"Engineer" isn't an honorific like "Doctor," "Monsignor," or "The Honorable Justice." It's a descriptive noun, like "baker" or "arsonist." There are guilds that qualify people to use their titles, but I do not subscribe to the notion (and I don't believe that the State of Illinois does) that one must be licensed to call himself an audio engineer.

Audio engineering isn't life-or-death like mechanical engineering, electrical engineering or chemical engineering, where the State and professional guilds matter a lot. The consequences of being incompetent are pretty small, relative to some engineering fields. That's why there isn't a rigid standard for who gets to call himself an engineer: Whoever did the engineering work.

I am not legally qualified to call myself an engineer, but I can't think of anything else that would be more accurate.

Kayte R. wrote:

spaghettilee wrote:Settle down.

He considers himself as much as an engineer as me, despite the lack of any sort of technical knowledge or math/science background. This douche is an engineer? Really?

YES I should settle down.

Now that your settled, get off your high horse.

I took three years of physics, acoustics, and math as well as four years of electronics in college. I also took music theory and recording classes––so does that part of my education make me less entitled or serious than you? But I'll give you this, school doesn't matter for this shit. I've learned more from interning, assisting, and working than I ever did in school.

Not to say every kid with M-Box who calls himself an engineer is an engineer–– but I think if you can perform an azimuth alignment, work on a console, and wire a patchbay in addition to balancing the technical, aesthetic, and psychological elements of a rigorous, paid recording session than you're an engineer not just an editor or tape/Pro Tools operator.

I know some EE's that work for the government that deal with circuits significantly less than I do on a day to day basis.

try this on for semantics.

i for one agree with the preference for 'engineer' over 'producer'

as for health insurance... don't they have guilds and deals for artists/creative types, or something of the sort?

Failing that, you can always classify yourself as an independent businessperson (i.e. filing schedule C on your taxes, as mentioned; you may look into getting yourself incorporated... I'm still figuring this out myself). I don't know if this grants you access to any health benefits.

spaghettilee wrote:Indie rock can't keep these pearls white.

You don't need all of your teeth to swallow food.

In fact, you don't need any of them.

With the right diet teeth could be merely cosmetic.

Settle down.

Indeed.

And if anyone thinks "engineer" is a suspect term for those who record music for a living, you definitely don't wanna get started on what consititutes an artist.

But isn't the term "audio engineer" the same type of glorification as "custodial engineer"?

I'm gonna guess all you "engineers" will say no.

If we break this down further though, technically an engineer is one who designs or builds engines, and outside of automotive and aerospace engineers none of us really do that. So we're all phonies.

Kayte R. wrote:If we break this down further though, technically an engineer is one who designs or builds engines, and outside of automotive and aerospace engineers none of us really do that. So we're all phonies.

no, if we break it down further, we will also find that an engineer can be someone who plans, manages or orchestrates a skillful maneuver, as in I shrewdly engineered your demise in this battle of semantics.

see?

Kayte R. wrote:But isn't the term "audio engineer" the same type of glorification as "custodial engineer"?

I'm gonna guess all you "engineers" will say no.

If we break this down further though, technically an engineer is one who designs or builds engines, and outside of automotive and aerospace engineers none of us really do that. So we're all phonies.

What is one rebuilds ATR motors?

I've replaced them, but never rebuild them.

Audio Engineer is just the accepted term, and that's just how this shit is gonna roll. Personally, I enjoy the repair aspect as well as calibration and upkeep. I don't think the term audio engineer is fooling anyone into thinking that the guy who puts a mic in front of an amp also has the qualifications to design the new eastern span of the Bay Bridge.

At my day job, my business card says "Digital Prepress Operator." All I really operate is a G5 tower and a windows machine that is the RIP interface for the plate machine. Still I objected. "What am I operating?" I inquired. I got no decent answer.

Ben Adrian

I'm going to go doctor some photographs in mspaint.

Kerble is right.

kerble wrote:I'm going to go doctor some photographs in mspaint.

Don't you have some web to master?