Entertainment Industry Production: Is that a College Major?

The world of professional audio education is a fairly recent area of study in the academic scenario. Nowadays, more and more universities, music academies and recording studios are offering an audio education curriculum in their academic offer. I believe that this career is usually under estimated and under val

ued. Why? Mainly because used to become sound engineers in an empirical way. Nowadays, many people still learn that way, but we also have formal academic programs that teach students how to be a professional in the industry and business of sound production.

I decided to enroll in the Entertainment Industry Production program at USM because I like music and sound. At first, I though that it will be an “easy ride” type of career. I also thought that being a sound engineer simply consisted in pressing the red “record” button and that’s it, work done.  But of course, I was wrong. I discovered that the world of professional sound recording it’s a very complex discipline.

 One of the most important skills of an audio engineer is a holistic understanding of sound. This may include understanding how sound travels through time and space. It involves learning complex principles of physics and acoustics. Then you move on to getting to know the equipment use d to make professional recordings such as : microphones, cables, consoles, audio softwares. But most important, you have to know when and how to used them in the most proper and accurate way.  

Ultimately, the main reason that made me choose this career is the excitement it brings to my life. I get to exploit my creativity in ways that I never done before. It is a whole new world for me to discover and I can not wait to make my first professional recording/mixing project!