Let ’ s look at it from the end-user perspective . There will always be a need to record music whether acoustically or electronically for future playback and most important- for our listening pleasure . And for that to be done , the music has to get across the microphone or instrument and reach the storage media and go through significant changes to enhance the sonic quality . Can a mere enthusiast do this ? Certainly , you might say because all it takes is someone who understands the music , the signal flow and possesses an experimenting mind .
Is there really an insistent need to know how many mill volts the microphone is producing to record an intransigent guitarist with fullon distorted guitars bleeding with chorus ? A technical qualification in electrical engineering or science of sound per se will certainly help the qualifying engineer to further pursue a career in developing future technologies or enhancing spatial designs that will benefit the sonic community at large but you won ’ t be needing a dBV or dBu rating in the midst of a session when a vocalist is trying the 35th take unless you are sick and tired of the doleful lyric ! Music recording will always be about capturing a performance in the best way possible with the available equipment for our listening pleasure and to document that piece of musical artwork for posterity .
So , why is there a need to bring in a qualified audio engineer for this purpose ? For this , we have to go back to the roots of the engineering path that most of our sonic capturing predecessors took in the services of capturing music . There was , the electrically qualified turned sonic engineer path , the renowned tea maker turned engineer path and the enthusiast turned engineer path . The evolution of technology and the industry only created the need to establish institutions or courses that would impart practical knowledge and hence a qualified engineer .
For the purpose of this article , I will compare the enthusiast turned engineer with the qualified engineer since these types are a common occurrence today . The difference between an enthusiast turned engineer and a qualified engineer is merely a question of accessibility to resources and a platform to embark on a career in the recording arts industry . An enthusiast with a musical inclination and a desire to start a studio invests in equipment and with the aid of magazines , the online community ( inclusive of videos , magazines and forums ) and by trial and error slowly climbs the qualifying ladder .
A reputable educational institution introduces students to the signal flow of a recording environment , imparts knowledge of gear along with their respective parameters and finally its application while exposing them to a recording space that can be accessed by the student to experiment and indulge in creatively . Both paths eventually will get you to the same destination , which is capturing music for our listening pleasure .
Nothing can replace the experience of learning from an experienced educator or observing an engineer in a classroom or studio respectively . A studio space with professional equipment and dedicated teachers gives an excellent start to a qualifying-engineer who is desirous to step into the world of recording arts .
This raises the next point , which is about the quality of education being imparted to these qualifying engineers . If an educational institution values education and establishes its curriculum on not just skill based learning but an overall education delivered by learned and experienced educators who are willing to motivate the student alongside offering recording spaces and professional equipment for the student to explore their ideas thereby giving the confidence to step out in the real world , then the qualification will stand credible in the community .
So , yes , the listening community and music vaults of the future will definitely need ‘ qualified ’ audio engineers in the years to come . And the ones who enroll for a certificate , diploma or degree just need to be careful in selecting their institutions . As long as there are qualified educators who are willing to motivate you beyond technical areas and there is a professional setup to work on , the student should not hesitate in furthering their ambition in the audio engineering world and earn a qualification .
The certificate , which is awarded to you at the completion of the program , should only make you feel proud that from our ancestral teamaking unqualified roots , today it is a knowledge wielding guaranteed certificate .
Beloved qualified engineer , even if you do not get to sit on the prized chair in any of the remaining world-class studios , or don ’ t get to thank your dog in a Grammy winning speech , you still are a graduate with knowledge and experience that can be applied at your disposal in the services of capturing music for future playback and the joy of listening !
VINAY PRABHAKAR Head of Academics Swarnabhoomi Academy of Music
The Score Magazine www . thescoremagazine . com
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