High School

Begin your musical training as early as possible. Take courses in music and band to learn something about instruments, voice, and music theory. Learn about as many music genres as you can, including classical and jazz. Because music is often affected by social issues, courses in journalism, government, and history provide useful background knowledge. Classes in media, broadcast journalism, and theater may involve you with sound engineering.

Postsecondary Training

After high school, you should seek postsecondary training in audio engineering. To learn about educational opportunities in the United States and abroad, visit the Web sites of the Audio Engineering Society (http://www.aes.org) or Mix (https://www.mixonline.com).

The most basic level of education is attending seminars and workshops. This may be the best way to obtain an early, hands-on understanding of music recording. These programs are generally intended to introduce new technologies in the audio field. A seminar can last a few hours or several weeks. Many workshops are geared toward introducing a certain aspect of recording, such as mixing, editing, or music production. Workshops can prepare you for entry-level apprenticeships at a recording studio.

If you are looking for a more comprehensive course of study in specific areas of the recording industry, you can enroll in a trade school program. Depending on the curriculum, these programs can take from several weeks to up to a year to complete. The most complete level of postsecondary education is a two- or four-year degree from a university. At a university, you will find an ideal learning environment complete with state-of-the-art equipment and a teaching staff of professionals knowledgeable in the industry. Universities incorporate music, music technology, and music business in a comprehensive curriculum that prepares their graduates to be highly competitive in the industry. At a university, students can enroll in other nonaudio courses necessary for the successful producer, such as courses in business, communications, public relations, and computers.

Other Education or Training

The Audio Engineering Society offers continuing education opportunities at its conferences and conventions, which are held around the world. Contact the society for more information.

Certification or Licensing

There are no certification or licensing requirements for music producers.

Students should obtain as much experience in the music industry as possible by participating in summer internships and part-time jobs.

Music producers must also have the instincts of artists to help artists record the best work they can. You should have a good ear for the music, strong communication and interpersonal skills, and a great deal of insight into the history and current trends of the recording industry. It never hurts to obtain a little experience as a singer or musician to gain an understanding of what it's like to be on the other side of the microphone.