Being a Recording Arts Graduate is Anything But a Piece of Cake | 257
“And Let’s Have Some Cake!”
Graduates of the Audio Recording Arts program at Dark Horse
The honored guests will quickly learn that being a recording arts graduate is anything but a piece of cake after a moving graduating ceremony. The basis for success in the music business is actually what every graduate must achieve in the first year following graduation. Some graduates will start climbing the ladder as new interns for the legendary Dark Horse Recording, where the institute was founded, right away. Others may return to their original communities, pursue more education, diversify into live sound, or even open their own lucrative recording studio businesses. Although “following your dreams” has traditionally been considered “American Chic,” most individuals don’t. do they truly mean that?
Graduates and attendees were given presentations by staff from the Dark Horse Institute at the graduation ceremony. Naturally, there were greetings and congratulations, but two people in particular stood out as they spoke on behalf of the students and the whole music industry. The keynote speaker, Bill Deaton, was one of them. It is unnecessary for me to discuss Bill’s vast knowledge in audio engineering and producing, but I’ll covertly insert a link to his discography right about HERE. Where were we then? Oh yeah, Bill gave some advice and thought back on the past 30 or so years he had spent working in the music business. Surprisingly, the suggestion was something we could all cling to. Do your best. Be a wonderful person. Discover your craft. No problem, isn’t it? He didn’t give a lecture on how to network or buy your way into the industry, and he wasn’t shy about how to undercut the competition and work your way up the corporate ladder. In fact, hearing from a man who valued hard effort and doing things the right way was encouraging. Period.
Graduation diplomas were distributed while the formalities continued, and each graduate was invited to mention their favorite aspect of the audio engineering curriculum. Each successful graduate in the class pointed to their instructor and stated, “Dennis” in unison, one by one. When Dennis had a chance to speak, everyone in the room was moved by his succinct yet moving remarks. After working in the music industry for over 30 years, he said, “my wife asked me if it had all been worth it.” Dennis continued to pay attention to his youthful former students for the following ten minutes. The only way I’ve ever been able to respond to that question is by first admitting that I’ve tried, he continued. For I persisted for at least 30 years. And now that I’ve considered what I’ve learned, I know the solution.
The response? Yes, of course! You see, his entire tale hinted at the resolution. Like Bill Deaton, Dennis is a man who has both current music industry experience and the “hay day” of the music industry. The submission? You must attempt. If you haven’t already, get going. Continue even if you recently “finished.” Continue until you can affirm that response to yourself. Will everything be worthwhile? Let’s consume cake!
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