Careers can start in the most surprising ways. For me, it all began on stage with a death metal band.

Before I got into audio engineering, I played bass in Elemental, a death metal band from Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India. Our music was fast, aggressive, and very loud, just like you’d expect from an underground metal band.

When I joined Elemental, there were five of us. After just three gigs, one guitarist left for personal reasons, so we continued as a four-piece band.

Even though we were a small underground band, we kept busy. We played at college competitions, metal festivals, and even headlined a few shows. Those gigs were chaotic, exciting, and unforgettable.

Still, I always had a feeling that one day I might stop performing and find another path in music. Sometimes, after shows, I found myself exhausted, not just physically but creatively too. I wondered if playing live was what I wanted in the long run, or if my curiosity about how music was made in the studio might lead me somewhere new. That uncertainty was both unsettling and exciting, and it made me start thinking seriously about other possibilities in the music world.

I didn’t know what that would be.

Discovering Audio Engineering for the First Time

Back then, I didn’t know much about audio engineering.

I thought an audio engineer was just someone who recorded and produced albums in a studio.

That idea fascinated me.

Like many curious musicians, I started experimenting with recording software. I first tried a pirated copy of Mixcraft, then switched to Reaper, which had a free 60-day trial.

I spent hours learning about recording and mixing, trying to figure out how music ended up sounding so good on albums.

Over time, my curiosity turned into something more serious.

At the same time, I knew the reality of the music industry in India. Extreme metal, the music I loved, wasn’t going to pay the bills. Bollywood ruled the scene, and most metal musicians I knew had regular jobs.

If I wanted a career in music, becoming an audio engineer might be a more practical choice.

Deciding to Study Audio Engineering

When I found out that audio engineering could be studied as a profession, I set a new goal for myself.

I dreamed of opening a recording studio someday and producing non-commercial music.

During my 12th standard, I started searching online for institutes in India that offered audio engineering courses.

That’s when I hit a roadblock.

Many audio schools required physics in 12th grade, but I hadn’t taken it.

While searching, I found SAE Bangalore, which offered a diploma in audio engineering without needing physics. Excited, I called them right away to find out more.

Their advice caught me off guard.

They suggested it would be better to finish a bachelor’s degree first, since diplomas alone might not be valuable in the long run.

I took their advice seriously.

Studying Psychology While Staying Active in Music

A few weeks later, SAE called me again.

They were starting their first bachelor’s degree program in audio engineering and wanted to know if I was interested.

I said no.

At the time, it seemed like an experimental program, and I didn’t want to risk three years on something that wasn’t fully established.

So I enrolled in a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology at a local college and started my college life.

But music was still a big part of my life.

While studying psychology, I kept playing with Elemental and stayed active in the local metal scene.

When My Original Plan Changed

Near the end of my bachelor’s degree, I decided to revisit my original plan to study audio engineering.

I looked up SAE again, hoping to join their diploma course.

But this time, I found something unexpected.

They had closed down.

The news surprised me, but it also made me feel better about not joining their experimental degree program earlier.

So I started searching again.

Why I Wanted to Study Audio Engineering in Bangalore

When I looked for audio institutes, I was sure about one thing.

I wanted to move to Bangalore.

Bangalore always felt like the heart of India’s live music scene. The city was known for its rock and metal shows, and we often heard about the Bangalore metal scene when playing gigs elsewhere.

During one of my searches, I found Audio Academy.

Their website looked good, though they seemed new to the education space.

But two things immediately caught my attention:

• They had real outboard audio gear.
• They offered a live sound engineering program.

My Early Experiences with Live Sound Engineers

At the time, I didn’t have a great opinion of live sound engineers. During several gigs with my band, I often ran into problems with the live sound. There were many frustrating situations: engineers who didn’t pay attention to what the band needed, frequent technical issues that disrupted our shows, and a sense that the live engineers were not fully invested in understanding our music or helping us sound our best. These experiences made me sceptical about the professionalism and skills of many live sound engineers back then, and they strongly shaped my first impression of the field. Here are some of the main issues I encountered during live performances:

• Feedback on stage
• Poor monitor mixes
• Engineers who didn’t understand the band’s sound
• Technicians unfamiliar with their own equipment

Most of the sound engineers I respected were either studio engineers or well-trained professionals. Because of this, learning both studio recording and live sound engineering would help me really understand how professional audio works.

The Interview That Changed My Career Path

Before deciding, I talked to my parents about pursuing a career in audio engineering.

They didn’t fully understand the field, but they trusted me. Their only worry was whether it would lead to stable work and income.

With their support, I emailed Audio Academy.

Soon after, Agilesh, a faculty member, called me for an interview.

One of his first questions was whether I had studied electronics or had any technical background.

But he reassured me it wasn’t a problem and said they would help me learn the technical side of audio engineering.

He also gave me some important advice. He suggested I visit the academy in person before enrolling.

I agreed.

And the rest, as they say, is history.