Many people are very passionate about music, but not everyone is cut out to be a singer. This is why many people choose to pursue a career in music production jobs. Very lucrative careers in this field allow one to work with music without ever having to sing or play a note. Some of the major fields of production include that of a producer, recording engineer, production assistant and studio master.
Producer
After the artist, a producer is the person that has the greatest affect on the way an album sounds. Producers oversee all the technical aspects and audio details. The job is similar to that of a film director where neither is responsible for the financial end of the project, but has total say in every component of the finished product. Generally, producers work with recording acts and record labels to produce records. In addition, they work with composers and produce sound for film, TV or any other forms of multimedia.
Frequently, producers are musicians themselves with education in the technical aspects of recording. The job is demanding and stressful with non-conventional work timings, but can be very rewarding monetarily once the experience is there. According to the latest information by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, job prospects for music producers will continue to rise through 2016 by 9%.
The field is very competitive and things are not expected to change anytime soon. Generally, a music producer gets a percentage of the songís or albumís sales, and salaries can range from less than $20,000 to over a million dollars. Salaries tend to increase with experience.
Recording Engineer
A recording engineer runs the soundboard in addition to other electrical equipment when the recording session is going on. Such sessions are carried out under the supervision of the producer. Depending on the size of the project, they may even be responsible for setting up of the equipment in the studio before the start of the session and discussing what the end product should sound like with the producer and artist. Other duties include setting up, testing and adjusting recording equipment, regulating volume level and sound quality when recording is in session, and mixing and editing voices and music.
The average yearly salary for an audio engineer is approximately $54,000, with individual salaries ranging from $29,000 to $160,000+, depending on factors like experience and the size of the project. Employment is expected to grow roughly at 13%, the same pace as the average through 2018. Those in search of entry-level jobs will face tough competition, especially in major metropolitan areas, because of the glamour associated with working in television or radio.
Production Assistant
Being a production assistant is a good start in the field of music production jobs, as many producers get started by working in this position. An assistant is the producerís right hand person, carrying out all the legwork for a session. The assistant takes care of all scheduling duties like studio time, musicians and making sure everyone is present. They also perform all administrative duties assigned.
The production assistant job is the stepping stone to bigger things in the audio production industry. It is the most sought after position for interns as it provides the opportunity to learn about everything going on in an audio recording studio. Music production assistants earn an average salary of $30,000.
Studio Manager
A studio manager sees the daily operations of music recording studios. Generally, they are the conduits between the engineers, producers and music artists. A studio manager is responsible for handling budgeting, marketing and other business related tasks on behalf of the studio. According to SimplyHired, as of June 2011, the average salary of studio managers is $39,000.
Mastering Engineer
Mastering engineers take older recording formats like an analog tape and master it to be digitally released on CD. At times, mastering engineers have to deal with even older formats, truly testing their expertise. The average annual salary of mastering engineers is $60,000. They can vary greatly, however, depending on company, location, industry, and experience.
The audio production career outlook appears to have great potential, with professionals getting higher salaries than most common jobs. For individuals wanting to pursue a career in audio production, the options are numerous. With the entertainment and related industries getting bigger, the number of jobs on offer keeps increasing, but supply of workers still outnumbers jobs. Jobs in broadcasting, multimedia, video, film, advertising and music production will continue to grow in the coming years. The demand for audio producers and related jobs has never increased this quickly in the past.
In order to succeed in the field, one has to be passionate about music. Music production is competitive, requiring long hours before pay becomes attractive. Only people with dedication and a passion for music can stick to it long enough for it to pay off.