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Music engineering: is it right for you?

There are many approaches to combining engineering, technology and music. In general, a career in music engineering or technology requires that you be musically inclined as well as technical and creative. If you love music, like to work on computers, are fascinated by electronics and mechanics, or have a love for gadgets, combining music with engineering or technology may be the hot ticket for you. Not only can it lead to a successful career contributing to the newest releases on the charts, but it can also lead to success creating instruments or changing the way we listen to music. The good news is that this field is wide open with plenty of opportunities for a hard working ambitious person. You can school yourself at full tilt and get a formal engineering degree, you can get certificates or degrees in music engineering technology, or you can be self-taught. You can go to school for four or more years, two years, one year, one month, one week or one hour. Whatever your passion and whatever your taste, there is a flavor out there for you.

Engineering is not easy and the hours are long. In the music industry, the competition is fierce. Expect to start at the bottom and know that it often takes patience to deal with musicians and artists. Traditional engineering school teaches you to be a linear thinker. Making music is a creative process that is seldom linear. Making music or music technology equipment is a combination of art and science. You must be technically adept as well as creative, passionate about what you do, good with people, and willing to work hard. When you love what you do, though, the hours won't feel as long. You'll look forward to going to work each day. When the little voice inside your head and every cell in your body says that this is it, you'll be happy and feel as though you were meant to be a music engineer.

There are four basic ways you can approach your career in music engineering.
1. You can become an engineer by attending a traditional engineering program and receive a bachelor's or master's degree in audio, music, computer, electrical or mechanical engineering (University of Hartford offers a mechanical engineering degree with an acoustics concentration.) Many students go on to graduate school - especially those that are heading into electrical engineering within a corporation or specializing in music engineering or digital signal processing. Some students eventually earn a doctoral degree in electrical engineering or acoustics.

Audio engineering can be much more than music. It can be almost anything that we hear on film, tape, CD, DVD, computers, digital music players, handheld PDAs, radio, optical devices, telephones, cell phones, audio assistive devices, MIDI instruments, alarm systems, video games, thrill rides, etc. Some of the more challenging projects may be related to music, but there is also ample opportunity in a large variety of industries. Some programs will be offered through the music school and some programs will be offered through the engineering school.

To be an audio engineer usually means that you are interested in design. Education programs that offer bachelor's degrees to train engineers will be focused on design and building technical skills.

An audio technician will usually hold an associate's (two-year) degree or a certificate (one-year program) and will be interested in the implementation of the engineer's design. The technician will usually enjoy the practical implementation of building and/or maintaining the systems and designs.

Theresa Leonard, Chairman of the Audio Engineering Society Education Committee says: "The job possibilities in audio are growing in unexpected areas, such as game audio, car audio, and Internet audio, to name a few examples. A good program must look toward the future with respect to upgrading equipment and main control rooms for high resolution, new digital formats, and multichannel audio. Although it is important to know what is out there in terms of both high- and low-quality audio formats, there will always be an appetite for quality audio, which remains the driving force of our industry."

2. Get a certificate, associate's, or bachelor's degree in music engineering technology, audio technology, or computer music technology with a minor in electrical engineering, computer science, applied science, Web technology or multimedia.
Are you a musician wanting a technology degree? Pursuing a degree in music engineering technology, audio technology, or computer music technology usually mean that you have an interest in one or more of the following:
· Studio engineering or design
· Studio installation, maintenance, or management
· Audio equipment design
· Electronic music
· Game or toy design
· Live sound for theatre and concerts
· MIDI production
· Ring tone design
· DVD authoring
· Software design
· Sound reinforcement
· Music recording
· Audio engineering or mastering
· Film, audio, and video production or post production
· Scoring for film and multimedia
· Synthesizer programming
· Broadcasting
· Audio sales

A minor in electrical engineering usually implies an interest in hardware design, whereas a minor in computer programming or computer science implies an interest in software design. When you complete your degree, you should be able to find a job as a recording engineer, multimedia author, sound reinforcement specialist, acoustical designer, studio designer, etc. The most common places to work include recording studios either for performers or soundtracks, audio equipment design or manufacturing companies, studio design companies, or for yourself as a freelance recording, mixing or mastering engineer.

3. Get a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree in music with a minor in electrical engineering or computer science.
If music is your true love and being a musician rocks your world, there are dozens of schools that you can attend to follow this passion. Typically, people that pursue music and supplement it with physics, engineering, and math with find themselves either working in audio research developing better audio for portable devices, working in a recording studio, or working for an equipment manufacturer developing sounds for samplers or grooveboxes. In music programs, students learn the theoretical and combine it with hands-on practical solutions. This program develops a keen ear for music and can make you one of the most important and highly desired types of engineers. Programs range from studying in a conservatory environment to working on breadboards (electronics) doing diagnostics.

4. Get a certificate, associate's, or bachelor's degree in recording engineering.
Essentially, recording engineers store and retrieve music that comes in directly (MIDI instrument plugged directly into the console) and over microphones. They place the microphones, record the music onto tracks (digital and/or analog), and work the console. Recording engineers may record all kinds of music, including classical, jazz, rock, hip-hop, and rap. Some people decide to become recording engineers for the party. They imagine themselves listening to great music all day and chatting with rock stars. If this is you, listen up: Your job as a recording engineer is to feel what the music is trying to say and help others feel it, too. It's not just about knowing what each knob does or understanding the equipment, it's also about capturing the sound - be it sound effects, speech, or music. Even if you don't like the music or what is being said, your job is to be true to it and work with the producer to help develop the expression of the artist. You have to get into it, open up, and remove your personal biases. With only about 50 major studios in the United States, this field is very competitive.

Recording engineering is a world in itself and many books are written about becoming and succeeding as an engineer in the recording business. This area is so broad and the information is so diverse that an entire chapter is dedicated to it. The approaches to careers as a recording engineer may be very different from the approach for a traditional engineering student seeking an audio engineering degree. For more information, see Chapter Two.

Actually, there are many more programs than those listed above. Degree and certificate programs come in all shapes and sizes. For a listing of all the colleges and degrees offered, see the school directory in the appendix.

Education options

The education you require is dependent on what you want to do. To be a music engineer, some folks say that getting experience is all you need. Others say that it's a combination of education and experience. There is no standard and no fail-safe road or path. Many companies require a four-year degree for an employee to be salaried (white collar). Depending on the company, they might not be very particular about the nature of the degree. Some companies have a rule that anyone with the job title of engineer has to have a four-year degree, but they don't care what the degree is. A few of the better engineers at top audio companies have degrees in English.

However, many schools are now offering hands-on training that is effectively narrowing the gap. Studios have to work harder to stay in business. Large studios are closing and being self-employed is fashionable. The most successful people in the audio industry have mentors, hands-on experience, and a certificate or degree to back up their portfolio.

Basically, college is designed to open doors. College gets you ready to go down the road toward employment. Entry-level engineers need some education in signal flow, signal processing, digital audio, console theory, and computer operating systems.

In music engineering, the average pay scale for a high school graduate is $29,000 per year. The average pay scale for a person with a bachelor's degree is $45,000. If you intend to one day support a family, chances are that you can't do it on $29,000. This author personally advocates education because it is always something you can fall back on. If you find yourself unemployed 20 years from now, you have some credentials that will keep you in the running against new graduates with skills on whatever new technology is available.

An audio enthusiast from Tennessee says, "I have been doing sound as long as I can remember and love every second of it. However, I'll be the first to say that you should stay in school. I didn't and wish I had. I currently work for an extremely large church, and do other gigs on the side. I stay pretty up to date on sound stuff, that's easy with three Yamaha Digital Mixing Systems in house as well as many other high-end digital consoles. I suggest you go to school and get a degree in something related to computers - be it computer science, networking, or something along those lines. Large studios are moving rapidly toward everything being on a network and being computer controlled. A good understanding of computers makes all these new features a lot easier to get up and running. Also, the piece of paper you get out of college is worth doubling or more your salary in the corporate world if you get into doing tech work for a major company, maintaining their conference rooms and auditoriums, etc. Most importantly, learn all you can, with technology progressing as fast as it is, the really cutting edge stuff that makes everyone's mouth drop open is all based around computers."

To get into broadcast, MIDI programming, gaming, and online music, or to get into digital music player manufacturing, electronic instrument design, and multimedia applications, you'd better get a degree. In such a competitive field, it's best to do everything in your power to set yourself apart. And, learn to play well with others.

Some audio programs may be based within another disciplines, such as electrical engineering, science, business, or music. Some programs will be interdisciplinary or a combination of all. For example, Belmont University in Nashville offers a degree in business administration with an emphasis in music production; the University of Miami's School of Music offers a Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Science, and Master of Science in Music Engineering and their College of Engineering offers a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering with an audio emphasis; Georgia Southern University offers a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology with a Second Discipline in Music Technology; the University of Massachusetts Lowell offers a bachelor's degree in sound recording technology for either computer science or electrical engineering majors; and the Berklee College of Music in Boston offers a Bachelor of Music in Music Production and Engineering.

Locating the right program for you will depend on your wants, strengths, and background. There are graduate programs, undergraduate programs, and numerous one- and two-year programs as well as one-day to one-week courses and online seminars in sound recording and music technology (see Appendix). You can find a curriculum that is ideal for your goals. How much money and time you invest is up to you and where you want to go.

When those of you in your early twenties were born, we had no CDs, DVDs or iPods. If we wanted to make a phone call away from home, we used a pay phone. If we wanted to see a movie, we went to a theatre. If we wanted to learn about something, we went to the library. Engineers are on the cutting edge of this acceleration of society. By squeezing more information on integrated circuits or chips, the digital revolution is at full tilt.

There is no question that the digital revolution is also changing the face of music. Record labels used to be the only way for musicians to "make it." The labels would discover a diamond in the rough, produce their records, and then market and distribute the vinyl or CD. Now, any band with an entrepreneurial spirit can set up their own studio, record on MIDI and Digital Audio Workstations (DAW), burn to disk, distribute it on the Internet or sell their own disc at clubs and concerts. Some would say that engineers are becoming obsolete but anyone that has listened to good music will disagree. However, even if pushing a button to equalize a track becomes commonplace, there is still tremendous opportunity for recording engineers doing live concerts, setting up studios and in broadcast.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1- For the Love of Music
The world of engineering and engineering technology
Music engineering: is it right for you?
Education options
Choosing a school
Co-ops, internships and work-study programs
An entry level position at Skywalker Sound
Mentoring
Attitude is everything
The Audio Engineering Society

Chapter 2 - Recording Studios
Sound or recording engineer
Assistant engineer
Mastering engineer
Post production engineer
Studio designer or acoustic consultant
TV engineer
Online music engineer
Corporate studio engineer
Amusement park audio

Chapter 3 - Live Sound Engineers
Concerts
Churches
On Broadway - Musicals
Film and broadcast engineers
Concert lighting technicians

Chapter 4 - Instrument Design and Manufacturing
Instrument design and research
Drums
Guitars
Guitar tech (on tour)
Speaker and amp engineer
Microphone engineer
Developing a microphone at Holophone

Chapter 5 - Computer Science/Software Engineering
Gaming sound engineer
Ringtone engineer

Chapter 6 - Digital Music
iPod engineers
MP3 players
CD and DVD manufacturing

Chapter 7 - Other Careers
Industrial audio
Forensic audio engineer
Instrument and technology sales
Noise control/acousticians
College/University Music or Audio Technology Teacher

Chapter 8 - Getting Started
Junior Engineering Technical Society
Summer camps
Student competitions

Appendix
Glossary
Industry Contact Information
School Directory
Index