What is audio engineering?

Jun 05, 2018 Written by Ayushi Sound Mixing

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What is audio engineering?

Over the course of the last decade and a half the answer of the question “what is audio engineering?” has changed, audio and music industry has taken a sharp turn and the roles of the personnel in the production chain, though varied, find their paths being crossed a lot of times within expectation, once own and that of a client, for a skill set that meets an expected professional standard. The process of inspiration to execution can now be completed with tools that are available in Digital audio Work Stations (DAW) running on laptops. However much the workspace shrinks, from big commercial studios to now bedroom production houses, however much technology aids in eliminating the boundaries between the roles, of a recording to a mix engineer to an artist/producer; one thing remains common and that is the need for a solid grounding in the fundamentals of the craft.

What is audio engineering?

 Audio engineers are the men and women who bring the magic of sound to life. The best of the best can mix background music, voices, and sound effects to elicit the desired emotional response in a film, television program, album, or video game. 

An audio engineer (or a sound engineer) is a trained professional who works with the mechanics of recording, mixing, and reproducing sound. Audio engineers are not the same as sound producers, writers, or performers, as they deal specifically with the technical and the mechanical aspects of music and sound; nothing else.

What a Sound Engineer Does

Sound engineers or audio engineers work on the technical aspects of sound and music production by mixing, reproducing and manipulating the equalization and electronic effects of sound.

Sound engineers don't have to work strictly in music. Some engineers end up designing and controlling the sound at conferences, in theatres, and in any other venue that requires sound projection for an audience. 

By controlling microphones, sound levels, and outputs, sound engineers combine their well-trained ears with their knowledge of acoustics to produce the best quality of sound for a variety of purpose. Some venues that hire sound engineers include: