Internship Work Summary

      As a senior at New Technology High School we had to complete an internship in the area of our career interest.  Because of my interest in music, I chose to intern at a local recording studio called Backstage Recording.  I chose this path because of my love of music, and the possibility of a career in Recording Technology.  Through my internship experience, I have come to realize that I don’t actually want a career in this particular field.  I did however, learn a lot about the equipment and programs behind the scenes of recording music and I realized that my true passion is the music itself.  My internship supervisor, Alymar Eugenio helped me see this, and through his instruction and guidance I learned so much more than I could ever have expected.  Alymar is the owner and operator of Backstage Recording and did so much to help me fulfill my work objectives.
     My first work objective was to learn the basics of sound recording and proper signal flow using analog and digital equipment.  I successfully completed this objective because of the in-depth instruction I received from Alymar.  He made sure that I understood what was really going on with the recording equipment.  An especially important tip I learned was how the recording studio sound system is set up.  There is so much more to recording a track than just a microphone hooked up to a computer program. Proper connection is crucial to great sound quality, which is the ultimate goal when recording a track.
     The second internship objective was to assist in the preparation, and the set-up and take-down of various recording sessions.   This objective was met several times over the course of my internship.   I assisted Alymar in setting up five recording sessions, and went on location to help set up the sound system for a wedding.   The preparation, set-up and take-down of the equipment was very time consuming and an overall awkward process for me in the beginning. However, as I got more comfortable with the equipment and really knew what I was doing, my speed and confidence increased significantly.    
    Throughout my internship I learned various aspects of the music industry such tracking, recording, mixing, and mastering.   I learned firsthand how much time is put into polishing up a track, otherwise known as “mixing.”   One track can take many hours to mix, which is usually done over the course of a few days to make it sound just right.   Backstage Recording does not provide mastering services, but the process was explained to me briefly.
    Another objective that I was especially looking forward to was successfully recording and tracking a session using the techniques that I had learned.   I successfully complete this objective about three quarters of the way through my internship.   With the guidance of Alymar, I recorded a scratch track for a client’s demo tape.   A scratch track is more of a practice run, but it is still recorded just the same.   At the end of recording the song I helped clean up the track a bit with a special program called ProTools.   Even though all I recorded was a scratch track, it still felt pretty amazing to actually be the one behind the music and overseeing what was going on in the recording room.
     Many of the tasks that I performed were done after much observation and explanation.   It was very hands-on, especially because I was learning about equipment.   When it comes to mixing a track, I had to watch Alymar for many sessions before I even touched the keyboard.  Observation was definitely crucial to my learning, as well as practice.
   Technology literacy is an outcome of New Tech that absolutely ties in with Recording Technology.   Using the latest high-tech programs such as ProTools and learning how to use them is key to the field, as well as my internship.   I have gained a lot of knowledge about special recording programs, which I have always wanted to learn more about.
    Overall my internship was extremely helpful and informative.  The internship was most helpful because it showed me that recording technology is not a career path that I would like to pursue.  I have explored this area of interest, and because of my internship I am able to move on to looking at other possible career interests.  I would evaluate my work over the course of my internship as well done mostly because of my dedication.  I really wanted to get the most out of my internship, and I believe that this was conveyed to Alymar.  I was always very involved, and asked him questions if I was unclear about something.  In the beginning of my internship I was a bit unclear and lacked in communication to get my hours submitted, but ultimately I believe I did a sufficient job.  I worked hard, came in on time, and completed all of my objectives.  My internship experience at Backstage Recording was very beneficial, and I would definitely recommend anyone interested to intern there.