The New York City-Based 2015 CRAS Graduate and Audio Engineer Discussed His Journey From Student to Professional in the Largest Market in the U.S.
The Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences is proud to share that 2015 CRAS graduate John Muller, an audio engineer and assistant manager for Flux Studios NYC, recently guest hosted an on-line CRAS Graduate Panel with current CRAS students.
The focus of the Zoom session was to help soon-to-be graduates learn about Muller’s journey from his time as a student at CRAS to being an intern to making a living in New York City as an audio engineer and assistant studio manager. Then, how they can use those lessons to help them pave their own path into the career and location they will choose upon graduation.
“Who better to prep our students other than CRAS graduates who have already experienced the transition when they made the move to the largest markets in the United States?” asked Kirt Hamm, CRAS administrator.
Muller said he was honored to be given the chance to talk to all the up-and-coming passionate producers and engineers at CRAS. “It’s definitely very helpful for all those curious about what their journey might ultimately be, so when they get a chance to talk to someone that was once at their exact same starting point, it can help steer people in the right direction, but also boost morale and keep them inspired and motivated for the future.”
CRAS Employment Coordinator Rachel Ludeman explained that one of the best resources CRAS can provide its students is insight from the professionals who are currently out in the industry doing the work.
“Being able to stay connected with our graduates and have them come back to speak to our student body is not only educational for our students, but for us, as well,” Ludeman said. “Keeping in touch with what the trends of the industry are, workflow, demands, and lifestyle only help us better educate our students and prepare them. We’re so thankful for John who took time out of his busy work schedule to chat with our young engineers.”
While in New York, Muller has worked with artist such as Dua Lipa, Frank Ocean, Jon Batiste, Pop Smoke, Matt Citron, NERD, Norah Jones, and more.
“I thought John provided a lot of great insight into how much he was actually there at his internship sites, as well as interning at multiple spots at the same time,” said CRAS student Cass Drury. “It seems like he was very persistent and talked about how he would be there as much as possible. And it seems like it paid off, seeing how many notable artists he’s worked with.”
Added CRAS student Michael Valenzuela, “I really enjoyed the panel with John. He offered a lot of insight on his experience after CRAS in New York, which is cool because so far I have heard a lot about life in L.A. The panel was really informal and really provided a good sense of community among the CRAS network, which was awesome.”
The Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences is composed of two nearby campuses in Gilbert and Tempe, Ariz. A CRAS education includes broadcast audio, live sound, film and TV audio, music, and video game audio, all taught by award-winning instructors who have all excelled in their individual fields, including sound reinforcement, audio recording and production, digital recording, troubleshooting/maintenance, and music business.
CRAS structured programs and highly qualified teaching staff provide a professional and supportive atmosphere, which is complemented by its small class sizes allowing for individual instruction and assistance for students in engineering audio recordings. CRAS has been providing quality vocational training in audio recording for more than three decades. The curriculum and equipment are constantly being updated to keep pace with the rapid advancements in the music and sound recording industries. CRAS’ course offerings and subject matter have always centered around the skills and knowledge necessary for students’ success in the audio recording industries.
The 11-month program is designed to allow every student access to learn and train in all of the Conservatory’s studios which are comprised with state-of-the-art audio recording and mixing gear, the same equipment used in today’s finest studios and remote broadcast facilities, including Pro Tools 12, API Legacy consoles, SSL AWS consoles, Studer Vista consoles, and much more. All students must complete a 280-hour industry internship to graduate from the Master Recording Program II that may ultimately lead to industry employment.
