Find a professional recording studio near you and apply to become an intern. Even if it's sweeping the floors or getting coffee, interning will let you learn more about what goes on in a music studio.

Advice

Become an intern at a music studio.

Make a list of 3 things you've always wanted to do but were scared to try, then choose one and brainstorm 3 small steps you can take to make it happen. Does breaking it down make it more manageable?

Career

Face your fears.

Enroll in a music supervision class at your school, in your city, or online and explore the different elements of the field. Is this something you would be interested in majoring in?

Education

Take a class in music supervision!

Music Directors and Composers

Conduct, direct, plan, and lead instrumental or vocal performances by musical artists or groups, such as orchestras, bands, choirs, and glee clubs; or create original works of music.

Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

Artistic

Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

Enterprising

Second Interest High-Point

Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

Social

Third Interest High-Point

First Interest High-Point

Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Realistic

Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Investigative

Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Conventional

Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed

Use gestures to shape the music being played, communicating desired tempo, phrasing, tone, color, pitch, volume, and other performance aspects.

Direct groups at rehearsals and live or recorded performances to achieve desired effects such as tonal and harmonic balance dynamics, rhythm, and tempo.

Study scores to learn the music in detail, and to develop interpretations.

Apply elements of music theory to create musical and tonal structures, including harmonies and melodies.

Consider such factors as ensemble size and abilities, availability of scores, and the need for musical variety, to select music to be performed.

Determine voices, instruments, harmonic structures, rhythms, tempos, and tone balances required to achieve the effects desired in a musical composition.

Experiment with different sounds, and types and pieces of music, using synthesizers and computers as necessary to test and evaluate ideas.

Transcribe ideas for musical compositions into musical notation, using instruments, pen and paper, or computers.

Audition and select performers for musical presentations.

Plan and schedule rehearsals and performances, and arrange details such as locations, accompanists, and instrumentalists.

Write musical scores for orchestras, bands, choral groups, or individual instrumentalists or vocalists, using knowledge of music theory and of instrumental and vocal capabilities.

Position members within groups to obtain balance among instrumental or vocal sections.

Perform administrative tasks such as applying for grants, developing budgets, negotiating contracts, and designing and printing programs and other promotional materials.

Confer with producers and directors to define the nature and placement of film or television music.

Meet with soloists and concertmasters to discuss and prepare for performances.

Fill in details of orchestral sketches, such as adding vocal parts to scores.

Explore and develop musical ideas based on sources such as imagination or sounds in the environment.

Write music for commercial mediums, including advertising jingles or film soundtracks.

Transpose music from one voice or instrument to another to accommodate particular musicians.

Rewrite original musical scores in different musical styles by changing rhythms, harmonies, or tempos.

Arrange music composed by others, changing the music to achieve desired effects.

Assign and review staff work in such areas as scoring, arranging, and copying music, and vocal coaching.

Study films or scripts to determine how musical scores can be used to create desired effects or moods.

Transcribe musical compositions and melodic lines to adapt them to a particular group, or to create a particular musical style.

Create original musical forms, or write within circumscribed musical forms such as sonatas, symphonies, or operas.

Collaborate with other colleagues, such as copyists, to complete final scores.

Copy parts from scores for individual performers.

Coordinate and organize tours, or hire touring companies to arrange concert dates, venues, accommodations, and transportation for longer tours.

Stay abreast of the latest trends in music and music technology.

Acoustic guitars

Audio interfaces

Computer laser printers

Conducting batons

Copy machines

Desktop computers

Electronic organs

Expression pedals

External hard drives

Flash drives

Handbells

Keyboard synthesizers

Laptop computers

Personal computers

Pianos

Portable loudspeakers

Tablet computers

Apple Final Cut Pro

Apple MainStage

MediaShout

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Office

Microsoft Outlook

Microsoft Publisher

Microsoft Word

Music Director Pro

Audio tape recorders

Condenser microphones

Digital audio workstations

Drum sets

Studio recording monitors

Being creative and delivering music to fit a vision while making all business workings come together is a challenge I face daily. It’s a never-ending puzzle that keeps us on our toes as so many different avenues of visual media come into the market.

What’s wonderful about my work is that no two days are alike. I read and breakdown scripts for music ideas, listen to new music sent my way to discover, review submitted music for select projects, interface with our record label distributor to organize releases…and of course, manage and negotiate any deals required.

Tracy McKnight

President & Music Supervisor

Videos

Tracy McKnight

Milestones

Education

Career

Career Roadmap

My work combines:

My work combines:

Film

Music

Accomplishing Goals

Day to Day

Recommended Education

Hurdles

Challenges I Overcame

Work Stress

Tracy McKnight

President & Music Supervisor

Videos

Tracy McKnight

Milestones

Education

Career

Career Roadmap

My work combines:

My work combines:

Film

Music

Accomplishing Goals

Day to Day

Recommended Education

My career is not related to what I studied. I'd recommend this path instead:

Hurdles

Challenges I Overcame

Related Leaders