Formal Report
Dear Audio Engineering Society,
I am writing this progress report to inform you of my progress here at Ohio University. I appreciate your financial support in the past and I am looking forward to working with you in the future. I just wanted to write you to make you aware of what I’m doing at OU to ensure my position as a successful audio engineer.
During my time here at Ohio University I have been enrolled in several Telecommunication classes and these classes have given me a solid base in the field. Through taking these classes I have been inspired to become an audio engineer at a music-recording studio. I would like to find a job at a small recording studio working with bands that are not signed by major record labels.
Although I have not been involved in any classes that have given me the chance to work directly with recording equipment, I know that’s what I want to do as a career. I have worked a little with my friend’s mixer and have a basic knowledge of some mixing equipment. However, I want to extend my knowledge of this field in the future. I am planning on enrolling in classes to learn how this equipment is used in the future. Also this summer I plan to attend The Recording Workshop in Chillicothe, Ohio. If you would like to check out their website click here. This five week course teaches you how to record music in real studio situations. They also teach you how to mix and record live concerts, and also mix sound for television, movies, and radio. During free time at this school bands come in and you are given the chance to record for them. I feel I will gain a lot of experience from this school and be a step above other people in this field.
One thing that is very important to this field is having knowledge of music. During my time at Ohio University I have been able to take several music classes and I have a basic understanding of music theory. I am also involved in music myself and have been playing guitar for two years and I take it very serious. I have several friends that are involved in bands here locally and are an important part of the music scene here at Ohio University. During my free time at OU I love to go uptown to the bars and check out the bands playing. I also frequently visit the front room, our local coffee house, to check out open mic night. Music is a very big part of my life and that is very important for an audio engineering position.
There is quite a lot of demand for recording engineers because of the wide base of jobs that require this type of personnel. Audio engineers are needed for television, movie production, radio, music recording, live music mixing, and several other fields. With the constant growth of technology this field can only expand. My primary interest is music recording but I have the security of knowing there is a demand for other types of audio engineers.
Most of the jobs for this type of work are located in major cities. Although there is always a need for these types of jobs in other areas, the majority of the jobs are in the major cities. Most entry-level jobs for an audio engineer start at an annual salary of about $20,000-25,000. Like with any job the more experience you have the more money that you can make. I saw an audio engineering job for a software company that was working on a video game for an annual salary of $60,000 to 80,000.
I feel that I will become successful in this area of work because I have set attainable goals. I do not plan on working with the biggest bands in the world, I would rather work with artists that either un-signed or are signed by an independent label, and have not yet gained a lot of popularity. I feel the most important thing I have going for me is my passion for getting a job doing something that I really enjoy. Music is really important to me and I will do anything possible to see that my goals are achieved. I appreciate your support in the past and look forward to your support in the future. I hope this progress report gave you a good idea on how things are going with me. I will keep you updated as my education progresses.
Sincerely,
John F. Palmer