Studio Roles: The 5 Types of Audio Engineer

audio engineering

🎯 The 5 Types of Audio Engineer:
There are five primary types of audio engineers in music production: the Assistant Engineer (prep and support), Recording Engineer (capturing performances), Audio Editor (cleaning and arranging audio), Mixing Engineer (balancing and enhancing tracks), and Mastering Engineer (finalizing audio for distribution). Each plays a unique role in shaping the final sound of a record.

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Introduction:

Behind every great song is a team of engineers who make it sound pro. From setting up mics to mastering the final track, each step of the audio journey is guided by a specialist. If you're new to the studio or building your own music career, understanding these roles helps you know who does what — and which hat you might be wearing.

1. Assistant Engineer

📍 The Swiss Army Knife of the Studio

They’re the unsung heroes — patching cables, labeling tracks, prepping the session. Assistant Engineers support the lead engineers by ensuring the session runs smoothly.

Key Duties:

Session setup and teardown
Microphone placement
Gear routing and patchbay organization
Backups and file management
Note-taking during sessions

Common Path:
Entry-level studio role. Many famous engineers — like Sylvia Massy — started here.

2. Recording Engineer

🎙 The Capturer of Performance

Recording Engineers are responsible for getting the cleanest and clearest recordings possible. They handle mic selection, gain staging, and audio capture.

Key Duties:

Mic and preamp choice
Gain staging and signal flow
Headphone mixes for performers
Monitoring session quality
DAW recording management

Famous Examples:
Tom Dowd, Geoff Emerick (The Beatles), and Greg Wells.

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3. Audio Editor

✂️ The Audio Surgeon

Once things are recorded, someone has to clean up the takes — that's the Audio Editor. They align vocals, fix timing issues, remove noise, and clean transitions.

Key Duties:

Comping vocals and instrument takes
Editing timing (e.g., drums, vocals)
Noise reduction and cleanup
Breath removal, crossfades, and automation setup
Preparing sessions for mixing

Tools of the Trade:
Pro Tools, RX, Melodyne.

4. Mixing Engineer

🎚 The Sculptor of Sound

Mix Engineers take raw audio and make it feel like a record. They shape balance, enhance tone, and create emotional impact using EQ, compression, reverb, and automation.

Key Duties:

Balancing track levels and panning
EQ, compression, and effects
Automation and dynamics shaping
Bus processing and reference track comparison
Client feedback revisions

Legendary Names:
Chris Lord-Alge, Andrew Scheps, Serban Ghenea.

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5. Mastering Engineer

🧩 The Finalizer

Once a song is mixed, the Mastering Engineer brings it to life across all playback systems. They ensure loudness consistency, tonal balance, and technical compliance.

Key Duties:

Final EQ, compression, and limiting
Volume leveling across tracks
Sounds clear on all devices
Streaming/CD/vinyl compatibility
Encoding metadata and ISRC

Notable Names:
Bob Ludwig, Emily Lazar, Mandy Parnell.

Final Thought:

These five roles form the backbone of any professional music production. Sometimes, in a home studio, one person does all five jobs. Other times, each task is handled by a specialist. Either way, understanding these roles will level up your workflow, collaboration, and sound.

🧭 Want to know which one you are? Start with what excites you most: capturing, cleaning, shaping, or finishing audio.