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There are many different music industry careers, and even more paths to careers in the music industry. Tomorrow's music industry pioneers can come from any background. Some of them start out as acoustic engineers with a solid academic background. Others start as bouncers in clubs or performers themselves. Still others use their charm and charisma as booking agents, promoters, or producers. Basically, a music industry career is always a combination of luck and skill. Being in the right place at the right time and having the right talents to go with it is key.

That doesn't mean that there aren't programs that will help you with your music industry career. If you get a solid academic education, it will definitely make you more marketable – particularly if you want to be a recording industry technician. Nowadays, fewer and fewer recording engineers are self-taught, and more and more of them come out of college training programs. It is just the way things go. The technology is so complicated and the training is so specialized that you can't really get involved without having the background.

Then again, there are a lot of outsider music industry careers that don't start with formal training. Home computing has gotten so powerful that it is easy for basically anyone with a good ear, a few thousand dollars, and some basic knowledge to start their own recording studio. If you have the connections to get good bands record with you and the instinct of a good record producer, you can start your own successful label. It is a long shot, but it does happen. Even just being known as the person who recorded the first song of a band who became successful with another label is often enough to get you in the door. The pay is lousy when you work for yourself, and the hours are irregular, but the potential payoffs are great.

Of course, if you have the chairman and the connections, you can spin that into a career. Some of the most impressive music industry careers are based off of nothing but animal charisma. Being the guy that makes it happen means never sleeping, always knowing where the party is, knowing what is hot and what is on the way out, and being able to talk to people. If this describes you, you shouldn't delay. Approach some bands, get involved with promotions and merchandising, and see where it takes you. You never know until you try. The sky is the limit