What a sound engineer really does
You get the sound people hear in their heads onto a recording, while the clock, the gear and the artist all push back.
FieldCreative and media
Preparation (O*NET Job Zone)Medium preparation needed
What the work involves
What fills a typical week for sound engineers, built from O*NET occupation data.
- Talk with producers and artists before and during sessions to understand the sound they want
- Pick and place microphones, patch the console and test every channel before anyone plays
- Ride levels and watch sound quality through long recording sessions
- Mix and edit vocals, instruments, dialogue and effects, often late into the night
- Sync dialogue, music and effects to picture for video projects
- Keep session logs and file notes so anyone can find a take later
- Diagnose broken cables and gear and get repairs done
What the days are like
What people in the job know
- Your schedule follows the projects, not a clock. Work Schedules: 96% Irregular (O*NET Work Context)
- Long weeks are normal. Duration of Typical Work Week: 72% more than 40 hours (O*NET Work Context)
- The field is very hard to break into and stay in. Level of Competition: 61% extremely competitive; Outlook: decline (-1% or lower), 1,000 openings 2025 to 2035 (O*NET)
- Much of the job is hands on gear work, not just listening. Spend Time Using Your Hands: 72% continually or almost continually (O*NET Work Context)
- Understanding what the producer wants is the top task, above any technical skill. Task rank 1, importance 96, Core: confer with producers, performers, and others to determine and achieve the desired sound
How people get into it
Job Zone 3: O*NET survey data shows 32% of new hires with a high school diploma, 20% with a postsecondary certificate and 20% with a bachelor's degree, often in audio engineering or music production. Most people get in by assisting in studios or live venues, interning and building a portfolio of recordings and mixes.
The Firstday trial, easy to hard
Three simulated tasks with AI coworkers who message you, react to your work and coach with questions. Nobody scores you.
What the trial can't show: The biggest part of this job is your ears and hands, and the browser trial cannot test either. You will not place real microphones, move real faders, or judge a mix by listening; sound problems are described with meter readings, spectrum descriptions and notes instead. Setting up and tearing down gear, long hours in the studio and loud environments are not covered.
Reading about it is one thing.
Find out how the work feels to you before you spend on a degree, course or job change. Your first trial is free.
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Job details on this page are built from O*NET OnLine, 27-4014.00. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.