The profession of Sound engineering dates back to around the same time the first recordings were made on phonograph machines in the late 1800’s. Just as music and technology has been evolving over the years, so has the craft of sound engineering. One would say that sound engineering is perhaps one of those few professions that exercise both the left and the right side of your brain. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including electronics, acoustics, psycho acoustics, and music. This makes a sound engineers a very specialized profession to be in.
As a result of recent technological advancements and the metamorphosis of the music industry, independent musicians have now started recording in their homes and garages. A lot of such musicians have stopped collaborating with professional studio engineers and music producers, and have started engineering albums on their own. This has, to a certain extent, brought down the quality of music that is out there nowadays. But, one can change the fate of all that, with basic education and knowledge in the field of audio or sound engineering.
A good sound engineer essentially adds the finer touches on a musician’s canvas to make it a glorious painting. A seasoned sound engineer can sometimes be the difference between an average music recording and a great one. One of sound engineering’s greats, Bruce Swedien,once said, a great song sells a thousand copies, but a great sounding song sells a million copies. [He was referring to the success of Michael Jackson’s Thriller album that had sold more than 50 million copies worldwide, in the early 1980’s].
It would be prudent for anyone to think they can do away with audio engineers or audio engineering. However, without them, music would just sound ‘mediocre.’
In today’s day and age, thousands of solo musicians and bands worldwide are performing live for their fans. This has opened up – in a big way – opportunities in Live sound engineering the world over. Typically, a Live sound engineer is attached to one or more bands and travels along with them, all over the world.
A lot of traditional studio engineers have made the switch to live sound engineering internationally because they see the growth opportunities and the rich experiences they can take back from being in this line. In India, an increasing number of musicians and singers are now performing live to stay connected to their audiences. The spurt in the live music scene has increased the demand for live sound engineers in the country.
In the Film world, the sound engineer is the unsung hero !! They go to great lengths to bring you one of the most important of your senses. They can be holding a microphone boom aloft for 12 hours a day or in wading in a muddy field recording animal chatter at midnight. They could be down on their knees with their headphones in a bucket recording bathroom SFX’s.
They are also there making sure some unwanted noises aren’t heard in key moments that would ruin the tension.It’s not just the soundtrack we’re talking about, it’s the noises and background audio you may casually hear and cast aside. These are all very important to the subconscious those sound bites make up a bigger picture. For example, the rustle of leaves to set an autumnal scene, the distant clanging of chains to signify capture, a referees whistle, general office noise, weather, or fun or sadness or… etc etc. The list is endless and every second of every scene will have been carefully designed to create the best possible ambiance for setting the mood.
Hence, Sound engineers are essential in the production of all forms of communication utilizing sound. The fields in which an audio engineer can work are limitless. A highly trained and skilled audio engineer can work in any industry requiring sound production, whether live or recorded. The scope of sound engineering in India is not limited, it has huge potential for growth in entertainment industry. The demand for the sound engineers are increasing constantly.
Career opportunities for sound engineer and technicians are available in various fields like radio stations, TV channels, recording studios, multimedia design, animation, advertising firms, movies and more. There is strong competition for work in this field. Jobs are not often advertised, so you will have to be persistent and show initiative. One can opt for specialized courses in technical skills such as programming, sequencing, recording, mixing & mastering, live sound engineering , sound designing and much more. You can choose to do as a regular full time course or even as part time course in your free time.
For more details on what course will be suitable for you or you want to choose, check out our Sound Engineering Course in Chennai . For any personal assistance or advise related on choosing your sound career feel free to call us at + 91 9176388481. We are there to help you out to build your wonderful sound career. Live a sound life and
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