Chat with the Pro – Studio Sound Engineer

Job Description
A studio sound engineer will oversee and deliver high quality recordings for music, voice overs, instruments and other audible sounds. They will have a good understanding of acoustics, equipment, electronics and will be experts in making performers feel comfortable to help them deliver their best sounds for the project.
They must be easily adaptable and great at working with people, as the studio environment is a challenging, exciting and creative place. In this job you will need to have a decent understanding of music, good hearing and a grasp on timing, rhythm and pitch. You must be prepared to work unique hours as some clients/artists will require recording to be undertaken at night.
After a while a ‘great’ studio engineer will develop their own sound, which, all going well, will become sought after by artists and clients. To develop your skills you should start by completing a course at college or university, it is essential you are properly trained.
As a studio sound engineer your duties will include:
– Overseeing sound recordings for bands/artists and various other clients
– Planning recording sessions with the client/artist
– Having control over equipment and devices and a sound understanding of each device’s purpose
– Making sure all acoustic and recording levels are correct
– Making sure the client/artists are comfortable and happy in the studio
– Keeping up clear dialogue between client/artists to make sure they are aware of directions related to the recording processes
– Dealing with any sound or equipment difficulties
– Being passionate, versatile and driven about he creative process and delivering a great outcome for a range of different clients and artists.
If you’re interested in studying to become a studio sound engineer, Oxygen College are a music industry educational specialist that offer courses in music business, sound and performance. The college are currently offering an Audio Professional Program that combines the dual qualification of a Diploma of Sound Production and an Advanced Diploma of Sound Production. Oxygen also offer a number of certificates which focus on the exciting world of live and studio sound technology.
To find out more and to book, visit www.oxygencollege.com.au or call 1300 195 303.
 Chat with the Pro – Studio Sound Engineer 
 
Hey Pepe, please introduce yourself and tell us a bit about how you become a studio engineer?
I work primarily as an audio engineer/ producer in studio recording at the new don’t Poke the BEAR facility in Geelong West as well as an audio trainer at Oxygen College. I also have experience in live sound, location recording, corporate and consumer audio/visual in addition to lecturing, but the creative space of the studio is what has become my second home over the last number of years.
Have you always had a love for music or was this a career you chose to explore?
The love of music was where my curiosity for audio began. Growing up and watching my father play in bands eventually led to a natural progression through wanting to play with instruments and get a nice sound out of them. Playing music myself throughout the tail-end of high school bred desire to further myself in the music and entertainment industry in the years to follow. Playing in a band led to many opportunities including multiple CD releases and tours both nationally and internationally.
As many know, forging a career in the music industry can be very difficult and I believe in the current climate you need to be versatile and multi-faceted. This realisation, combined with my sheer curiosity and nature of tinkering with dials to see and hear what would happen, prompted me to want to study a Bachelor of Audio Engineering and Sound Production. The course enabled me to add to my knowledge and skill-set beyond what I could have ever imagined, and gladly it was related very close to music.
What are some of the hardest things about the job?
Quite often as a sound engineer you find yourself in the producer’s seat as well these days. You can quickly find yourself juggling roles and mindset between the technical, musical and, the most underrated, the psychological. You find yourself dealing with an artist who can potentially be very emotionally invested toward their music, particularly if they have contributed in writing the material.
What are the things you love about the job?
Each day is different, every project is different. I enjoy the challenges of working with different creative minds. One moment I can step into session recording a classical pianist, the next moment I’m mixing an album for a hard rock band followed by producing for a folk or blues artist. I learn every day because of this, and that excites me. Artists have a lot to offer, musically and emotionally, and many have the power to inspire. I love being able to be a part of that and provide a service to help harness and encourage the talent and ideas brought forward by these musicians. Although some instances can be very difficult, for me, the chase of contributing toward a fantastic result make it the best job in the world.
What is some advice you would give to someone thinking about becoming a studio engineer?
You have got to really want it! How hard are you willing to work? How open are you to learning new ideas and techniques every day for your whole career? It is a great job, but with that comes strong competition. The major fallout I have seen for up and coming audio enthusiasts is when they know a little bit, but think they know a lot, and believe it is enough to merely “get by”. When that moment hits, where you realise there is so much more to know, embrace it and attack it 100 per cent; soaking up any information you can. The times of yesteryear walking into a studio and asking for work experience while you make coffees and clean are few and far between, you need to be able to offer not only enthusiasm and interest but also bring some form of existing knowledge and skill-set to the table in order to be considered. In the current era, this is where dedicated courses help make great headway into such a career. Especially where the given college provides Industry current equipment to train on as well as trainers and teachers who are actively involved in the Industry. The crucial factor in addition is being thrown into real life scenarios with actual pressures and consequences of achieving a result within a timeframe and budget.