Working as a sound engineer is an exciting and fun journey. You get to design, record, master, and mix music for various occasions. Sound engineering is a creative field, and most times techniques and creativity go hand in hand during the sound engineering process.
Sound engineering requires a lot of focus, creativity, and commitment. Having a successful sound engineering career means you get to enjoy life doing what you love. But becoming a good sound engineer takes time and practice to achieve.
Whether you’re just starting as a sound engineer or you want to improve your career as one, there are certain steps you need to take to ensure the sounds you put out are clear, clean, and audible. Here are six steps to becoming a better sound engineer.
Stages To Becoming a Better Sound Engineer
No one wants to attend a show where the sound is scratchy or barely audible. As a sound engineer, your job is to ensure the quality and clarity of the music being put out are great. Below are some steps you can take to become a better sound engineer
Be Familiar With Various Genres of Music
Working as a sound engineer will allow you to work on various genres of music. You may not like some of these genres, but you must get familiar with them if you want to mix, design, or record them effectively.
You don’t need to fall in love with the form of music you dislike. However, you must know what makes the music what it is and understand how it operates. Spend ample time analyzing various musical genres, even the ones you don’t listen to normally. Doing this will help you comprehend what makes the sounds ‘tick’ and form a basis for you to create unique music.
Stay Up To Date With The Newest Audio Tech
Technology is an ever-changing concept. What trends today might become outdated tomorrow. To function as a better sound engineer, you must stay up to date with the trends in the tech industry to see if there is any new audio engineering technology that will help you perform your job better.
Make a habit of upgrading to whatever audio tech is in trend. Your knowledge of old technology and willingness to learn new ones will assist you in making appealing music. However, whatever tech you intend to use must correlate with your current project. Any technology you use must help the artist express what they intend to say, otherwise, it might be better for you to stay away from such technology.
Enroll in An Audio Engineering Program
Enrolling in a live sound engineering online course is one of the best ways to improve and become a better sound engineer. Since the function of a sound engineer is diverse, with many responsibilities, you can attend school and become a specialist in any of the roles.
Since audio engineering is a practical course, many institutions offering it ensures that students get plenty of hands-on experience. So you get to build up your skills and gain new ones through internships.
Make sure to get a mentor during your program. A mentor can give you good feedback on your work and help you hone your skills and master them. As a beginner sound engineer, you’re learning from the beginning, so your mentor can help you navigate how to use each device effectively and in the perfect style.
Get a Good Sound Set Up
You’ll learn how the sound develops and travels during your audio engineering program. Knowing this is key to understanding how to channel great sound to the microphone, and a good setup will help you get a great sound out of it.
You should also be able to deal with acoustic problems, reflections, and flutter echos during your music production process. Doing this will go a long way to assisting you in recording good music. Remember that a good setup creates a creative and comfortable work atmosphere, so ensure your setup is a catalyst for making great music.
Know Your Weaknesses and Commit To Improving Them
Knowing your weaknesses and where you need to improve is one step to becoming a better sound engineer. After a completed project, ask for feedback from your colleagues, mentors, and peers on what you created, and discuss how you can make it better. Commit to improving your skills on the next project by being better prepared.
Continue Learning
Sound engineering is a very hands-on career path. To improve your skills as a sound engineer, you need continuous training, practice, and learning. Any new skill you need to learn requires a lot of training to make you an expert. The same can be said about your sound engineering skills.
You need to practice using different sound equipment and editing tools to see the one that helps you achieve your goals. Read books on sound engineering techniques to brush up on your knowledge, learn how to use the latest audio software, and gain certifications that will give you an edge in the competitive market.
Useful Soft Skills Of Sound Engineers
There are some skills you must have as a sound engineer to help you perform your job effectively. Communication skills are one of the most important skills you need as a sound engineer. Since you’ll be working with a wide range of professionals, you need to be able to communicate effectively with them should the need arise.
A sound engineer should be adept at problem-solving. Live shows often run into problems. It is your duty as a sound engineer to identify the problem and solve it, no matter how complex it is. Every sound engineer must be a team player. You can’t get everything done by yourself, so you must be willing to work with others to achieve a collective goal.
Final Summary
Sound engineering is a lucrative career path. However, you must stay committed to the career path if you want to be successful. Sound engineers can’t afford to make mistakes, especially during live productions. Thus, you need to be very good at your job to produce clear and quality sounds.
Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned sound engineer, creating great music must be a priority. Take a look at the steps listed in this article if you’re interested in becoming a better sound engineer and creating quality sounds.
