Sound engineering is an excellent choice of career path if you intend to go into television or focus on producing live music. Should you be more geared towards the direction of electronic dance music, sound engineering will not be of any use.
Live Music Requires Engineering
Live music is the one area of music production that still requires sound engineering. The use of electronic and synthesized instruments is not frequent in live entertainment and the sounds require human editing and engineering. This differs from EDM in that synth sounds are always used where electronic music is concerned. These are easily edited using music production software.
The Differences Between A Music Producer and a Sound Engineer
It is important to understand the distinction between the two if you are to pursue a career in the industry. While they may have certain functions that overlap, they are different faculties of the music industry. A producer is usually put in charge of helping the artist to realize the dream that they have created in the minds.
The producer will make the decision on the best direction to go with any given track and the sound that would be best suited. A sound engineer uses his technical abilities to make what the producer and a
rtist want become a reality. The sound engineer will ensure that the equipment used is correct for the work at hand and that it is correctly setup to maximize the sound quality.
Different Strokes
It takes different personalities to fulfill different positions and these two are no different. While a music producer is really the person managing the project, he/she needs to have the ability to take control of any given situation. A producer needs to have artistic and creative flair in order to bring artists’ dreams to reality. They need to adapt easily to people and situations. Due to the nature of the industry, they may be tasked with working with a variety of artists at any given time.
A sound engineer is a more practical and technical position. It is the job of the sound engineer to handle the technical and mechanical side of the project. In this day and age, most sound engineers are also expected to understand how to function DAW’s.
The sound engineer will often be part of the final mixing and editing of the final version of any track. Engineers are characteristically meticulous and their attention to detail is what makes them stand out in their field. It must be realized that the music producer is unable to complete a successful project without the assistance of a sound engineer, and a sound engineer is unable to operate without the direction of a music producer.