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[Patrick Brannen]

In this day and age of underqualification and complete lack of training, is engineer still a proper title?
Perhaps "Studio Guy" or "Pro Tools Dude" might be a bit more accurate. Is the basic understanding of electronics no longer required? Are we engineers?

[covert]

Well, I have never driven a train.

[Bob Olhsson]

The difference between a train driver and an engineer is that the engineer has the ability to fix the locomotive if it breaks down in the middle of nowhere.

[Joe Crawford]

According to the Wikipedia: “An engineer is someone who practices the profession of engineering – a person who uses scientific knowledge to solve practical problems using technology.”  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engineer)

The key word in that is “profession”.  Again, defined by the Wikipedia as: “A profession is an occupation that requires extensive training and the study and mastery of specialized knowledge, and usually has a professional association, ethical code and process of certification or licensing. Examples are law, medicine, finance, the military, nursing, the clergy and engineering.” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Profession)

Also, the “ethical code” in most branches of engineering (at least those that I am familiar with) requires that you maintain full knowledge of, and apply the current standards of technology in any work performed.  There are many on this board that have earned and deserve the title of “engineer” through many years of training and hard work.  However, I doubt most of us come close to those standards, at least in the area of audio production.  We probable fit more readily into the “technician” category or even the “hobbyist” category.

Joe Crawford
Stony Mountain Studio
Shanks, WV 26761

[John Ivan]

The term/Title Engineer is overused IMHO. I for instance, am not a proper engineer. My Dad? He's a proper Engineer. Not only can he record the music, he, through his extensive knowledge, can predict what pitfall's or problems might occur. Not just because he's done it a lot but because he understands theory.

He can draw you a schem' for a pre amp on a napkin and so on.

Now, do we all need to know this stuff to use our ears and dial up the sounds? No, I suppose not but it sure as hell wont hurt.

I think there are certain things we should all know without question and I am always trying to learn more. Always. I've mentioned before that at 42 years old {coming up},I am looking at 2 years of school to have the basics nailed down better.

Me? Engineer? Not really.The word has been misused for a long time.

[Ronny]

You engineered that post very well, Ivan.  

[John Ivan]

 

[wwittman]

IN the UK it's always been BALANCE engineer, as distinct from technical or design engineers.. I still think that's a reasonable and accurate designation.

[Malcolm Boyce]

I embrace a trend away from "engineered" to "recorded by".  I suppose originally professional recordists had background in electrical engineering, but that would be rare in this age.  I cringe when I get resumes from folks with "degrees" in "audio engineering".

I don't know what it's like elsewhere, but here in Canada, using "engineer" in an official capacity without the degree and the PEng. will get you in trouble... as even Microsoft found out not too long ago:

http://www.ccpe.ca/e/pub_news_02_03.cfm

I don't know how this translates to our world, but I don't mind it at all.  My brother has an iron ring on his hand because of his education, and his job.  I can understand him getting pissed off when someone with 10 months at an unregulated school calls themselves an "engineer".

I was just part of a discussion on another forum, where someone referred to a colleague of mine as a "licenced audio engineer"...  I wanted to know how to get one of them licences, and if you have extensions like "able to operate air brakes and analog tape machines"...

I'll be curious to see what more folks think.

[Ron Steele]

Quote:

BALANCE engineer

That works for me.

Now the only questions are,

how important is the "balance engineer" to the sound of the band?

Ans when is it appropriate for the "balance engineer" to impose his balance on the band?

[Patrick Brannen]

Ballance Engineer? Really? People are actually using that title?
I think "Chiefton of Audio Standards" has a better ring.

[Ronny]

What if the balance engineer is a bit off balance?


In this day and age, if you want to call yourself an audio engineer as relative to the older days of being able to fix anything that breaks, you have to be a computer programmer.  

[Joe Crawford]

Malcolm Boyce wrote on Sun, 19 February 2006 23:57

I don't know what it's like elsewhere, but here in Canada, using "engineer" in an official capacity without the degree and the PEng. will get you in trouble... as even Microsoft found out not too long ago: http://www.ccpe.ca/e/pub_news_02_03.cfm

Yea, B.G. & Microsoft started that same crap down here 20 or 25 years ago by hiring kids fresh out of high school and calling them Software Engineers.  About 30 years of software technology (e.g., system security, reliability, data integrity, etc.) was lost almost overnight.

Down here we don't have the advantage of a strong professional engineer's orginization as you do in Canada.  Heck, we even have "sanitation engineers" cleaning our streets.  I guess anyone can hang out his shingle down here and call himself any type of engineer he choses.

Joe  

[jimmyjazz]

I am an engineer by education.  I have both bachelor's and masters degrees in mechanical engineering from accredited US universities.

I am not a Professional Engineer; i.e., I cannot stamp drawings.

I know acoustics, engineering physics, math.  I know gain structure.  I know what kind of microphone helps augment a certain tonal characteristic, or perhaps reject a sound I want rejected.  I know where to put microphones.

I read music, and can play a whole bunch of instruments at a decent level and a couple better than that.  I read people, too.  I think I run sessions efficiently and help create environments with good vibe and low stress.

I'm often wrong.

All that having been said, I couldn't fix a dead amp if you spotted me the schematic, a soldering tech, and some divine intervention.

Do I count?

[rankus]

Around here I hear the term "recording engineer" a lot... (similar to "balance" engineer I suppose)


In the marine field we have the " Society Of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers" (SNAME) .. In order to get into this society you must be sworn in by two existing members.... It's rather an "old boys club" but at least you know the fellow who you are working with at least knows somebody who has done this before.....

Something like this would be great in the audio field as well... at least then we would have some sort of qualifier...And after all who better to judge you than your peers?

"The Society Of Audio Engineers" anyone?  (We could give ourselves fancy looking plaques to hang on the wall.....)