What it pays
Government survey numbers — not estimates, not ads.
Half of all Sound Engineering Technicians in the U.S. earn more than $73,130 a year — the middle 80% land between $37,570 and $137,370. About 13,080 people in the U.S. do this work. Figures are for the U.S. occupation group “Sound Engineering Technicians”. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics survey, published 2025.) In India, Professionals earn about ₹38,298 a month on average — around ₹4.6 lakh a year (government PLFS survey via ILOSTAT, occupation-family figure).
$73,130typical pay / year
13,080people in this work
$137,370+top 10% earn
₹4.6 lakha year in India (family avg)
Think you get this job?Six quick questions on how it really works — with a hint and the reason behind every answer.
Test yourself →The work, task by task
These are the real jobs-to-be-done, not a wish list. Each task shows where we found it, and the prompt underneath is written for that exact task.
Keeping the record3
Record speech, music, and other sounds
+Record the keynote, the two panel discussions and the evening performance to multitrack files, using shotgun…
Record speech, music, and other sounds
+Record the keynote, the two panel discussions and the evening performance to multitrack files, using shotgun for speech, stereo pairs for music, set levels to leave 12 dB headroom, patch timecode and slate each take before recording.
The tools that do the workLinuxjob descriptionsO*NET
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Assemble and operate sound equipment
+Assemble front of house, monitor stacks and stage snake for tonight: hang mains and delays with rated…
Assemble and operate sound equipment
+Assemble front of house, monitor stacks and stage snake for tonight: hang mains and delays with rated rigging, test each speaker with pink noise, set up mixes on the console, label and snake all inputs before soundcheck.
The tools that do the workLinuxESCOjob descriptions
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Keep logs of recordings.
+After each session, log show name, date, track names, sample rate, mic positions, operator notes and take…
Keep logs of recordings.
+After each session, log show name, date, track names, sample rate, mic positions, operator notes and take numbers into a running record and attach file hashes so we can find problem takes later.
The tools that do the workLinuxjob descriptionsO*NET
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Fixing1
Make routine repairs on equipment
+Replace blown driver in the left wedge, swap faulty XLR on channel 7, check and reseat grounds, run an…
Make routine repairs on equipment
+Replace blown driver in the left wedge, swap faulty XLR on channel 7, check and reseat grounds, run an hour-long burn and verify signal path and impedance before returning kit to stock.
The tools that do the workLinuxjob descriptionsO*NET
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The daily work16
Regulate volume level and sound quality during recording sessions, using control consoles.
+Set and monitor desk faders and EQ during the session so each take peaks no higher than −6 dB, tame feedback…
Regulate volume level and sound quality during recording sessions, using control consoles.
+Set and monitor desk faders and EQ during the session so each take peaks no higher than −6 dB, tame feedback with the mid-shelf, note any mic bleed, and call for retakes if the tone or balance drifts beyond acceptable punch or clarity.
The tools that do the workLinuxO*NET
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Tear down equipment after event completion.
+Dismantle the stage rig in the order of power, snake, then loudspeakers, tag and coil each cable neatly,…
Tear down equipment after event completion.
+Dismantle the stage rig in the order of power, snake, then loudspeakers, tag and coil each cable neatly, inspect flying points and cases for damage, log any faults for repair, and load gear into Van 2 by 22:30.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelO*NET
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Create musical instrument digital interface programs for music projects, commercials, or film postproduction.
+Design and patch synth and sampler presets to match the composer notes, map velocity and CCs for realistic…
Create musical instrument digital interface programs for music projects, commercials, or film postproduction.
+Design and patch synth and sampler presets to match the composer notes, map velocity and CCs for realistic articulations, export each instrument program with clear naming for the mix stage, and deliver the bank to Alex in production by Tuesday.
The tools that do the workLinuxO*NET
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Convert video and audio records to digital formats
+Capture the master multitrack and camera audio, convert the files to 24-bit WAV, verify sync and start times…
Convert video and audio records to digital formats
+Capture the master multitrack and camera audio, convert the files to 24-bit WAV, verify sync and start times against the clap, normalize levels where needed, and upload the cleaned masters to the project server for Julia.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Officejob descriptions
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Synchronize sounds and dialogue with action
+Align dialog to picture and place ambiences and hits so every cue matches the action timing, ride levels for…
Synchronize sounds and dialogue with action
+Align dialog to picture and place ambiences and hits so every cue matches the action timing, ride levels for intelligibility without losing room tone, and hand the synchronized stems to the editor before the scoring session.
The tools that do the workLinuxjob descriptions
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Musical instruments
+Tune and maintain the guitar, bass and keyboard rigs, set action and intonation as needed between takes,…
Musical instruments
+Tune and maintain the guitar, bass and keyboard rigs, set action and intonation as needed between takes, label patch settings, and brief the musician on any changes before the next run.
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Use personal protection equipment
+Wear my harness, gloves, and ear protection before touching any rig or cable, inspect straps and clips, log…
Use personal protection equipment
+Wear my harness, gloves, and ear protection before touching any rig or cable, inspect straps and clips, log defects to the site safety book, refuse work if PPE is missing and notify production immediately.
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Follow safety procedures when working at heights
+Before climbing the truss check the rigging plan, secure my harness to the designated anchor, test the fall…
Follow safety procedures when working at heights
+Before climbing the truss check the rigging plan, secure my harness to the designated anchor, test the fall arrest with a partner, confirm load limits with the stage manager and sign the height work permit.
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Operate an audio mixing console
+Run the console pre-show: load the band’s scene, label 24 channels, set rough gains and high-pass filters,…
Operate an audio mixing console
+Run the console pre-show: load the band’s scene, label 24 channels, set rough gains and high-pass filters, record a quick board snapshot and walk the stage with the FOH team for last-minute mic and monitor changes.
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Keep up with trends
+Scan the top industry forums and three new product videos, note two useful techniques and one plugin to test…
Keep up with trends
+Scan the top industry forums and three new product videos, note two useful techniques and one plugin to test on next soundcheck, then email the brief to the crew before Friday’s rehearsal.
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Fit up sound on stage
+Complete stage fit-up by running and dressing all signal and power snakes, label inputs at stage and console,…
Fit up sound on stage
+Complete stage fit-up by running and dressing all signal and power snakes, label inputs at stage and console, test every mic and DI on channel strip, and hand the stage manager a signed fit-up checklist.
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Work with respect for own safety
+Prioritise my safety: refuse tasks that feel unsafe, take mandatory breaks, document hazards and actions in…
Work with respect for own safety
+Prioritise my safety: refuse tasks that feel unsafe, take mandatory breaks, document hazards and actions in the incident log, and escalate unresolved risks to the production manager before continuing.
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Maintain sound equipment
+Inspect the stage racks, snake, wedges and main speakers for loose connectors, worn cables, corrosion and…
Maintain sound equipment
+Inspect the stage racks, snake, wedges and main speakers for loose connectors, worn cables, corrosion and dust; replace any XLRs or TRS with cracked jackets, label patched channels, log serial numbers and sign off before load-in tonight.
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Technically design a sound system
+Produce a system layout and rig plan for the theatre: list speaker models and positions, FOH and monitor…
Technically design a sound system
+Produce a system layout and rig plan for the theatre: list speaker models and positions, FOH and monitor arrays, amplifier channels with gain structure, preferred mic choices and delay/crossover settings so the crew can hang and tune by Wednesday load-in.
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Manage personal professional development
+Book two training sessions this month: one on the newest console firmware and one on spatial audio mixing;…
Manage personal professional development
+Book two training sessions this month: one on the newest console firmware and one on spatial audio mixing; update my CV with recent shows and certifications, add three learning goals and schedule monthly review reminders for progress.
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Work ergonomically
+Reconfigure my FOH and stage workstations for ergonomic operation: set console height to elbow level,…
Work ergonomically
+Reconfigure my FOH and stage workstations for ergonomic operation: set console height to elbow level, reposition monitor wedges and cable runs to clear walkways, swap to an anti-fatigue mat and document the changes for crew handover.
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Says who?
These are the pages we read to build this. Open any of them and check us.
Activities this job lives in
The human activities behind the tasks — each with its honest AI ceiling.
The logs, files & records this job keeps
Shared with other careers — the same record means something different in each.
Related careers
Same family of work — each with its own tasks and prompts.
The LLOS Work Atlas is the world's largest evidenced task library — a map of human work, with a ready prompt behind every task. 1,774 careers · every task named by the sources that witnessed it — O*NET, ESCO, real job descriptions, Wikipedia — and the deepest tasks by several at once. And it is honest about limits: where AI cannot help, the map says so.
The rest of the map
Same library, five ways in.
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Built on public evidence: O*NET®, ESCO, Wikipedia, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ILOSTAT. All sources & licenses
Built on public evidence: O*NET®, ESCO, Wikipedia, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ILOSTAT. All sources & licenses