Can anyone please tell me what does exactly a sound designer do?? and afterward,is it useful to become a composer?? and do you get well paid if you are a sound designer for a video game company?? I am really confused and not sure what to do as career..thanks in advance:)

Do you mean Sound Engineer?

sound designer? lol?...............

composer?............................

nah not composer...its kinda a risky job that is just too risky in my situation...and i dont know because some people call it 'sound designer' and others 'sound engineer' i just want to know how it is exactly and everything...sorry i am kind of new here...:)

If you are talking about an audio engineer, I believe they are well paid. You won't be earning a bajillion dollars a year, but I remember reading somewhere that audio engineers that are good at what they do make like, $150k a year. (don't quote me on this, I could be wrong.)

Thanks for replaying and for the information,but what exactly does and audio engineer do??

Basically an audio engineer is well versed in sound and has an understanding of music, electrical engineering, and acoustics. They are the people who you entrust to record the music we hear today.

There is also acoustical engineering where your focus is mostly on the acoustical side of an audio engineer and can do things such as design theaters and noise reduction in buildings.

Wiki these for more information.

thx!:) lots and sorry to keep bothering you but what d you call the person who for example: a car crashes(or something like that) and that person does the sound effects and matches the sound with the image...and could you use that in video games also??

Sound designer/engineer.

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Video Game Audio

This is a growing field in the gaming industry and the average salary has been increasing the past few years. This is especially true for entry-level musicians. Right now it does not matter if you a musician, audio engineer, composer, or a director once you have six or more years of experience you will keep pace with the programmer's salary.

Sound designers or engineers coming in at an entry-level position cans usually start with a salary of $50,000. Once you get over three years of experience you can make $66,000 a year. A sound designer or engineer will make, on the average $74,000 a year, once they have reached six years or more on the job.

Musicians or composers in the video game design industry will generally have a starting salary of $55,000 a year until you have around three years of experience. Once you have been in the industry between three and six years you will begin making $62K a year. If you have the staying power you can make on the average $90,000 a year once you have over six years in the industry. The highest salary we have found for a musician is $215,000 a year.

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Don't follow the incomes, that can variate a lot.

Umm it's really hard to sum up what the tasks of a Sound Engineer are, and pinpointing qualities in a good sound engineer are also tough and subjective.

Look for music industry majors at colleges if you want to know what goes into the education of one. An affinity for knowing acoustics (how sound acts and reacts), electronics, microphones, speakers/monitors, a "good ear" (knowing what sounds he/she wants and doesn't want [noise]), etc.

And aside from the technical practice and math there's also music/entertainment law. You need to know quite a bit about licenses, copyright, source material, royalty collection agencies, PRO's (ASCAP, SESAC, BMI), and other such stuff.

There's a lot to learn, both enjoyable and stuff that you just have to know (I don't like the law courses but I need to know the rules). Music or sound effects, a sound engineer can do both (or can specialize in one or the other). So whether its the 5.1 surround sound effects to Star Wars or the final mix of John William's score... that's the job of sound engineers.



Oh and one more thing... you must mix and design what you've been hired to produce to please the client. The client, not your ear, determines what goes into the sound mix.

thanx a lot!!!:):):):)

I've actually been meaning to ask this question too. Thanks for the info!