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Sound Engineering Technician

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Life As a Sound Engineering Technician

Sound Engineering Technician Example Operate machines and equipment to record, synchronize, mix, or reproduce music, voices, or sound effects in sporting arenas, theater productions, recording studios, or movie and video productions.

Life As a Sound Engineering Technician: What Do They Do?

  • Keep logs of recordings.
  • Tear down equipment after event completion.
  • Separate instruments, vocals, and other sounds, and combine sounds during the mixing or postproduction stage.
  • Synchronize and equalize prerecorded dialogue, music, and sound effects with visual action of motion pictures or television productions, using control consoles.
  • Reproduce and duplicate sound recordings from original recording media, using sound editing and duplication equipment.
  • Regulate volume level and sound quality during recording sessions, using control consoles.

What a Sound Engineering Technician Should Know

These are the skills Sound Engineering Technicians say are the most useful in their careers:

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Types of Sound Engineering Technician Jobs

  • Film Recordist
  • Mixer
  • Sound Equipment Mechanic
  • Disc Recordist
  • Mixing Technician

Sound Engineering Technician Job Outlook

There were about 17,000 jobs for Sound Engineering Technician in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 6.5% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 1,100 new jobs for Sound Engineering Technician by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 1,700 job openings in this field each year.

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The states with the most job growth for Sound Engineering Technician are Washington, Georgia, and Arizona. Watch out if you plan on working in New Mexico, Nebraska, or Minnesota. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Do Sound Engineering Technicians Make A Lot Of Money?

The average yearly salary of a Sound Engineering Technician ranges between $25,680 and $117,600.

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Sound Engineering Technicians who work in Connecticut, Louisiana, or Washington, make the highest salaries.

How much do Sound Engineering Technicians make in each U.S. state?

State Annual Mean Salary
Alabama $39,140
Colorado $52,990
Connecticut $87,420
District of Columbia $79,410
Florida $56,010
Georgia $62,640
Hawaii $42,230
Illinois $60,500
Iowa $54,020
Kentucky $53,490
Louisiana $88,610
Maryland $51,670
Massachusetts $57,110
Michigan $65,540
Minnesota $42,840
Missouri $48,080
Nevada $57,010
New Jersey $55,570
New York $82,030
North Carolina $51,060
Ohio $48,060
Oregon $43,180
Pennsylvania $45,540
South Carolina $49,210
Tennessee $56,940
Texas $59,810
Utah $30,240
Virginia $53,780
Washington $77,020
Wisconsin $58,930

Tools & Technologies Used by Sound Engineering Technicians

Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Sound Engineering Technicians may use on a daily basis:

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Word
  • Microsoft Office
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Git
  • Data entry software
  • Microsoft Windows
  • Autodesk AutoCAD
  • Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat
  • Microsoft Visio
  • Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop
  • Linux
  • Facebook
  • UNIX
  • Adobe Systems Adobe InDesign
  • Computer aided design CAD software
  • Apple Final Cut Pro
  • Apple macOS
  • Adobe Systems Adobe Creative Suite
  • VMWare

How do I Become a Sound Engineering Technician?

Education needed to be a Sound Engineering Technician:

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What work experience do I need to become a Sound Engineering Technician?

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Sound Engineering Technicians Sector

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The table below shows the approximate number of Sound Engineering Technicians employed by various industries.

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References:

Image Credit: Joalpe via Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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