'This Hands-On Experience Was the Best Education I Could Ask for from an Internship'

As a studio intern at Blackbird Studio in Nashville, Tennessee, through the University's Bergami Summer Internship Program, I made important connections and reaffirmed my goal of becoming an audio engineer.

September 8, 2020

By Elyse Stanziale '21

Blackbird Studio is in Nashville, Tenn., which is where I plan to establish after graduation. I had the opportunity to be in Nashville as part of the University’s Nashville Study Away Program, and I made countless connections throughout the experience that I believe will benefit me when I return to launch my career.

During my internship at Blackbird Studio I got to experience studio sessions, set ups, breakdowns, and everything in between. These opportunities were invaluable to my education. Thanks to a previous connection I made taking part in the University’s Nashville Study Away program during the spring semester, an engineer working in Studio D invited me one day to help with a session! It was a great experience to see how they were achieving drum sounds and manipulating the room to their advantage. It was particularly interesting because the band he was recording was of the hard rock/metal genre, which is where my own interests lie when recording.

The set ups we do for sessions are easily some of my favorite moments because I get to handle incredible equipment and microphones. This allows me to become acquainted with professional studio equipment, as well as get engineers’ opinions on particular microphones. No matter what, I ask a lot of questions. This hands-on experience was the best education I could ask for from an internship.

This internship has been the most positive entrance into the world of sound recording. I met fantastic people, both in and out of the studio, who are just as in love with audio as I am. Being in this setting is humbling, as you see firsthand the varying skill levels, strengths, and weaknesses of professional engineers. The experiences have all been rewarding and educational. I found a lesson in every task, which made challenging times better and the fun times even more enjoyable.

During my time at Blackbird Studio, I solidified my aspiration to become an audio engineer. I was completely surrounded by people in my field who trust and believe in me, and that is an incredibly grounding and inspirational feeling to have when you walk through the doors of a studio – especially one like Blackbird.

Furthermore, this internship has established a new work ethic for me, and it has strengthened the skills I have built in audio engineering. These lessons will assist me in planning sessions, efficiently running entire sessions from top to bottom, and enhancing my overall presence in the studio and around my colleagues.

Being in a professional studio has helped me understand the dynamic of a real session. That has given me the confidence that I can soon run a session as efficiently as my mentors. I am excited to bring the information and knowledge I have gained during this internship back into the classroom.

The Bergami Summer Internship Program is funded through the generosity of Board of Governors member – and former Board Chair – Sam Bergami ’85 EMBA, ’02 Hon. and his wife, Lois, and the Division of Student Affairs.