Introduction
I chose PAVI by word of mouth and from ads I saw on the Skytrain.  I spoke to the owner of the school several years ago and he was very helpful towards me and answered my many questions about the music business.

Before going to PAVI I took music theory in Prince George and had been a musician for about 12 years.

The Program
I went to school five days for four hours a day not including studio time and homework. This suited me fine as I had time to rehearse with my band.  There seemed to be flexible time slots where you could go morning, afternoon or night.

I wanted to understand what I was hearing and what I wasn’t hearing. I went into school with an open mind and found myself moving through a never ending learning process.

The school was more than what I thought it would be and totally went past my expectations.  The mindset that PAVI left me with was such that every time I listen to music it’s clear to me what I am supposed to do or not do. The whole business aspect of entertainment became more understandable to me so the decisions I make for our band has taken us out of the garage and into a pro level. Our study of electronic press kits helped us to represent ourselves properly.

I think the best part of PAVI was that the people made it enjoyable to be there. My teachers were great and there were lots of interesting guest lecturers that were actually big wheels in the industry.

Because my house was far from campus, the worst part of the program for me was travelling back and forth from home; I wish I would have been able to use more studio time but wasn’t able to because of my situation.  I’d suggest you live as close as you can while you are going to school.  There is a lot of close public transportation though.  I would have liked the program even more if I’d been able to book studio time late at night and on weekends. I’ve heard that since I graduated PAVI has opened the studios up to students 24/7 which is really cool.

The school prepared me and gave me the confidence and ability to continue with my career course without having to change my road.  If someone is going to PAVI, I say check your ego at the door, open your mind and enjoy. I had a great year there.

"I went into school with an open mind and found myself moving through a never ending learning process."

Conclusion
I would recommend PAVI for sure. If you’re insecure it makes you more confident.  It gives you a good sense of direction, a well-rounded look at all aspects of a career in audio and exposes you to what is really out there.

I am busy playing in a large band, running a production company and doing live and studio work. My company is called New Fossil Productions. I am utilizing the skills at school I learned every time I do a session or play a show.

If I were to do it all over again, I would have changed my study habits, I have two kids and didn’t utilize my time well enough. I would have also liked to take a second program they offer called Film and Music Business if time permitted but I was not able to do so.  The business course I did take in the audio program really opened my eyes and empowered me.

Check out my band at; Myspace/roadenginedreams