There isn’t a specific union for Sound Technicians at nightclubs and concert venues, although some might be members of the Audio Engineering Society. What is one thing I should have asked which I didn’t? Live sound engineer Alternative titles for this job include Audio engineer. They work with the Club General Manager, Talent Booker, Production Technicians, Maintenance Team, the act’s Tour Manager and the musicians themselves. There will come a time when you’ll need to start getting paid. Take our free career test to find out if sales engineer is one of your top career matches. “Getting in for 9 am after you’ve been working nights at the weekend is always a bit of a stretch but does help get you into the rhythm of the week.”. Current opportunities. We're looking for you. Advancement can also mean getting hired to work at a more prestigious venue. This course of study may be helpful, but you will need more music training as well. The degree might also be called Sound Engineering. By using our site, you agree to our. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. What math and literacy is needed when I want to become a sound engineer? But with the arrival of COVID-19, the stakes are higher than ever. ", "From this I will learn how to be a mechanical engineer.". This, "I am a sound engineer and going through this article, I agree with what was explained there. These degrees will tend to be a mix of music, business, and technical classes which serve to give you a well-rounded education in the field. Find out if you could start working with someone who already does it and learn from them. What is the importance of being a sound engineer? Give it a try. Yes, Yes, Yes – get some high quality molded ones. “How do you stay awake all night? Very simple – we have a Nespresso machine in front of house.”. Every dollar contributed enables us to keep providing high-quality how-to help to people like you. We've been helping billions of people around the world continue to learn, adapt, grow, and thrive for over a decade. Although, in some cases you may find work in radio or TV, which might afford the chance for daytime work. You wouldn't necessarily need one, but it couldn't hurt. © 2021 CareersInMusic.com | All Rights Reserved | Content may not be duplicated without express written permission. Learn more... Sound engineers may be known as recording or audio engineers. Sets up and uses soundboard and other sound equipment during concerts or performances, ensuring that levels are correct and the sound mix is right. What subjects do I need to study in order to get into a sound engineering university? Thoms says, “I was a nerdy kid who was always into both lighting and sound and I have always had an interest in music and production. Hands-on experience is essential for learning, so any program you’re interested in should have internship or work opportunities. If you can’t string a sentence together, have the personality of a ham sandwich or you regularly say wildly inappropriate things in front of artists and corporate clients, then nobody will care how good at your job you are!”. We use ACS custom molds. CareersinMusic.comPO Box 43562Las Vegas, NV 89116United Statescim_mail( 'info', 'careersinmusic', 0, false ); This site and your information are secure. Things like “lead guitar,” “feedback,” and “normalize.” In music jargon, some words and phrases may have different meanings than you are used to. Thoms says, “Both ways can work. A degree in production or audio engineering from a trade school or college can also help an aspiring Sound Technician learn the ropes. And get a variety of filters so you can work out a comfortable level which offers you adequate protection whilst allowing you to hear what you’re doing. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies, revised. For more tips, like how to develop the qualities of a good sound engineer, read on! Approved. Not all sound engineers mix new music tracks, but being able to do it will make you more versatile. I want to study sound engineering in SWGC. He has worked as a Producer, Engineer, and DJ at labels and clubs across England. Career Designer is coming soon! ), however, sound engineering mainly involves applying the knowledge you have about sound equipment and music and the skills you have in manipulating audio. At least when you are first starting out, being as available as possible will be a strong asset you can offer someone looking to hire you. Are electronics involved in sound engineering? Sound Technicians who work regularly at a venue are salaried. Be able to problem solve and work quickly because sound engineers tend to work on tight schedules. Thoms suggests using online resources to further your education and skill set. If you consistently show up at the same places and you are always willing to help in any way you are asked, people will start to notice and may trust you to do more important tasks. And be sure that the program you attend is well-regarded and has instructors with current, real-world experience. If your dream job is to become a sound engineer, start watching sound engineers work at places like clubs or churches, and asking if you can help so that you can learn the ropes. Don’t work for free forever either. The salary range for Sound Technicians runs from $25,000 to $69,000. Thank you for your patience! It’s totally free and could help get your career moving fast! During the week, we usually skip Mondays (nobody does good work on a Monday anyway) and work 9 am to 6 pm Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, with one of us covering our Tuesday student night until 4 am. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. It will take time to learn all of the things you can do, but it’s important to start building a foundation. Take our free career test to find out if electrical engineer is one of your top career matches. You should be flexible, have strong people skills, and persevere through setbacks. Even though it can be hard, don’t think you are too good for anything. Some sound & image schools provide certificates for your introduction to this industry. That’s what gets you employed above anything else.”, A Sound Technician should be someone other people want to work with, but they should also be responsible enough to deal with long hours and late nights. Take the free test now Learn more about the career test What is the workplace of a Sales Engineer like? wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. If you’re in school, try getting involved in the theater program, where sound engineering is usually run by students, to get hands-on experience. This article has been viewed 334,913 times. If you ruin your ears on the job, then you’ll have to find something else to do for a living.”. A typical degree might be an Associate’s or Bachelor’s of Science in Audio Engineering. Ask the questions they don’t get asked all the time, and show an interest in learning on the job.”. Seek a program at an accredited university or college in sound engineering and obtain an internship to learn on-the-job skills. Good job! Some sound equipment is the same as it was years ago, but many other technologies are continuing to evolve. That number may sound impressive when compared to the American median salary of $39,810, but many factors can affect a security engineer’s potential salary, including industry, location, education, experience, and job function and level. Read profiles of practicing engineers in the I'm An Engineer section and ask someone a question directly, or submit a question here to have EngineerGirl staff try to find the right person to answer you.. We cannot give you actual engineering advice. “Thinking that it’s all about being a great Engineer and forgetting the human aspect of the job. What do I study after high school when I want to become a sound engineer? If you are at a venue and you see people setting things up, ask if you can help. Earning a degree may help you get a job as a sound engineer. degree in production or audio engineering. “They’ll be more interested in whether you bring half decent chat to the table, and as long as you know one end of an XLR from the other they’ll find something for you to do. You should find fulfillment through the work itself and not through any accolades you might receive. Here you can ask those questions you still have about engineering careers. “Be proactive, and take every opportunity to shadow, help out for free, just turn up and make the tea, whatever it takes to get your foot in the door. Once you’re through the door, don’t mess it up by being annoying, lazy or getting too big for your boots. You may want to do some further searching, but here is a place to start:http://study.com/articles/Best_Audio_Engineering_and_Production_Colleges_List_of_Top_Schools.html. Audio tech people have never had such a broad range of sound reinforcement equipment and techniques at their disposal. They will most likely welcome another set of hands. Sound engineers run live shows like concerts and plays, record and produce in the studio, and work sound systems for radio, TV, and film crews. In most cases, really need a specific education for this job. The way sound is processed is based on principles found in electronics (ex. In this case, 93% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. Sound engineers tend to be in somewhat higher supply than demand calls for, so consider how passionate you are in pursuing this as a career. ", "To understand more of sound mixing and joining different sound levels. Hey, what do you think about, real quick, trying our new Music Career Finder Music Career Finder? Their work is the finishing touch on the artist’s performance, guaranteeing that the music sounds good for both the performer onstage and for the people in the crowd. It usually takes purchasing special software. If you don’t like people and have a hard time working with others, this may not be the profession for you. “Similarly, the job is actually very little about knowing which buttons to press, or even technically doing the right thing all that often – the most important aspect is that you’re approachable, work well in a team and have the ability to put artists and clients at ease, and deliver their show confidently and professionally. This tip will help me, because I want to become a sound engineer. Be helpful when the situation demands it, invisible when you need to be, and bring some good chat – you’ll probably be working some long hours, so it can’t all be about noise and lights. What’s the #1 mistake people make when trying to get into this career? Sound engineers rarely get the credit for an amazing concert or great mix on a hit song, so don’t expect to gain fame through this career. What is the question people should ask about this career but rarely do? Learn to do several things well, then you’ll never be short of work.”. I’ve done lots of different jobs over the years, and grown my knowledge in several disciplines, which helps to set me apart from the pack a bit. Last Updated: February 9, 2020 ... Career path and progression With experience, you could progress to chief sound engineer in a theatre, become a sound designer, or set up your own sound services company. To become a sound engineer, find a sound engineer to watch, help out, and take any chance to work with sound equipment you can get. Hey, what do you think about, real quick, trying our new Music Career FinderMusic Career Finder? Freelance Sound Technicians are paid per event. To become an electrical engineer, you should enjoy working with electricity and electrical devices since that's most of what you'll be doing. Taking classes in physics, for example, is a good place to start. Resident Sound Technician, Audio Technician, Sound Engineer, Live Sound Engineer, FOH Engineer. Maybe they don’t want you in the way. You can be persistent and tell them you’ll do anything and won’t bother them. Luckily, Ministry is one place where our downtime is actually respected, so we tend to work around 45 hours a week – with the weekend trading sessions taking up the bulk of the night hours. Having people skills is also important in a business that depends so much on whether people want to spend late nights working with and relying on you. We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. equalization, synthesis, etc. The salary range for Sound Technicians runs from $25,000 to $69,000. On average, Sound Technicians earn around $41,100 yearly. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. It’s totally free and could help get your career moving fast! Sound engineers often work nights and weekends, because these tend to be the times that live performance events happen. Thoms says, “The hours are long, and it makes it pretty difficult to have much of a social life outside these walls so you need to make the most of your downtime. You are responsible to drive innovation in product development, while relentlessly improving performance, scalability, and maintainability. Chris Thoms is the Production Manager at London’s famed Ministry of Sound club. Does this sound like you? {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/4\/41\/Become-a-Sound-Engineer-Step-1-Version-4.jpg\/v4-460px-Become-a-Sound-Engineer-Step-1-Version-4.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/4\/41\/Become-a-Sound-Engineer-Step-1-Version-4.jpg\/aid23141-v4-728px-Become-a-Sound-Engineer-Step-1-Version-4.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"