Audio engineer

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Audio editor" redirects here. For audio editing software, see Digital audio editor.

An audio engineer at an audio console.

An audio engineer (also sometimes recording engineer or a vocal engineer) works on
the recording, manipulating the record using equalization and electronic effects, mixing,
reproduction, and reinforcement of sound. Audio engineers work on the "...technical aspect of
recordingthe placing of microphones, pre-amp knobs, the setting of levels. The physical recording
[1]
of any project is done by an engineer ... the nuts and bolts." Many audio engineers creatively use
technologies to produce sound for film, radio, television, music, electronic products and computer
[2]
games. Audio engineers also set up, sound check and do live sound mixing using an audio
consoleand a sound reinforcement system for music concerts, theatre, sports games and corporate
events.
Alternatively, the term "audio engineer" can refer to a scientist or professional engineer who holds
a B.Sc. or M.Sc. who designs, develops and builds new audio technologies working within the field
[3]
of acoustical engineering.
Audio engineering concerns the creative and practical aspects of sounds
including speech and music, as well as the development of new audio technologies and advancing
[3]
scientific understanding of audible sound.

Contents
[hide]

1Research and development

o

1.1Education

1.2Sub-disciplines

1.2.1Audio signal processing

1.2.2Architectural acoustics

1.2.3Electroacoustics

1.2.4Musical acoustics

1.2.5Psychoacoustics

1.2.6Speech

2Practitioner
2.1Education and training

3Training and background

3.1Practitioners

3.1.1Role of women

3.2Sub-disciplines

3.3Equipment

3.4Recording engineers of note

3.5Mastering engineers of note

3.6Live sound engineers of note

4See also

5References

6External links

Research and development[edit]

Research and development audio engineers invent new technologies, equipment and techniques, to
[4]
enhance the process and art of audio engineering. They might design acoustical simulations of
rooms, shape algorithms for audio signal processing, specify the requirements for public
address systems, carry out research on audible sound for video game console manufacturers, and
[5]
other advanced fields of audio engineering. They might also be referred to as acoustic engineers.
[6]

Education[edit]
See also: Category:Audio engineering schools
Audio engineers working in research and development may come from backgrounds such
as acoustics, computer science, broadcast engineering, physics, acoustical engineering, electrical
engineering and electronics. Audio engineering courses at university or college fall into two rough
categories: (i) training in the creative use of audio as a sound engineer, and (ii) training
in science or engineering topics, which then allows students to apply these concepts while pursuing
a career developing audio technologies. Audio training courses give you a good knowledge of
technologies and their application to recording studio and sound reinforcement systems, but do not
have sufficient mathematical and scientific content to allow you to get a job in research and
[7]
development in the audio and acoustic industry.

Noted audio engineer Roger Nichols at a vintage Neve recording

console.
Audio engineers in research and development usually possess a bachelor's degree, master's
degree or higher qualification in acoustics, physics, computer science or
another engineering discipline. They might work in acoustic consultancy, specializing in architectural
[8]
acoustics. Alternatively they might work in audio companies (e.g. headphone manufacturer), or
other industries that need audio expertise (e.g., automobile manufacturer), or carry out research in a
university. Some positions, such as faculty (academic staff) require a Doctor of Philosophy.
In Germany a Toningenieur is an audio engineer who designs, builds and repairs audio systems.

Sub-disciplines[edit]
The listed subdisciplines are based on PACS (Physics and Astronomy Classification Scheme) coding
[9]
used by the Acoustical Society of America with some revision.

Audio signal processing[edit]

Main article: Audio signal processing
Audio engineers develop algorithms to allow the electronic manipulation of audio signals. These can
be processed at the heart of much audio production such as reverberation, Auto-Tune or perceptual

coding (e.g. mp3 or Opus). Alternatively, the algorithms might carry out echo cancellation on Skype,
[10]
or identify and categorize audio tracks through Music Information Retrieval (e.g., Shazam).

Architectural acoustics[edit]
Main article: Architectural acoustics

Acoustic diffusing mushrooms hanging from the roof of the Royal

Albert Hall.
Architectural acoustics is the science and engineering of achieving a good sound within a room.
[11]
For audio engineers, architectural acoustics can be about achieving good speech intelligibility in
a stadium or enhancing the quality of music in a theatre.
done by acoustic consultants.

[12]

Architectural Acoustic design is usually

[8]

Electroacoustics[edit]
See also: Sound reinforcement system

The Pyramid Stage

Electroacoustics is concerned with the design of headphones, microphones, loudspeakers, sound
[6]
reproduction systems and recording technologies. Examples of electroacoustic design include
portable electronic devices (e.g. mobile phones, portable media players, and tablet computers),
sound systems in architectural acoustics, surround sound in movie theater and vehicle audio.

Musical acoustics[edit]
Main article: Musical acoustics
Musical acoustics is concerned with researching and describing the science of music. In audio
engineering, this includes the design of electronic instruments such as synthesizers; the human
voice (the physics and neurophysiology of singing); computer analysis of audio; music therapy, and
[13]
the perception and cognition of music.

Psychoacoustics[edit]
Main article: Psychoacoustics
Psychoacoustics is the scientific study of how humans respond to what they hear. At the heart of
audio engineering are listeners who are the final arbitrator as to whether an audio design is
[10]
successful, such as whether a binaural recording sounds immersive.

Speech[edit]
Main article: Speech
The production, computer processing and perception of speech is an important part of audio
engineering. Ensuring speech is transmitted intelligibly, efficiently and with high quality; in rooms,
through public address systems and through mobile telephone systems are important areas of study.
[14]

Practitioner[edit]

Mixing sound live

Producer, engineer, and mixer Phil Ek has described audio engineering as the "technical aspect of
recordingthe placing of microphones, the turning of pre-amp knobs, the setting of levels. The
[1]
physical recording of any project is done by an engineer ... the nuts and bolts." A variety of terms
are used to describe audio engineers who install or operate sound recording, sound reinforcement,
or sound broadcasting equipment, including large and small format consoles. Terms such as "audio
technician," "sound technician," "audio engineer," "audio technologist," "recording engineer," "sound
mixer" and "sound engineer" can be ambiguous; depending on the context they may be
synonymous, or they may refer to different roles in audio production. Such terms can refer to a
person working in sound and music production; for instance, a "sound engineer" or "recording
engineer" is commonly listed in the credits of commercial music recordings (as well as in other
productions that include sound, such as movies). These titles can also refer to technicians who
maintain professional audio equipment. Certain jurisdictions specifically prohibit the use of the
title engineer to any individual not a registered member of a professional engineering licensing body.
In German, the "Tontechniker" (audio technician) is the one who operates the audio equipment and
the "Tonmeister" (sound master) is a person who creates recordings or broadcasts of music, who is
both deeply musically trained (in classical and non-classical genres), and who also has a detailed
[citation needed]
theoretical and practical knowledge of virtually all aspects of sound.

Education and training[edit]

See also: Category:Audio engineering schools
Audio engineers come from backgrounds and/or postsecondary training in fields such as audio, fine
arts, broadcasting, music, or electrical engineering. Training in audio engineering and sound
recording is offered by colleges and universities. Some audio engineers are autodidacts with no

formal training, but who have attained professional skills in audio through extensive on-the-job
experience.

Training and background[edit]

Audio engineers must have extensive knowledge of audio engineering principles and techniques.
They have to understand, to name a few, how to mic different instruments and amplifiers, what types
of mics to use, where to place the mics, how to attenuate "hot" instrument signals that are
overloading and clipping the channel, how to prevent audio feedback, how to set the audio
compression for different instruments and vocals, and how to prevent unwanted distortion of the
sound. However, to be a professional sound engineer, an individual needs more than just technical
knowledge. She or he must also understand the types of sounds and tones that rock and pop
music bands and other musical ensembles expect in different genres. This knowledge of musical
styles is typically learned from years of experience listening to and mixing bands in recording and/or
live sound contexts. A sound engineer must know, for example, the difference between creating the
powerful drum sound that a heavy metal drummer will want for her kit, versus a drummer from
a Beatles tribute band.

Practitioners[edit]

At the front of house position, mixing sound for a band

In the recording studio environment, a sound engineer records, edits, manipulates, mixes,
or masters sound by technical means to realize the creative vision of the artist and record producer.
While usually associated with music production, an audio engineer deals with sound for a wide
range of applications, including post-production for video and film, live sound
reinforcement, advertising, multimedia, and broadcasting. In larger productions, an audio engineer is
responsible for the technical aspects of a sound recording or other audio production, and works
together with a record producer or director, although the engineer's role may also be integrated with
that of the producer. In smaller productions and studios the sound engineer and producer are often
the same person.
In typical sound reinforcement applications, audio engineers often assume the role of producer,
[15]
making artistic and technical decisions, and sometimes even scheduling and budget decisions.

Role of women[edit]
According to Women's Audio Mission (WAM), a nonprofit organization based in San Francisco
dedicated to the advancement of women in music production and the recording arts, less than 5% of
the people creating sound and media are women. Although there are high-achieving female
[16]
producers, they are less well-known than their male counterparts. "Only three women have ever
been nominated for best producer at the Brits or the Grammys" and none won either award.
[17]
[17]
"Women who want to enter the [producing] field face a boys' club, or a guild mentality".
The
UK "Music Producers' Guild says less than 4% of its members are women" and at the Liverpool

Institute of Performing Arts, "...only 6% of the students enrolled on its sound technology course are
[17]
female."
Women's Audio Mission was started in 2003 to address the lack of women in professional audio by
training over 6,000 women and girls in the recording arts and is the only professional recording
[citation needed]
studio built and run by women.
Notable recording projects atInclude the Grammy
Award-winning Kronos Quartet, Angelique Kidjo (2014 Grammy winner), author Salman Rushdie, the
Academy Award-nominated soundtrack to Dirty Wars, Van-Ahn Vo (NPRs top 50 albums of 2013),
[citation
Grammy-nominated St. Lawrence Quartet, and world music artists Tanya Tagaq and Wu Man.
needed]

One of the first women to produce, engineer, arrange and promote music on her own rock and
roll music label was Cordell Jackson (1923-2004). Trina Shoemaker is a mixer, record
producer and sound engineer who became the first woman to win the Grammy Award for Best
[18]
Engineered Album in 1998 for her work on The Globe Sessions.
Gail Davies was the '...first female producer in country music, delivering a string of Top 10 hits in the
'70s and '80s including "Someone Is Looking for Someone Like You," "Blue Heartache" and "I'll Be
[19]
There (If You Ever Want Me)."
When she moved to Nashville in 1976, men "...didn't want to work
for a woman" and she was told women in the city were "...still barefoot, pregnant and [singing] in the
[19]
vocal booth."
Wendy Waldman, who became a producer after Davies, saw that Davies had a difficult time. When
Jonell Polansky arrived in Nashville in 1994, with a degree in electrical engineering and recording
experience in the Bay Area, she was told "...[y]ou're a woman, and we already had one"a reference
[19]
to Waldman.
KK Proffitt, who is a studio "owner and chief engineer" states that men in Nashville
do not want to have women in the recording booth. At a meeting of the Audio Engineering Society,
Proffitt was told to "shut up" by a male producer when she raised the issue of updating studio
[19]
[19]
recording technologies. Proffitt said she finds "...finds sexism rampant in the industry".
Other notable women include:

Sylvia Robinson, early hip hop music producer

Susan Rogers, engineer for Purple Rain

Genya Ravan, producer The Dead Boys' Young, Loud and Snotty;

Delia Derbyshire, British electronics pioneer

Lari White, a co-producer on Toby Keith's White Trash With Money

Leslie Ann Jones

Beyonc, for I Am ... Sasha Fierce.

[20]

Sub-disciplines[edit]
There are four distinct steps to commercial production of a recording: recording, editing, mixing, and
mastering. Typically, each is performed by a sound engineer who specializes only in that part of
production.

Studio engineer an engineer working within a studio facility, either with a producer or
independently.

Recording engineer engineer who records sound.

Assistant engineer often employed in larger studios, allowing them to train to become fulltime engineers. They often assist full-time engineers with microphone setups, session
[15]
breakdowns and in some cases, rough mixes.

Mixing engineer a person who creates mixes of multi-track recordings. It is common to

record a commercial record at one studio and have it mixed by different engineers in other
studios.

Mastering engineer typically the person who mixes the final stereo tracks (or sometimes
just a few tracks or stems) that the mix engineer produces. The mastering engineer makes any
final adjustments to the overall sound of the record in the final step before commercial
duplication. Mastering engineers use principles of equalization and compression to affect the
coloration of the sound.

Game audio designer engineer deals with sound aspects of game development.

Live sound engineer

[21]

Front of House (FOH) engineer, or A1.

a person dealing with live sound
reinforcement. This usually includes planning and installation of loudspeakers, cabling and
equipment and mixing sound during the show. This may or may not include running
the foldback sound. A live/sound reinforcement engineer hears source material and tries to
[22]
correlate that sonic experience with system performance.

Wireless microphone engineer, or A2. This position is responsible for wireless

microphones during a theatre production, a sports event or a corporate event.

Foldback or Monitor engineer a person running foldback sound during a live event.
The term "foldback" comes from the old practice of "folding back" audio signals from
the front of house) (FOH) mixing console to the stage so musicians can hear themselves
while performing. Monitor engineers usually have a separate audio system from the FOH
engineer and manipulate audio signals independently from what the audience hears so they
can satisfy the requirements of each performer on stage. In-ear systems, digital and analog
mixing consoles, and a variety of speaker enclosures are typically used by monitor
engineers. In addition most monitor engineers must be familiar with wireless or RF (radiofrequency) equipment and must communicate personally with the artist(s) during each
performance.

Systems engineer responsible for the design setup of modern PA systems, which
are often very complex. A systems engineer is usually also referred to as a "crew chief" on
tour and is responsible for the performance and day-to-day job requirements of the audio
crew as a whole along with the FOH audio system. This is a sound-only position concerned
with implementation, not to be confused with the interdisciplinary field of system
engineering, which typically requires a college degree.

Re-recording mixer a person in post-production who mixes audio tracks for feature
films and/or television programs.

Equipment[edit]

Correcting a room's frequency response.

An audio technician is proficient with different types of recording media, such as analog tape, digital
multi-track recorders and workstations, and computer knowledge. With the advent of the digital age,
it is increasingly important for the audio technician to understand software and hardware integration,
from synchronization to analog to digital transfers. In their daily work, audio engineers use many
tools, including:

Amplifiers

Analog-to-digital converters

Digital audio workstations (DAW)

Digital-to-analog converters

Dynamic range compressions

Loudspeakers

Microphones

Mixing consoles

Music sequencers

Preamplifiers

Signal processors

Tape machines