Music Career Project
Name: Period:​ (​ example: 6A5)
Checklist to Complete Assignment
Read​ the article
Complete ​From the Source​ ​Section #1
Complete ​In Your Own Words​ Section #2
Complete ​Your Final Job Description​ Section #3
Complete ​Best Fact to Share​ Section #4
Complete ​Think About It​ ​Section #5
Complete the ​Career Jump Activity ​Section #6
Is my work ​nea​t, in ​complete sentences​, and ​each
section is completed​.
Fill out this information based on the information on the ​Music Careers Website​. Don’t use other sources!
#1 From the Source
Job Title: Sound technician
Career Overview:​ Sets up and uses soundboard
and other sound equipment during concerts or
performances, ensuring that levels are correct and
the sound mix is right.
About this Music Career ​(Career Description)
1. Sound Technicians use the soundboard and other
audio equipment to ensure sound levels are correct
and the sound is mixed well.
2. Their work is the finishing touch on the artist’s
performance, guaranteeing that the music sounds
good for both the performer onstage and for the
people in the crowd.
3. In some cases they also assist with lighting and
special effects.
4.They work with the Club General Manager, Talent
Booker, Production Technicians, Maintenance Team,
the act’s Tour Manager and the musicians
themselves.
5.
Salary
1.$60,000 to $120,000+
Music Career Project Grading
_____​Individual Participation During Project
❏ 3 on task, involved all the time
❏ 2 on task, involved most of the time
❏ 1 off task, wasting time, teacher reminders to
work needed/not on task, ignores teacher
reminders
_____​Completed Project
❏ 3 all tasks complete, in detail, neat, and
thoughtful
❏ 2 all tasks complete, satisfactory answers,
and legible, most tasks complete, answers are
brief and not detailed, work is sloppy
❏ 1 few tasks complete, answers are incomplete,
and little effort is shown
#2 In Your Own Words
Job Title:
Career Overview: Uses a soundboard and other
equipment to make sure everything sounds right
About this Music Career ​(Career Description)
1. Sets up everything to ensure the sound levels are
correct.
2. Makes the artist sound better
3.might also do special effects and lightings
4. Work with the ​Club General Manager, Talent
Booker, Production Technicians, Maintenance Team,
the act’s Tour Manager and the musicians.
5.
Salary
1.​.$60,000 to $120,000+
 Music Career Project
2.Freelance Sound Technicians are paid per event. 2.You may be paid per event id you don’t only work
Sound Technicians who work regularly at a venue at one place
are salaried.

Employment Employment

1.After learning the necessary technical skills to work 1. Talk to people who are doing the same job and
the soundboard, how do you get a job? Go out and shadow.
talk to people who are currently working sound, and
build those relationships. Thoms advises, “Bother
everyone… but in a way that isn’t annoying! I got
almost every job I’ve ever had by being in the right
place and showing an interest – most places
welcome shadowing, and even if you don’t have the
experience they’d need to send you out on a job,
they will notice that you are keen.

2.They’ll be more interested in whether you bring half 2. Make sure to talk, it makes you more appealing.
decent chat to the table, and as long as you know
one end of an XLR from the other they’ll find
something for you to do. Ask the questions they don’t
get asked all the time, and show an interest in
learning on the job.”

Advancement Advancement

1.Chris Thoms, Production Manager at London’s 1. If your freelance you get paid per event. But
famed Ministry of Sound club has extensive if you have a regular venue you will be
experience as a Sound Technician. When starting salaried.
off, he says, “If you’re freelance it’s very much gig to
gig, if you’re in-house somewhere then it’s usually
salaried with advancement taking place as you
progress in your role or take on management duties”
(such as his job as Production Manager).
Advancement can also mean getting hired to work at
a more prestigious venue.

2. 2.

Education and Training Education and Training

1.Many aspiring Sound Techs start off by essentially 1.Get “apprenticed” or having a degree in college.
apprenticing themselves to working Sound
Technicians, assisting them for free in exchange for
their experience and tutelage. A degree in production
or audio engineering from a trade school or college
can also help an aspiring Sound Technician learn the
ropes. Hands-on experience is essential for learning,
so any program you’re interested in should have
internship or work opportunities. And be sure that the
program you attend is well-regarded and has
instructors with current, real-world experience.
 Music Career Project
2.Thoms says, “Both ways can work. The only 2. A music technology class may help your education
education in sound I actually undertook was a Music of being a sound technician.
Technology AS level which was pretty pointless – I
ended up helping to teach the course because there
was nobody qualified to run it, and I knew my way
around Cubase fairly well! Education isn’t for
everyone, but there are some great courses out
there these days, far more than when I was looking
at uni back in the early 2000s.”

Experience, Skills, and Personality Experience, Skills, and Personality

1.The only way to get the necessary experience and 1.Just go out and get more experience in an
skills to work as a paid Sound Technician is to get environment that will be necessary for the job.
out into a nightclub environment and learn on the job.
Having people skills is also important in a business
that depends so much on whether people want to
spend late nights working with and relying on you.
Thomas says, “I was a nerdy kid who was always
into both lighting and sound and I have always had
an interest in music and production

2.For the role I’m in now (Production Manager), I 2.Need to know a lot of stuff and need to know how
need to be as competent in specifying, designing and to use a lot of technology.
operating lighting, video and laser systems as I am
building sound systems, mixing bands or monitors.
Similarly, the job is actually very little about knowing
which buttons to press, or even technically doing the
right thing all that often

3.the most important aspect is that you’re 3.Make yourself approachable, able to work well in a
approachable, work well in a team and have the group and have the ability to put other people at
ability to put artists and clients at ease, and deliver ease.
their show confidently and professionally. Your
personality is the most important thing you can bring
to the table. That’s what gets you employed above
anything else.”

Unions and Associations Unions and Associations

1.There isn’t a specific union for Sound Technicians 1. Some sound technicians might be members of the
at nightclubs and concert venues, although some Audio Engineering Society.
might be members of the Audio Engineering Society.

2.Thoms suggests using online resources to further 2. To further educate yourself use online resources
your education and skill set. “So much information is and makes sure you know how to work different
out there on the internet if you download manuals sound boards.
and free software from manufacturers’ websites you
can learn how most lighting and sound consoles
work, so when you’re faced with one in the real
world, you’re already pretty up to speed on how the
thing works. Once you know a couple of desks you
can very quickly learn others, and eventually, it really
 Music Career Project
doesn’t matter what desk they give you (as long as
it’s not an LS9, they’re just horrible),” he says.

Suggestions for Getting Started Suggestions for Getting Started

1.“Be proactive, and take every opportunity to 1.Make sure to take every opportunity and don’t be
shadow, help out for free, just turn up and make the annoying or lazy.
tea, whatever it takes to get your foot in the door.
Once you’re through the door, don’t mess it up by
being annoying, lazy or getting too big for your boots.

2.Be helpful when the situation demands it, invisible 2. Always be helpful and ready chat with people.
when you need to be, and bring some good chat –
you’ll probably be working some long hours, so it
can’t all be about noise & lights.

#3 Your Final Job Description:​ ​Convince someone this is the best job in the music
industry! Write in complete thoughts and sentences IYOW. When you read this out loud, it
should be about 30 seconds.

This s the best job in the music industry because it is fun and you get to do many things with
the sound boards. Sound technicians get to make sure everything is perfect and even touch
up a singers voice. Sound technicians also get to use the sound board which is really fun.

#4 Best Fact to Share: ​Write one sentence summarizing and highlighting the best part
about this job.

The best part of this job is using the soundboard because it puts you in control and i really
fun.
#5 Think About It
-List 3 school subjects that would be useful to know to perform this job.
1. Music
2. stem
3. CMA
-Would this job be a good fit for you? Why or why not? Support your opinion in complete
sentences.

I think this job would be a good fit for me because it is fun and you get to make things sound
however you like, unless you have instructions from someone else.

(THIS SECTION IS AN IN-CLASS ACTIVITY! DO NOT DO ANYTHING WITH THIS YET!)

#6 Career Jump Activity:​ ​Quickly write down the job title and one interesting thing
about each job as you rotate through the career jump.
1. Asher-Radio DJ, Can control the radio
 Music Career Project
2. Max-Personal manager, gets to work with famous people
3. Ethan K-Music producer, makes and records songs
4. Tia-singer, to sing the right notes
5. Zoe-Music photographer, listens to music and takes photos
6. Devin-Video Jocky, be creative and make videos
7. Ben-Choreographer meets celebrities and makes dances for them,
8. Anika-Songwriter,write songs
9. Anika-Rockstar, Performs in front of people
10. Alex-Nightclub manager, Hires musicians for club
11. Jake-DJ, DJing in front of people
12. Matt-lyricist,writing songs
13. Ethan G-Gets to meet people
Best Job: Music photographer Worst Job: Music producer