Recording studio technician to audio production technician
A recording studio technician already meets 41% of what the audio production technician role asks for. The move turns on 16 required skills not yet in the profile.
67.2/ 100
1 How much of what an audio production technician is expected to do is already part of a recording studio technician’s work. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs, because moving into a speciality is not the same problem as moving out of one. 2 Every skill the audio production technician role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
An audio production technician role treats 13 of its required skills as things a recording studio technician already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- acoustics
- assess power needs
- coordinate audio system programmes
- de-rig electronic equipment
- keep up with trends
- maintain sound equipment
What stands in the way is 16 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.
Table 2 · What you already bring
Of the 20 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. An audio production technician role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a recording studio technician background worth leading with.
- already held set up sound reinforcement system working with machinery and specialised equipment
- already held support audio system installation working with machinery and specialised equipment
- already held tune up wireless audio systems working with machinery and specialised equipment
- already held maintain sound equipment working with machinery and specialised equipment
- already held operate sound live working with machinery and specialised equipment
- already held technically design a sound system communication, collaboration and creativity
All 20 carried skills, including the 13 the audio production technician role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 33 missing skills fall into 8 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered in the order worth working in. Areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the optional ones. Nothing here is a verdict on you: it is a list of what this particular job asks for that your current one does not.
- still to learn prevent fire in a performance environment required
- still to learn follow safety precautions in work practices required
- still to learn follow safety procedures when working at heights required
- still to learn use personal protection equipment required
- still to learn work with respect for own safety required
- optional, not held ensure safety of mobile electrical systems optional
- optional, not held receive appropriate permissions for use of recorded audiovisual examples optional
- still to learn work safely with mobile electrical systems under supervision required
- still to learn provide power distribution required
- still to learn work safely with machines required
- optional, not held set up basic recording optional
- still to learn pack electronic equipment required
- still to learn set up equipment in a timely manner required
- still to learn store performance equipment required
- still to learn adapt to artists' creative demands required
- still to learn understand artistic concepts required
- optional, not held instruct on set up of equipment optional
- optional, not held adapt artistic plan to location optional
- optional, not held consult with stakeholders on implementation of a production optional
- optional, not held maintain system layout for a production optional
- optional, not held record music optional
- optional, not held safeguard artistic quality of performance optional
- optional, not held advise client on technical possibilities optional
- optional, not held develop professional network optional
- optional, not held translate artistic concepts to technical designs optional
- still to learn prepare personal work environment required
- optional, not held manage signoff of an installed system optional
- optional, not held manage consumables stock optional
- optional, not held manage personal professional development optional
- still to learn musical instruments required
2 further areas in the appendix
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries an audio production technician role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 adapt to artists' creative demands practise this
- 02 musical instruments study this
- 03 pack electronic equipment practise this
Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.
Appendix · The rest of the record
All 20 skills that carry over
- already held acoustics knowledge
- already held assess power needs skill
- already held coordinate audio system programmes skill
- already held de-rig electronic equipment skill
- already held keep up with trends skill
- already held maintain sound equipment skill
- already held operate an audio mixing console skill
- already held perform soundchecks skill
- already held set up sound reinforcement system skill
- already held support audio system installation skill
- already held tune up wireless audio systems skill
- already held use technical documentation skill
- already held work ergonomically skill
- already held document your own practice skill
- already held edit recorded sound skill
- already held manage technical resources stock skill
- already held operate sound live skill
- already held plan audiovisual recording skill
- already held technically design a sound system skill
- already held use audio reproduction software skill
The 2 learning areas not shown above
- still to learn prepare sound equipment on stage required
- optional, not held draw up artistic production optional
- optional, not held keep personal administration optional
17 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held instruct on set up of equipment optional
- optional, not held adapt artistic plan to location optional
- optional, not held consult with stakeholders on implementation of a production optional
- optional, not held draw up artistic production optional
- optional, not held ensure safety of mobile electrical systems optional
- optional, not held maintain system layout for a production optional
- optional, not held manage signoff of an installed system optional
- optional, not held receive appropriate permissions for use of recorded audiovisual examples optional
- optional, not held record music optional
- optional, not held safeguard artistic quality of performance optional
- optional, not held set up basic recording optional
- optional, not held advise client on technical possibilities optional
- optional, not held develop professional network optional
- optional, not held keep personal administration optional
- optional, not held manage consumables stock optional
- optional, not held manage personal professional development optional
- optional, not held translate artistic concepts to technical designs optional
23 held skills the audio production technician role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role assess sound quality skill
- not needed by the target role audio editing software knowledge
- not needed by the target role audio mastering knowledge
- not needed by the target role audio post-production knowledge
- not needed by the target role audio technology knowledge
- not needed by the target role audiovisual equipment knowledge
- not needed by the target role convert different audiovisual formats skill
- not needed by the target role electricity knowledge
- not needed by the target role file-based workflow knowledge
- not needed by the target role health and safety regulations knowledge
- not needed by the target role manage digital documents skill
- not needed by the target role manage inventory skill
- not needed by the target role manage sound quality skill
- not needed by the target role mix sound in a live situation skill
- not needed by the target role operate audio equipment skill
- not needed by the target role operate the sound in the rehearsal studio skill
- not needed by the target role prevent undesired changes to sound design skill
- not needed by the target role program sound cues skill
- not needed by the target role record multi-track sound skill
- not needed by the target role set up audiovisual peripheral equipment skill
- not needed by the target role set up sound equipment skill
- not needed by the target role supervise sound production skill
- not needed by the target role vocal techniques knowledge
1 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice
Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.
- still to learn musical instruments required
Other moves recorded from recording studio technician
Common questions about this move
Can a recording studio technician become an audio production technician?
Yes, and it is a substantial move. A recording studio technician already covers 41% of what an audio production technician is expected to do: 20 skills carry over, 13 of which the audio production technician role treats as required.
What skills does a recording studio technician need to become an audio production technician?
16 required skills are missing, plus 17 optional ones. They fall into 8 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by assisting and caring. The single most important is adapt to artists' creative demands.
How hard is the move from recording studio technician to audio production technician?
Its learning distance is 67.2 out of 100, which is the substantial band. That accounts for both how much is missing and how specialised those skills are.
How this record was compiled
Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.