0Music and films are integral part of our lives. Many of us are passionate about the art. But very few understand the career aspect and what the industry is all about. Some of us are eager to learn the science and technology and are confused regarding choosing the learning path and the future prospects of this ever expanding field.
However, I will share some insights into this. Before you jump into the world of sound and music or films you must know that there are tremendous prospects in this field, some known and others unknown. The audio and film industry both requires some technical knowledge and a good taste in sound and film. One must learn to read film or learn how to appreciate listening to music as a professional. There are no Golden ears, just educated ears. All this requires acquiring an education, body of framework that provides reference for one to develop a skill. The technical and the aesthetics of the art. We must learn the rules or guidelines in order to bend or break them.
With immense patience and time and lots of work you will be able to close the gap between being an amateur and a professional.
Before you embark on preparing for this career, you should know what typical job duties you can expect to have. Here those we found when we looked at online ads for audio engineer and related positions listed on some websites:
i. "Minimize unwanted sounds on set."
ii. "Regulate volume levels and sound quality during recording sessions, using various types of professional field mixers."
iii. "Set up ambient sound microphones for crowd and cage."
iv. "Collaborate with producers, performers, and others to determine and achieve the desired sound for a production."
v. "Provide audio systems oversight of the show during production."
vi. "Set up and operate playback and reinforcement for theatre, opera, meetings, choral concerts, dance, symphony, jazz,country, pop, variety shows, and city events."
vii. "Play music and mix front of house audio for exciting live events."
viii. "Process audio to meet company’s quality standards."
ix. "Maintain and repair, and administer the repair of the equipment that you operate."
How to Become an Audio Engineer?
If you want to become an audio engineer you can attend a postsecondary vocational program for up to a year. There you will learn how to operate specialized equipment such as audio mixing consoles, equalizers, and microphones. After completing a program, you will receive a non-degree award or certificate. Some employers do not require you to attend school and will instead provide on-the-job training.
What Soft Skills Do You Need?
The set of hard skills audio engineers use on their jobs usually comes from a combination of formal or on-the-job training and experience. They also need certain soft skills, or personal qualities, to succeed in this occupation. They are:
a. Problem Solving:
When equipment malfunctions, the audio engineer must be able to identify the problem first. Then he or she must make the repairs and adjustments needed to make it work again.
b. Critical Thinking:
To fix problems, they must come up with alternative solutions and then figure out which will have the best results.
c. Manual Dexterity:
Setting up equipment, connecting wires, and using knobs and buttons to make adjustments requires excellent manual dexterity.
d. Monitoring:
Audio engineers must continuously monitor volume levels and sound quality.
e. Communication Skills: You need excellent listening and speaking skills to collaborate on projects with others.
What Will Employers Expect From You?
To learn about employers' required qualifications, we again turned to Indeed.com to examine job announcements for audio engineers:
i. "Ability to demonstrate planning, organizing and implementing skills which allow the successful completion of a project by a specific due date."
ii. "Ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously."
iii. "Strong ability to learn new technologies."
iv. "Ability to constructively collaborate in a results oriented team."
v. "Demonstrated success in the creation of superb content under pressure."
