Why this matters:
Choosing candidates familiar with the technology your organization uses minimizes onboarding overhead and maximizes starting productivity. This question reveals whether the candidate is proficient in your organization’s software preference — or whether they can bring transferable skills from a different DAW to your organization.
What to listen for:
- Mastery of specific DAW software
- Justification for the DAW preference
- Transferable skills from using a preferred software
Why this matters:
When a musician or producer walks into a recording studio, they expect all of the equipment inside to be ready to record. For this reason, sound engineers are typically the first in the studio and need to be efficient about how they use this time to set up all necessary equipment. The sound engineer candidate who can maximize productivity for your organization should have a detailed, effective studio setup process.
What to listen for:
- Step-by-step preparation process beginning immediately upon entering the studio
- Understanding of lower-priority setup tasks that can be effectively performed later
- Confident explanation that indicates significant prior experience
Why this matters:
When producers and artists want a specific sound in a recording, they often look for a sound engineer known for achieving that sound. Candidates who have a signature sound and can describe their process of consistently achieving it will make your organization highly desirable for artist and producer recordings.
What to listen for:
- Description of a distinct or memorable sound or tone
- Notable recordings that showcase this personal sound
- Repeatable process for recreating their signature sound in recordings
Why this matters:
In studio environments, a single sound engineer may be in high demand by multiple producers. This can be highly favorable for a sound engineer — but only if they can work efficiently. Successful sound engineer candidates must have processes for managing their time so that each project receives the attention it needs to reach the highest quality.
What to listen for:
- Time management process for handling multiple projects at once
- Explanation of how to estimate project-completion timelines
- Recollection of a time when project timelines clashed and they had a viable solution to the conflict
Why this matters:
In a studio environment, hardware and software can sometimes malfunction at inconvenient moments, such as recording sessions and studio setup. When faced with these sorts of challenges in a fast-paced organization, excellent sound engineer candidates must be able to lean on knowledge gained from overcoming a similar situation in the past.
What to listen for:
- Experience diagnosing malfunctioning equipment
- Detailed explanation of the troubleshooting process and resolution
- Reflection on how to prevent the issue from reemerging in the future
Why this matters:
Files can become corrupted, be deleted, or go missing due to critical hardware, software, or even building power failures. In some cases, this data can be recovered, but sometimes sound engineers must restart their work using the knowledge accumulated over the project’s development. Strong sound engineer candidates should be experienced and adept in overcoming these obstacles.
What to listen for:
- Data recovery techniques for corrupted and malfunctioning files
- Deep knowledge of an operating system’s file structure to recover file backups
- Experience recreating a corrupted project from scratch
Why this matters:
The audio landscape is constantly shifting. As new sound technologies and trends emerge and rise in popularity, many producers and artists won’t want to work with sound engineers who can’t keep up. As such, your organization needs candidates eager to be on the forefront of the latest sound engineering innovations.
What to listen for:
- Portfolio showcasing recent audio innovations
- Interest in new technological breakthroughs in the world of sound engineering
- Relentless curiosity and hunger for knowledge
Why this matters:
Pops, clicks, and background breaths are just a few of the many audio mistakes that people make into microphones without realizing it. Sound engineers are responsible for identifying and filtering out these kinds of issues. They must also be capable of educating others about what went wrong and how best to avoid similar mistakes in the future.
What to listen for:
- Empathetic approach to explaining audio errors
- Desire to educate others on ways to produce quality work
- Proactive attitude toward elevating the entire organization’s output
Why this matters:
In high-stakes, high-stress recording environments, personalities and egos can clash — introducing critical roadblocks to productivity. Sound engineers often find themselves at the center of these arguments, so the onus may fall on them to determine how to de-escalate the situation and move forward.
What to listen for:
- Prior experience mediating conflicts between clashing individuals
- Conflict-resolution processes designed to de-escalate situations and inspire mutual understanding
- Conciliatory attitude and eagerness to move forward in the face of difficulties and strife
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