The Decision
As high school graduation approached, pressure to commit to a career path held a great deal of weight on my shoulders.  I spent a huge amount of time stressing over where to begin my post secondary education, which consequently had me begging family and friends for advice.  The ongoing trend of guidance seemed to be do what you love, so audio school it was.  After researching audio schools throughout Canada, I had narrowed it down to PAVI and the Centre for Arts and Technology.  After comparing both schools, it was a no-brainer that PAVI was the right school for me.  With Vancouver’s music industry flourishing more than ever, it made perfect sense to enroll in PAVI’s 1 year audio engineering program.  I was also sold on the fact that it was a private institution, which ensured a caring, comfortable, and motivating environment.

The Beginning
The most intimidating part of my experience at PAVI was without a doubt the first week.  Classes consist of first, second, and third semester students, which was initially daunting considering I had never used recording software or pro audio equipment in my life.  However after easing into the relaxed classroom environment, the knowledge began to pour in from both the industry professionals teaching the classes, and the ambitious peers of my classroom.  The students I met at PAVI were all creative, interesting, and colourful individuals who all shared a common love for music, which was truly inspirational.

The Instructors
The teachers of PAVI, without a doubt enhanced my overall experience.  There’s a comfort in knowing you’re learning from professionals that are still relevant in the music business today.  Classes were all well structured and entertaining.  On many occasions we had guest lecturers, as well as field trips to professional studios around town.  This enabled students to have a perspective of job opportunities, as well as the different variations of functional professional recording studios.  Before class, at break time, and after class the knowledgeable instructors were always available, and encouraged all students to ask questions.  The staff of PAVI is definitely a collection of Vancouver’s finest in the music biz.

Studio Sessions
The beautiful studios of Blue Wave are available to PAVI students.  Every second Friday consists of a class studio session where students are encouraged to apply their newly acquired audio knowledge to a professional studio environment.  Along with these monitored class sessions, second and third semester students (accompanied by 3 of their classmates) are also given the freedom to book their own sessions at no extra charge.  This allows students to bring in bands for free sessions, which benefits both the band and the future engineers.  These perks are reason enough for anyone that is seriously considering a career in audio engineering to enroll at PAVI.   

"The students I met at PAVI were all creative, interesting, and colourful individuals who all shared a common love for music, which was truly inspirational."

Post- PAVI

Live Sound

Upon graduation, I was eager to break into the music industry as soon as possible.  Throughout my year at PAVI, I made it a habit to maintain my contact database with potential employers.  Opportunity arose when the 2010 Olympics rolled through Vancouver.  I submitted my resume to a live sound and entertainment company called NASCO, which was referred to me by a former instructor.  I was immediately contacted for a group interview, in which I was also accompanied by 2 other PAVI graduates.  I was hired and sent out to work that day, and continue to be casually employed.

Free-Lance Recording

Recording and mixing continues to be a passion of mine, and I have utilized my PAVI experience to create a small home studio.  I enjoy working with small budget bands that are talented, ambitious, and anxious to be heard.  Since graduation I have returned to Blue Wave studios to use the amazing live room and vintage API console. 

Internship

Along with the technical and creative side of music production, comes marketing, promotion, and distribution.  I landed an internship with Vancouver based artist label Frontside Promotion Group, which next to PAVI has been my most valuable experience to date.  At Frontside, I learned the business side of music is equally as important as the technical and creative aspects of production.  Without proper promotion, it is impossible for music to reach the eager ears of a mass audience, and the hours put into production will never be fully justified.  Through classes that were incorporated into the audio engineering program such as career management and entertainment software skills, I was well prepared for the internship and was able to exceed the companies’ expectations.  

Advice
PAVI provides students with all the skills required in order to succeed in the music industry.  However it is up to the student to use the outlets that the school provides, and take full advantage of the studio time and contacts that are provided for you.  Networking and perseverance are essential to having a successful career, and PAVI prepares you to conquer any opportunity that you may encounter.  Talk to the instructors during break, use the studio, read the material provided, and you will have a successful career.  The future is bright, and PAVI is my light.
Thanks PAVI!