Sound Engineer

Job overview
A sound engineer uses electronic equipment to record, synchronise, mix or reproduce music, voices or sound effects.

Sound engineers are also referred to as sound engineering technicians, recording engineers or audio engineers.

What do people do in this occupation?
Sound engineers work in the music recording, film, television, theatre and video game industries.

They work in a variety of settings, including recording studios as well as external locations such as live concerts.

There are as many types of careers in sound engineering, as well as different industries that hire sound engineers.

• Broadcast industry
  Sound engineers in the broadcast industry set up, operate, and maintain a variety of electronic equipment involved in radio or television broadcast.

Due to the wide range of work, there are many specialised occupations within the field.

- Sound technicians set up and operate audio equipment, including microphones, speakers, recording equipment, cables, sound and mixing boards and related electronic equipment.

The transition from analogue to digital broadcasting has made it necessary for sound technicians to learn computer networking and software skills.

- Radio operators mainly receive and transmit communications using a variety of tools. They also repair equipment and help to maintain communication systems in good condition.

- Sound engineers may operate equipment designed to produce special sound effects, such as a bolt of lightning or a police siren.

• Recording industry
  Sound engineers within the recording industry prepare for recording sessions by selecting and setting up microphones and other necessary audio equipment.

During recording sessions, they adjust as well as regulate volume level and sound quality to ensure the best quality of sound at all times.

• Film industry
  The film industry hires sound engineers to record sound for film projects.

Sound mixers or re-recording mixers produce soundtracks for films or television programs. After filming or recording is complete, they use a process called “dubbing” to insert relevant sounds.

• Private functions
  Sound engineers often work as part of larger filming crews, that record private functions such as weddings, as well as corporate events like launches.

Their duties are pretty much the same as those of their colleagues in the broadcast and film industry.

The sound crew sets up, tests and monitors recording equipment. After the event has been completed they dismantle and pack up the equipment.

Beyond the broadcast, recording and film industry, there are a number of other career possibilities for sound engineers. These include the following:-

• Forensic audio
  This is the application of sound engineering skills to analyse, clarify, enhance, edit and detect sounds recorded on to magnetic, digital or other types of recording media.

It also consists of other services such as transcriptions, recording depositions, providing expert witness testimony, doing identifications of and authenticating recorded audio.

Every sound, such as a gunshot, a thump, or a bang has a unique waveform pattern called a waveform 'fingerprint' Waveform examination can be used to disclose a whole range of evidence.

Audio restoration focuses on making damaged recordings intelligible again as well as identifying when an original recording has been tampered with.

• Audio Archiving
  Due to archived analogue recordings deteriorating faster than they can be saved, it is increasingly critical for music companies and similar organisations to restore and repackage them in new formats.

Sound engineers are an integral part of teams tasked to undertake audio archiving projects.

What kinds of people are suitable for this career?
Sound engineers must be comfortable working with technical equipment, such as mixing consoles and specialised computer software.

Though sound engineering requires technical knowledge, there is however a creative side to it that is often overlooked. For example, sound mixers for film and television must have a sense of drama and timing to know when to create an intense moment with the sound.

Musical recordings require a sound engineer to have good interaction skills as they confer closely with producers, performers and others to determine and achieve the desired sound for a production.

Aspiring sound engineers in broadcast must be prepared to work long and often odd hours, under great pressure, in order to meet broadcast deadlines.

Evening, weekend, and holiday work is usual because most stations are on air 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Though a sound engineer may not be on duty when the station is broadcasting, some technicians may be on call during non-working hours. This backup team handles any problems that might occur.

Film projects usually operate on a tight time schedule and sound engineers may work long hours to meet contractual deadlines.

Sound engineers also need to possess manual dexterity and be physically fit as setting up and dismantling audio equipment often requires heavy lifting.

What qualifications are needed?
To become a sound engineer one can attend a vocational program usually offered at various South African and overseas colleges and polytechnics.

South African and overseas film schools usually offer classes in sound engineering, related specifically to the film and television industries.

Sound engineers also gain much of their knowledge and skills through on-the-job training, as they learn skills from experienced technicians and supervisors.

Where available, working in smaller recording studios or community radio stations as an assistant is a great way of gaining experience and knowledge.

Proven experience and a good reputation are important in getting freelance sound engineering jobs.