Sound Technician: What Is Their Role and How to Become One
The sound technician is a professional who handles audio management in all its aspects and may also be called a sound engineer, audio engineer, or audio technician.
There are two main sectors in which this professional can specialize: audiovisual and music.
There is no specific path to follow for training in this particular profession, but there are various study and training options available.
The Role of the Sound Technician
This professional figure is particularly essential in film production, in the radio industry, in the world of music, and in television. They are responsible for managing sounds that will enrich the viewer’s experience, as well as for setting up the audio equipment in a specific environment for sound recording.
The technician working in the film industry must be skilled at translating a film’s images using the most appropriate music, handling sound recording and its synchronization with the images of a film or television series.
The technician specialized in the music field will have more specific tasks related to preparing equipment for recording and music production. This professional will be responsible for ensuring that sound is recorded optimally, maximizing its potential, and then mixing it in the most appropriate manner.
One of the fundamental concepts that a sound technician must keep in mind while performing their work is the relationship between hearing and other senses, especially sight, particularly for television technicians. This type of technician must work with three different types of sounds: voices, sound effects, and music. Their objective is to harmonize these three communicative elements with the images and context, as well as with each other, ensuring they are all audible and well-balanced.
Harmony is also fundamental for the music technician, who must ensure that no sound overpowers another and that all are perfectly audible.
Both types of technicians must respect the director’s or musician’s vision to meet their requirements.
Their skills must cover both recording and editing equipment.
Specifically, their activities mainly consist of:
Creating a sound design for an audiovisual product
Studying environmental conditions for recordings
Recording audio tracks
Cleaning audio tracks
Inserting sounds and music into the audiovisual product
Technological Evolution and New Professional Opportunities
In recent years, technological advancement has revolutionized the work of the sound technician, opening new scenarios in the digital world as well. Today, beyond traditional contexts such as recording studios and film sets, the audio engineer can find employment in podcast production, sound design for video games, and in streaming, where audio quality has become a crucial element for success. Artificial intelligence and automated mixing software have also introduced new challenges and tools that the technician must master. The ability to adapt to changes and continuously update one’s skills is therefore essential to remain competitive in this constantly evolving sector.
How to Become a Sound Technician
In Italy, the most sought-after sound technicians are those working in television; there are approximately 170 schools in our country, but only some of these are recognized by the Ministry of Education and issue an official diploma, while others provide a certificate of participation.
To practice the profession of sound technician, it is necessary to have a solid theoretical foundation in both the physics of sound and the instruments to be used. Another fundamental aspect of this profession is experience, which is acquired through years of work in this field.
For training, there are four different options:
Sound technician courses: these are courses that sometimes do not issue certificates and are often organized by recording studios. Sometimes these courses may also offer an internship for job placement;
Schools: in Italy there are various private schools that issue certificates after participation in their courses. This certificate will be more valuable in the market based on the reputation of the school that issued it;
Conservatories: typically, the courses offered are in music informatics, which partially differ from the specific training of a sound technician;
Universities: there is no specific degree program, but individual courses and exams, or master’s programs, can be found that address this subject. However, these courses tend to be primarily theoretical.
Training programs are very important for building a portfolio and contacts in the audio engineering world, which can prove useful when seeking employment.
The sound technician is not a well-defined professional figure; in fact, to practice it, an industrial technician diploma is sometimes sufficient, and the contract applied is that of a metalworker.
Our company specializes in the production of music booths and acoustic glass panels that are a fundamental part of an audio engineer’s work environment.
