What is the difference between a sound designer, sound editor, audio engineer, and mixing engineer?
In: 7095
Here’s what I understand so far:
**Audio Engineer** is mainly just an umbrella term for the following, but it can possibly maybe be used interchangeably with recording engineer.
A **recording engineer** specializes in audio equipment and is able to make sure that all equipment is placed properly and recorded well so that the mixing engineer or sound editor has good material to work with. These may also be called an A2.
A **sound designer** works to figure out what sounds a movie needs, and find or create those sounds.
A **sound editor** is a general editor, similar to a YouTube editor, who specializes in sound, making sure that the content from the recording engineer or sound designer is stitched together, adjusted, and balanced in a way that sounds nice. A sound editor can also double as a mixing/mastering engineer in smaller settings.
A **mixing engineer**, sometimes doubling as a mastering engineer or mistaken for a mastering engineer, makes sure that all of the sounds in a movie, performance, or song are balanced and equalized. This is also the job performed by a live audio engineer, except, y’know, not live. These may also be called an A1.
(Bonus: A **mastering engineer** adjusts smaller details like EQ and other things that may have been missed along the way; makes sure the final mix is polished and ready for distribution from a professional standpoint.)
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