It's easy to think that amassing a pile of recording equipment is all one needs to do in order to run a successful commercial studio, but it's only a small part of the equation. What are the true skills and mindsets that all successful (and busy) audio professionals really bring to the table?
* Learn how to stay focused while hearing the same song over and over. If you want to imagine this as a career, sit in a room for 10 hours listening to the same song on repeat. I'm totally serious. In fact, pick a song that you personally don't care for or want to hear. Focus on different aspects of the song on each pass and take notes.
* You must be a dedicated music fan. As a producer and engineer I feel it is important to try to know about more music than my clients. Understanding and absorbing a wide variety of genres, artists, and albums, as well as knowing the history behind most of this music allows me to talk intelligently about music referenced during a session, including how it was created and recorded.
* Watch bands live and understand the interaction that is happening on stage. If a bassist turns to the drummer with a smile or a scowl, figure out why and what happened. Is the singer's glance across the stage a warning not to mess up or a subtle encouragement to keep playing as well as they are?
