Instructor Spotlight: Edric Hwang
When you’re starting out and don’t really have connections yet, what actually helped you get your first real opportunities?
While the industry has changed drastically over the last 20 years, I started out at probably the lowest possible intern position as a recording engineer. At that time there were very few recording engineers who knew how to read a music chart and follow the recording at the same time, thus, people found me extremely valuable during a recording session and that actually helped me build my network through attending multiple sessions as well as connecting with the industry’s who’s who.
What’s something you wish someone had told you earlier about building a music career that would’ve saved you time or stress?
I wish I had the plethora of free online resources the younger generation has now. The online resources are very comprehensive and easy to search for nowadays. This would have saved me a lot of time and stress searching for the right avenues to seek improvement.
Do you ever feel pressure to “stay relevant” or constantly adapt in the industry, and how do you deal with that without burning out?
While I recgonize the need to stay relevant, I must also acknowledge that I will reach a certain point in life where I can’t “keep up”. Thus, to avoid burning out, I have found my niche and have invested heavily into the skillsets that will not expire.
Have you ever had to change your original musical style or idea because of industry expectations, and how did that feel for you personally?
Definitely, but it does not affect me as much as I would imagine. As much as you might think your original musical style or idea is the best, client satisfaction is of utmost importance and also pays the bills. I will secretly try to incorporate as much of my idea as possible until I get a pushback.
