Sound designer

Sound designers use technology in imaginative ways to produce audio for moving images in a range of mediums, including film, radio, TV, video games, and theatre

As a sound designer, you'll work as part of a creative and multidisciplinary team. You'll be responsible for creating sounds for media projects, shaping appropriate atmosphere, tempo, and overall effect.

You'll learn to be hyperaware of the everyday noises happening around you and be able to incorporate these into your work. This is especially true when creating sounds for radio or video games.

Sound designers are sometimes known as sound supervisors or sound technicians.

Types of sound design roles

You'll usually choose a sector to specialise in, such as:

• advertising
• cinema
• film
• video games
• radio and podcasts
• television
• theatre
• virtual reality.

Responsibilities

As a sound designer, you'll typically need to:

• develop the sound concept for a project and a sound map, which is a way of representing audio in a particular environment
• work with a storyboard from a script or project description
• use digital sound processing (DSP) to manipulate and synthesise (produce electronically) sound and music
• enhance or distort sounds using samplers, synthesisers, and audio plug-ins
• mix audio using a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW)
• work alongside other professionals, including technicians and engineers, directors, composers, musicians, actors, and producers.

In theatre:

• create abstract sounds that evoke feelings or emotions, as well as suggest place, time, mood, and atmosphere
• decide how the audio will be played in the theatre, such as controlling the volume, duration, and where sounds come from
• source and edit music, including using microphones - either headsets or mics positioned around the stage - to amplify performers' voices
• design a sound system that encompasses a three-dimensional space, which involves the audience as well as the performers
• reinforce and amplify individual vocals to ensure they can be heard but still belong to the performer rather than obviously coming from a loudspeaker elsewhere
• liaise with the director and performers, as well as the other technicians involved in the show.

In video games, film and television:

• use different sound implementation systems such as Wwise, FMOD, as well as the Unity and Unreal engines
• use in-game implementation systems, which make use of development tools to integrate sound into a project via a game engine
• use systems that could include UE4 Blueprints, Max MSP or other visual logic systems
• compose and engineer music
• assist in post-production by improving sound quality or adding sound over video
• record, layer and produce sounds and effects for a desired impact
• spot, arrange and edit audio into video or other delivery mechanisms.

Salary

• As an entry-level sound designer, you can earn in the region of £18,000, but it may depend on the area you work in - for example someone who works on live productions may earn an average of £25,000
• The average yearly salary for a designer with more than five years' experience is £27,000.
• Experienced designers can expect to earn between £37,000 and £45,000.

Salaries may be paid as a day rate or a full-time wage, depending on your employment status.

Most sound designers work in a freelance capacity, so you may need to set your own rate. The exception is in larger games studios, where designers are usually employed as part of the in-house team.

Working hours

The hours you'll work are very much dependent on the sector you're in. 

In theatres, for example, you'll likely be working long hours during the rehearsal stages. You may also be involved during performance dates, which can be for day and/or evening performances.

If a show is touring, you may be expected to accompany it, which means you'll be away from home for a period of time.

In other areas of sound design, such as in a studio, you may have a more regular working pattern though you may be required to work late or on weekends to meet deadlines.

It's not uncommon for designers and engineers to work between 10 and 14 hours a day.

What to expect

• At a senior level, the audio industry is male-dominated. The Audio Engineering Society (AES) has tried to address this by sponsoring female students to attend conferences and initiating company schemes. The award–winning agency Resister is run by women and helps promote inclusivity in music.
• You'll do much of your work within a team, which could include collaborating with video content producers, game level designers, graphic designers, and programmers.
• Each sector has different expectations. For example sound designers in theatre must attend rehearsals and develop sounds for a live performance within a specific time period. Conversely, those working in film will do the majority of their work in a studio during the post-production stage. Sound design for video games is a hybrid area, which utilises elements of fixed media alongside live performance.

Qualifications

Although it's not necessary for you to have any formal educational qualifications to become a sound engineer, a strong background in audio, music mixing, music technology, and sound design will be very beneficial.

As competition is increasing, it's becoming more common for new entrants to have HNDs, foundation degrees, and honours degrees in subjects such as:

• music - including digital music, music production and music technology
• sound and audio engineering
• live sound technology
• sound for film, TV and games
• sound design
• sound for the moving image.

Additionally, level 1 or level 2 certifications in Pro Tools and Wwise are sought after.

Alongside any academic qualifications, it's essential that you have a portfolio to showcase to potential clients and employers, as well as relevant work experience.

Skills

You'll need to have:

• a passion for all things related to sound
• the ability to research and pitch your ideas to senior colleagues
• an understanding of how sound complements other elements of a production, including set, lighting, moving image, or an interactive virtual world
• the ability to record in a studio and on location
• troubleshooting and problem-solving know-how
• the capability to mix in a variety of formats, including Stereo Dolby Atmos, as well as spatial audio
• abilities in a range of post-production skills, such as editing, mixing, and mastering
• competency using Steam as a creation platform if your interest is in audio engineering for video games
• knowledge of acoustics
• an understanding of setting up and calibrating equipment
• a broad understanding of the structure of the media you'll be working in, whether that's film, TV, or games
• fluency in MMOD and/or Wwise as interactive audio solutions for a range of media
• knowledge of scripting systems for games, which dictate when sound files are activated during play
• proficiency using live sound production audio systems for theatre
• competency in the use of Max MSP and Pure Data for music composition and multimedia programming
• video editing skills, including use of Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut, Avid, and Avid Media Composer
• ability to use Pyramix, Fairlight, SADiE, or Cubase digital audio workstations
• knowledge of other professional software, such as Logic Pro, Pro Tools, Sound Forge, and Cool Edit Pro
• knowledge of game engines, such as Unreal and Unity
• good time-management and organisational skills for meeting delivery specifications and deadlines.

Work experience

Relevant experience is essential to gain entry to the competitive world of audio engineering. This could be as an enthusiastic amateur creating your own sounds and building up a portfolio.

Make sure to get involved in any aspect of sound design to build up your skills and experience. This could be at live events and festivals, student stage, film and television productions, as well as local radio stations.

It's common to start working as a runner and then progress up to an assistant re-recording mixer or assistant sound editor. From there, you can make the leap to sound editor and, finally, designer.

To work in the games industry, you'll need to show evidence of having worked on AAA games (those that are produced largely by major publishers and studios). Alternatively, if you have indie experience, any future employer may want to know if the game sold well.

Find out more about the different kinds of work experience and internships that are available.

Employers

The audio industry has a wealth of employers and companies working across a multitude of disciplines. Everything from local theatre to music performances to gaming to film requires the assistance of sound engineers.

Employers of sound designers include:

• major mainstream television studios
• film production companies
• AAA games studios
• radio stations, both local and national
• theatres
• advertising agencies
• independent - or 'indie' - game, film, or television production companies
• mobile phone and app developers
• virtual reality developers.

Look for vacancies at:

• Audio Engineering Society
• InGame Jobs
• Games Jobs Direct
• Grapevine
• Hitmarker
• My First Job in Film

Many job vacancies are never advertised, and companies will employ sound designers directly through their reputation and word of mouth. Some positions will be filled via an internal promotion.

Professional development

As with many careers, you'll continue learning and developing new skills. Most sound designers consistently improve their knowledge and experience throughout their professional lives. As the industry relies on technology, it's important to keep up to date with new tools and technological advances. Joining an association or society can help give you access to many useful resources to help you progress.

The Association of Sound Designers (ASD) has created a community for professionals working in the theatre. They offer a wide range of free training seminars that members can attend in-person or access online.

The Association of Motion Picture Sound (AMPS) works with professionals within the film, television, and video game industries. They offer excellent networking opportunities through screenings and social events. Additionally, they organise and run a number of technical training seminars for members to attend.

Another helpful organisation is the Audio Engineering Society (AES), which organises events and produces publications, as well as many other essential services for those working in the audio industry.

Career prospects

It's rare to be able to go straight into a sound designer role, as this is often a more senior position. The more traditional route is for you to possibly start as a runner, working your way up to assistant editor, followed by sound or FX editor, where you'd finally become a designer or supervisor.

In the career hierarchy, sound designer is usually the rung down from director, along with other technical lead roles.