how to become an audio engineer

7/27/2019 How to Become an Audio Engineer

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Copyright 2012 © www.big4accountingfirms.org

How to Become an

Audio Engineer



Copyright 2013 © www.audioengineeringschool.net

How to become an

Audio Engineer

Written by Jamie D.




Table of ContentsThe Legal Notice ............................................................................................................................ 4

How Do I Become An Audio Engineer? ................................................................................ 5

Not Your Typical Job Description ........................................................................................... 5

The Technical Stuff ....................................................................................................................... 6

What Are Hertz? ............................................................................................................................. 6

Sounds and Sine Waves ............................................................................................................... 7

Phase In, Phase Out ...................................................................................................................... 8

The Science of Sound ................................................................................................................ 10

Do I Really Need To Know All This Stuff? ......................................................................... 11

Finding an Audio Engineering School ............................................................................... 11

Online Audio Resources ........................................................................................................... 12What Does it to Become a Successful Audio Engineer? ............................................. 12

Audio Job Opportunities .......................................................................................................... 13

Building Your Own Studio ........................................................................................................ 13

Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................... 13

Good Luck ...................................................................................................................................... 13




The Legal Notice

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How Do I Become An Audio Engineer?

If you've ever dreamt about being a part of the creative process behind any hit single that

you've heard on the radio or online via YouTube, or wondered what it would be like to work with an artist or group that you've grown up listening to, then you're likely to have come

across ads or schools offering courses covering just about everything you'd need to know

about audio engineering and music production.

However, no matter if you choose to go to school or not, becoming an audio engineer is

something that you have to work at on a regular basis in order to reach a respectable skill

level that you can market or use to collaborate with artists, producers, other audio

engineers, or anyone in search of audio engineering services.

This walkthrough guide will help you to navigate the difficult terrain that comprises the

music and audio industries as well as identify the key skills and assets that will help you toland that first gig or job!

Not Your Typical Job Description

What exactly is an audio engineer?

What are the criteria that you have to meet before you can actually call yourself an audio

engineer?

Time and time again, from the most highly paid professionals in the industry down to thelowliest intern patching cables and setting up mics, the one thing that every single aspiring

(or established) audio engineer has in common is an undying passion for the art and a

desire to constantly experiment, collaborate, learn, and invest time, energy, and money into

honing one's craftsmanship and skill in this remarkably dynamic field.

More importantly, understanding what sound really is, how to capture it, and how to shape it

into something that is aesthetically pleasing and memorable is a time-honored ability that

has been continually refined and adapted to incorporate new technological developments

and trends ever since the introduction of the phonograph record player in 1877.

Of course, before jumping headfirst into the deep end of the pool and whipping out that

almighty plastic debt-maker just so you can get your dirty, sweaty paws on all the best and

latest gear, software, and tools that money can buy, it's certainly in your best interest to learn

and understand a few basic things about acoustics and how sound really works!




The Technical Stuff

First of all, what is sound?

What is it that makes that guitar solo sound so interesting and pristine or that synth lead sofat and warm?

Sound is simply nothing more than a series of vibrations that our ears register within a

certain range of frequencies, although the way these vibrations can be manipulated and

synthesized is virtually boundless.

Sound travels through the air by way of two physical processes known as compression and

rarefaction. When sound is generated, air molecules are displaced, causing them to squeeze

in together (compression) and then expand (rarefaction) with varying degrees of intensity

(amplitude) and at varying rates (pitch).

What Are Hertz?

In summary, the complete process of compression and rarefaction, as it is measured within

the timespan of a second, is known as a cycle, and the measurement of a certain cycle or

series of cycles is referred to as Hertz (Hz).

The more cycles that are generated within a second, the higher (in terms of pitch) a sound is

perceived to be, though most sounds that we hear (such as our own voices, for example) are

a combination of a very complex series of harmonic and partial overtones that cover a very

wide range of frequencies (cycles) at varying amplitudes, which are measured and expressed

in decibels (dB). Below is a picture of a pure sine tone measured at 60 Hz.

Figure 01 - Sine Wave @ 60 Hz




So, let’s quickly review what we just learned using the picture above:

● In the image displayed above, you see a sine wave that’s oscillating at 60 Hz (60cycles per second).

● One cycle represents a complete process of both compression (air molecules being

squeezed together) and rarefaction (air molecules expanding), which is similar to

stretching a rubber band and letting it go. In both instances, energy is being created

and transferred through a medium.

● In the picture of the sine wave, the process of compression is represented by the

positive cycle as it curves upwards and gives way to rarefaction, which is represented

by the downward slope. The arrows in the picture denote the different degrees that

the sine wave crosses as it completes a single cycle.

Sounds and Sine Waves

Mathematically speaking, the most basic form of sound that can be generated is the sine

wave, and according to the Fourier Theorem, every sound that you hear is essentially made

up of sine waves of varying pitches and amplitudes.

Once combined together, these sine waves produce what are called overtones, which can

either be classified as harmonic (musical) or partial (non-musical) depending on whereexactly they fall within the harmonic series.

For example, the reference (or fundamental) tone that we use in Western music is 440 Hz, or

the key of A (which is a relative minor of C), and the second harmonic of that frequency

would be 880 Hz, an octave higher than the fundamental.

From there, we get the third harmonic (a.k.a. the perfect fifth), which is three times the

fundamental (1.32 kHz) and bears the strongest relationship to the fundamental aside from

the octave as well as the fourth harmonic, which is a perfect fourth up from the third and

two octaves higher than the fundamental (1.76 kHz).

However, in the real world, you’ll rarely find instruments that sound that precise aside from

a synthesizer that generates pure sine waves.

Furthermore, as a corollary to the interaction that occurs between that overtones present in

any sound as well as the acoustic relationship between sounds themselves, there is another

aspect to sound that plays a significant role, which is phase.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYjRhayXdf4



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harmonic_series_(music)








Phase In, Phase Out

Oftentimes, when you hear audio engineers talk about problems regarding the quality of a

signal being recorded, if there are multiple microphones involved or if the source is placed

next a reflective surface, then it’s most likely related to phase.

So, what is phase exactly?

Well, in order to demonstrate this principle, I combined the sine wave displayed above in the

first example with an exact duplicate sine wave at the same exact starting point, in which

they would be in a state referred to as “in phase”, like so:

Figure 02 - Sine Waves 1 And 2 In Phase

When I played the first sine wave tone all by itself, it was measured at the following dB level:

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B66_42Q1Vq8HckJlNUxBbkY1T3M/edit

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B66_42Q1Vq8HckJlNUxBbkY1T3M/edit




When combined with an exact duplicate, the signal rises by 6 dB, like so:

Of course, the opposite of two waveforms being in-phase would be out-of-phase, which

would result in what’s called complete phase cancellation, like so:

Figure 3 - Sine Wave 2 Being Phase-Inverted With Sine Wave 1




Figure 4 - Sine Wave 2 Being Phase-Inverted With Sine Wave 1

As you will have noticed in the first example, there is signal coming out of each of the two

channels labeled “Sine Wave 1” and “Sine Wave 2”, respectively, but there’s no signal coming

out of the master channel.

Why is this?

The Science of Sound

Well, if you skip back to the paragraph above Figure 01, you’ll note that I mentioned that

there were two physical processes that occur whenever molecules in the air are displaced;

compression and rarefaction.

If a sound source induces compression on a set of air molecules while an equal and opposite

force induces rarefaction on the same set at exactly the same time, then what happens to

the molecules?

You guessed it; they don’t move!

Think of it in terms of someone trying to open a door, and somebody else trying to keep it

shut. If both individuals are equal in terms of strength, the door won’t move until one of

them gives up.

Of course, being that we don’t live in a world where perfect sine waves are generated aside

from being deliberately synthesized using a synth or tone generator, there is never really a




Each school carries a broad range of programs besides just audio engineering that you can

enroll in as well as a massive and diverse team of instructors who have had years of

practical experience in the industry.

For students who are strictly interested in audio engineering, Dark Horse Institute

would be a great place to attend, but for those who would like to learn about audio

engineering while majoring in guitar or music theory, then attending Berklee College of

Music or Full Sail University would be an excellent start.

Online Audio Resources

Alternatively, if you’re more of the do-it-yourself type, then I would highly recommend

starting off by visiting the following sites:

The Guide by Rich The Tweakmeister

AudioTuts, an outstanding blog that features various articles that get into the

nitty-gritty when it comes to recording, music theory, music production, tips &

tricks for specific DAWs such as Ableton Live or Logic

Future Music, an excellent publication that features a smorgasbord of tutorials

and walkthroughs that will teach you about how the pros approach mixing,

mastering, remixing, music production, and more!

What Does it Take to Become a Successful Audio Engineer?

At the end of the day, audio engineering is a profession that requires passion, determination,

persistence, lots of patience, and the desire to constantly learn and improve upon your

knowledge and skill set.

You have to be able to think on your feet and learn quickly when it comes down to

troubleshooting, meeting deadlines, keeping yourself abreast of all the constant updates and

developments taking place within the audio and music industries, and constantly expanding

and nurturing your network of contacts as much as possible.

However, without passion, your best work won’t come through as well as another engineer

who’s that much more dedicated and determined than you are!

http://tweakheadz.com/guide.htm


http://audio.tutsplus.com/


http://www.musicradar.com/futuremusic








Audio Job Opportunities

As far as job opportunities are concerned, the audio industry is known for being extremelycompetitive, and acquiring an internship at a quality studio is a great way to start, as it is

one of the most traditional roles that aspiring audio engineers can use to kick-start their

careers.

Building Your Own Studio

However, with the advent of advanced recording technology and software that have steadily

become more affordable to the general public, the best way to ensure your future success

right now is having constant, uninterrupted access to your own equipment and developing

your network early on with like-minded.

Sometimes reality can take a big bite out of your plans as well, and you’ll end up having to

work at a 9-to-5 on the side (or whatever else you can do to make a decent living) in the

meantime to pay rent and all, but don’t give up!

The key lies in getting your own setup so you don’t have to rely on someone else’s facility to

get the job done when an opportunity presents itself.

Conclusion

This guide was meant to demonstrate all that is involved with becoming an audio engineer.

The process:

Learn the technical side of music

Find a professional education opportunity

Get your foot in the door (Intern, volunteer, run cables…)

Audio production isn’t an easy profession to get into, but the ones that do, get to make music

all day. And I think that’s worth fighting for.

Good Luck

I wish you the best of luck on your journey, and don’t forget to stop by our blog for tutorials,

guides, and product info.

how to become an audio engineer

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