Businesses looking for skilled audio engineers for hire often discover that there are many freelance professionals specializing in audio–but audio engineer responsibilities differ from those of a sound engineer.
In some sectors, these terms are used interchangeably, but audio engineers are experts in all aspects of audio applications, whereas a sound engineer will usually concentrate on one targeted niche, such as live sound engineering, sound mixing engineering, or sound recording engineering.
If you wish to hire a freelancer with a comprehensive array of abilities, a seasoned audio engineer can typically take on a wider range of jobs or deal with project management, liaising with other audio specialists.
What Does an Audio Engineer Do?
The contrasts between different audio-related professions may be subtle. Still, it can be important for hirers to grasp the nuance to ensure they hire the best-qualified person for their task, whether they’d like to produce music, create audio backing for promotional campaigns, or develop a library of explainers or tutorials.
Most sound engineers work within one area of sound design, normally gaming, TV broadcast, or film. An audio engineer works to produce effective, high-quality sound, and you could hire one of Guru’s networks of engineers for projects such as:
- Recording live audio at events, presentations, or demonstrations
- Post-production editing of raw sound or audio captures
- Field recording using electronic audio capture equipment
- Managing technical aspects of audio recording, such as miking
- Mixing and mastering audio recordings, using filtering, layering, compression, and pitch correction, among many other techniques
Mastering is a complex process where an audio engineer works with a pre-mixed file, audio asset, or musical track and optimizes the sound to ensure it is of suitable quality for commercial purposes or public release.
Why Hire an Independent Audio Engineering Freelancer?
Outside of the entertainment and music industries, many companies require the skills of an experienced audio engineer periodically when releasing new content, radio advertising, podcasts, or other features that rely on exceptional audio quality. The primary outlay associated with audio engineering is the technical equipment and sound studio an engineer requires, with specialist acoustics, mixing decks, computer software, miking, and recording facilities.
Guru currently has thousands of audio engineering freelancers, with many available for immediate hire and with hourly rates starting from just $8–although the highest-rated and most experienced engineers typically set minimum project rates from roughly $50.
Working with a freelance audio engineer gives your business the attention to detail, audio quality, and precision you expect without the vast cost of investing in a fully functional audio studio and sound booth. Hirers can also filter their prospective freelancers by the task they require, such as audio mixing, post-production, radio advertising, or audio book editing.
How to Choose the Best Freelance Audio Engineer for Your Project
Every business is different, and your requirements and objectives are the starting point for your Guru job post. There, you can set out important factors such as budget, timescale, experience necessary, and the nature of the audio engineering tasks involved. Some key considerations include:
- Experience in sound and audio techniques: Some engineers will have the capacity and knowledge to deal with almost any project, whereas others will specialize in music recording, for example.
- Project scope: Proficient audio engineers can liaise with other contributors and provide project management.
- Costs and timings: You can review hourly and per-project rates through the Guru portal or add a maximum budget on your job post to invite freelancers to apply for the role with a pricing proposal.
You might also look for freelancers with a strong body of work and portfolio relevant to the type of audio production, mixing, or editing you have in mind, with niches in audiobooks, podcasts, and social media broadcasts in particularly high demand.
How Do I Hire an Audio Engineer?
Guru makes working with freelancers simple, with a large network of qualified and experienced professionals. Businesses can either post a job entirely free of charge or contact independent audio engineers they’d like to work with.
Proposals and quotes will be shared directly with you, allowing you to review past client ratings and compare costs in your own time. Once you’re ready to proceed, you can collaborate and track progress through Guru’s secure online SafePay payment system and only pay once the work has been completed and returned to your satisfaction!
