Introduction   

How to be a Recording Engineer

Many people choose to become recording engineers because they want to party all day. That's great for the first few decades, but soon they will realize that it is a complex job and an art. Understanding what all the knobs do is just the beginning. Being a recording engineer is not just about using electronic equipment, it is also about effectively capturing music, sound effects, or the spoken word. The studio is just a tool. Often so is the studio manager, but that's another story.

I invite you to go through this book, choose the things you find applicable, and leave the rest. There are a few items covered that are also in the Assistant Engineers Handbook but overlap is kept to a minimum. Note that the term ‘he’ is used strictly for ease. There is ample work for everyone, he or she.

Some of the enclosed tips are from other engineers, some are standard studio practice, and some were learned while on the job. All of them have helped me in the studio, and I hope they will help you too.

Thank you very much for reading this book, and good luck as a recording engineer. It can be lucrative and it can be draining. Take the good with the bad, experiment, stay up late, and have fun.

May your shirts always be louder than your speakers.

Good luck.

Tim Crich