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Sound Engineering Technician

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AVG. SALARY

$50,040

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EDUCATION

1-2 years post-secondary training

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JOB OUTLOOK

Stable

What They Do

Sound Engineering Technicians Career Video

Insider Info

Recording engineers -- sometimes known as recording technicians -- are wizards of the soundboard. That means more than fiddling with the treble and bass on your home stereo. These professionals alter the sound and clarity of each instrument.

They can add echoes and delays. They can make acoustic instruments sound even more natural or heavy metal sound even more metallic. They can even add special sound effects to the music. It's like playing another instrument altogether.

Tulio Torrinello has worked with some of the latest and greatest rap and hip hop musicians in Los Angeles. "You take each individual element and put it on its own separate track. The tape is about two inches wide and can record 24 separate elements. That's how intense it is," he explains.

When a band comes in, Torrinello may listen to 12 or 48 different elements on one song. Then it's his job to put together the format so we can listen to it at home.

Recording engineers work indoors and generally put in long hours. Studio time is expensive, so bands don't want "close," they want "perfect."

Karen Kane, a recording engineer who has worked across North America, says it's not unusual to do 12-hour recording sessions. That's a long time for an engineer to be perky. "There's nothing worse than an irritated engineer."

Women continue to be rare in this business. "I can count on one hand the number of women in North America that have been doing this for a while," says Kane, who became a recording engineer more than 20 years ago. "It's very male-dominated, but getting better."

Rather than expect you're going to work for someone, Kane says those who succeed will be those with the entrepreneurial spirit and some business sense. "If you're an aggressive person who really is determined, that's the best route," she says.

People in this field need to understand music as well as love it. That means learning an instrument, even if you can't play it beautifully. Learning how to read music is another lesson.

But even once you've mastered that, there's one more crucial element for the successful recording engineer -- personality. "Personality accounts for 50 to 60 percent of repeat clientele," says Bill Seddon, an experienced recording engineer.

Those who want to go into this field should also practice listening critically to each sound in a recording. Pick out what you like, what you don't like and why, suggests Kane. Go to concerts and stand near the soundboard if you can. "Start to train your ears -- that's the most important part of this business."

Recording technicians must be able to use electronic equipment, so they need to have good manual dexterity to work with all the switches, knobs and dials. These people need an aptitude for working with electrical, electronic and mechanical systems and equipment.

Just the Facts

Want a quick overview of what this career is about?Check out Just the Facts for simple lists of characteristics.

At a Glance

Record the work of musicians to produce great-sounding music

  • Your ears are the most important part of this career
  • It's not unusual to do 12-hour recording sessions
  • A technical college program and musical ability are required

Contact

  • Email Support

  • 1-800-GO-TO-XAP (1-800-468-6927)
    From outside the U.S., please call +1 (424) 750-3900

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