PUNEET SAMTANI
PERSONALITY TRAITS OF A SUCCESSFUL STUDIO SOUND ENGINEER .
The job of a sound engineer can get really hard and taxing . It takes a lot of skill , determination , consistency , hard work and luck to succeed , like in most professional fields . To stand out in this highly competitive field a sound engineer needs more than skills towards his craft and more than the innumerable hours of work put behind him / her . The engineer needs to have some personal qualities to succeed as well .
1 . Patience – Collaborating with creative people to create something which is personal to them can be very hard and demanding in itself . As an engineer you are not always going to like what the client has to say . It ’ s the engineers job to manipulate the situation so every person involved is happy and the product ends up the way you had promised . The engineer must try to keep focus while the other creative people involved go through their emotions and frustrations regarding the product . She / he must stay patient and keep his cool always .
2 . Strong work ethic – Getting to work in time , delivering the product as promised , keeping the clients in the loop , answering emails and calls timely , meeting deadlines , taking pride in one ’ s work , being reliable , disciplined , meticulous , diligent all add up to the strong wok ethic one needs to excel .
3 . Positive – More often than not , an artist is always in self doubt when creating . Staying positive and creating a positive atmosphere at the times when the artist is doubting oneself , can do wonders and lift the mood of the artist and everyone involved in the studio . At times when people are running against times to meet deadlines , it helps if the engineer remains positive .
4 . Inquisitiveness and ability to adapt to new technology - There is so much happening around us and the technology is constantly changing . One must be inquisitive enough to understand where things are heading and one must be eager enough to adapt to new technologies coming their way . Things keep evolving and the engineer must also evolve with time to stay relevant .
5 . Humble – There is always room to grow and learn . No one knows everything and probably never will . Keep that in mind . You are always a student of your art form . Take any art form , it usually takes a lifetime to master it .
6 . Good Organizational skills - Have things set up for the session . Make sure everything needed is there . Keep the sessions edited , labeled and ready . Keep the place neat and tidy . It ’ s the engineers job to make sure the session goes smooth and for this he / she has to be attentive and organized . The engineer has to manage the studios time and his own time very well so that the client does not overshoot the budget allocated .
7 . Perceptive – Be totally in control and aware of your surrounding . Always think two steps ahead of the client and preempt situations . Pay attention to how everyone is feeling and give them an environment that allows them to be creative and do their job to the best of the abilities .
8 . Good Social Skills – You must be able to work with people . If you don ’ t have this you can surely develop it . You might be the best at what you do , but if you don ’ t hone this skill you wont get very far .
9 . Talk less and Listen more – The engineer gets paid to listen and he must listen very carefully . Silence in the studio should always be maintained and the engineer should speak only when necessary .
10 . Respect the artists and the creative – Not all the artists and the content that you work on will be of the same level or caliber . Keep in mind that you are a sound engineer and not a critic . Give utmost respect to your work .
The Score Magazine
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