Day at Work: Audio Engineer

Kevin Weber is an audio engineer, producer, and owner of Spliggityfidge, a recording studio in Emeryville, CA. As part of ConnectEd's "Day in the Life" series, Kevin talks about the skills needed to be an audio engineer and the path he took to get there.
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[@Snortpizza]

This is honestly one of the coolest jobs ever in my opinion.

[@frankzilla447]

I'm a mechanical engineer so I'm glad he mentioned his engineering background, which is kinda weird

[@100lilmichaeljordan]

I'm an artist but I don't wanna have to rely on anyone so much to where I can't do it without them so I start school for music engineering​ July 3 really looking forward to this🔥

[@el_ation1285]

mykell gibson super lucky, good luck!

[@jonathanbennett9537]

I love how the audio is over-modulated on a video about audio engineering ... I am a broadcast engineer and he is too close to the mic.

[@buuuuuuuuug]

+Jonathan Bennett 0:20 Nowhere near the mic. But I agree, it's ironic to have shitty audio on a video about audio engineering.

[@QualityTouchEnt]

it's so true that there's more to a good sound than equipment; the people, the vibe, the ideas, creativity, energy, the skill, the talent, understanding and a trained ear for music ALL contribute.

[@ThomasZink67]

everyone who tried to make a good sound, knows, how difficult it is.

[@nickdeweese1832]

fell in love with engineering @ 12, been on and on since thankfully @ 21 im getting back into It. -DMG.

[@pbobassist]

I'm currently doing my undergrad in mechanical engineering but it has always been my dream to be in audio engineering. This is pretty reassuring.

[@Inspirmentalist]

my dream job.

[@Mecduhall91]

same my dream aswell

[@kingjames7883]

Same

[@RealHomeRecording]

To me, working for free should never be someone's dream. But hey, to each their own!

[@AbhayadevS]

cool man.. i am also in the same path.. having an engineering degree in communication now started own home studio.. run for your passion..

[@superdupertuper9640]

that is so rad . engineering is the way to go , bros!!

[@audioplugg5310]

Engineering is boooooring. the way to go is Music Producer.

[@evansneo7597]

audio engineering brings more cash as they ain't many pp doin it nd producr needs an engineer to master the song

[@GalacticPrince0101]

Audio Plugg You're right But, you also need to learn Sound Design and Audio in making MY music sound GOOD.

[@audioplugg5310]

Mr Liu Kango of course, but just being a flat out sound engineer is boring in my opinion; to each his own. your average sound engineer can't make a beat to save his life, but in turn he can bring that beat to life sonically. a music producer can do both jobs, but doesn't really have the time to master the beat. I mix my beats down to where they sound great/professional. they still need to be mastered though.

[@GalacticPrince0101]

Audio Plugg I think you're just closed minded about it.

[@mcblahflooper94]

So true. When people start loosening up and relaxing, the takes go by a lot quicker, I've found. Making the experience comfortable is VERY important.

[@codylujan]

I would like to go to college for this, but it looks super overwhelming

[@StratMatt777]

Degree: Not required Money to build studio: Mandatory

[@wav.yliving]

This is what I want to be. I need to know what steps it takes to get to this level though, anyone know?

[@ZacharyLindwildcard1250]

Belmont in Nashville, Tennessee

[@husnaamani2116]

***** where?

[@thomashollingsworth9048]

no jams There's alot, but some of the most known and recognized are CRAS: Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences which I'm a student at, SAE Institute, and Musicians Institute to name a few. CRAS is more afforable than alot of the schools, check them out! They're located in Gilbert, AZ and Tempe, AZ and have produced some Grammy, Emmy, Oscar, etc winners. Also, some of the graduates have worked on games like: Gears of War and The Last Of Us just to name a few.

[@AngelofAnguish]

SickestRap You can go to the Art Institute for your audio/music engineering needs.

[@husnaamani2116]

where is it?

[@JoelBouchillon]

@ 3:00 PT native recording: remember, to set the buffer size as low as possible, say around 32 ms. And for playback/remix buffer size 1024.

[@bpncali2005]

I agree 100% the experience in the studio has to be as cool as possible and that happens when they make you feel at home. Some places because the engineer feels he is "bigger" than life, he looks down on the musicians and makes them feel uncomfortable, and that really shows on your performance! but when you feel at home and they are truly friendly then you perform full of inspiration. Millions of $ in equipment does NOT necessarily make you perform better, it's the warmth of the people there.

[@DonovanGogarty]

I just graduated from high school with an interest in recording and I am a drummer myself involved in multiple types of bands my school offered, but I'll be entering college with an unknown path. Any suggestions on what to do in college to continue this interest? I'm thinking of just buying the minimum (protools, fasttrack, keyboard, mic) and starting connections and recording people just to gain experience and knowledge of protools.

[@astralkidd]

Great video. Good for you Kevin...

[@abhijeetbaliga5198]

Do I need to know how to play an instrument to venture into audio engineeringing?

[@CatoNoise]

audio engineers are the best, obviously....love the video!

[@kanelauren1]

No real 'one-size-fits-all' answer to your question. However, this is somewhat typical of the path a lot of engineers follow. (Maybe minus the other engineering degrees, as in his case) My path was obviously different in the sense that I learned the dynamic of producing /audio engineering from sitting in control rooms with engineers for hours upon hours through many sessions over the yrs. Some people simply enroll in Recording school, such as Full Sail Recording in Fla etc... Also many around Austin area. Those are good but must be followed up with 'real life-hands on' studio session experience. I find that one will learn as much simply 'interning' under another established engineer. I'll try to send more links of recording school. D

[@JustSujC]

Must really love doing audio engineering to switch from a job that requires a masters from Berkeley to recording garage bands. I wonder if his salary is anywhere near what it was before.

[@EPGTR]

Very cool. Thanks for your post.

[@synchroflip123]

Diving right in....very awsome

[@simsgamer007]

I'm working with pro tools 11 right now and I'm wondering what plug ins you are using.

[@markt8517]

what the hell i thought this was a day in life

[@TheMrdistortion]

Very interesting video, Thanks for putting it up!

[@TrueGamerWoo]

such a nice job

[@geeemm7519]

Nice piece. Just one thing. DOE "makes" nukes. LM makes the missile that would carry them. Did he say "tape machine"?

[@DAVIDSDIEGO]

Great insight, thanks!

[@serei_oque_serei]

Hi! Congrats!!! Nice video!! I'd like to know how to make my voice sounds like I were under the water, in distance, on the telephone, using a mask, high above the mountain , inside a coffin, behind the door, in a church robot voice.. etc. How to modifying the sound of the voice according to the ambient/atmosphere? What kind of software should I use? How can I learn to make voice effects? What name of the person who work with sound effects? I would like to learn all about this to improve my fandubs! :) Thanks.

[@Akreem]

Me too i have political science degree and left everything and start my own studio .

[@ShadoutMusicOfficial]

***** its called willpower friend, not everybody are ready for that kind of transformation and its the reason not everybody do what they love to do, takes a lot of courage and strength to delve into something new and unknown

[@filip_g]

@connectEd 1:15 that is not (mumble). he says Stanislawski's

[@ConnectEdNational]

Aha! Thanks, @fgrzejszczyk. We had no idea! I did a little research and made the change to the subtitles. Learned something new, thanks to you!!! "The Stanislavski method or system is a set of techniques used by actors to portray emotions on stage by putting themselves in the place of the character."

[@j.lindback]

Speaking of that: I wonder about 1:31, are you sure you didn't mean Otari tape machines...? Great video, btw!

[@david_dacanay]

Can you be an audio engineer and record your own music at the same time? I've wondered if becoming an audio engineer could help me in trying to get that sound that I'm looking for when I record myself.

[@david_dacanay]

I'm sorry if I may sound stupid but music is my passion and I just want to find a way to get started

[@stevencarithers6254]

+David Dacanay dude of course you can, that's a reason half of these guys even learn how to do it.

[@carlsmith2011]

hey cool video!

[@mynormiguel]

Question is there any anything to control mixing console from backstage we have a 24 ch Yamaha analog and I would like to know if there is a cable or something to control the mixing volume from outside of the stage

[@ConfessionsOfAnImposter]

Thanks, that was really helpfull! and interesting...

[@TheFuzzyboy1976]

I like to record raw.. Just a mic and an instrument with just some equalizer and compression not too many sound effects, I like the artist to sound as natural as he can in the studio as in a concert

[@isaace.2244]

Do you sound proof your room or acoustically treat it

[@THYRDEYE]

supporting yourself as an indy artist

[@simsgamer007]

What plug ins do you use

[@tito619ramirez]

What are the steps to get your own recording studio like him?

[@drummist515]

Tito Ramirez do what he said. "record yourself, record your band.." =)

[@JoeAdlington]

Is there many jobs in the uk for this?

[@carlsmith2011]

cool

[@AndrewZeleno1]

nice level of recording. try to use 24 bits insted of 10. lol

[@spark300c]

go to show that people when mechanical engineering degrees can be flexible. I have mechanical tech degree and find out that music as hobby has technical side in terms of production. more so than draw a picture. if make sense to make musician comfortable becuase if feel uncomfortable that feeling will be expressed in there music. sometimes musicians give off unconscious feelings into there music that not every one picks up on.

[@Thespeedrap]

I'm taking a class based on thisMy real profession is to be a recording artist if not I'm would like to around music that's I'm trying to be a audio engineer or producer also hey maybe I can get connected that way also.

[@Shade878]

How's the pay in this career path?

[@kingjames7883]

LJ It really can vary...mostly 30k to 60k annually.

[@r3dacted666]

IMO, the pay is pretty good. It falls in around the $45,000-$55,000 area. Of course, it all depends on where or who you work for. If you're working for a well known record label, you could be expecting excellent pay IF you're good at what you do. Some sites I've seen go no lower than $45,000ish, however, others put out a figure of about $82,000ish as the highest. Like I said, the average is about $50,000 according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics back in 2011, I believe. You're best bet is to do some research and just look around until you find what you're looking for. Who knows, you may even find out more about it than you know.

[@ohh338]

I wanted to be like Roland and have my own Neptune's Kitchen if you will.. I still want to do that somehow

[@13superdude2]

Anyone know if you can make a comfortable living out of this in the UK?

[@__Leon__]

+Dialogue with the Stars record have fun and try to make money

[@doddijones]

It's Otari tape machine not Atari.

[@yyguuyg]

That part where the artist is complaining about latency... wow, that issue should have been sorted out before the artist ever got there

[@naingoohtun6716]

I feel like this is going to be me. But with a civil engineering degree. Haha.

[@bshbeater]

i need an internship

[@TheScoutGuyYTPs]

i need a life,.

[@hanksduncansakasparks8887]

what u doing its what is ma panssion and dream job bro incase of any hwelps i will garttfull thanks

[@jarredgarrison4049]

yeah id like to be one, but im not a brainy, mean where I live, we only have so many schools and they these schools i cannot get into or consoder going to, I have a genreal deplima and thts it, nothing special, sound slike u gotta be an honor student to do this, i barley made it out of high school, i dropped out and went back, i look back on it and wonder if there was a point on me compleating high school......cuzz its not gettingme anything, even tho i went to school for twelve years to find out i cant do what i wanna do all becuase of a fucking test score, this world is soo depressing =, they need to make this shit eaiser to get into, like i am willing to learn it ba=ecuase i am intereste, i have a basic studio, but dnt know how to mix or master i just record myself, but dnt know how to do it right, and im serious bout my music and when i show people my recprdings, they will prolly think im some kinda joke becuase I dnt know how to use nor do I understand what a compresser really is, i tought my self how to play guitar when i was 5 ears old, i know i have ears, but I dnt have the brain of an I.U student nor a purdue student, harbor, etc......could someone here tell me the hole thow down and crush my dreams? cuzz im tired of thinking bout this and i feel like im looking into this for nothing, becuase im not an I.U student i cant get tht, just like i cant get a drummer, a band going, a girl friend becuase im not fucking vauleable enough to teach , cuzz the stae says im too fucking stupid, dnt even know why the fuck I finsihed high school for real, cant even go to colledge so wtf

[@AugustusTitus]

Almost like.. one of the core parts of physics understood by engineers is waves... and sound is made up of waves...

[@MrRockamontv]

is this guy really using Pro Tools!?

[@Metaljesuslol]

r u trollin?

[@Cardellt]

Board outdated and demoted to paper desk?!?!?!?!

[@dmackiii5534]

-Are you able to get the same jobs with a CERTIFICATE in audio engineering that I would with a DEGREE in audi engineering ?

[@tramon13]

i went from making nuclear bombs to bomb beats story of this guys life. lol. and they say wen u grow up you cant be all u wanna be.

[@allikazzzzi]

have luck ;)

[@yyguuyg]

That band sounded awful

[@owensolmen9178]

the audio in this video sucks!

[@ConnectEdNational]

Agreed. We've definitely improved our production capabilities and skills over the years. Also, everyone has a bad day once in a while. We published this video anyway because we think it has good information even with the less than stellar audio.