited attitude component was

mentioned, it was tempered with the sentiment that four-year

students expect more and that much of attitude depends on the

individual, not the institution.

The second sort was: Respondents Answering "Bachelor's Degree"

to Question #10

Comments to Question #12.

See Appendix N for a

complete listing.

Again the focus becomes clearer as respondents cite

a higher

literacy level and that two years can not provide training in

both the liberal arts and the technology.

A broader background

probably alludes to the same concern.

Motivation and adjustment

are also seen as reasons for respondents to choose the Bachelor's

Degree.

The third sort in this category was: Respondents Answering

Other Than "Associate's Degree" or "Bachelor's Degree" to

Question #10

Comments to Question #12.

See Appendix 0 for a

complete listing.

Respondents who do not favor either of the two academic

degrees cite real world experience as the only way to learn the

business.

They refer to four-year students as being over

qualified and that they are looking for the 'right'

person,

regardless of educational background.

But that attitude concern

also surfaces frequently among this segment of respondents.

Page 59

In summary, each group of respondents have their own reasons

for preferring one of the two degrees or no degree at all.

The

common factor, however, seems to be that they all want people who

have the right attitude and people skills.

2. Response to Question #13

Two sets of sorts were performed in order to tap into the

open-ended comments on question #13.

This question addressed

qualifications for entry-level employment.

The first sort was: Respondents Answering "Recording Studio"

or "Audio Pcst Production" to Question #1

Comments to Question

#13.

See Appendix P for a complete listing.

Personality seems to predominate these comments as well.

Perhaps this was best expressed by one respondent, "Personality,

ability to work with clients, likeable, friendly, able to work

under pressure, attention to detail while being time conscious,

genuinely interested in client's end-product no matter what it

might be."

The second sort was: Respondents Answering "Sound

Reinforcement-Local," "Sound Reinforcement-Regional," or "Sound

Reinforcement-National" to Question #1

- Comments to Question

#13.

See Appendix R for a complete listing.

Attitude, aptitude, and willingness to take direction

predominate these comments.

There is some emphasis on the

technical aspects, but the overarching theme is

one of being the

'right' person.

Page 60

3. Response to Question #15

Twc sorts were conducted to get more detail on question #15.

The question focused on pre-employment training in a formal

educational setting.

The first was: Respondents Answering "Recording Studio" or

"Audio Post Production" to Question #1

Comments to Question

#15.

See Appendix Q for a complete listing.

It is probably not surprising to hear people skills and

attitudes mentioned once again.

Again, the sentiments are

effectively summarized by one of the respondents, "I can teach

someone with the right attitude & people skills to run the

studio.

It's much harder to change the attitude & people skills

of someone who can run the studio if they don't have their

attitude together."

The second sort was: Respondents Answering "Sound

Reinforcement-Local," "Sound Reinforcement-Regional," or "Sound

Reinforcement-National" to Question #1

Comments to Question

#15.

See Appendix S for a complete listing.

These comments seem to be the exception since attitudes are

not mentioned once (although people skills are).

Instead,

respondents are citing a variety of technical skills which are

common concerns of sound reinforcement people.

It is interesting

that one respondent mentions community service as a way of

gaining the experience needed for a professional job.

To summarize, the predominance of answers to the sorts

relative to question #15 bring up the common theme from amongst

Page 61

these respondents and that theme is 'attitudes.'

Although a fair

number of citations of technical skills were made, only the very

last sort gave the more 'traditional' response set.

Explanation of Findings

With respect to the more basic data, the findings of this

research are not too unlike the stereotypical view of the audio

industry.

As previously stated, the so-called 'typical'

respondent represents a recording studio which is also engaged in

one or two other audio business activities, has three or fewer

full-time employees, three or fewer part-time employees, and

retains three or fewer sub-contractors.

But if one moves beyond

the basics many of the trends and cautions brought forth in the

review of literature are quite striking.

Predominant amongst the findings is that industry

practitioners want the schools to form attitudes as well as

technical skills.

This bears out Lambert's call for people

skills and Alexander's insistence that schools give students

realistic pictures of the industry (See Chapter II, pp. 10 & 14).

One of the more disconcerting findings is respondent's

apparent disregard for the two-year degree.

The Bachelor's

degree was certainly selected from the quantitative analysis, but

the response to the open-ended questions pointed to two years of

additional maturity as the primary reason for this choice.

(This

conclusion recognizes the secondary conclusion that two more

years allows for additional studies as well.)

The thinking

skills advocated by Jones along with Friedman's informed operator

Page 62

are certainly valid responses to these respondents (See Chapter

II, pp. 13 & 9).

With respect to training needs, the fact that respondents

tended to emphasize the traditional studio gear may well be an

indication that the smaller studios (and these respondents

generally represented small facilities) have not been able to

upgrade to workstations and other technological advances in the

industry.

On the other hand, it is likely that entry-level

employees will not utilize this equipment immediately and

training on the traditional equipment is in perfect harmony with

the tasks they will likely be assigned.

It appears that an interpretation of what constitutes industry

standard equipment--which Igl (Chapter II, pp. 11-12) says

students should be trained on--carries various interpretations.

The quantitative analysis clearly shows that brand names should

not be a factor and, when asked to comment, the major

manufacturers of state-or-the-art equipment were enumerated.

This is a long-standing dispute in audio and it is certainly a

factor in the thinking of these 154 respondents as well.

Given the present economy, the outlook for entry-level jobs in

these predominately small facilities is not surprising.

But the

most disconcerting aspect is the general disposition to not use

interns.

That only about half of the respondents make such

positions available is, again, most likely an outgrowth of the

small size of the businesses represented by the respondents.

Page 63

To summarize, these respondents seem to represent the

traditional audio industry in terms of business activities and

philosophy.

They are cognizant of the need for new employees who

will be able to contribute to the facility with the largest

emphasis placed on getting along with clients.

Their small size

indicates that students wishing to gain entry-level employment

had best look outside the limited geographic region chosen for

this study.

Page 64

rf r:

Chapter V

Conclusions and Recommendations

Introduction

The audio industry is not large and yet the skills required'

for success are quite extensive.

This has become more the case

in recent years as the development of digital technology has

reached the point where the technology is both powerful and

affordable.

Certainly this factor alone points to a formal

educational program as a solution for the industry's training

needs.

This study was conducted to answer four questions concerning

employers' perceptions of the effectiveness of formal education,

their specific training needs, the attributes which make an

applicant a viable candidate for employment, and the availability

of internships and entry-level employment for students.

All in

all, this study is a good first attempt at gathering this kind of

data from the industry.

Review of Procedure

One of the major limitations in the present research was the

lack of ability to perform a follow-up on the nonrespondents.

Although the 27.3% response rate is respectable, it would be good

to have the assurance that the nonrespondents are of essentially

the same mind as the respondents and were not responding due to

some important characteristics.

Page 65

A second restriction may have been the use of Lansing

Community College envelopes and stationary. .Although the

respondents gave seemingly honest answers (which did not defer to

the community college), nonrespondents may have discarded the

mailing because of the seeming lack of relevance between

themselves and the college.

Certainly a third limitation concerns the design of the

questionnaire itself.

The addition of a "None" category for

questions #2, #3, and #4 would have been appropriate.

It is

likely that the number of 'no response' replies to these

questions may be linked to this oversight.

Also, some

respondents may have checked a category just to comply with the

instructions to respond.

Recommendations

A number of recommendations are proposed as a result of this

research.

Most pertain to the community college whose

information needs were considered as this study was designed and

has attempted to begin to fill.

Others, however, focus on

additional research which would be a beneficial complement to

this work.

The recommendations are:

The community college needs to do some public relations

work within the professional audio community.

The low

perception of preparedness of students with the two-year

degree needs to be changed.

Individuals in the

professional community need to understand that the average

community college student enters with a very high level of

Page 66

maturity and is generally pursuing a career based on a

mature decision making process.

Both the audio community and the educational community need

to become aware that attitudes can be taught in a formal

educational setting.

The professional practitioner

responding to this survey has the impression that attitude

shaping can only occur in the 'real world.'

On the other

hand, many in the educational community need to become

aware that attitudes can and should be taught and learn the

techniques to accomplish this.

The community college needs to actively pursue internship

opportunities within the professional community. A first

step might include a follow-up questionnaire targeted just

to the issue of intern opportunities.

A clarification of what 'post production' entails should be

sought from the industry..

The fact that only one

respondent was engaged in post production as a sole

business activity and that only 19 others were involved

with post production along with one or two other businesses

seems rather low given the present emphasis in the

industry.

A separate study should be conducted within the sound

reinforcement segment of the industry.

This segment has

needs which are quite different from the studio world and

it is difficult to gather data industry-wide within the

context of a single general questionnaire.

Page 67

6. More work should be done to compare the maturity levels of

two-year vs. four-year students.

It would be useful to

have a quantitative measure of any differences which might

exist.

The community college should perform follow-up studies with

its own graduates in order to gain a first-hand view of

some of the difficulties in entering the industry.

Although this process is difficult, the results would be a

most valuable addition to the available data.

These seven recommendations for future activities, if

executed, would add greatly to the body of knowledge in this area

of study. The lack of scientific data on formal audio education

is atrocious when one considers the number of institutions

involved in this activity. One can only hope that in the future

programs will be based on adequate data rather than on intuition

and whim.

Page 68

1;1

Appendix A

Questionnaire

7 s

AUDIO INDUSTRY QUESTIONNAIRE

Please check

the box that precedes yimr 'response to each (guestin.

Your Business

'eh deseripbors represent your etkikkplw**

ary b

eas

vitles?

, ,

(Please deck / all thatapply.)

. ..

.. . .

Recording Studio

(01)

Remote Recording (06)

Production Company

(02)

III Sound Reinforcement-Local (07)

Remote Production (03)

Sound Reinforcement-Regional

(08)

Multi-Image Production (04)

Sound Reinforcement-National (09)

Audio Post Production

(05)

Other (specify)

(10)

How many people are employed full...time at your facility?

1 - 3 (ii)

- 6

(12)

- 10

(13)

- 25 (14)

Over 25 (ls)

3. How many people areempIoyed

time at your facility?

....

1 - 3 (16)

4- 6 (17)

7- 10 (18)

- 25 ow

Over 25

(20)

4, How many sub

- contractors (Independent rangineerst Musicians, Programmer* etc.)

do you employ each year at your facility?

. ..

1 - 3 (21)

- 6 (22)

7- 10 (23)

10 - 25 (24)

; c

Over 25 (25)

(

5,, How Many intern:Poi Mons do youinike'availidde eacitireart"'

...

None (26)

One (27)

O 2

- 3 (28)

Over 3 (29)

6. Are interns paid?

Yes (30)

No (3))

7. How many new

-levet People do'yog,tYPicellY

each year?

None (32)

One (33)

O 2

- 3 (34)

Over 3 (35)

Your Hiring Preferences

n hiring an entry-level employee or an intern, what factor is experience/

The most important factor

(36)

Very much a factor (37)

Just another factor (38)

Not a factor at all (39)

9. When hiring an entry-level employee or an intern, what factor is education?'

The most important factor

(40)

Very much a factor (41)

Just another factor (42)

Not a factor at all (43)

. .

uca

e.V

Certificate(s) from short course(s)

(44)

Trade school graduate

(45)

Associate's Degree (46)

Bachelor's Degree (47)

Your Hiring Preferences (cont.)

1.1. If you *Wow

-Associatessor kacItelOiiso, ibove, in' Iiiiirliiialp '

- -,

(If times

chick Irlitore:

one-lioili:Y ss '

,', t. , `--- . ,

- , -,-&-' -..:-/,

Music (48)

Physics (5)

Electrical Engineering

(49)

Recording Industry Management (54)

Business

(50)

Sound (5)

Media Arts

(51)

Other (specify)

(5)

Media Technology (52)

12. On balance, in sour experience* have you found those students entering

,..y.

work

from forarlear college or yuiltersity *140413 le be better prep

-' ,

job t

studentti entering from twoletir

or comm nit college settings?

Yes (57)

No (58)

Just the reverse (53)

Please explain your answer briefly:

tjob qualifications do you consider most:intim

a .

(Number from I 1-3

with "r being the big-best priority,)

Musical skills (plays an instrument)

(30)

Location/remote recording experience so

Business skills (accounting, books, typing,

Sound reinforcement experience (on

etc.) (61)

Electronic repair background

(62)

MIDI experience (68)

Previous internship at another facility

(33)

The potential employee's personal

equipment list (63)

Video production experience

(64)

The potential employee's client list (70)

General computer experience

(65)

List any other areas (not included above) that

you also consider important:

E I

Your Perception of Training Needs

14. Please

rit1

the strainincareasin-which-you feel apotential employee should

reedy* prvonipliyment training.'

-, -,

(Number from I -->

with'T being the highest purity.)

Console (71)

Digital workstation (77)

Signal processing gear (outboard

MIDI instruments/controllers (78)

effects/processors) (22)

Console automation system

(73)

Duplication equipment (78)

Synchronization system (74)

Microphones (80)

Analog multi-track recorder

(75)

Monitor mixer (81)

Digital multi-track recorder

(76)

Computers (82)

15. Are there any,*

areas In which you gel students should receive pre.

employment training as

of a formal educational program?

Yes (83)

No (84)

If "Yes," please specify:

,aii::::ii:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::,*:::::,::::::i:::::::,%:::::!:::::::.

-Ispearto:

name equipment that you feel students should be

c f

Yes (85)

No (86)

If "Yes" please specify:

Your Perception of Training Needs (cont.)

17. Do you fear

litadenticentn

tiaeiv lice fronitili andieutlear

educationathuitiiiitiOns hie the interpasenal

s needed tO work effectiviiIk10

cents and in wOrkteams with colleagues?

Yes (87)

No (88)

If "No," please specify:

., ........ . .

18. Do you feel that stinkrits entering the wOrkplace from two- and four-year-

educational institutions have writing

verbal communications skills that are ;

adequate to ensure,their success in the audio Indus

Yes (89)

No (9o)

If "No," please specify:

Your Perception of Training Needs (cont.)

... ... . ... . ,

19. Aro the any general 'Comments thation would like io

'rep' the ,

preparation for tha workplace that students are given in post.secon. schools?

Yes (91)

No (92)

If "Yes," please specify:

General

20. What is yosur title?

Your title:

21. Would

a copy of the result& of

survey?

Yes (93)

El NG

(94)

If "Yes," please provide your name and address here:

Optional - But Appreciated

2 Was this questionnaire addressed to the

t person?

Yes (95)

No (96)

If "No," who should it have been addressed to and what is that person's title?

23. Are there any questions you feel we should have asked, but didn't?

Yes (97)

No (98)

If "Yes," please use this space for your questions

or you may attach any additional questions that

will not fit here:

0 Thank

for taking ate to complete

tittestionnaire,

Please return this completed questionnaire in the postage-paid envelope provided

or mail directly to:

John W. Lightner

52-Media

Lansing Community College

PO Box 40010

Lansing MI 48901-7210

Questionnaire 0 1992, John W. Lightner

Ali Rights Reserved

Appendix B

Cover Letter

JOHN W. LIGHTNER

Assistant Professor

Media Technology

Rm. 108 (AOF)

Academic and Office Facility

PH:

(517) 483-1677

LANSING COMMUNITY COLLEGE

16 September 1992

Respondent's Name &

Business Address

Dear

I am currently in the process of gathering information that will help those of us

involved in audio education help to meet the training needs of the professional audio

industry.

You can help me by taking just the five or ten minutes required to complete and

return the enclosed questionnaire. As you can see, I've tried to keep the

questionnaire brief and make it as easy as possible for you to respond to each item.

I have selected an eight state region in the middle U.S. to survey and you were

selected to participate because your business is providing professional audio services

in this area. Since I have chosen to limit the distribution of the survey to a specific

region, each of the responses I receive will be crucially important in assuring the

validity of the results I will discover and report.

Please be assured that you will not be identified in any way by your participation

in this process. The results of all returned surveys will be added to the database and

statistically analyzed: they will be reported in a composite and anonymous fashion.

Won't you respond to the questionnaire right away? Please note that I've

included a postage-paid return envelope for your convenience.

I will accept all

questionnaires that are returned before October 10. Please share your opinions with

me.

Again, allow me to state that this information will be used to benefit the

professional audio industry by tailoring training to the stated needs of the industry.

Take your part in helping to shape the future of our industry by telling us what

you

need in terms of trained entry-level employees.

Thank you in advance for taking an interest in the future of

our industry.

Very truly yours,

John W. Lightner

ItAl.ADDRIIIII:

52:Media. P.O. Box 40010. Lansing, MI 48901-7210 my AMMO,: 52-Media, 315 N. Grand Ave.. Lansing. Ml 48933

'AZ:

(517) 483-9781

Appendix C

Question #1

Listing of "Other" Business Activities

Appendix C

Comment responses to "Other (specify)" in Question #1:

Which descriptors represent your company's primary business

activities? (Please check

all that apply.)

Record Company

Duplication.

Retail Music Store.

Also building installation of audio systems, custom design &

manufacture of cabinet, casecovers, etc.

Lighting, Retail.

Audio Duplication.

Classes.

Cassette Duplication.

Tape and Equipment Sales.

Film Sound.

National Production Training Center. "Road Crew." Special Events

Management.

CD and Cassette Duplication.

Home Theatre Manufacturing.

Props, AV & Lighting Production. Installation, Sales, Rentals.

Sound Reinforcement Sales and Installation.

Music Composition.

Original Music & Recording.

Video Production.

Pretty equally split between Voice Recording, Music Recording,

Video Production, Audio Duplication and Video Duplication.

Creative Services and Duplication.

Page C-1

CD and Cassette Mastering.

Sports Networks.

Cartage, Rental, Light Rehearsal.

Tape Duplication.

Custom Album Projects.

Music Publishing.

Mastering Studio.

Video Shoot/Edit.

Training/Workshop.

Mastering/CD Preparation.

Audio Equipment Sales.

Page C-2

Appendix D

Question #11

Listing of "Other" Disciplines

Appendix D

Comment responses to "Other (specify)" in Question #11:

If you answered Associate's or Bachelor's above, in what

discipline? (If necessary, check / more than one choice.)

Recording/Engineering Technology.

Liberal Arts.

Doesn't matter.

Lighting.

Electronics Technology.

Tonmeister Program.

Liberal Arts.

A specific degree is not as important as the fact that they have

achieved and have capacity to grow.

Any Liberal Arts Degree.

Any (education, to me, mainly shows discipline).

Client Relations.

Recording Maintenance.

Doesn't matter.

Commercial music & recording.

Page D-1

II-

ILI

Appendix E

Question #12

Listing of Explanations

Appendix E

Comment responses to Question #12:

On balance, in your experience, have you found those students

entering the workplace from four-year college or university

settings to be better prepared for the job than students entering

from two-year or community college settings? Please explain your

answer briefly:

Basically, we look for those individuals who have an intuitive

sense of sound, past the realm of textbook knowledge.

Most employees don't realize the hours and dedication involved to

be successful.

Not always, but usually.

4 year students seem more mature & prepared to handle

relationships w/ other coworkers & the clients.

I have found that the amount of training received in their course

has proved to be more beneficial than book theory.

Provided it is a school that has the correct programs: UCLA, U of

Miami, etc.

Many expect something other than entry level position for 4 years

of expensive training. That's just not realistic.

You can't learn to be a sound man in school. You have to go on

the road and work under "real" pressure.

Education does not reflect attitude, hunger or common sense.

These are our hiring criteria.

The level of personal enthusiasm.

Our best employee is that with the most real-life experience.

Audience is primarily college professions, students, and

university-trained professionals. The people who have B.A./B.S.

and M.A./M.S. level education are better equipped to understand

our audience. We have had associate degreed workers in graphic

design.

It seems that education is less important than desire and/or

attitude.

Page E-1

My impression is that two years doesn't give enough background in

both the liberal arts and the chosen field of study. Must know

something about Art, Music, Literature, Theater, etc. to work in

the Motion Picture industry. Associate degree just doesn't supply

than broad background.

Often found to be inflexible, rigid, can't relate to a real world

environment, slow under pressure, can't cope with

inconsistencies, often don't relate well to stage hands, drivers,

electricians, etc.

Only two interns, can't tell much yet.

Sometimes a four year students is overly qualified for any entry

position.

The college grads still don't have much practical knowledge due

too inexperience, but come with a know-it-all attitude.

The people best suited to this line of work are those who can get

along with people under many stressful situations and not lose

their cool. Of course they must have a very good musical "ear,"

but the rest can be taught by doing.

Two-year community college students seem more interested in

starting to work and learn the biz from the beginning. Four year

kids are a little more eager/less patient to make their mark.

Four year students turn-over much faster also.

It is the individual student's performance that must be judged. I

received a much better education from a university than a friend

who went to a two-year college.

Education is important, but attitude and willingness to learn are

usually more important. Entry level students with a good attitude

come from all areas...trade schools, two-year, and four-year

programs. I can teach anyone with a good attitude.

Students from four-year colleges have a broader educational

background.

Basically because of more experience and being more mature. There

are always exceptions to the rule.

The field is a very difficult field to enter. The less educated

students (as opposed to those with B.A.'s, etc.) are willing to

work harder to attain their goals.

We look for the "right" person; a combination of knowledge,

training/ability, experience and ATTITUDE.

Page E-2

More time to absorb and remember information. You should, in my

opinion, have a fully functional studio open to the public for

students to operate as a business (in both management and

support).

It generally adds two more years of maturity and growing up. At

this age two years can make a big difference. The education alone

might not be that big of a difference.

I believe four-year college provides a more rounded education and

mature attitude to the work place.

They expect to work hard to prove and earn their positions.

College grads have an attitude that you owe them.

Job training is important but "the will" to work hard in the

production business is more important than any degree. Our

business in not a 9-5 job but a 24 hour, 7 days a week endurance

test!

It seems most four year college grads are somewhat molded in

their ideas of accomplishing a task at hand and do not have the

real world experience needed in the concert sound business. 2)

Most four year people do not want to work on the road and haul

equipment. 3) Pay does not justify a four year degree.

Education is necessary but practical applications

are better. On

job and just know how are best. People skills a must.

In general (from my experience at least), the people better

prepared for a job in the recording studios are most likely

already experienced (in some way or another) in the music

business (e.g., musician, performer, etc.). The educational

experiences never made a difference.

We like the well rounded person. In our experience, the student

who has completed a four year degree is more motivated, well

adjusted (socially and professionally) and flexible than students

from two year schools or short coursework in recording. These

short, X-week long recording courses are worthless in my mind.

Trade programs offer more focus.

Students from two year institutions are normally

self-presentation oriented and will accomplish

more.

In the type of music production we do, the engineer's ability to

communicate on a musical level is extremely important.

We have people with four-year degrees. However, none are music

industry related.

Page E-3

Four-year students have greater over-all education. Two-year

students seem to have more ready-to-use hands-on experience, plus

are less concerned about getting their hands dirty.

Attitude and the willingness to learn are the most important

factors to me.

Attitude, aptitude and people skills are first in priority.

From our experience we have found students better prepared for

the job who have a two-year Associate degree. Many of those

students have held a job while attending school. They know what

is expected of them on the job. They work well with co-workers,

clients and the unexpected.

Two-year programs are usually like trade schools; are job task

oriented, i.e., hands-on, get the job done.

Colleges spend too much time in developing small amounts of

knowledge or a broad spectrum to topics. Specialized training

(What a concept!) needs to be addressed. This, along with

communications skills and work ethic is regularly overlooked.

The discipline of pursuing a four-year degree means as much as

the course preparation. A person with a degree has made a

commitment. As a rule of thumb, entry level training can be

completed in a two year period. General knowledge and people

skills--a very important factor--require a much greater period to

develop.

Principle application is by far more important. Four-year

students are biased with theory so lack abilities to respond to

situations.

The only factor which is relevant in the live sound reinforcement

field is experience. You cannot learn live sound in a classroom.

Everyone starts on about the same level. People have different

strengths, obviously, but learning the politics of the sound

business is something only time can teach.

Longer in school, farther from workplace. Clinical vs. reality.

Expectations far exceed what is available.

This studio is very young. My business flow is not great enough

to support more employees. Thus, my lack of contact with schooled

individuals makes it hard to answer this question.

I am basically concerned with the work ethic of the individual,

regardless of his or her degree.

Page E-4

I expect any employee of mine to be able to carry on a

conversation with my clients, about music and topics unrelated.

The higher the educational level, the better. I'll hire someone

with higher education and less experience over the opposite. I

can always teach skills but I can't give someone an education.

Per individual.

Any student fresh out of college (2 or 4-year) is generally

ill-prepared for any studio position and I have not seen much of

a difference either way.

Four-year college usually are trained for other careers or

interests. Expect too much money. Aren't more qualified in any

desirable way. No good schools for engineers that teach reality.

It depends on the individual--motivation.

School can be very beneficial, but engineering, client relations,

etc. is an art that can't be learned from a book. It's far more

involved than that.

Haven't had any.

Don't know.

I have found, to a person, that persons with "audio' degrees are

totally unprepared for the workplace.

Have never hired a student just out of college.

Four-year degree indicates ambition above norm. Experience and

education will be important, but we choose employees based on

their capacity to learn our business.

No comment.

Nothing can replace the four-year college experience in terms of

maturity and growth for someone entering the job market. In

balance, college graduates posses the reasoning and cognitive

skills needed to succeed at any new job situation. College

graduates are more likely to commit themselves to the situation,

devote themselves to the job and see it through to the end. They

are simply more reliable.

Work ethic and attitude are more important to me than education

level.

When I do "hire" interns and entry level I find their

college/university education more of a hinderance than help!

Their "know it all" attitude I feel is not conducive to working

in a creative atmosphere.

Page E-5

The person's internal drive and desire

to be successful seem to

be what makes the person most desirable

for the job.

No substitute for real world experience.

No comment.

They don't know any more

or less about the industry, but are

generally more literate. World view,

ability to communicate

orally and in writing, self-discipline.

These factors enhance the

individual.

A four-year program gives

an individual a chance to grow

personally. Also very important, it

gives them time to intern

while in school, which

may take years before a job position can

be found. A graduate from

any program is useless to me without

intern experience.

It depends on the background and knowledge

the applicant has

before going to school

as to how long it takes them to become

competent employees.

It depends totally on the individuals

themselves: how serious

they are about learning, their attitude,

and the ability to do

what is asked of them in

a professional manner. Doesn't matter if

they were in four-year

or two-year program.

Typically, those from a four-year

program are better

suited--probably more from a perspective

of maturity and social

interaction--than from the standpoint

of technical skills.

Getting people with talent doesn't

seem to be a problem. Getting

people who can work well with

other engineers and clients is

problem!

Usually depends on student's desire

to learn and get ahead.

Most--the best--sign as grips

and stick around and learn other

areas too. If we see they're responsible, we'll

move them up to

better paying jobs. Attitude is

very important.

Four-years: they have picked

up too many bad habits. I prefer

high school grads with plenty of

sequencing experience.

Individuals that are bright and

motivated are prepared from both

four-year and two-year

courses. Ego-maniacs and students with

unaddressed personality problems

are worthless after ten years of

school.

Depends totally on the individual

case and there are very few

data points.

Most interns have attended four-year

institutions.

Page E-6

IC u

I find that in both cases they are equipped with little more than

basic understanding of the industry. The rest must be digested in

the studio by encountering real life situations.

Page E-7

10;

Appendix F

Question #13

Listing of Other Qualifications

1C2

Appendix F

Comment responses to Question #13:

What job qualifications do you consider most important?

List any other areas (not included above) that you also consider

important:

Good hair.

Diplomatic qua''ties. Personal qualities. Non-smokers preferred.

Troubleshoot live sound problems: hums, buzzes, ground loops.

this is a very important area, not many students know even where

to start.

Character references.

As to the above--it I am hiring an office manager or

clerical--the above listing is not applicable.

Desire to learn. Eagerness to achieve.

Work ethic, attitude, personality.

Personal communication skills.

All above are good but first priority is attitude and ability to

relate/communicate with clients and to make them feel

comfortable--that they are in their best working environment.

Commitment to quality teamwork.

Attitude & personality.

Attitude, communication skills, personal goals, willingness to

work hard long hours (dedication), understanding of engineering

occupation.

Client Relations. Marketing.

Appearance, grooming, size, weight, command of the English

language, willingness to work, creative ability, honesty,

reliability.

Stage experience, working in a low light environment, theater,

coffeehouse, college concert stagehand experience, all would be

more important than items 4 through 8.

Attitude, teamwork.

10 3

Page F-1

Experience.

Ears--knowing what music is supposed to sound like.

Personality--getting the client to like him/her.

Can he or she work with people?

References from other jobs and people.

Acoustic recording experience.

In-studio experience, hours logged, credits.

Personality is extremely important. Everythi 1 else can be

taught.

Ability to interface with people.

Attitude and willingness to learn.

Personality is the MOST important!

Audio post production for video.

Engineering in studio and good sales/people skills.

Personality, eagerness, dependability.

I find most important: maturity, personality, intuitiveness. The

above skills were much more technical. Ultimately, recording is

working with and for people.

My most important employee criteria: enthusiasm, alertness,

intuitiveness, communication and support skills.

Technical skills and previous work experience (retail, sales,

management) major factor.

Analog/digital tape editing. "Micing" of different instruments

and voices.

Interrelational, pleasant, professional attitude without

ego.

Attitude. Desire to learn.

Being able to think.

Have they done any shows, theatre, convention, etc

Actual job

experiences.

Eagerness to learn.

Page F-2

People skills.

Personality.

Well adjusted personality with open eyes and a willingness to

learn humility.

In studio recording and mixing experience. Phone handling

professionalism.

Enthusiastic "can do" attitude. Ability to work well with people.

Personality. Musical "taste" or "ears."

Personality and attitude.

Attitude is the most important: not too cocky but enthusiastic

hell.

Personal communication skills.

Work ethic. Good attitude.

Willingness to listen to directions. Willingness to accept the

fact that what they were taught is usually not the way the real

world is.

A general understanding of audio and video equipment operation.

Personality-The ability to work with others (Personal work

ethic)

Studio recording experience.

People skills.

Skills in communicating with others and knowing how to deal well

with clients. "People skills"!!!

Wake up!!! You people must provide communications skills and

motivation to work or else items #1-11 are useless.

Public relations skills, sales experience, certification.

Able to think/answer quickly without looking like you're picking

your words and knowing when you're right and a client is wrong,

and being able to tell them without pissing them off.

Personality and work habits exceed any of the above.

Sales ability.

Page F-3

Communication skills. Education (the more the better). Related

experience (engineering, etc.). Music-playing, writing, teaching,

etc.

"Ears" alone audio engineering skills would have been #3. Must be

"multi-level" person, i.e., one who can mentally operate on three

or more channels simultaneously.

Ability to communicate with the client in an intelligent manner!

Ability to adapt and learn from new experiences.

An individual who is personable, anxious to enter the industry,

realistic with goals and responsible, honest, mature, fun (with a

good sense of humor), respectful and caring. Do you teach these

qualities?

Personality, ability to work with clients, likeable, friendly,

able to work under pressure, attention to detail while being time

conscious, genuinely interested in client's end-product no matter

what it may be.

A great ear, client relations, the art of mic technique.

People skills. The ability to work with and interact with the

client and to keep the client happy.

Studio Recording Experience.

Again, I can't stress the importance of a four-year college

degree. Preferably not in the music business. A well rounded

educated person makes the best sound reinforcement professional.

Beyond all the technology skills this is #1 a people business. A

person with strong interpersonal skills is worth five "technical"

graduates.

Physical ability.

Most important is general responsibility and efficiency.

Attitude, personality.

As in any endeavor in life, you must have a passion for your

activity, whether it be your job, your schooling, your music,

whatever it is that occupies your time. To be a recording and/or

mixing engineer you must have a passion for it.

Ability to get along with people and have communication skills

person and on the phone.

Enthusiasm and ambition.

Page F-4

Common sense, enthusiasm, ability to work with people,

professionalism.

Studio etiquette, attitude and demeanor above all.

Good attitude!

Knowledge of tape machine alignment and set-up. Solid foundation

in basic signal flow and gain structures.

Ability to work well with others. Willingness to learn from

others.

Overall ability to deal with people. Ability to function under

pressure (deadlines, breakdowns, etc.).

Attitude, aptitude, personal integrity, references from employers

and/or instructors.

Attitude, attitude, attitude.

Personality and etiquette to clients.

Ability to communicate with clients. Work under stress.

Recording experience (in the studio).

Work ethic and willingness.

Page F-5

1f 7

Appendix G

Question #15

Other Training Needs

Appendix G

Comment responses to Question #15:

Are there any other areas in which you feel students should

receive pre-employment training as part of a formal educational

program?

N/A

Troubleshooting live sound

problems.

Mixing. Recording.

Communication skills: Attitudes, appearance, ability to "listen."

On the job training is most important.

Students should receive a two-year internship with extensive

hands on experience before applying to sound engineering

positions.

Public Relations, marketing, economics.

If you have a good exposure to E.E. all of the above divisions

becomes insignificant.

A.C. basics.

I can teach someone with the right attitude & people skills to

run the studio. It's much harder to change the attitude & people

skills of someone who can run the studio if they won't have their

attitude together.

Get out of school and out on the job.

1) Client relations

"How not to be just a button pusher." 2)

Client relations

"How to keep cool when you've just erased

critical audio." 3) Client relations "How to keep cool while

the building is burning down.

Verbal and written communication skills.

Physics of sound.

How to make shirt tail budgets work for you and how to create and

run your own business because that is the way future studios will

run.

Page G-1

Paint realistic picture of what they can expect in the audio

industry. Fame, Fortune or Glamour should never be expected. MoSt

of the time it is very competitive to get into an entry level,

low paying job to work very long hard hours. However, the work is

very creative and rewarding.

Creative problem solving, working with basic equipment.

Sales.

How to handle problems with tact.

Working with the real world on the job with people and day-to-day

real life situations.

Acoustic recording. Recording a big band or string quartet on

remote or in the studio.

BASICS! Like microphone selection, operating levels, signal flow,

etc.

Public relations, psychology, etc.

Nothing prepares you better than on-the-job training. Training

new workers about the way "Things are done" takes the longest and

costs the most. A well trained worker, no matter what they know,

is always your greatest asset!

The psychology of engineering.

Session set-up and tear-down procedures.

Psychology and people skills with some business.

Audio for video.

Sales, people skills.

Psychology.

Session "psychology."

Studio set-up procedures with regard to recording needs and

studio 'comfort' and 'aesthetics' for clients.

Business writing, communication skills, customer service.

Studio protocol--the difference between (jingles)

commercial/corporate sessions and music industry sessions.

Page G-2

it)

Ethics--business and personal. Taking responsibility, accepting

consequences. Real life applications--doing what you can with

what you have. Settling for Plan B when necessary and living with

it.

Communication.

Signal flow. In/out, left/right basics.

I feel community service is an excellent way to pick up actual

work skills and workplace etiquette.

Setting up/tearing down gear. Packing equipment. Dealing with

clients.

Lighting and lighting applications with sound are a must to know.

Psychology in the studio (dealing with and preparing for

clients).

Etiquette in the studio. Editing and splicing analog tape.

Tonmeister program which integrates a music education with a

recording engineer training program. Music background is

paramount.

Studio protocol/ethics.

Office procedures. Customer relations.

Client relations.

Music.

Carpentry: learning how to make road cases and use tools required

to build speaker cabinets.

Systems packaging, wiring, trouble shooting.

Basic electronics. Construction skills.

Acoustics and sound.

Critical listening skills, common sense skills, learning skills.

All the technical skills in the world are useless if the person

can't listen and think for themselves.

General business practices, client relations and service. How to

present (sell) audio services.

How to get along with clients and work ethic.

Page G-3

111

Commercial production, i.e., most students come to me bringing an

experimental sample reel. Advertising, commercials, script

writing, selling through visual communication.

In case I wasn't clear before (my tongue is firmly in my cheek)

communications, motivation, economics. Technically: 1) Phase

relationships; 2) Acoustics; 3) Structural dynamics.

Basics are more important than specific equipment training. I

have had a number of four-year graduates in audio engineering not

being capable of tracing signal flow, or micing a stage. They had

good theory and equipment knowledge but very little practical

experience and knowledge of system integration.

Must emphasize fundamentals of basic physics and acoustics. What

exactly is a sound and the role transducers play in its

manipulation.

*Feedback

*60 cycle hums

*Neon bar- signs

*Irate road managers

*Inept stage hands

*Diplomacy

Psychology.

1) Gain structure

2) Electricity

3) Phasing

4) General wiring practices

Sales training. Without the ability to "sell yourself" to a

prospective client I believe a studio will have a very difficult

time surviving. All the technical information in the world will

not help in any business until the chance is obtained to display

the knowledge. (In my opinion.)

Working to "specs" whether valid or not. Business "protocols" and

sales.

Dealing with clients, the psychology of session management,

artistic contributions, good judgement, creative use of equipment

and it's capabilities, and so on. In general, a lot of "stuff"

not related to the technical aspects of audio production.

Patch bay.

Customer relations.

Client/engineer relationships, scheduling, preaicting project

times, efficient studio use.

Page G-4

112

Ear training, mic technique, client relations.

Most students we've been exposed to learned on a 24-track, or

2-24 tracks, 60 input board, 10 multi FX units, 15 pieces of

outboard gear, etc. And if you give them an 8 or 16 track, 1

reverb to put together a video or AV soundtrack, they think it

can't be done. More hands-on experience with real world systems

Musician psychology. Being successful in this industry is about

75% attitude and human perceptiveness and 25% knowledge of

equipment.

Training in cultivating new people in local bands, groups, etc.

to come and record in the studio they are employed in. So many

seem to think their place is at -the console in the sound room.

But to survive one has to get out and mix and mingle with the

locals to get people in to record or use other services offered

by the studio.

Interpersonal skills (which can only be developed through actual

trial by fire production work).

Again, I cannot stress enough the need for strong communications

program that focus on: interpersonal skills, self-expression,

basic psychology and sociology, and the art of dealing with

people. Trouble shooting/system analysis.

Building structure as it relates

All communication skills (public

Physics of sound, music business

In the field, work is very impor

job through and overcoming obsta

client is involved.

to safety in rigging.

speaking, reading, and writing).

law, copyright law.

tant. The pressure of seeing the

Iles. Particularly when d paying

The psychology and dynamics of a typical recording and/or mixing

session. The tense nature of the musician, the egos of artists,

the ignorance of some customers to the recording process if they

have never recorded in a studio.

Economics of small business! Payrolls are only met through sales.

Too many students don't understand the basic premise of business.

The bills don't magically get paid without income, and yes, even

profit.

Getting the most out of any recording situation by using their

skills and not relying on expensive state of the art technology.

Working with people, trouble shooting.

Page G-5

Basic business skills.

Again, attitude and demeanor are paramount. This is a service

business, entry level applicants must think like servants.

Secretarial skills, attention to detail, attention to

client/session needs. I don't know how you teach these things (a

stint as a waiter/waitress?) but a person with the right

attitudes will fly past those without "proper" attitudes.

How to survive physically and mentally while looking for a job!

Communication skills, interpersonal skills.

Conceptual thinking processes. We need people who have not

learned systems by rote but truly understand the basic concepts

of the equipment they will be working with.

Going through the entire process solo.

How to deal with clients, musicians. Specific use of mics; sounds

of instruments. How to scan a music score. Acoustic treatment of

recording spaces.

Teach them how to prepare a proper freelance invoice and how to

handle taxes as a self-employed person.

Group dynamics, psychology, diplomacy, physics of music,

acoustics, importance of paperwork and logs, cleanup techniques.

Possibly songwriting or song construction courses.

Basic audio signal terminology, basic electronics, basic digital

electronics, basic analog electronics.

Internship.

Internships should be mandatory, working for a variety of

potential clients (i.e., producer). Reacting to pressure/stress.

Teach them how to be part of a team.

Systems grounding and gain structure and system flow (equipment

will change yearly).

Page G-6

114

Appendix H

Question #16

Listing of Specific Gear

Appendix H

Comment responses to Question #16:

Is there specific brand name equipment that you feel students

should be specifically trained to use?

N/A

Signal processing. Gamble, ATI Paragon. Be able to run Midas

XL-3.

Too many manufacturers. Each with their own system.

Any pro format equipment.

Train on "All" brands.

Sony.

Equipment varies too much from facility to facility.

Protools (SoundDesign), ADAT (Alesis), 480-L (Lexicon).

For my business, the standard is pretty much Sony, Ikegami,

Sennheiser, canon or Fuji lenses, Sachtler, O'Connor, Gitzo, Beta

SP, D-2, 3/4 SP, Nagra.

Versatility is #1.

Training should not be specific to certain brands of equipment.

Mac Performer & Digital Performer. Sound Tools.

SSL, Neve, Macintosh. Actually a well educated student will be

able to pick up any system!

All brands! In reality, the student shouldn't learn any one

brand. Don't teach them how to use a specific piece of equipment.

Teach them to understand what the hell we're doing. I don't care

if he knows a Neve or SSL, does he know the concepts of split and

in-line consoles and can he then apply that to any console? To

understand, reason, think--not memorize.

There are many, many areas of music equipment involved: Drum

machines and samplers--Most popular are: AKAI MPC 1200 Sampling

drum machine, Roland gear

R8, 808,909,707; Sequencers Yamaha

QX5, Keyboards

AKAI, Roland, Yamaha, etc., Sync Systems

Cooper, Aphex; Consoles and Tape Machines--(Most functiIns are

universal, we use:)Tascam and Otari, also recommended MCI,

Page H-1

11 e

Soundcraft, TAC,

(Neve, SSL, Mitsubishi are the best but not

practical for mid-line studios); Mics--Shure 57,58, AKG D112,

414, Sennheisers, Neuman U87.

Every studio uses different gear. Need to get basics--what we

teach here.

Macintosh: Sound Tools, Studio Vision, Performer, Samplecell. AMS

audiophile.

Theory of general practices will lend itself to any brand name.

Any good system regardless of maker.

SSL, Neve.

Macintosh computer.

But I think the higher quality gear the better.

Neve consoles. SSL consoles. Otari multi-tracks.

Most are quiet or overly assertive. Internships should stress the

politics and public relations that are involved in servicing and

maintaining clients.

No particular brand, but trained on a state-of-the-art 24-track

analog console and 24-track recorder.

Post video/film mix equipment.

Yamaha. If an engineer can find his way around a PM-3000 and a

SPX90/1000, most other consoles/effects will be easy to figure

out with or without manuals or instruction.

Top or the line gear and bottom (common) of the line gear.

Cheaper gear will be encountered a lot more when the student

searches for a job. I think he must be prepared for

inconsistencies in equipment. But at the same time they need to

be exposed to the good life."

S1100 sampler because it is widely used in most studios for R&B,

RAP, and industrial music.

Macintosh mandatory, from MIDI to word processing and

spreadsheets.

I think that depends more on the personality of the person. Some

people are "people oriented" and can work better with clients.

However, good sales and public relations techniques can and

should be taught.

Page H-2

117

Digidesign Sound Tools/Pro Tools.

Soundcraft consoles; Yamaha console (PM3000 only); TC Electronics

(all models); Lexicon; Eventide.

Students should be exposed to the widest possible array of

equipment (old and new). Some of the worst engineers were trained

in new, state of the art automated and digital studios on campus,

and they fall down in the real world with the real gear you see

at the entry level. Basic knowledge of many types of equipment is

far better than proficiency on one or two pieces.

Everything. This is impossible I realize, but exposure to every

possible piece of gear makes it a lot easier when the engineer

says,

"I want delay on the snare," and doesn't care to tell the

assistant which device, how to patch it, and train them on set-up

procedures.

SSL, Otari, Mitsubishi, Studer.

Major brand tape machines (analog and digital), major brand

consoles and automation systems. Good cross-section of outboard

gear (compressors, gates, etc.).

Otari tape machines, Macintosh computers, ProTools software, AKG

mics.

SSL, Trident, Neve, Otari, Studer.

Obviously if they have experience on our particular equipment,

great! However, a well rounded selection would be best.

In general, Mac based systems (automation, digital workstations,

hard disk recording systems, Synclavier, etc.).

Page H-3

118

Appendix I

Question #17

Evaluations of Two- and Four-Year Graduate's

Interpersonal Skills

11°

_a/

Appendix I

Comment responses to Question #17:

Do you feel that students entering the workplace from two- and

four-year educational institutions have the interpersonal skills

needed to work effectively with clients and in workteams with

colleagues

Sometimes, but that depends mostly on their individual

personality.

Not enough experience with students, but interpersonal skills

appear to be personal. That is, it varies with individuals.

Generally, not, however, a 4 year (or greater) student seems to

have more of these skills & maturity to deal with others.

But they are quicker to learn how.

Only after experience.

Sometimes. It's totally up to the individual.

No, unless they have had 25-50% of the training in the field

during at least the Jr. Sr. year.

They need experience in order to make good judgments.

Although that depends on each student's personality.

With proper attitude. Previous customer relation experience

helpful.

There isn't any classroom than can mirror the real world.

Haven't had to earn a living, meet a deadline (unless Journalism

students), make a car payment, sleep in a hotel, hold back from

speaking at the wrong time.

Some do, some don't. Not a product of education in my experience.

Depends on individual.

General great lack.

This requires experience. In school, you get very little "real

world" experience.

Know-it-all attitude.

Page I-1

leN

1.4,/

The student's interpersonal skills don't seem to be effected by

school as much as by their own life's history.

That is why I teach at Columbia College!

Most students I meet have unrealistic and unproductive people

skills.

Schools do not teach students the people skills that are

necessary when dealing with high strung, egotistical, etc.

artists

Individual traits--work experience and internship experience are

helpful.

Most institutions do not focus in this area. This may be the

"make or break" skill for an engineer as his/her

sales/communication skill may, and in most cases, affect their

potential livelihoods. You still have to sell: yourself, your

skills, your room and follow your work all the way through and

reinforce these areas throughout the recording process.

More likely than 'short courses.' This is my emphasis:

Communication skills are as important, in many cases, as

technical skills.

Customer service skills are weak unless they have had work

experience with basic sales training. Also, research skills, use

of trade journals, consumer education, budget management, daily

account balancing (A/R), invoice processing.

It just depends on the person.

Not always. Some do, some don't. Professional attitude, no ego,

teamwork and competence.

Some do, some don't.

This is what interviews are for. How ever many years on the job

or education will never determine how effectively they will

relate to others. It's what's inside them that counts!

College degrees are great and understanding the theory of

electrical, electronics is most important. But theor, without

hands-on training is a bust. I will only hire people who have

some actual work experiences from theatre or concerts, etc. They

must understand the politics and ethics of production and related

work.

Depends on the student and their personality.

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Of course, this depends on the individual. I would say that about

70% of the job as recording engineer is dealing with the clients.

Too often students entering the workplace are not willing to

start at the bottom. Traditionally, each facility has its own way

of doing things. The new person should not be set in their ways

but, instead, should learn the operation as managers wish to

teach it. New employees should receive good pay and benefits

need to become accustomed to how a certain facility, where they

are new, works. Keep eyes and ears open. Arrogance is out.

This can only come from experience in the workplace.

After being approached by 3 or 4 potential applicants they all

are more concerned with how great their training is versus how

well they can fit in and benefit my clients.

With workteams-Yes. With clients-NO.

Some do, some don't. Generally we find that the educational

institution has not stressed this area enough.

This question is tco general as it deals only with education and

does not address "personality" which is the true measure of one's

ability to work in workteams with colleagues. Education is truly

important, but if Charles Manson had a degree, I still wouldn't

hire him!

They should have, they don't necessarily have just because of

their "education."

Determined largely by the individual. A 2-4 year education

implies a sense of "stick-to-itiveness" but interpersonal skills

can best be evaluated on the job.

Most students are cold and scared of not only the equipment, but

also the need to work with others.

They lack experience dealing with people.

I feel only experience gives you the skills to understand and

work well with clients and colleagues.

Not enough emphasis as part of curriculum.

As stated earlier, students in a four-year program seem better

prepared with "people" skills. New hires are teamed up with

experienced employees for at least three months before "soloing."

Interpersonal skills are the hardest thing to find in potential

employees since only real world experience can prepare someone

for dealing with personalities who think they're stare. Employees

need to understand that sometimes they'll hate the client

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personally but the client can't know this. If he wants the staff

to think he's a star, the employees must let him believe they

think he is. Perhaps a better name for the job would be "Sound

Politician."

All of the grads I have spoken with are very unconfident when it

comes to presenting themselves.

Most can't differentiate between the client who wants creativity

vs. the client who wants a button pusher.

I've sort of touched on this. Most "fresh" students are so

ill-prepared to deal with corporate and agency clients that they

pose a potential problem for most facilities. Perhaps in place of

interning at a recording facility they should intern at an

advertising agency or corporate video department. When they

understand how those people work, they'll be ready to engineer.

They seem to lack the confidence that comes with experience.

Some do, some don't. It depends on personality and level of

maturity.

Not relevant. It's the person, not the schools. The schools are

focused like your ten previous questions.

Just because you've gone to school doesn't guarantee any of the

above.

Most graduates have no idea about what really happens in this

industry unless they take it upon themselves to find out.

An entry level employee may wait a year or longer before working

with clients.

Depends on the individual.

In general most students that go to school to enter this business

miss the boat concentrating on technical and hands-on courses and

forget about traditional education.

My experience with people who have a trained background is very

limited. But the times I have, the persons sometimes acted as

though they knew more than the people who had spent many more

years in the field.

There are no encompassing answers. People are singular.

After some experience on the job.

Maybe.

Every student is different, can't answer.

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Sometimes, depends on the person.

There simply is no real world experience in most curriculums.

Students may graduate a whiz at institutional sessions but are

ill prepared for the first "pro" session with producers with big

attitudes (and big budgets on the line). The pace and tension do

no a great learning environment make.

This is not automatic with a degree. Attitude has a lot to do

with getting in a door and success. We can teach people what we

want them to do, but we can't change attitudes.

It depends more on their personalities than on specific training

as to how they relate to others.

Depends on the person, their outside work experience can help

develop these skills.

Many seem to lack the ability to set aside egos and learn from

those who are more experienced. Many times we get people who have

learned things in a "particular way" and seem to have a lot of

trouble learning an alternative way of doing things.

Usually. Remind them of chain of command. They shouldn't be

talking with clients unless their boss advises it. Too many

cooks, etc.

Rarely.

It definitely depends upon the person.

Apprenticeship is essential.

Only time can develop the etiquette skills required to work in

the studio. That is where an internship is very important. By

watching how to act and react to situations.

This has improved in recent years, but still needs attention.

Big No! My biggest gripe. All the equipment knowledge means

noting if you can't work with clients and fellow employees. This

can't be said enough!

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Appendix J

Question #18

Evaluations of Two- and Four-Year Graduate's

Communications Skills

fits

Appendix J

Comment responses to Question #18:

Do you feel that students entering the workplace from two- and

four-year educational institutions have writing and verbal

communication skills that are adequate to ensure their success in

the audio industry?

Well, after high school, an individual should be able to write &

communicate effectively, so I don't look for anything special

from college grads in that area as opposed to those recent high

school grads.

Not enough experience with students, but writing and

communication skills appear to be personal. That is, it varies

with the individual.

Generally not, however, a 4 year (or greater) student seems to

have more of these skills.

But they are quick to learn how.

Sometimes. It's totally up to the individual.

Most can't spell or write clearly, are not well-read and seem

pre-literate, thanks to TV.

Enough for a good start. This is always a growing process.

The only thing than can ensure someone's success in this business

is their natural talent and ambition to strengthen it and learn

more.

These skills seem to be emphasized less and less while technical,

hands-on training with specific equipment replaces English,

literature, speech courses.

Highly variable.

I have not seen it. I believe in general educational institutions

have missed the mark. I think or wonder if a person would be

better off coming to a company and offering to work for free for

two years rather than going to school.

General lack of basic skills which most of could be cured by the

use of computers.

Every resume' we receive is poorly written, poorly presented and

seems to be copied from a "sample" from a school. How can college

grads compete without the most basic verbal and written skills?

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They do have head knowledge but lack practical applications.

The best teacher for that is experience. Put the student "in the

game" running the studio in every aspect with supervision of

course! They should put it all together.

In most cases.

Some do, some don't.

Most do not know the technology terms used in the audio business.

They may know the technology but cannot present it verbally to a

client or an associate.

Depends on the student and their personality.

Verbal skills are often poor. Writing skills are generally poor.

Students often have the idea that a music recording career does

not involve expert verbal/writing skills. On the contrary,

skilled and articulate speakers help solve client problems with

sensitivity and diplomacy. Well written quotations and business

plans are always better received than awkwardly written versions.

Too often poor speakers are poor listeners.

No guarantee.

No amount of education can ensure success in the audio industry

but it can definitely tilt the odds in your favor!

It's up to the individual. If they have a good attitude and a

sincere desire to be in this industry, they will be successful.

The more communication skills the better.

Some do, some don't.

Actually,

'.Yes" may be more appropriate because we are always

lowering DLit standards to accommodate what we can find to hire.

But to achieve the levels we should be able to reach we must

return to actually teaching them something, not just fulfilling

our curriculum and lesson plans.

The weakest link has been communication skills. Two and four-year

students are better prepared than high school graduates for the

most part.

Some do, of course. But far too many are more interested in

becoming overnight rock stars. As indicated above, this is #1 on

my list, so I look for the very few who qualify.

Grammar, writing skills and spelling seem to be getting worse.

There are no guarantees.

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It isn't about writing skills! It's about being a cognizant

observer, determining where the client is coming from, what his

needs are and filling them. You can't teach this!

Yes, writing. No, verbal.

It's tough to find someone interested in audio production who is

also well-read and can write.

My experience was and it continues/to seem to be that there is

not enough emphasis placed (at the.-aducational institution) on

the preparation of coherent reports (or papers, etc.).

Again, I feel there is an over emphasis on technical skills and a

lack of emphasis in communication and other skills.

To ensure success in the audio industry one must have

perseverance, a good attitude, and the capability to be flexible.

There are no encompassing answers. People are singular.

They should!

Sometimes.

Although written and verbal skills are not strong points needed

in the recording studio, good ears are.

There is basic lack of verbal skills especially in communicating

about equipment interface and function. Understanding the

equipment and being able to use the proper nomenclature to

describe those functions is problematic for those coming to us.

Almost never. Many don't know how to use a pencil.

It also depends upon the individual.

These skills have little impact upon success.

From my own experience, I have noticed no difference between

those with a degree and those without.

Needs more attention, particularly writing.

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Appendix K

Question #19

Respondent's General Comments on Student

Preparation by Post-Secondary Schools

12:=;

Appendix K

Comment responses to Question #19:

Are there any general comments that you would like to share

regarding the preparation for the workplace that students are

given in post-secondary schools?

Every facility operates differently, in my experience, so

although trade schools or college can give you some insight, it

can not prepare one entirely for their experience.

Be prepared to do anything anywhere anytime and expect little

money!

So much in this business depends on training and experience.

Training comes from the schools and up to date equipment is not

always available. Experience comes from jobs.

Hard to get!

Hands-on experience is of paramount importance.

Students should be able to read, reason, and deduce. They should

be taught how to get along w/ fellow employees. They should learn

that attitude is everything!

Even after formal education students need to keep updated on new

procedures and equipment. The colleges need to work with area

sound companies to balance out the education that the students

receive and to give them the hands on training needed.

I teach at Wayne & Oakland U. and find students that enter my

class have a "Hollywood" impression of what it takes to be a good

engineer. Unfortunately the market has changed. Everybody who can

afford a piece of equipment is now a professional studio. This

has cut into the market such that knowledge is no longer

important. Who you know makes it. "Gimbals" "Hooks" etc. sells

like trade schools in recording. Niche recording, like tailoring

equipment brandnames to R&R or R& B make studios draw. After 23

years of perfecting my craft, keeping current in self studies, I

have seen new pieces of a puzzle that doesn't exist. I would like

to speak in more detail on this subject.

Any "Real World" experience is the edge that any pro employer

seeks.

Education is fine

but to succeed you must be: A) A people

person

not socially retarded. B) Willing to do anything to

'make it work.' C) Relaxed. D) Good at 'tricks.' E) A good

listener. F) A person with the right attitude.

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Most people we encounter that have formal

schooling are well

prepared as far as technical knowledge. But often

lack skills in

human relations. We must not forget that without our

clients, we

could not be in business.

The emphasis on vocational, job-skills training

in colleges,

along with the proliferation of electives and the

dismantling of

the liberal arts, was a major curricular mistake. We

need people

who can think, dream, and invent.

I think the market is becoming flooded with

people looking to

work in the audio and A/V areas.

Personality & attitude & communication are extremely

important.

Dealing with artists & musicians everyday is like being a

part-time psychologist, part-time babysitter, and part-time

cheerleader. And the ability to work long, long hours.

Four year degree or any amount of education

carries no

guaranties. Good work positions usually go to the people

who earn

aood reputations. Even if it's just a personal reference on a

first position out of college. Most full-time positions go to

engineers you already know, since they freelance.

Would like to see more people who have worked in the

business

instructing students. They could lend some insight as to what

really important and what is just "theory."

Knowing how to prospect for new clients.

Hands-on experience with realistic schedules.

There is a major difference between what is taught in

school and

what is needed for most working situations. Fundamentals are

greatly lacking. Schooling is geared too much for the "Big

Time"

and not enough focus on day-to-day down in the trenches

work

situations.

I wish I had more time to write you an answer to this

question!

There is a great deal of concern as to if this "art" of

recording

is a teachable subject. You can teach someone how signal

flow

should work, how to calibrate a tape machine, and advise

them on

proper mic choices. But I question the

ability to teach the

"golden ears" necessary to properly mix music. I have been

involved with several programs in our area, with varied degrees

of success. The better one always teach ear training and

critical

listening. Frankly, I can teach someone how to operate a

multi-track tape machine in an hour or so, but it takes years to

teach "ears." For those without ears, there are plenty of jobs

doing AV production and duplication, etc. The problem is that no

one wants these jobs. They all want to move to LA

and can't

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understand why nobody will hire them to mix the latest pop

record. I need people who can pick the right mics, make it sound

like the source, edit tape FAST while surviving on little sleep,

punch in on a dime, know how musicians interact and what little

tricks will please them, and won't mind emptying the trash every

few days. Additionally, a little business training couldn't hurt.

If someone wants to be a musician, we send them to piano lessons.

If someone wants to be a recording engineer, we send them to

recording school. No one seems to train them to develop business,

close a sale, execute a contract, deal with agents, manager or

attorneys, etc.; the things that would be learned when training

for almost any other occupation. It would be nice if these people

could work for some companies that could provide a good sample of

the industry.

1) Attitude. 2) People skills. 3) The ability to record with

microphones. Most student demo tapes I receive have very little

live instruments, i.e., drum machines and keyboards. Drum, piano,

and string miking are not taught effectively.

Students should understand that recording is a business. It may

look glamorous, it may seem like fun, but first and foremost it

is a business. Also, they should be told that there are very few

job openings right now. The combination of economic recession and

intense competition have taken a big bite out of studio revenues.

Students who wish to become recording engineers should know that

they are choosing a difficult path.

People skills, people skills!

We need people who can "hit the ground running." A level of skill

and confidence to start working immediately. We are looking for a

level of maturity sufficient to deal directly with clients and

work cooperatively with other staff members. We don't expect new

hires to generate major dollars immediately, but we don't want

them to lose money or accounts either.

Sales, sales, and more sales! Most studios need engineers to be

good sales people and those who do not have this skill are often

overlooked, regardless of skill.

Experiment with audio tools as much as possible before you get a

job. Work hard. Work on people skills.

If it's anything like my college days--which was not that long

ago--it is too much memorizing and not enough "understanding."

Don't get me wrong, I thank the practical experience is great and

valuable but only if it's coming from a background of thought and

understanding.

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Overall, the greatest weakness I have observed is a general lack

of basic business/service awareness. "Customer is always right"

does not seem as ingrained in entry-level applicant attitudes as

my peers. I would hope that business basics would be drilled at

the college level and a basic understanding of product-based

capitalism be understood.

A basic knowledge of how equipment works in addition to how it is

used. You cannot train on a special piece of equipment

specifically because the same type of equipment made by different

manufacturers operate differently. A Soundcraft console and a

Yamaha console perform the same function in the audio chain but

each one operates differently. A basic knowledge of how equipment

operates would aid in troubleshooting and repair. It seems that

most people think that this is a glory business and that they

will make tons of money right out of school. It is not a glory

business and there is not much money on the bottom of the ladder.

It is a hard business that takes long hours and a little luck to

survive. This business is not a 9-5, 5 day a week business.

Make sure that they can communicate with others. People skills

are a must!!

I think audio classes require individual attention. Technical

knowledge should be stressed, but hands-on skills are most

important. The best way to learn is hands-on, in conjunction with

"ear training."

Along with a technical business recording is very people oriented

and personal. The inter-communication in the recording

environment can make a world of difference.

Most students could use more emphasis on the following from their

educational institutions: -General computer usage. -Interpersonal

relationship skills. -Music background. -Attitude and

dependability.

They need to work in the private sector if at all possible.

Hands-on experience and general knowledge is very important.

Most don't have any idea what an orchestra sounds like.

Those who focus their energies and take their training seriously

are the ones who stand the best chance of succeeding in this

highly competitive job market.

Students need to be trained to use their ear and their minds

above everything else.

Page K-4

Many are cocky--do not know the fundamentals of audio recording.

We use the latest digital technology, however, without

understanding live musicians, acoustics, mic placement, etc., all

the new gadgets just make noise--not music.

Place students in a work-study program with independent audio

studios. They can learn more about the everyday operations of the

business and also the many different projects the facility must

produce and deliver on time. The most frequent comment we hear

from students is,

"Gee, I never expected this." Students quickly

realize that he or she must be flexible and be diverse in many

areas of the audio industry.

The majority of applicants are simply not familiar with

fundamentals (Do I mean analog?) of: 1) How to commit a quality

signal to the mixer; 2) What signal processing is and does; 3)

Signal flow in general; and 4)

If you don't know real sound to

begin with, how will you know a faithful reproduction of it? (I

realize this last point may be moot from a creative standpoint,

but we do need some kind of a yardstick. Picasso, you know, did

do some fairly realistic drawings in the days before he sampled.)

The most difficult traits to find in prospective employees are

not technical. We look for people to be able to think and

communicate. By comparison, technical skills are easier to

assimilate if the new hire has a good grounding in basic

knowledge.

There exists a need to differentiate audio applications in ideal

circumstances, studio environments, and sound reinforcement. Too

many cannot cross effectively between applications.

The best approach to teaching live sound reinforcement techniques

is to reinforce classroom study with some type of experience. An

internship of no less than one year with a professional

reinforcement company will give students the basic training

needed to gain full-time employment in the industry. Even with

that background, however, there is no guarantee that all

professional companies will consider the candidate to be

qualified.

Before institutionalized education was available only

on the job

training was available. This provided the people who would last

an education in almost every type of situation possible. This has

been lost, making educated people very one dimensional. The loss

of "Apprenticeships" in any field has made the use of "Tools"

more important than skill itself.

In addition to the above comments, I think the schools do a poor

job of preparing students for "real world" jobs. Not enough

attention is paid to non-technical skills, such

as writing, oral

communication, dress, neatness, being on time, etc. Also, I think

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the schools (this is a generalization) turn out too many

graduates for the number of jobs available. Studios are closing,

budgets are down, and more and more audio engineers are being

cranked out of school looking for jobs. I believe many schools

take their money (the student's) and don't offer a realistic set

of expectations for employment.

The client is the boss. Be ready to put in crazy hours. Don't

offer additional information beyond the job at hand.

Self-motivation and initiative is second only to giving the

client all he wants, needs, and then some more. If you don't love

this work and consider it your goal in life, then sell insurance.

No student should major in audio engineering, even if that is a

career goal. Audio engineers who wish to record music for a

living should major in music theory or composition. Engineers who

wish to work in video post or advertising production should major

in English or Psychology. The fact is, any idiot can be trained

to push the right button at the right time, and, therefore, the

technical aspects are very much a secondary concern. A student

must have a natural gift for "hearing" and this can not be

taught. These natural skills should be a grounds for testing and

acceptance into any audio engineering program, much in the same

way a piano player must audition for acceptance to a music

conservatory. A large void also exists in the educational

process. Audio Engineering, in many cases is being taught by

people who have no "real world" experience. At the same time,

most facilities are owned and operated by people who do not have

degrees in audio engineering, and have no desire to get one.

Furthermore, most universities are unwilling to hire successful

"real world" engineers because they lack a degree in their field.

And most of these people were engineering years before any

university offered any training in this field. This issue needs

to be resolved, and until it is, students from any school will

have difficulty entering the work force.

They need to learn techniques not jus'; how to use a piece of

gear. Flexibility is important. You must be able to adapt to a

given situation.

Listen! Develop your ear! Appreciate all forms of music and

sound, including natural sounds.

Work, listen, pay attention, and never think you know it all. Try

to keep up with technology, but remember the basic rules and

K.I.S.S.

Please stress overall liberal arts background, broad knowledge.

The only real preparation of people for my field (large scale

sound reinforcement) is for the school to produce many and varied

productions with hands-on operation by students.

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Get a good liberal arts education. Learn everything you can or

want to. Don't miss the opportunity to investigate all avenues of

interest that you have. You will never have this chance to do and

see so much again. Don't bury yourself in a console, you'll be

spending your life there--if that's what you really want to do.

The number one thing in the real world is to have a good attitude

and learn to listen.

First, let me say thanks for the chance to be a part of your

information gathering process. As you may well tell we are not

large studio and the studio is not our only means of income. But

we are open to the public and we do a fair amount of work for our

area. As a small studio we are able to work with a great variety

of recording situations. We get the vocalist looking for his or

her first demo to the experienced groups who are producing their

own album. In regards to preparation for the workplace one must

be ready to take on anything that comes along and do the

very

best that he or she can. When it leaves your hands and

your name

is on it, that is a statement of your work so it had better be

right. With the way the economy is going, or not going, it is

very hard to see what the future of audio holds. The bottom line

is that if you really want to work, it's out there and it's just

a matter of finding it and holding on!

As I stated, there is a lot more to a recording/mixing session

than just the technical aspect. The engineer must be sensitive to

the artist's emotions and needs. Whether it be your helping them

to understand the recording process if they have never been to

studio, or to help them relax if they are

nervous, to be firm if

they need discipline, to telling them they are singing

or playing

flat or sharp, and so on. After owning and operating

a small

studio near the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee for eight

years, I

can tell you that you never stop learning, and you can never

afford to. Although my studio is only a small one (16-track)

reputation is that of a studio that provides the best sounding

tapes in the area, and it is not because of my equipment. First,

and most important, it is my God-given ability to translate

memory of how music is being mixed and how it sounds today to how

my studio can recreate that same sound. This requires

hand-eye-ear coordination during both the recording and mixing

process. Secondly, it is my ability to put the artist(s) at ease

in the studio situation. Check out

my work on the Warner

Brothers/Sire 3 song, "Maxi-Single" CD release from the Judybats

Summer 1991 release.

"Attitudes" need to be left back

on campus...shed with the cap

and gown/fraternity pin.

I think it very wise to learn the technical aspects of recording

and to be familiar with the textbook jargon but the graduates

have to realize that once they get into

a creative recording

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13C

environment they will have to "forget" a lot of what is

"technically" correct and go aloilg with the producer/artist's

wishes and (shock horror" start using their ears instead of the

meters! Mike techniques have been seriously overlooked in the

last ten years as more and more entry level engineers plug in

drum machines, many not even knowing what a real bass drum looks

like!! I also think they should be made fully aware of the

financial side of the music business, i.e., they will be

exceptionally lucky to make a living out of it.

It is very important to be trained by people in the music

business.

Simulate real situations, real problems.

Kids need to have a realistic idea of the workplace, their skills

and talents, how tough the job market is and get the glamour idea

out of their head.

In Nashville, and I believe likely in LA & NY, entry level

positions are quite often living hell. You will be under paid,

over worked, and under appreciated. Unless your Uncle owns a

studio, if you want to play in the big leagues (major label

sessions, major studios) you will have to put up with that

situation. Unless the student is slightly deranged, masochistic,

and can live on soup and crackers, consider a career as an

insurance sales person.

Need more foundation training. Basic machine maintenance and

alignment, signal flow and routing, efficient session procedures

that work in real life studio environments, and strong emphasis

on the value of several internships at more than one facility for

a broad scope of experiences.

We have participated in the internship program through the local

university throughout the last eight years. More often than not,

the interns we have experienced have "gotten more in the way than

were useful," says our Chief Engineer. However, the last one was

a female who was very serious, very knowledgeable, and very

understanding. We have since hired her and she is still with us

today. What made her different than the others? She didn't mind

doing clean-up, making coffee, running errands (we all do these

menial tasks here), she didn't get in the engineer's way, or say

stupid things. She is very responsible and a quick learner. We

let her do her own sessions in about six months on the job.

Teach people to think!

Volunteer your time. You'll be noticed and eventually rewarded.

Don't claim to be good at everything, few are. Learn what and IFB

system is and how to set it up and use it.

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Audio-visuals in high school Video production in high school.

Computer class in middle school or high school.

Schools such as yours should stop trying to "poll" and "please" a

group of largely ignorant "studio managers." They are often

musicians who couldn't play enough to make a living, or a

barracuda secretary who fought her way to the top. Teach the

basics: sound, physics of music, basic acoustics, basic

electronics, and most of all, weed out the unbalanced egotists,

they will not work well with musicians.

I definitely prefer people with music backgrounds. I think their

ear for music is important. I know that music theory courses

helped me.

Stop preparing students for a workplace that is overstocked with

applicants.

Education is great, but when you get in the workplace it's a

whole new adventure.

We have used interns since 1962-63. Have seen major improvements

in recent years. Four-year students have an edge over trade

schools, where I have been very disappointed! They (trade

schools) are not giving students the real picture in regards to

salary and work expectations.

It's a people business.

They still have to work up in the industry.

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Appendix L

Question #23

Respondent's Suggested Questions

13f-)

Appendix L

Comment responses to Question #23:

Are there any questions you feel we should have asked, but

didn't?

This questionnaire is geared for the studio person not the live

soundperson. Please include more about live sound.

Work ethics of applicant,

4...e., can he be where he suppose to,

when he suppose to, most ILf the time.

I think you're barkin' up the wrong tree. Spend more on

interpersonal, psychological, etc. and less on equipment, brand

names, etc. Hire motivational speakers, etc.

Where is the market going?

Have you ever considered arranging an actual S.R. field trip for

your "upper class" S.R. students?

Are you a one-man operation that will never hire anyone?

Ask respondents what their training and/or educational

backgrounds are. See if they are just pushing for students to "be

like me."

Are you a graduafte of these programs?

Trade.

Two-year.

Four-year.

Short course.

I don't have time to continue, but: Are there jobs out there?

Perhaps try to get an understand of the scope of different

internships. It would be interesting to see what different

studios are doing.

Entry-level salaries, students' expected salaries.

What entry level salaries do graduates expect?

What skills do you consider most important for a graduate

entering the work force?

Questions regarding personality, preparations for dealing with

public and clients.

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14t)

Questions pertaining to personality and real-life relations with

clients can be more important than formal education. I would

wager that most "Producers" don't have formal training in their

chosen field. Engineering skills can be taught, but musical

instincts cannot.

Do you feel a student should be exposed to live performance

music?

-Classical

Jazz

Pop

Comments on qualifications: 1) You must provide audiological

education. These kids have to be shown what results from

long-term high SPL. 2) You must give audiological examination and

provide them with the audiogram. 3) Support movement to reduce

SPL in studio, control room, and in concerts.

What are basic course preparations needed for audio training.

What level of training (school) do you have?

You didn't ask me if I had a degree (ha! ha! I bet you can guess

the answer to that one!).

Find out what makes successful people in this business. It's not

the educational background. EVER!!! To my experience!

I would have asked more about our estimates for growth and

advancement for new members of our industry.

I hope that by some of my answers you cari tell that to me it's

not so much a person's skills in this business as it their

attitude. With my twenty-five years in audio I much rather take

someone on to work who knows nothing but is willing to work hard

and learn as to have to deal with someone who may be set in their

ways and unable to go with the flow. A possible question could

be: How important is versatility? Can you get the job done with

the client thinking all our great ideas are theirs, and be ready

to take their really bad ideas and make them work?

What are the proper credentials and training for a studio

manager?

1) Starting salary expectations. 2) How long is internship

program? 3) What is the application process? 4) Who makes final

decisions and supervises program?

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Appendix M

Comments to Question #12 by

Respondents Preferring Associate's Degree

142

Appendix M

Respondents answering "Associate's Degree" to Quesiton #10:

If education IS a factor, what level is most desirable to you?

Comments to Question #12:

On balance, in your experience, have yov found those students

entering the workplace from four-year or university settings to

be better prepared for the job than students entering from two-

year or community college settings?

Many expect something other than entry level position for 4 years

of expensive training. That's just not realistic.

The level of personal enthusiasm.

It generally adds two more years of maturity and growing up. At

this age two years can make a big difference. The education alone

might not be that big of a difference.

Attitude, aptitude and people skills are first in priority.

From our experience we have found students better prepared for

the job who have a two-year Associate degree. Many of those

students have held a job while attending school. They know what

is expected of them on the job. They work well with co-workers,

clients and the unexpected.

I am basically concerned with the work ethic of the individual,

regardless of his or her degree.

It depends on the background and knowledge the applicant has

before going to school as to how long it takes them to become

competent employees.

Typically, those from a four-year program are better

suited--probably more from a perspective of maturity and social

interaction--than from the standpoint of technical skills.

Getting people with talent doesn't seem to be a problem. Getting

people who can work well with other engineers and clients is a

problem!

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Appendix N

Comments to Question #12 by

Respondents Preferring Bachelor's Degree

144

Appendix N

Respondents answering "Bachelor's Degree" to Question #10:

If education IS a factor, what level is most desirable to you?

Comments to Question #12:

On balance, in your experience, have you found those students

entering the workplace from four-year or university settings to

be better prepared for the job than students entering from two-

year or community college settings?

4 year students seem more mature & prepared to handle

relationships w/ other workers & the clients.

Provided it is a school that has the correct programs: UCLA, U of

Miami, etc.

Many expect something other than entry level position for 4 years

of expensive training. That's just not realistic.

Audience is primarily college professions, students, and

university-trained professionals. The people who have B.A./B.S.

and M.A./M.S. level education are better equipped to understand

our audience. We have had associate degreed workers in graphic

design.

It seems that education is less important than desire and/or

attitude.

My impression is that two years doesn't give enough background in

both the liberal arts and the chosen field of study. Must know

something about Art, Music, Literature, Theater, etc. to work in

the Motion Picture industry. Associate degree just doesn't supply

than broad background.

Often found to be inflexible, rigid, can't relate to a real world

environment, slow under pressure, can't cope with

inconsistencies, often don't relate well to stage hands, drivers,

electricians, etc.

It is the individual student's performance that must be judged. I

received a much better education from a university than a friend

who went to a two-year college.

Students from four-year colleges have a broader educational

background.

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More time to absorb and remember information. You should, in my

opinion, have a fully functional studio open to the public for

students to operate as a business (in both management and

support).

It generally adds two more years of maturity and growing up. At

this age two years can make a big difference. The education alone

might not be that big of a difference.

I believe four-year college provides a more rounded education and

mature attitude to the work place.

Education is necessary but practical applications are better. On

job and just know how are best. People skills a must.

In general (from my experience at least), the people better

prepared for a job in the recording studios are most likely

already experienced (in some way or another) in the music

business (e.g., musician, performer, etc.). The educational

experiences never made a difference.

We like the well rounded person. In our experience, the student

who has completed a four year degree is more motivated, well

adjusted (socially and professionally) and flexible than students

from two year schools or short coursework in recording. These

short, X-week long recording courses are worthless in my mind.

Students from two year institutions are normally

self-presentation oriented and will accomplish more.

In the type of music production we do, the engineer's ability to

communicate on a musical level is extremely important.

The discipline of pursuing a four-year degree means

as much as

the course preparation. A person with a degree has made a

commitment. As a rule of thumb, entry level training can be

completed in a two year period. General knowledge and people

skills--a very important factor--require a much greater period to

develop.

Principle application is by far more important. Four-year

students are biased with theory so lack abilities to respond to

situations.

I am basically concerned with the work ethic of the individual,

regardless of his or her degree.

I expect any employee of mine to be able to carry on

conversation with my clients, about music and topics unrelated.

The higher the educational level, the better. I'll hire

someone

with higher education and less experience over the opposite. I

can always teach skills but I can't give someone an education.

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Per individual.

Haven't had any.

Don't know.

Have never hired a student just out of college.

Four-year degree indicates ambition above norm. Experience and

education will be important, but we choose employees based on

their capacity to learn our business.

No comment.

Nothing can replace the four-year college experience in terms of

maturity and growth for someone entering the job market. In

balance, college graduates posses the reasoning and cognitive

skills needed to succeed at any new job situation. College

graduates are more likely to commit themselves to the situation,

devote themselves to the job and see it through to the end. They

are simply more reliable.

No substitute for real world experience.

No comment.

They don't know any more or less about the industry, but are

generally more literate. World view, ability to communicate

orally and in writing, self-discipline. These factors enhance the

individual.

A four-year program gives an individual a chance to grow

personally. Also very important, it gives them time to intern

while in school, which may take years before a job position can

be found. A graduate from any program is useless to me without

intern experience.

It depends totally on the individuals themselves: how serious

they are about learning, their attitude, and the ability to do

what is asked of them in a professional manner. Doesn't matter if

they were in four-year or two-year program.

Usually depends on student's desire to learn and get ahead.

Most--the best--sign as grips and stick around and learn other

areas too. If we see they're responsible, we'll move them up to

better paying jobs. Attitude is very important.

Depends totally on the individual case and there are very few

data points.

Most interns have attended four-year institutions.

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I find that in both cases they are equipped with little more than

basic understanding of the industry. The rest must be digested in

the studio by encountering real life situations.

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Appendix 0

Comments to Question #12 by

Respondents Answering Question #10

Other than Associate's or Bachelor's

14c,

Appendix 0

Respondents answering other than "Associate's Degree" or

"Bachelor's Degree" to Question #10:

If education IS a factor, what level is most desirable to you?

Comments to Question #12:

On balance, in your experience, have you found those students

entering the workplace from four-year or university settings to

be better prepared for the job than students entering from two-

year or community college settings?

Basically, we look for those individuals who have an intuitive

sense of sound, past the realm of textbook knowledge.

Most employees don't realize the hours and dedication involved to

be successful.

Not always, but usually.

I have found that the amount of training received in their course

has proved to be more beneficial than book theory.

You can't learn to be a sound man in school. You have to go on

the road and work under "real" pressure.

Education does not reflect attitude, hunger or common sense.

These are our hiring criteria.

Our best employee is that with the most real-life experience.

Only two interns, can't tell much yet.

Sometimes a four year students is overly qualified for any entry

position.

The college grads still don't have much practical knowledge aue

too inexperience, but come with a know-it-all attitude.

The people bes', suited to this line of work are those who can get

along with people under many stressful situations and not lose

their cool. Of course they must have a very good musical "ear,"

but the rest can be taught by doing.

Two-year community college students seem more interested in

starting to work and learn the biz from the beginning. Four year

kids are a little more eager/less patient to make their mark.

Four year students turn-over much faster also.

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Education is important, but attitude and willingness to learn are

usually more important. Entry level students with a good attitude

come from all areas...trade schools, two-year, and four-year

programs. I can teach anyone with a good attitude.

Basically because of more experience and being more mature. There

are always exceptions to the rule.

The field is a very difficult field to enter. The less educated

students (as opposed to those with B.A.'s, etc.) are willing to

work harder to attain their goals.

We look for the "right" person; a combination of knowledge,

training/ability, experience and ATTITUDE.

They expect to work hard to prove and earn their positions.

College grads have an attitude that you owe them.

Job training is important but "the will" to work hard in the

production business is more important than any degree. Our

business in not a 9-5 job but a 24 hour, 7 days a week endurance

test!

It seems most four year college grads are somewhat molded in

their ideas of accomplishing a task at hand and do not have the

real world experience needed in the concert sound business. 2)

Most four year people do not want to work on the road and haul

equipment. 3) Pay does not justify a four year degree.

Trade programs offer more focus.

We have people with four-year degrees. However, none are music

industry related.

Four-year students have greater over-all education. Two-year

students seem to have more ready-to-use hands-on experience, plus

are less concerned about getting their hands dirty.

Attitude and the willingness to learn are the most important

factors to me.

Two-year programs are usually like trade\schools; are job task

oriented, i.e., hands-on, get the job done.

Colleges spend too much time in developing small amounts of

knowledge or a broad spectrum to topics. Specialized training

(What a concept!) needs to be addressed. This, along with

communications skills and work ethic is regularly overlooked.

The only factor which is relevant in the live sound reinforcement

field is experience. Yo'l cannot learn live sound in a classroom.

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Everyone starts on about the same level. People have different

strengths, obviously, but learning the politics of the sound

business is something only time can teach.

Longer in school, farther from workplace. Clinical vs. reality.

Expectations far exceed what is available.

This studio is very young. My business flow is not great enough

to support more employees. Thus, my lack of contact with schooled

individuals makes it hard to answer this question.

Any student fresh out of college (2 or 4-year) is generally

ill-prepared for any studio position and I have not seen much of

a difference either way.

Four-year college usually are trained for other careers or

interests. Expect too much money. Aren't more qualified in any

desirable way. No good schools for engineers that teach reality.

It depends on the individual--motivation.

School can be very beneficial, but engineering, client relations,

etc. is an art that can't be learned from a book. It's far more

involved than that.

I have found, to a person, that persons with "audio" degrees are

totally unprepared for the workplace.

Work ethic and attitude are more important to me than education

level.

When I do "hire" interns and entry level I find their

college/university education more of a hinderance than help!

Their "know it all" attitude I feel is not conducive to working

in a creative atmosphere.

The person's internal drive and desire to be successful seem to

be what makes the person most desirable for the job.

Four-years: they have picked up too many bad habits. I prefer

high school grads with plenty of sequencing experience.

Individuals that are bright and motivated are prepared from both

four-year and two-year courses. Ego-maniacs and students with

unaddressed personality problems are worthless after ten years of

school.

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Appendix P