Picking a Post-Secondary

Prior to attending PAVI, I literally knew nothing about the music industry. All I knew was that I attended a lot of concerts and that working with music would be something I'd like to do as a career. I did my research (with help from my mum and high school digital media teacher) and found that PAVI was the perfect fit. It had classes on all aspects of the music industry and was just one year long. After touring the amazing studio, I was in. I graduated High School in June and was attending PAVI in September.

The Program

As I mentioned, I started the program in September, but you can begin the course in September, January or May. I think beginning in September is the best way to go because the Audio Engineering class that semester deals with beginner material, such as the basics of microphones. Because I knew nothing about microphones when I began at PAVI, I thought having this class first was important. Every class is filled with people of different skill levels. At first this was intimidating, but all my classmates and teachers were super nice and a big help.

Subjects & Studies

I thought that all the subjects taught at PAVI were essential. They gave a wide scope of the music industry from the studio, to live sound, to audio for visual, to production, to the business side of things. All the classes are taught by industry professionals. It was really interesting to hear about how after class a teacher would be heading to a studio to mix/record, or to the business they owned, or to a gig. Having teachers in the industry was most excellent because students could learn from their years of experience. One down side to classes was the class size. In my class there was only one computer per two people, so you either had to share or bring a lap top (editor’s note:  there is now one computer for every student). But the plus side was that things where always improving. The staff did their best to listen to students, accommodate everyone's needs and make improvements.

The Studio

The studio was undoubtedly the best part about attending PAVI. Unfortunately, when I attended there was no option to book time during nights and weekends. (editor’s note: PAVI students can now book time 24/7)  However, I did not have to work while attending PAVI so I was able book studio time as often as I could and also get in on other people's sessions. PAVI has a stellar microphone selection for students. We had the chance to use expensive mics that I wouldn't be able to afford for a long time, as well as get practice with microphones that are industry standards. I thought the wood walls in studio A where beautiful the first time I saw them. After completing the Studio Design and Maintenance class I really began to appreciate all the physics that went into making that room sound amazing. Studio A's API board and acoustically sound live room made it favorable for recording; while Studio B's size and warmth made it great for mixing and overdubbing.  Another big studio perk was the Internship at Blue Wave. I was in the afternoon class, so most of my days were spend interning in the morning, attending school in the afternoon and being in the studio during the evenings.

After School

The music industry is a hard business to find good work in. I spent the first year out of school working off and on. I did live sound for smaller shows and recorded/mixed some local metal bands that I knew. I also worked for a larger production company until they shut down. Fortunately, after some time spent travelling, I was hired at Ultimate Music Cruises. UMC is a company that puts on Heavy Metal cruises. It is steady work, and has the perks of being able to attend the cruises and see some of my favorite bands. I am very happy with my PAVI experience. Attending PAVI gave me the knowledge and the contacts to be able to work in the field I love.