Just A Student..

Over the past year, I have spent countless hours of my time tracking and mixing projects in our school studio. I have worked with several different artists/bands, in a wide variety of music genres. And through hard work and dedication I have gained the knowledge and experience necessary to consistently produce quality work. Unfortunately during this time I have also encountered a common perception: that I'm "just a student" and it is not necessary to pay me for my services. Given that my fellow classmates and I are offering free studio time in a nice facility, and quality recording gear, I think this offers a glimps into a growing problem for individuals in our field: people do not give audio professionals the respect and credit that we deserve for our work.

I was once told by an instructor that we should never give our services away to anyone because as soon as we do, our perceived worth decreases. At the time I questioned this point of view; thinking that working for free is necessary to gain experience and establish a portfolio of work that will attract potential clients. However, I now realize that there is more truth to this statement than I previously thought. Everyone now expects us to do good work, but they want it done faster and for far less money than engineers have been charging for years. Personally, I think this is comparable to someone going to a doctor and asking him to do surgery for little money, in half as much time, but still expecting perfect work.

I understand that, as a student, I still have a lot to learn in the audio field. But in an industry that is constantly evolving with advances in technology, we all have to continue learning new things whether we are students or professionals. Everyone should have the right to be compensated for the services that they provide. And recording and mixing music should be no exception.

- Andy Roy