New opportunity: Trainee Assistant with Rare Tone Mastering

YSWN has teamed up with Rare Tone Mastering & Vinyl Production to offer two paid Mastering and Vinyl Production Assistant trainee opportunities.

Supported by Youth Music‘s Incubator fund, this is a positive action paid trainee opportunity aimed at women and minority gendered people aged 18-25 years old, with applications particularly welcomed from those of the global majority.

YSWN seeks to provide better opportunities specifically for women and people of minority genders within the music industry, and is working with music and sound industry employers to challenge and change the gender gap.

Are you passionate about mastering and vinyl records? This is your chance to gain hands-on experience with one of the UK’s most niche and exciting studios, Rare Tone Mastering, in partnership with YSWN

Ben Pike from Rare Tone Mastering is offering a unique traineeship opportunity, aimed at young people aged 18–25 who are keen to explore the art of mastering and vinyl cutting in a real studio environment. The selected trainee will gain real-world experience of working within a mastering studio and learn what goes into the production of vinyl.

What you’ll learn:
• Hands-on vinyl cutting using one of the UK’s rare vinyl cutting lathes
• Mastering techniques, workflow and practices in a professional studio environment
• Understanding the differences in mastering for vinyl compared to digital formats
• Client communication and acquisition skills (how to find work as an audio engineer).

Tasks may include:
• Day to day studio management and administration
• File management
• Audio processing and exporting
• Vinyl preparation, cutting and packaging
• Helping prepare social media.

Your project:
You will also have a micro-grant of £500 to develop a personal project alongside your traineeship that will be tailored to suit your particular interests within the audio industry. You may bring a personal project such as an EP to be mastered and pressed on vinyl, providing a valuable portfolio piece by the end of the program.

As part of the placement, the trainee will also receive 10 hours of mentoring from a YSWN associate with experience in the audio technology and music business industry.

Skills / Experience / Attributes
We are looking for individuals who:
• Have a strong interest in mastering and vinyl production
• Are curious about the physical side of vinyl cutting and enjoy hands-on work
• Have some experience with digital audio workstations (DAWs) like Studio One or Pro Tools (this is not essential and basic knowledge is fine, we’re happy to teach!)
• Are proactive, organised and eager to learn
• Team player
• Willingness to learn
• Good verbal and written communication skills
• Self motivated with strong work ethic and commitment to projects.

Accessibility & Requirements:
The work involves physical tasks, such as placing records on the vinyl lathe and managing machinery. However, accommodations can be made where needed. Please let us know if you have any accessibility concerns.

Duration: 2 days a week over 2 months amounting to 16 days (7.5 hours per day), in person working in Leeds, worked flexibly in agreement with Rare Tone Mastering.

Traineeship 1 will run between October 2024 – December 2024
Traineeship 2 will run between January 2025 – March 2025

Fee: £1,500 per trainee inclusive of travel expenses

Place of work: Rare Tone Mastering (In-person sessions in Leeds)

How to apply: Fill out the application form link below: you can select one or both traineeship date options when applying.

YSWN x Rare Tone Mastering traineeship application form

Closing date: 12pm (midday), Monday 7 October 2024.