What does a Sound Engineer do?

Sound Engineers record and mix audio tracks, handling the equipment, sound effects and audio quality. They produce high-quality audio products, potentially enhancing your company’s reputation. Excellent sound quality can help you secure new partnerships or attract new advertisers.

Sound Engineer skills and qualifications

Your job description for a Sound Engineer may include technical expertise, such as the ability to operate microphones, mixers, headphones and other audio tools to produce high-quality recordings.

A Sound Engineer must use creativity and their best judgment when adjusting audio levels and choosing sound effects to add to recorded tracks. Specific skills and qualifications to look for in a Sound Engineer might include:

• Experience with sound equipment, such as microphones, amplifiers and audio processors

• Ability to collaborate with Artists, Producers and Directors to achieve a shared vision

• Knowledge of signal flow, sound equalization, and dynamics processing

• Understanding of acoustics and soundproofing principles

• Familiarity with audio plugins and effects (e.g., reverb, compression, delay)

• Problem-solving skills to troubleshoot defective equipment

• Ability to follow instructions to produce a suitable recording

Sound Engineer experience requirements

You may request that Sound Engineer candidates have at least one year of experience recording, mixing and editing audio tracks through internships or work experience. If you need someone with more experience, consider creating a Senior Sound Engineer position and requiring several years of experience with sound mixing or other relevant duties.

Sound Engineer education and training requirements

There are no formal education requirements for a Sound Engineer, leading some organizations to hire candidates based on skills. Other employers may require an associate’s or a bachelor’s degree in music recording technology, sound engineering or a closely related field.

Professional certification isn’t required for Sound Engineers. However, you may look for candidates with the Avid Certified User for Pro Tools credential. Pro Tools is a software package used by many Sound Engineers, so requiring certification may help attract quality candidates.

Job description samples for similar positions

If the duties in this Sound Engineer job description aren’t a match for your needs, check out these descriptions for similar jobs:

• Audio Visual Technician

• Music Producer

Sound Engineer job description FAQs

What’s the difference between an Audio Engineer and a Sound Engineer?

Some companies use the terms Audio Engineer and Sound Engineer interchangeably. However, an Audio Engineer job description may include working with live music, while a Sound Engineer typically works with recorded tracks.

Is there a high demand for Sound Engineers?

There’s a high demand for Sound Engineers within the music industry, but the demand may be greater in areas with major recording labels, such as New York City or Los Angeles.

What does a Sound Engineer do on a daily basis?

The daily duties in a Sound Engineer job description vary based on the employer’s needs. For example, if you need someone to edit tracks, your Sound Engineer may work mostly in Pro Tools. If your Sound Engineers take a more active role in the recording process, their daily duties may include setting up equipment, collaborating with musicians and recording audio tracks.

Do Sound Engineers use computers on the job?

Most Sound Engineers use computers daily, as many studios have turned to digital recording tools to help them increase quality and reduce costs. A Sound Engineer may have to use Avid Pro Tools or another software package to perform several duties.