Take a second to recollect the last song you heard. It may have been an upbeat pop jingle, a hip hop track, or even a somber ballad. Perhaps it was a piece a bit more esoteric in nature; chiptune, for example, is a type of music composed entirely with digital instruments reminiscent of those used in old video games! As we are all much aware, music, the art of sound, can be expressed in a myriad of ways, and we can classify its characteristics into an array of genres nearly too vast to be quantified. While that song you listened to could have fallen anywhere on the spectrum of musical styles, you can be nearly certain that it is identical to any other in one very important way: it is a product of audio engineering and a fruit of the labor that is music production. The sonic qualities of music are easy enough to appreciated by any listener, but the procedures through which those instruments and tones could mesh so mellifluously is very seldom considered. The ability to intertwine recordings and effects into a cohesive musical work is a technical skill that can be just as difficult to master as any instrument. As mixer and producer Phil Elk so vividly puts it, “Engineering is the technical aspect of recording - the placing of microphones, the turning of pre-amp knobs, the setting of levels. The physical recording of any project is done by an engineer.” An artist without any knowledge of music production or a producer to help him will not make it very far along the path to recognition. In most cases, a song or album’s fruition will have equal dependence on both the musician’s contribution and the engineer’s. To illustrate this, think about how a movie channels from the mind of a writer to the big screen. The plot, setting, and characters may all be incorporated into an enchanting story, but without a team of dedicated editors, those captivating scenes may never leave the paper or computer document they were written on. While there are independent filmmakers out there who possess the ability to conceive the framework for, film, direct, and compile the footage, Jaws certainly isn’t the sole result of Spielberg’s effort. Further illustrating this point, there are many aspects of a play that call on the work of people other than actors and writers in order for the show to proceed. A musical could not possibly function without stagehands on board to manipulate backgrounds, props, and even characters as queued. Just a month ago I went to see a theatrical presentation of The Wizard of Oz. Toto surely didn’t run and leap into Dorothy’s arms on a personal whim! Suffice it to say, audio engineers are a force not to be taken for granted. They allow the ideas of instrumentalists and vocalists to manifest as polished products that are easy to digest and enjoy. They are the reason why enthusiast-grade audio gear, luxury headphones a prime example, is sought after in the market, and they keep audiophiles - those with an insatiable passion for sound of the highest quality - hot in pursuit of their ideal soundstage.
Understand that I have been using the terms “engineer” and “producer” interchangeably; there is a distinction between the two, but they are generally, albeit erroneously, perceived as synonymous. While the engineer handles the technical practice of editing and stitching together a song, the producer offers creative direction and songwriting advice to the musician. That said, it is common for the engineer also to wear the hat of the producer, providing the mixing of the track as well as creative input. What I regularly do moreso falls under the category of audio engineering, as I focus only on my own recordings.