Video: The Best Jobs in the Audio Industry 2024, July
Sound engineering is a fairly common profession that has gained demand in connection with the development of new technologies. This article will discuss the essence of the profession and the requirements for a person of this specialization, talk about the pros and cons of this work.
Profession Sound Engineer
A person in this profession is required in all areas of activity where high-quality sound is required. The sound engineer is required to create a certain atmosphere at a party, film, concert or other event, which should be according to the ideas of the organizers. It is desirable that the sound engineer was also a creative person, and not only had a high qualification, since with the help of sound it is necessary to create a general picture of what is happening. Also convey to the listener or viewer the emotional mood of what is happening around as a whole.
Depending on the field in which the sound engineer works, he performs various duties. For example, in the field of show business, he is responsible for high-quality sound. Under the guidance of a specialist, the arrangement of equipment for the highest quality sound reproduction is underway. In the field of cinema, the sound engineer is required to control the sound transmission, monitor its quality in order to immerse the viewer in the mood necessary for the director. To obtain the necessary sounds, improvised and special means are used, with the help of which they record sound for sounding a movie.
In the field of television and radio broadcasting, installation of sound recordings, insertion of beats and screensavers is required. The theater's sound engineer is aware of the effect of the type of room and its acoustic properties on the quality of sounds. In general, the sound engineer is responsible for many things: the technical condition, special effects, creating the right key, sound synchronization, and more.
Main responsibilities
One of the most important tasks of a sound engineer is the correct selection of sound solutions for the best perception of a show, motion picture, sound recording to a listener or viewer. The sound quality is affected by the location of sound-emitting equipment, therefore a person of this profession, before starting to perform basic tasks, correctly installs and tests the equipment. He is also responsible for the recording and playback quality of music tracks. He is also involved in recording voices, arranging, which is an integral part of any film, song, etc. One of the main tasks of a sound engineer is the ability to work with a phonogram, apply the desired effect, record a voice, edit sound recordings and tracks, and adjust the sound quality at events, on the radio. This profession is widely in demand. Sound engineers are required in theatrical productions, film industry, show business, at private events.
Necessary knowledge
Due to the great demand for this profession, the sound engineer needs knowledge in the field of music, he must have a fine ear, know the basics of sound physics and acoustics. Also, the sound engineer must be able to work in special programs for recording, dubbing, editing sounds, music. To know how the equipment for sound recording is arranged, as well as the device and principle of operation of consoles, microphones, etc. In addition, he must know about the influence of the type of room and types of materials that affect the quality of the recorded sound and the sound of musical equipment.
It is important for a music engineer to understand all musical directions of the past and present. Good memory also affects the quality of work. A person of this profession works with voice acting, so he needs to choose the right composition for each character so that the hero is correctly perceived by the viewer, listener.
Specialist Requirement
The requirements presented depend on the field of activity of the sound engineer, some of them are general:
- Experience in this profession.
- Ear for music.
- Knowledge of musical equipment, its devices, actions.
- Qualification education.
- The ability to think creatively.
- Knowledge of music editors.
- An idea of the basics of directing and acting.
- Acoustic knowledge of different types of rooms.
Advantages and disadvantages
Significant advantages of the profession of sound engineer are:
- The ability to show creativity.
- The profession is universal, it is possible to work in a recording studio, equipment operator and more.
- Acquaintance and conversations with popular people from show business.
The main disadvantages:
- Not a fixed work schedule, also the amount of work is not standardized.
- It is required from time to time to physically work, transfer and install equipment.
How to become a sound engineer?
The first step is a conscious education, which is welcomed by employers. The resulting education will give you a lot of necessary knowledge. There are many universities and colleges where they study to be a sound engineer. In television and radio broadcasting institutes, humanitarian universities, there is also such a specialty.
In this specialty, you can work as a DJ, the creator of sounds for films, in a recording studio. If you have a diploma of higher education, the salary of a specialist will be above 5 thousand rubles per shift. The employer first of all draws attention to the availability of education, since only the best specialists are selected in show business. You can also succeed in the process of self-education, the main thing is not to stop in self-improvement and practice skills more often.
Interesting Facts
If a person does not have vocal data, then no sound engineer can help him. It is impossible to remove anything from the sound recording, since the frequencies of the sounding voice coincide with the frequencies of musical instruments. Equipment is not divided into quality or poor at its price, as it is selected according to the ability of human hearing. There are always several types of microphones in the studio, since each person’s voice is unique, and not every microphone will sound and transmit well. Sound engineer is a profession that is in great demand today in the field of show business, cinema, and theater, which is also well paid.
