AKARSH SHEKHAR
The Sound Man,
The Myth,
The Legend
Behind all your favourite songs, are
sound or audio engineers that use
technology to provide clarity and
overall quality. These professionals
work their magic behind the scenes by
drawing from their hat of recording,
mixing, reproducing and mastering.
A song consists of a series of moments
which take us on a little journey. This
can be credited to the sound engineer
whose job is not only limited to the
world of music. Sounds create drama,
suspense, and emotions. Have you
ever tried watching TV on mute?
It produces almost no feelings and
creates more confusion than anything
else. A sound engineer’s job on a film/
TV set is to design every second of
every scene so carefully that we get
the best ambiance required to trigger
certain moods.
The sound of dry leaves rustling in
the wind reminds you of the time
you went to the park or stepped on
fallen leaves on the way to school.
A whistle during the opening scene
of a basketball or football game tells
you about the direction the story is
going. Background sounds coming
from a scene in an office will also
subconsciously take you back to your
work environment. All of this is the
result of the mastery of a man (or
woman) with a well-trained ear and
knowledge of acoustics to deliver a
well-produced sound to stimulate your
brain via your ears.
Sound engineers don't only work for
music and film. They are often the
unsung heroes behind the one thing
us music enthusiasts love to hear in
our daily lives: Clarity or Quality.
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The
Score Magazine
highonscore.com
The clear sound from a crisp mic in a
conference room, radio, sport games
or musical concerts, the quality of
effects (fun, sad, suspense) found on
television, theatre or computer games,
and not to mention one of the most
important roles, cutting out unwanted
background noise, are all a part of a
sound engineer’s job.
Without knowing it, key moments we
love to see in movies or love to hear in
songs, are being carefully augmented
to emotionally stimulate us. A good
sound engineer will always try to find
an ear bug or ear candy to keep the
listener engaged. By subtly adding
effects, as simple as adding a drum
beat to a repeated part of the song, a
sound engineer keeps the track fresh
and makes you want to come back for
multiple listens.
A sound engineer will work very
closely with a producer as the
producer holds the key responsibility
with regards to the sound outcome.
Although the sound engineer makes
important decisions, the vision and
direction of the artist and producer
are important and must be kept in
mind at all times. Every choice,
ranging from the mics, placement,
preamps, EQ, compression, reverb
or auto-tune is a result of a well
established goal since the song's
inception. A friend of mine who is
a producer, compared the role of a
sound engineer who does mixing and
mastering to how a biryani gets made:
“Mixing is like making raw biryani
gravy, rice, and making sure every
ingredient of the recipe is in its place.
Mastering is cooking everything and
adding final touches like the toppings
with nuts. “
A sound engineer is crucial for
both pre and post-production.
Experienced engineers will be able
to direct talent in movements and
offer valuable advice regarding the
best practices and location, while
helping the producer with feedback
and additional creative elements.
They will also ensure that everything
runs smoothly. As my producer
friend says: “Never underestimate the
importance of the sound man.”