Sound Designing as a Career

What is Sound Designing?

Sound design is an art of procreating profound sounds that jazz up the environment and appropriate situation. Sound Design is a highly sophisticated terrain that combines technical skills and creative ability of a person.

Who are Sound Designers?

Sound Designers or Sound Design Engineers, who were formerly known as Sound Effects Editors or Special Effects Editors (SFX), are those who are responsible for creating any kind of desirable sounds for films, music, theatres, video games and various other applications. Irrespective of whether a person can play a musical instrument or not can take up Sound Design as their career provided they are drawn towards natural musical ability and intrinsic sensitivity to the minute sound environment.

Responsibilities of Sound Designers

• Sound Designers create, assemble, operate, maintain and develop the technical equipment used for creating sounds, record, amplify, enhance, mix or to recreate the sound.
• They generate sound effects, atmospheres, sonic textures for on-stage and off-stage activities.
• They involve in acoustic adjustments to the theatres or sets, adding or configuring the radio wave lengths, setting-up of float mics for performers.
• They are indulged in integrating the pre-recorded sounds with the visual content or other motion effects.

Sound Designing engineers basically work on two types of activities:

1. Production activities which include activities like recording the sound on a particular set or location, Selecting/configuring/adjusting/operating the technical equipment to produce the appropriate sounds.
2. Post-production activities which include movements like integrating, re-recording, synching, mixing and altering the sounds for the audio and other visual content

Work Flow of Sound Designing:

Sound Designers track secular all the sound effects on a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) or on a super-powerful computer configured with delicate and advanced software, viable towards the Pre-mix which is followed by the final mix, dialogues by ADR (Automatic Dialogue Replacement), Foley, atmosphere, music and special effects are appropriately blended together.

Educational Requirements to be a Sound Design Engineer/ Sound Designer

Well, there is no specific educational eligibility for this profession. Aspiring sound designers can enhance their creative abilities and technical skills to expertise in this field. After completing 12^th class or after graduation, several students take up

1. 1-year diploma course in bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Sound Design
2. Courses in sound mixing, sound editing and recording techniques
3. Course in MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface), learn how to use pro tools, Final-cut pro and other industry oriented software.
4. Programs that focus on theatrical sound designs etc.

There’s a heavy competition in today’s world to become a sound designer and are even paid fat for these professions. According to career experts, the following courses are an added advantage for the aspiring candidates:

1. Post Graduation in Film and Television Sound
2. NCDT accredited UG BA-Hons in sound design for theatre
3. BA-Hons in music and sound with drama
4. BA-Hons in Performance sound
5. LIPA’s BA-Hons in Sound Technology
6. BA or HND in Film and television training

Countries like UK have a huge scope in these stream in-terms of education and also job placement. Universities like Film Business Academy, A bigger Future Academy even offer scholarships to students.

Skills

• Exceptional aural or phonic skills
• Creative and imagination skills
• Analogue and digital sound recording and editing techniques
• Outstanding Communicational skills
• Technical knowledge of the equipment and software used
• Capability to work under high pressure and hectic schedule

Career Prospects

• Films, televisions, theatres and other events and media related fields
• Video games and other applications
• Forensic Audio
• Audio Archiving
• Corporate Reel world Audio

Detailed Information and Updates

You can refer to several website and magazines which provide updates regarding the Sound Designing course.

Web-sites:

1. http://www.sonicartsnetwork.org/
2. http://www.filmsound.org/
3. http://www.aes.org/

Magazines:

1. Sound on Sound Magazine or visit http://www.soundonsound.com/
2. Music tech Magazine or visit http://www.musictech.net/
3. Audio Media Magazine or visit http://www.audiomedia.com/home

Conclusion:

As Sound Designing is a specialized course which is in demand especially in metropolitan cities where there is huge exposure of entertainment industry, the competition is heavy and hence students aspiring for Sound design as their career should be well prepared with appropriate skill-set to face the tough competition.