How Are You Going to Learn Audio Engineering?

Learning audio engineering may seem like a difficult task, which requires years of difficult technical training at an audio engineering school. However, the science of audio engineering is not as complicated as it may appear. While learning to be a audio engineer may take time and a bit of patience, it is a set of skills, including microphone technique, equipment maintenance and basic acoustic theory that can be learned by anyone willing to make the appropriate effort.

First of all, read books or watch You Tube instructional videos to learn the basics of audio engineering. There are many options out there for this. Practice new techniques.. Compare a variety of information about a particular area of audio engineering. Sound engineering is a subjective subject and many books will provide you with slightly different information. Try out a variety of techniques to find the one that works best for you.

Once you’ve gained some basic knowledge, attend an audio engineering school, such as Dark Horse Institute, which offers an intensive, totally hands on program in audio engineering, and only takes 12 weeks. Some schools such as Dark Horse also offer job assistance programs for graduates interested in pursuing sound engineering as a career.

Towards the end of your formal schooling, apply for an internship at a recording studio. Many of these internships are unpaid, but they will provide you with a vast amount of experience and contacts. As an added benefit, occasionally studios hire interns as assistant engineers once the internship is complete. Ask the supervisor of your internship if you can bring in your own projects when work is slow or when the studio is normally closed. This will not only give you much needed recording practice, it will also help the studio, as bands and artists are likely to return to a studio where they previously had a positive experience.

Ensure your unpaid internship allows you to spend time learning and working with the assistant and head engineers. Some studios advertise unpaid internships in the recording business, but only want you to answer the phone and make coffee. While this may be a way to get your foot in the door of a very competitive business, it will not teach you anything about the process of sound engineering. If you find yourself in an internship like this, perform the tasks requested, but take the initiative to observe and offer your assistance inside the studio as well.