Mixers, headphones, mics – a sound engineer needs all of that. And of course, good hearing and a feeling for music. But also dealing with people is not neglected in this profession.
Whether in the theater or the recording studio: nothing works without the right sound. We explain to you what a sound engineer does and how he ensures a good sound.
The sound engineer is responsible for all aspects of the sound recording. All tasks that are necessary for a flawless sound fall into his / her area.
In addition to the technical tasks, editorial, design, and creative work can also fall into the sound technician’s field of activity.
A sound engineer can also be defined as an audio engineer, sound engineer, or technician. But even these are not protected job titles. Traditionally, the activities of sound technicians and sound engineers are often mixed up.
Besides, there is no standardized training for sound engineers. Instead, different paths lead to this profession.
Table of Contents
What is a sound engineer?
The tasks of a sound engineer are diverse. He is responsible for sound recordings for film shoots or in the dubbing studio and the sound for live broadcasts of TV shows or concerts. He / She also ensures optimal sound quality in theaters, such as opera or musical performances. If problems, he acts quickly and finds a solution to restore the best sound quality. To achieve this, he/she must be able to intuitively master his / her work because even minor errors can be audible at live events.
In post-production, the sound engineer spends his / her time in the recording studio. There he/she listens to sequences repeatedly to achieve the best sound quality through often only small technical nuances. For this purpose, background noises are identified and reduced. It can be very time-consuming work so that the sound engineer spends a lot of time at the computer and mixer.
What does a sound engineer do?
Tasks of a sound engineer at a glance:
- Plan, implement, and follow-up sound recordings
- Supervise, accompany and coordinate live broadcasts and recordings
- Post-production in the studio
- Assemble and dismantle technology
- Fix sound problems
In the case of studio recordings, the sound engineer is primarily responsible for the production’s technical support. The areas of sound technology, studio and recording technology, signal processing, acoustics, and computer music fall into his responsibility area.
The technical side also includes the calibration of microphones, monitoring the acoustics, and sound mixing.
Besides, the sound engineer must also have musical know-how. That is why sound engineers’ training is interdisciplinary and encompasses both scientific and technical and artistic and creative aspects. And that is precisely what makes this job so varied and interesting.
Various prerequisites are necessary for the profession of sound technician. On a formal level, they vary depending on which career path you choose. But some soft skills are essential for this profession.
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Hard skills
To become a sound engineer, you have various training options. Depending on which one you choose, different school requirements may be necessary. For example, if you decide to train as an event technician, you should have a secondary school diploma. It would be best if you had a high school diploma to study audio engineering / sound engineering.
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Soft skills
In the everyday working life of a sound technician, everything revolves around acoustics. A trained and healthy hearing is, therefore, an essential requirement. Musical understanding is also helpful and indispensable if, for example, you are studying at a film school.
Besides, an interest in and affinity for technology and computers is essential. In your apprenticeship, you will learn how to apply these in your everyday work.
- a healthy and trained hearing
- musical understanding
- technical interest
- Computer knowledge
- the will for further training
Training to become a sound engineer
The completion of the training was usually the diploma, but now it is switched to the Bachelor. Only those who achieve such a degree or receive permission from the Chamber of Engineers can use the protected name “sound engineer.”
In the case of “presumption of office,” there is a risk of hefty fines. The subjects of the training usually include:
- Mathematics
- Physics
- Electrical engineering
- Signal processing
- Control engineering
- Communication engineering
- Electronics
- Technical computer science
- Musical basics
- Studio and recording technology
- Audio technology
- Acoustics
- Computer music
This degree can be obtained in cooperation with the Universities of Technology, the University of Music and Performing Arts, and at universities of Film and Television.
If this is not enough for you, you can use one of the many further training opportunities. For example, the Masters in Media and Event Technology or the Master of Engineering are available to specialize in.
The sound engineer will supervise the production’s technical support and pay particular attention to the musical quality and fidelity to the notes.
How does a sound engineer job description look like?
If you decide to become a sound engineer, you will mainly work in the music and entertainment industry. Specific fields of activity are:
- Film industry
- Radio and television
- Sound and dubbing studios
- Record producers
- Theater and concert promoters
- Event management
Sound engineering
Instead of training, if you want to become a sound engineer, you also can study. The audio engineering / sound engineer / sound engineer subject gives you a lot of theoretical knowledge and includes many electrical engineering topics. After completing your studies, you obtained a Bachelor of Music degree.
Audio technology / audio engineer specialist
Another option for working as a sound engineer is training to become a specialist in audio technology.
In addition to technical know-how, it also provides knowledge in the areas of ear training and acoustics. As an audio technician, you are not solely responsible for operating the technology. You also take care of their construction on site. There you are also responsible for the live transmission of the sound and its recording and post-processing. An internship is often integrated into the training, in which you can put your theoretical knowledge to practical use.
Sound engineering wages
The gross salary of a sound technician is between 39,000 and 55,000 euros per year. The average gross monthly income is 3,500 euros. As in many other industries, however, revenue depends on the following factors and can, therefore, vary considerably based on
- Location
- Company size
- Work experience
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