    |
| |
In popular culture, music production is most often associated with a large recording studio. In reality, music production can be carried out anywhere, even in your home. While a commercial recording studio requires a number of staff to perform key roles, smaller operations often fill all positions with just one person: the owner.
A Steadily Evolving Career
Within music production at the entry level, most graduates find jobs in a recording studio as a runner or assistant engineer. As experience grows, opportunities typically open to fill the roles of engineer, mixer and producer.
Assistant Engineer
Assistant engineers are responsible for ensuring studio readiness for each session. They plug in microphones, run cables, set up the console, interface external hardware, prepare tape machines or digital audio workstations and generally keep the engineer, producer and talent comfortable.
Given their integral role in setting up the session, assistant engineers are the "go to" person throughout a recording session. It is their responsibility to quickly troubleshoot and find the best fix or workaround to keep the session moving along. Since assistant engineers typically know how to coax the best sounds out of their studio, they are frequently called on to share their expertise with visiting engineers and producers.
At the end of the day, it is the assistant engineer who backs up the recordings, sometimes doing rough mixes or printing multiple versions of final mixes and ensuring that copies get to the correct people.
The role of assistant engineer is fast-paced, challenging and extremely rewarding. Assistant engineers are present at the "moment of creation." As witnesses to the making of major recordings, they are often privy to the techniques and methods of experienced producers, talent, managers and record label representatives.
Engineer, Programmer and Producer
It is not unusual for the engineer, programmer and producer roles to be simultaneously performed by the same person. Even when performed by distinct individuals, the responsibilities for these roles can overlap. For example, both producers and engineers perform the task of laying "samples" in the computer to bolster the sound of the original performance.
Typically, the engineer operates all studio equipment in order to get the best sound possible, while also communicating with, and responding to the producer and talent.
Specialized programmers sequence sound "samples" or synthesized sounds on a computer. Producers, engineers and artists can also perform this role.
The producer is responsible for the final sounds on a record. This is accomplished by organizing the studio, musicians and song arrangements; making decisions on sounds and performances; paying special attention to the tuning and timing of the musicians; and deciding when the performance is at its absolute best.
Mixer
The mixer is responsible for combining the multiple instruments from a performance by fine-tuning the relative balance of each one, either on a traditional recording console or using a computer. Once the mixer has completed this work, the final product
is ready to be released on CD or DVD, converted to an MP3 for download, or incorporated into a commercial, television show or motion picture.
|
|
 |
 |
 |
|
