Do I need a background in electronics ?
No. Having electronics training is not required to take our programs, and such a background is not typical for most working recording engineers. It would have more importance if your career goal were to be a full time audio service tech or a designer of sound equipment.

Do I have to be a musician ?
Being able to play an instrument can enhance opportunities, but it is by no means necessary. There are many successful audio engineers who are not musicians. You should have a deep appreciation for music, and a willingness to explore all styles. About half our students play an instrument, sing or write songs. All students will be involved in the recording and mixing of student projects, but performing in these sessions is totally voluntary.

What is the Recording Workshop campus like ?
Our campus is nestled on a wooded hillside about 5 miles south of Chillicothe, Ohio (pop. 25,000). The setting is laid back, but this is a good counterbalance to the very active schedule of session work that students have. Our studios and administration offices are held in two main buildings, and nine housing units and support facilities are also found on school grounds. Common areas surround the housing for student recreation and several additional housing choices are adjacent to campus property. Together, our staff and students become our own small community, total population about 120.

What about transportation? Do I need a car ?
Having a car is convenient, but not needed by students who live on or adjacent to campus. A small grocery store is within a short walk of student housing. And after getting to know each other, students typically carpool for more shopping choices in Chillicothe. At the start and end of each program, we provide students with free shuttle service to the Columbus airport and Chillicothe bus station.

What’s the daily schedule like ?
A typical day of the 5-Week Program has around 8 hours of training. Averaging about 5 hours in the studio (3 or 6 students scheduled together) and 3 hours in lecture (two lectures, 90-minutes each). These classes are spread out over a 12-hour period, which typically runs either 9 am to 9 pm, or 12 noon to 12 midnight. In between classes students are eating, talking, reading, working on songs, hanging outside tossing a ball, or playing a round of hackey-sack.

Tell me more about Student Housing.
We offer several affordable on-campus housing options, all within a one-minute walk of classes. Choices include dormitory-style housing with single/double room assignments, and cabins that are shared by 4 to 6 students, all with bath and kitchen facilities. Cooking utensils are provided, but students are responsible for their own meal preparation, housekeeping and bed linens. A coin-operated laundry facility is located on campus. Independent apartment and townhouse options are also available in Chillicothe.

What will I have when I finish my training ?
We award students who satisfy all program requirements with a Recording Workshop Certificate of Completion. You will also have a collection of CD’s containing your mixing projects, and a videotape of your sound-for-picture projects. Text materials, an extensive amount of custom literature and a performance evaluation are also received.

How can I use this training ?
Our grads are prepared for a variety of entry points into pro audio. One prime example would be working as an assistant or second engineer at a music-recording studio. But grads are also found at studios that specialize in television and film, commercial advertising, corporate presentation, game software development and more. And instead of recording or producing others, many Recording Workshop students take our training solely for the purpose of working on their own music.

What’s the earning potential of an audio professional ?
Although some audio professionals make tremendous amounts of money, earning a middle-class income is much more typical. In general, working for a studio that leans towards commercial and corporate work offers a more balanced earning potential than a purely music environment. And of course, money made the first few years usually starts modestly, and increases with career growth in responsibility and position.

Where can I look for work ?
The location of job opportunities is much broader than most people initially think. Although a higher concentration of studios doing major label music projects is found in New York, Los Angeles and Nashville, the picture changes dramatically when you consider the many different types of production facilities and entertainment venues that exist. If you keep your options flexible, you can live just about anywhere you want.

Does the Recording Workshop offer job placement assistance ?
We help our students pursue employment in several ways. While they attend, students learn about hiring practices and effective methods of getting that first job, plus they receive employer contact info to plan a job search. And the Recording Workshop provides quick response to reference requests for graduates being interviewed. Our most proactive placement service is the network of employers that have come to depend on us for their hiring needs. This is an active resource that expands as our alumni become studio owners themselves.

What about financial assistance ?
The Recording Workshop makes every effort to keep tuition costs affordable. Even so, some students need financial aid to make training possible. One potential source of assistance is the SmartStart Student Loan. This is a low-interest loan program that offers eligible students up to $1800 in tuition credit. Administered by the Recording Workshop, the SmartStart Loan is specifically designed for students with good academic history and true financial need.

Can I visit the Recording Workshop ?
Certainly. We understand your need to check us out and are happy to show off our operations. To provide proper service, we accommodate visitors on weekdays between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm. If you would like a tour, please call us a few days before you plan to come (800-848-9900). For those who can’t visit on a weekday, we have seven Open Houses per year, which offer Saturday tours.

Is the Recording Workshop training only offered in Ohio ?
Yes. We have kept our educational programs exclusive to one location. Our reputation exceeds any issues of longitude and latitude. Since 1971, students from every state in the US and more than 30 other countries have made the journey to our school. Any cost or inconvenience from needing to travel is offset by the tremendous learning experience.