Pros And Cons Of Doing Music Production And Sound Engineering

If you are planning to make a career in fields like music production and sound engineering but are unsure about their prospects, then this article is for you. Read on to learn the pros and cons of doing Music Production and Sound Engineering and the scope in both fields.

Where Music Production is the process of managing and supervising the recording and production of a track, Sound Engineering is the technical study of sound, its characteristics and its nature. Music Production includes track production, top-lining, mixing and mastering. And, Sound Engineering includes curating, mixing, reproducing, sound equalizing, and creating electronic effects.

Sound engineers help music producers find the exact output. Although there is no dearth of possibilities in the field of Music Production and Sound Engineering, being a technical field, it is very important to have an understanding of music and knowledge of software and editing tools to make a career in it. If you too are planning to choose Music Production and Sound Engineering as your career, then know about the pros and cons of this field before making a decision.

Also read:

• Top 10 Acting Schools In India
• Career Options After Pursuing Film Making In India

• Screenwriter vs. scriptwriter Know The Difference

Pros of Music Production and Sound Engineering

Music Production and Sound Engineering is a highly technical and creative field. This career has several advantages, but they only matter if you also have the skills required to become a music producer and sound engineer. Below are some of the pros of this field.

Greater opportunities: In the present-day scenario, Music Production and Sound Engineering offers a promising career. There is a vast scope for aspirants in this field and one having a keen interest in the technical aspects of sound can opt for this field. In the music industry, sound engineers and music producers are considered extremely important. Anyone who has ever been to a concert and been blown away by the clarity and overall quality of the music should thank the brilliant engineer in charge of the sound. Their career path is not limited to the music industry, they can work in a number of environments, including film, radio, television, computer games, theatre, sporting events, and corporate events. 

Monetary Benefits: Needless to say that music producers and sound engineers earn a decent amount of money per project. Once you make a mark in the industry, you can decide your fees yourself.

Flexible schedule: Since there is no fixed working schedule in this field, you can fix the time for each project at your convenience. Sound Engineers work full-time. They may work more than 40 hours per week to meet deadlines.

Creative Liberty: Music producers and sound engineers enjoy creative freedom. They compose music according to their creative instincts. If you are also innovative and can think out-of-the-box, then Music Production and Sound Engineering is the right field for you.

Also read:

• How To Prepare For Jamia Millia Islamia Entrance Exam

• Best Books For Jmi Entrance Exam 2023 Preparation

• How To Prepare For Ftii Jet Prep Tips And Guidelines

Cons of Music Production and Sound Engineering

The field of Music Production and Sound Engineering is full of challenges. Sometimes there is neither desired success nor any monetary gain. At the same time, work stress also persists. So, before opting for this field pay attention to the below-mentioned aspects as well:

Long working hours: In the beginning, a sound engineer or music producer has to work on one or more projects at the same time to get the job. Sometimes one has to work continuously for many hours to finish the project on time. Therefore, working hours in this field can be quite long.

Hectic schedules: As a professional sound engineer, you will be working with several musicians. You must understand how to balance the sound levels of various instruments. An oboe is not going to require the same amplification as a saxophone, and a bass drum is not going to require as much attention as a high hat. Similarly, you will be tackling some complex computer software as well. These computer software are coupled with external equipment as well. Soundboards, sizzle filters, amplifiers, and drum machines -- these are pieces of equipment that require a tremendous amount of attention. Practically, there is a mountain of information for you to learn. 

Work stress: A music producer has to embellish a song with notes without destroying the lyricist's vision. Sometimes music producers and lyricists do not agree on a tune or lyrics, and such creative differences lead to reworking the same project over and over again, leading to a lot of work stress. 

No stability: There are many fields in which job stability is negligible and the field of music production and sound engineering is no exception. Stability in this profession comes after a very long time and many candidates give up before reaching that level. For freshers, finding work and earning a living is even more difficult. There is no guarantee when a candidate will get his/her first project and whether new projects will keep coming. These things have a direct effect on your financial condition. 

Music Production & Sound Engineering Career Prospects

Music producers are regarded as incredibly significant in the music industry. They might work for themselves or for record labels. Whereas, sound engineers are qualified for all types of job profiles such as broadcast engineer, sound editor and mixer, sound effects editor, music editor, re-recording mixer, studio engineer, dialogue editor and location sound engineer. Sound engineers can work in a wide variety of industries including advertising, multimedia and animation. Though there are vibrant music scenes in numerous places across the country, the great majority of music producer and sound engineering jobs are in Mumbai. Below is a brief description of the roles of various job profiles in this domain:

Sound Producer: Works with the engineer and delivers the type of sound/ music that is required for the event.

Studio Manager: They work in a creative agency, where they supervise, support, and manage the projects that have been allocated to them.

Production Assistant: Assisting in the preparation of the set with the necessary equipment. They assist the sound recordists in ensuring that the entire sound recording process runs successfully, as well as providing general sound crew support.

Sound Engineer: Works with the producer and manipulates acoustics to achieve the desired result. They are responsible for assembling, operating and maintaining the technical equipment which is used to record, amplify and enhance the sound.

Studio Manager: They work in a creative agency, where they oversee, support and manage the assigned projects. The profile is very similar to that of a project manager.

Production Assistant: Helping prepare the set with the required equipment. They assist the sound recordists to make sure the entire sound recording process runs smoothly and also provide general support to the sound crew.

Acoustic Consultants: They help in designing, assessing, managing and controlling the sound and vibrations that are required in the environment.

Multimedia Developer: They are responsible for designing, creating, manipulating and tailoring graphics, sound, animation and text to create an integrated multimedia programme. They work closely with the client to ensure that they have a proper understanding of what is required in the end product.

Also Read:

• Top 5 Colleges Offering Advertising Courses in India
• Top 10 Mass Communication colleges to join at UG level

Skills Required For Music Production and Sound Engineering

Since the competition is increasing rapidly in the present scenario, mere degrees is not enough. And since it is a creative and technical stream, it is always better to keep learning by using various online resources like YouTube, Coursera, Udemy and others. One must make note that even after having a proper Sound Engineering or Music Production Degree from a reputed institute, no job guarantee is there. With a degree, a candidate must have the skills to promote himself/ herself to the employer. To be an authentic professional, one must have these basic skills-

Entrance Exams for Music Production and Sound Engineering

Many colleges in India offer courses in Music Production and Sound Engineering such as IIFA Multimedia, Bengaluru, Clusters Media College, Government Polytechnic, Mumbai, SAGE University, Bhopal, CMR University etc. Some of them give admissions to students based on merit, while many conduct an entrance examination. Some of the entrance exams conducted by popular colleges are given below:

• SOFT CET
• BHU UET
• NID Entrance Exam
• MET
• FTII JET
• WWI
• NIMSEE 
• JMI Entrance Exam

Eligibility Criteria for Sound Engineering and Music Production

Sound Engineering courses can be considered similar to any other stream that comes under any specialization of engineering like Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering and more. Like these programmes, there is a general eligibility parameter for it as well, the same has been listed below:

For Bachelors degree: Candidates who have qualified for their 10+2 exam with Physics, as the main subjects can apply for the programme.

For Certificate courses: A bachelor's degree in any discipline is acceptable (not in all cases)

For the Music Production course, the basic eligibility is intermediate clear or bachelor’s degree depending on the type of course. A degree in multimedia is one of the top opted courses by the students. For a certificate course, there is no requirement for a foundation degree.

Courses of Music Production and Sound Engineering

Candidates interested in having a career in the field of Music Production and Sound Engineering can pursue the programme at certification, diploma and degree levels. The time duration for the courses can be as short as 3 months and as long as 3 years. Some of the popular courses are given below:

Read More:

• Top 10 Colleges Offering Anchoring Courses in India
• Top 5 Colleges Offering PR Courses In India