Interested in a career in sound engineering? Learn how to develop your skills and find those first crucial job opportunities in this beginner’s guide.
Sound engineers are the unsung heroes behind your favourite albums. These technical experts help shape a music project’s sonic character through creative recording and mixing techniques that capture a band or artist’s sound and ensure tracks and albums are released to the highest quality possible.
At dBs Institute, we provide the training, knowledge, facilities and learning environment to help budding sound engineers like you learn the technical skills required to become professionals in the field and ensure you know how to navigate the path to your dream role.
To get you started, we’ve developed a beginner’s guide on starting your career in sound engineering, from learning the basics to discovering those all-important initial sound engineering opportunities.
If you’re ready to take the next step in your journey towards a career in the music industry, check out our BA (Hons) Music Production & Sound Engineering degree where you’ll learn everything you need to start a successful career.
Learn more about our Sound Engineering Courses.
Contents
- Our sound engineering courses
- What is sound engineering?
- How to get started as a sound engineer
- Building a sound engineering portfolio
- Sound engineering jobs
- Finding your first professional sound engineering opportunities
- Becoming an established engineer
- Study a course in sound engineering
1. Our sound engineering courses
One key method of getting into the music industry as a sound or audio engineer is to study a degree-level sound engineering course.
At dBs Institute, our undergraduate and postgraduate Music Production & Sound Engineering degrees are designed to teach you the technical skills required for a successful career as a sound engineer.
We have also developed a learning environment and community that reflects the music industry and integrated employability and industry engagement into the student experience. Alongside tutors who have worked in the music industry and know what it takes to find employment, this gives you the best chance of finding your dream job when you graduate.
Our music production courses include:
- Music Production Diplomas
- Music Production and Sound Engineering Degrees
- Music Production Master’s Degrees
Find out what our students think of their sound engineering degree here!
2. What is sound engineering?
‘Sound engineering’ incorporates a range of roles within the music industry, centred around the technical and creative process of recording and mixing with dedicated equipment.
The basic role of a sound engineer is to:
- Manage recording and mixing workflows to ensure quality
- Work creatively with technology to achieve the desired tonal effect
- Work closely with artists and producers to create high-quality audio
For a detailed guide on what a sound engineer is and what they do, read our ‘Ultimate Guide to Sound Engineering’ or watch our Career Spotlight below!
3. How to get started in sound engineering
Like many creative disciplines, forging a successful career in sound engineering primarily requires passion, dedication and motivation. To get started in sound engineering, it’s important that you have a passion for music, and that you’re motivated to get stuck in with the creative process of music-making.
Many sound engineers start as musicians and music producers. As a by-product of working on their personal projects and performing on stage as a passion, they naturally learn the technical skills of recording and mixing to develop their style and retain creative independence.
Gordon Raphael, the legendary producer and sound engineer for The Strokes’ seminal album ‘Is This It’, started his recording career in this fashion – as a method of keeping his work private and protecting his independence as a musician.
“Eventually at one point I realised I want to write songs,” he said during his guest lecture at our Bristol Campus, “But I thought ‘How am I going to write songs if I go to a studio and some engineer guy’s looking at me while I’m trying to sing and he’s making me feel uncomfortable?’, So I learnt how to record so that nobody could watch me while I’m making up lyrics or trying to play the electric guitar which I wasn’t trained in.”
Learn more about how Gordon Raphael started producing music here:
Alex Wilkins, Head of Faculty & Quality Lead at dBs Institute Bristol campus has some broad tips for anyone who wants to get started as a music producer or sound engineer:
- Make lots and lots of music (and finish it) on your own and in collaboration with others.
- Learn the basics of music theory, including melody writing, chord progressions, voicings and arranging.
- Study the music you love and listen adventurously.
- Collaborate with as many people and on as many projects as you can. Learn to become sensitive to what brings the best out of the musicians you're working with.
- Experiment with your approach to making a recording and learn the gear!
- Learn as much as you can about successful producers through research and take opportunities to shadow professionals in the studio.
- Get your DAW skills up to scratch. Pro Tools, Logic and Ableton are a good trio to know your way around.
Essential software and hardware
Our blog on what equipment sound engineers use gives a comprehensive guide on sound engineering software and hardware, but in brief, for sound engineers to get started they should get experience with the following:
- A computer
- A Digital Audio Workstation (DAW)
- Microphones
- Monitors
- Audio interface
- Studio-quality headphones
The range of equipment you will need depends on the type of music you’re recording, the space you have available, your budget and your current experience.
For complete novices, starting with a laptop, one or two microphones, an audio interface, a DAW and some good monitors should be enough to get you started recording and mixing your projects to a good standard.
“It is not as much of an exclusive club to work on this equipment,” said renowned sound engineer Sylvia Massy during a guest lecture masterclass with our students, “You can buy a laptop and have Pro Tools on it. You don’t even have to have Pro tools, you could even use GarageBand to start your career.
“I suggest a laptop, a simple interface, you need some equipment to get started. You don’t need a fancy vocal mic, you could have a Shure SM58 but get a nice mic preamp. Another piece of hardware is a quality tube compressor. If you have all of those things; a laptop with Pro Tools, a mic pre, a microphone and compression, now you can get started with helping people do vocal tracks and you can do mixing.”
Not every tool needs to cost money. There are thousands of free audio plugins out there designed for mixing and mastering audio. Check out our article on the best 9 free mixing and mastering plugins to get a head start.
Focus on what you can afford and master it as well as the fundamentals of sound engineering. There's nothing wrong with growing your studio with new equipment, but it's important not to fall into the trap of thinking more gear will make you a better sound engineer. As you become more sophisticated in your skill set, you can begin looking at growing your suite of tools and will have the knowledge to use it to its full potential.
However, just as Gordon Raphael started his career, the key is honing your skills through personal projects.
Practice makes perfect
To start a career as a sound engineer, you need to practice and hone your craft. At dBs Institute, you can learn the skills you need in a studio environment and under the tutelage of expert instructors.
However, many people start learning the basics of production and sound engineering without the support of formal education. If that sounds like you, kickstart your career by experimenting with recording techniques at home; recording and mixing your music; understanding every inch of the gear you have available to you before buying anything new and, if you have the money to, renting a studio space for a few days to take what you’ve learnt into a professional environment.
Once you’ve produced work you’re proud of and feel confident with recording techniques and the basics of mixing and mastering, reach out to other musicians to build your portfolio.
4. Building a sound engineering portfolio
As your technical skills develop, getting yourself and your name out there is a great way to take the next step in your career. Developing a sound engineering or music production portfolio requires you to work with other artists on projects and share them to generate more work.
“The important thing is to diversify and not to expect too much in the beginning,” said Sylvia Massy during her dBs Institute guest lecture, “You’ve got to be a good ‘hang’. You want to interact with people; you want to get a good performance out of them… Volunteer yourself on every project you can get. The trick is to have enough of a discography that people look at it and say, ‘You know what you’re doing. I will trust you with my project.’ The important thing is to build that discography to the point where it is much easier for people to trust you.”
Start in the genre you know best, with a scene of up-and-coming artists close to you. If you’re living in, or near, a city with a vibrant electronic music scene; start there. Have you noticed a small niche of bands playing each week in the same small venues near your home? Check them out and get in touch!
To build your sound engineering portfolio, you need to know what is happening locally and offer your services to bands that might need them. You never know where a small band might be going in their career and what opportunities could come from working with them.
As Gordon Raphael found out, his regular visits to local clubs in New York would lead to working with The Strokes and completely change his life.
“I would go and see bands in the bars and clubs in the East Village. I had a little blue business card and I’d say, ‘Hey, you guys are good. Come to my studio and I can make you a really cheap demo and you’ll like it,’” said Gordon during his guest lecture at dBs, “And on just such a night as this, I went to The Luna Lounge and two bands played. The first band was called ‘Come On’... and then another band came on and they were called The Strokes… I saw them afterwards and said, ‘Hey I do demos if you want a demo’ and they came to check out my studio and they really liked it.” The rest, as they say, was history!
Learn the full story of how Gordon Raphael helped shape the sound of The Strokes here.
Building a portfolio in any industry is an entrepreneurial endeavour and requires confidence and persistence. Get outside of your comfort zone and make sure as many people in your local scene know who you are as possible.
5. Different types of sound engineering jobs
As explained in our comprehensive Studio Engineer Career Spotlight, you can explore several types of sound engineering jobs. These include:
- Assistant Engineer
- Recording Engineer
- Mix Engineer
- Mastering Engineer
- Producer
Depending on your training, whether you have a degree qualification, like our BA (Hons) Music Production & Sound Engineering course, your experience or specialism, you’ll naturally fit into one of these roles.
Typically, most engineers working in the industry started as ‘Assistant Engineers’. If you specialise in recording, you might then go on to becoming a ‘Recording Engineer’. If you are an expert with a DAW or mixing desk, you may progress onto a role as a ‘Mix Engineer’.
Whatever role you aim for, you must show a body of work that exhibits your skills, knowledge, and ability to work on multiple projects. It’s also important to be friendly and collaborative.
6. Finding your first professional sound engineering opportunities
There isn’t one hard and fast way of finding your first professional sound engineering role. However, through networking and portfolio development, you will naturally meet people in your scene who can get you closer to that first paid role.
At the same time, as you establish yourself as an engineer in your local area, you should also visit local studios as frequently as possible. Find out who the producers and engineers are in your city or the cities near you. Reach out to them to share your work, and your passion for music and offer your services.
Build relationships with the bands or artists you love or think have potential. Invest in them with your time, even if that involves mixing one track for free initially, and help support those artists to raise money or cover their costs. By putting yourself out there, you might be first in line when a paid opportunity comes up.
In addition to that, there are plenty of online platforms where musicians post advertisements for freelance engineering and production work. Engage with people on those platforms and try to land a few commercial, paid commissions while you plug away at your pet projects.
Platforms for freelance work:
Gordon Raphael explains how he started working with artists and landed his first production and sound engineering opportunities here, saying: “I moved to New York and learnt digital audio. Then one person said, ‘I heard you can record stuff.’ I said, ‘Yeah. Here are some of my songs.’ He said ‘Can you record my band?’ So I recorded their band and their drummer told someone else and pretty soon all of these people were coming down into my studio for me to record! For the first time, I was making money and living in New York.”
7. Becoming an established engineer
Becoming ‘established’ is subjective and depends on your goals. However, like finding your first paid sound engineering opportunity, it requires perseverance, dedication and an entrepreneurial spirit.
Emily Magpie, a freelance mastering engineer based in Bristol, grew her business from the ground up and started with free ‘test’ masters to get her going.
“First of all, I set up my website and did a few test masters,” she explained in our online panel discussion on ‘Tips for starting out in the music industry’, “I used those to show as a portfolio and sent it to a load of people I knew in the industry; other artists and on Facebook pages. I got in some work, built a portfolio from that and then launched on Instagram and used that as a shopfront.”
“I did a business plan and worked out what my target market was, which for me at this stage, is emerging artists and a lot of female artists and producers, which is a niche in my market. I worked that out, worked out what I was doing - digital masters - and then started working, posting what I was doing, reaching out to people and making sure that I am really reliable.”
Building a reputation as a sound engineer, mixing engineer or master engineer and getting established requires being visible. You need the artists you want to work with to know who you are. If you want to be noticed, put yourself out there.
“If you’re trying to figure out where the people you want to work with are, it’s just seeing where they hang out,” says Emily, “Whether that’s in real life or online, where do people go? It could be music or production-based blogs online or events and real-life meet-ups.”
Engineering friends’ bands, bands in your local area and building a presence online, will develop your reputation and expand your portfolio. Sooner or later, you may land a freelance opportunity that catapults you to the next level, where you can earn more money and get more clients, or through networking you may find a full-time salaried role in a music studio. Say “yes” to as many opportunities as possible and don’t be afraid to put yourself out there; you don’t know where each opportunity will lead.
8. Study a course in sound engineering
By studying a degree-level course at dBs Institute, you will learn all the technical skills required to be a great sound engineer. Not only that, you’ll also learn from seasoned pros who can share their knowledge and experience on how to make it in the industry with you.
We provide training in state-of-the-art studios alongside live job boards, career advice and networking opportunities with producers and bands, so you can put everything you learn in the classroom into action and build your portfolio as you study.
Like the sound of that? Check out our music production courses, which include:
- Music Production Diplomas
- Music Production and Sound Engineering Degrees
- Music Production Master’s Degrees
Ready to start your career as a professional sound engineer? Studying BA (Hons) Music Production & Sound Engineering will set you on the right path. Learn more on our website or our next Open Day.
