Sound Engineering:

The Interplay Between Industry, Technology, & Culture

By Warren Ersly

What is Sound Engineering?

Sound Engineering encompasses many fields, but always involves one of the following:Sound System ElectronicsAcousticsPsychoacousticsMusicLive SoundStudio Recording

Audio Engineering takes place both Live, and in the Studio Live

Configuring the Acoustics of a Room

Designing Sound Systems

Mixing & Controlling Live Sound

Even some live performers apply the ideas of Audio Engineering – DJ’s for instance.

StudioPost Production

(Television & Film)Studio RecordingMixingMasteringRadioGame Design

The Evolution of Audio Engineering - Technology

Phonoautograph – 1857, Leon Scott Horn directs sound waves to a flexible diaphragm that captures and

transfers sound to stylus and lever assembly that scratches the sound waves into a carbon or glass cylinder

Phonograph – 1877, Thomas Edison Condenser Microphone - 1917 Vinyl & Electronic Amplifiers – 1920’s Magnetic Film Strip/Early Tapes – 1933 Digital Recording & Compact Discs – Experimented with during

the 60’s & 70’s, reached commercial markets by the 80’s; used in most homes by 90’s.

Purely Digital Media – 2001 (Napster & iTunes)

The Evolution of Audio Engineering - Culture & Industry The original phonoautographs & phonographs were

marketed as court reporting, stenography, or dictation machines.

1899 – Phonograph industry dying, until coin-operated version is installed in penny arcades; recording industry resurges as music based industry.

1960’s – Tape & Film technology provides impetus for editing, splicing, and layering of sound. Results in:

Higher quality recordingsMore competitive/creative industryHigher importance in the role of the record producerMore careers in the study of acoustics, systems design, and studio recording mechanics.

□ 2001 – Complete digitization of recorded media allows for increased exposure for artists; controversial due to legalities.

Applied Sounds:Audio Engineering Today

Studio Hand Producer Applied Audio Technician Mixing/Mastering Professional Live Sound Technician Systems Designer

Conclusions?

Technology develops independently of it's creators intents.

Culture influences how we use and identify with certain technology.

Technological ingenuity can make or break entire industries.

Sources CitedAn Audio Timeline. (n.d.). Audio Engineering Society (AES). Retrieved September

8, 2011, from http://www.aes.org/aeshc/docs/audio.history.timeline.html

Audio engineering - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (n.d.). Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved September 6, 2011, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound_engineering

The History of Sound Recording Technology. (n.d.). The History of Sound Recording Technology. Retrieved September 7, 2011, from http://recording-history.org/

The Recording Connection | Audio Engineering and Music Producing School. (n.d.). The Recording Connection | Audio Engineering and Music Producing School. Retrieved September 8, 2011, from http://www.recordingconnection

Photo Cites http://recording-history.org/ (phonoautograph, tape studio, slide 1)

http://therecordingrevolution.com/tag/daw/ (mixing board, slide 1)

http://en.metalship.org/bands/Slayer (SLAYER, slide 2)

http://pnutbutterjams.com/tag/laidback-luke/page/2/ (Laid Back Luke, Slide 3)

http://www.victoryrecords.com/betweentheburiedandme (Between the Buried & Me, Slide 3)

http://photo-dict.faqs.org/phrase/5853/tape-recorder.html (Magnetic Film Strip, Slide 4)

http://printmatic.net/index.php/poll-do-you-still-have-a-cassette-tape-player.html (Cassette Tape, Slide 4)

http://www.thelostplanet.net/vinyl/ (Dark Side of the Moon on Vinyl, Slide 4)

http://www.freefoto.com/preview/04-12-16/Compact-Disc (Compact Disc, Slide 4)

http://www.techcritiques.com/The_TechCritiques/Tech_Critiques_Podcasts/Entries/2008/5/23_Napster_vs_iTunes.html (Napster v. iTunes, Slide 4)

http://www.tapecenter.com/alsplicbloca.html (Tape Splicing, Slide 5)

http://www.studioray.net/ (Recording Studio, Slide 5)