It may not be as glamorous as being in Led Zeppelin (or being Peter Grant, their larger than life manager) but there’s a whole world of music career possibilities outside of the traditional artist/label/promotion realm. And if you’re someone who pays more attention to Mutt Lange than lead singer Joe Elliott when you listen to Def Leppard’s Hysteria, or are more interested in the sound of Luke Skywalker’s light saber than his dialogue, you might be the perfect candidate for a career in the world of sound.

If you’re technically inclined, and know your way around some popular audio production software like Pro Tools and Reason, there are a number of careers where you could try your hand using these skills professionally. Here’s just a few:

Sound Designer

In the world of film or TV, a sound designer works closely with the director to create, record, and edit the non-compositional sounds for a production. Watch a video of Chris Scarabosio, a sound designer at Skywalker Sound, discuss how he got started in his profession, what his day-to-day job responsibilities are, the role of new technology in his field, and the importance of an extensive sound library. Chris also gives a demonstration on preparing sound files using Pro Tools. Chris Scarabosio Video

Recording Engineer

The technical responsibilities of a recording engineer include maintaining and operating the mixing board, the multi-track recorder, and any other recording equipment used during a session. But that’s only half the job. The recording engineer also needs to realize the vision of the artist and producer, which requires a keen sense of artist relations. Watch a video of Dann Thompson, a recording engineer at Skywalker Sound talk about his experiences, how he got the gig, and what it takes to make a session run smoothly. Dann Thompson Video

Director of Music, Recording, and Scoring

Leslie Ann Jones, Director of Music, Recording, and Scoring at Skywalker Sound, talks about her role at Skywalker Sound, from administrative duties such as the management and booking of the studio, to being an engineer, preparing for a session, recording, mixing, and choosing microphones. Leslie Ann Jones Video

Studio Owner

Buddy Bruno, the owner of Conway Studios (Dave Matthews Band's Everyday, Blink 182's Enema of the State, Christina Aguilera's self-titled album, Hole's Celebrity Skin, Marilyn Manson's Mechanical Animals, Beck's Odelay, Fleetwood Mac's The Dance, Bonnie Raitt's Luck of the Draw and U2's Rattle and Hum) in Hollywood, talks about his career in the recording industry, the roles of the different positions in his studio, and what it takes to move your way up the career ladder. Buddy Bruno Video

John Musgrave of Conway Studios talks about the day-to-day responsibilities of a Technical Director: overseeing the engineering staff, other technicians, and most importantly, making sure the process of creating music in his facility is a pleasant event for his clients. John Musgrave Video