A sound technician adjusts sound equipment for clear audio in various entertainment industries. Education and experience are necessary, and the job requires technical knowledge, stress management, communication skills, and acute hearing. They work in broadcast studios, stage performances, and musical acts.
Sound quality is an important element of the entertainment industry, from television to stage to radio and beyond. A sound technician is responsible for making the proper adjustments to the sound equipment so that performers can be heard clearly. This job requires a lot of technical knowledge and usually some schooling is required. Unique skills and duties are required to help engineers create memorable broadcasts and performances for audiences around the world.
Education and experience are crucial to success as a sound technician. Most positions require at least a high school diploma, and many others require an associate’s degree or a bachelor’s degree in sound or broadcast engineering. These classes teach students about acoustics and equipment in order to prepare them for life as a broadcast engineer. It is also possible to gain experience by finding work as an assistant sound technician in a studio or performance venue.
The technician, or sound mixer, is primarily responsible for maintaining and setting up the sound equipment. There are typically a number of microphones and cables that must be correctly connected to a sound card and properly tested before any performance can occur. The sound technician must have strong acoustic senses to know when something sounds good or needs tweaking. A sound technician makes adjustments for greater clarity and signal strength.
There are many skills that a sound technician must possess to do this job well. The biggest attribute is excellent stress management skills, because most broadcasts and stage performances are live, and adjustments must be made quickly. Communication skills are also a must, because a sound technician often supervises many assistants and works with directors; therefore, he or she must clearly state the audio needs for both parties. In addition, a technician must have what is called “good ears” and be able to hear small differences or problems that others would miss.
A sound technician can be found working in many locations. The most common location for this work is in radio and television broadcast studios. Stage performances also require lots of microphones and a sound mixer to get the voices clearly from the stage to the audience. Another place where sound engineers find work is with musical acts in order to capture instruments and voices perfectly in a club or theater.
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