Audio Production Theory Vs. Practice

If you are considering a career in audio production, you are probably aware of the many different kinds of positions available in the recording industry. You could be a recording engineer and specialize in tweaking sound effects for film projects or improving sound quality for radio stations. You could work as a live sound mixer and stay on the road with concert tours, where the hours are crazy but the job is fun. You could be a record producer and stay involved in the more general aspects of album production for musical artists.

No matter which career path you choose, you will also need to choose an education program that will teach you the necessary skills to succeed in the audio production world. Most people realize they need to learn the practice of audio production, but did you know you needed to learn the theory as well? Theory is just as important as the practice when it comes to finding a long-lasting audio production position. As in film school, learning to direct and operate film equipment and write scripts are all important skills, but they must reinforced by experience in the different methods of directing, filming, and writing in order to be applied correctly. Instead of choosing a school which teaches you how to use the right programs and teaches you the science behind distortion but does not add anything beyond practical application, look for an audio program that teaches you the theory while you are learning the application.

What does audio production theory look like? Well, that depends on what type of audio work you want to focus on. More and more positions in today's recording and production industries are becoming multifaceted, and employers are looking for skilled technicians with experience not only in audio science and related programs, but also in more artistic or business-oriented areas. If you are editing audio for a film project, for instance, then theory would examine the history of audio production for film, what constraints the original audio engineers were under and how those shaped their work, and what trends became popular through the evolution of cinema and video. Likewise, recording production theory examines the trends in audio effects, what sounds are associated with certain musical styles, and the origin of the sound effects and filters applied to music pre-production.

Theory is extremely important to all audio production students, and is too often forgotten. If you are an audio student, do not forget to supplication your application classes with classes in history and theory as well. This can be a blessing in disguise to those who love audio production but are interested in the artistic and creative side of the engineering process. Theory also extends to business trends and marketing techniques which are swiftly becoming even more important to those currently working in audio fields.