Sound Engineer Interview Questions

Sound Engineers are required to assemble, operate and maintain the technical equipment used to record, amplify, enhance, mix or reproduce sound. Sound Engineers identify the sound requirements for a given task or situation and perform the appropriate actions to produce this sound.

Sound Engineers of different types are required in a range of industries including film, broadcasting (radio or television), live performance (theatre, music, dance), advertising and audio recordings.

Whether you're a job seeker preparing to be interviewed for the role of Sound Engineer or an employer preparing to interview candidates for Sound Engineer position, these Sound Engineer interview questions will help you prepare yourself for the job interview session.

Sound Engineer Interview Questions

Below are a list of some skill-based Sound Engineer interview questions.

1. During sound-test, the vocalist's mic isn't generating any sound. As a sound engineer, what process would you take to remedy the situation?
2. Tell me about the audio equipment you know how to use.
3. Tell me about a time you made a mistake on duty. How did you fix it? What would you do to prevent it from happening again?
4. Are you familiar with the different types of microphones and their uses?
5. How would you deal with a situation where multiple people are talking at once and you can’t hear any one person clearly?
6. What is your process for troubleshooting when a recording or performance doesn’t go as planned?
7. What would you do if a performer was having technical issues during a recording session and they were unable to fix the problem themselves?
8. Which audio editing software programs are you most familiar with using?
9. Can you describe the most exciting audio project you’ve completed?
10. Tell me about your most challenging project as a sound engineer.
11. How would you set up your equipment on stage versus in the studio?
12. As a Sound Engineer, what would you regard as your best skill?
13. How often do you perform maintenance on your audio equipment?
14. How do you juggle listening to your subjects and taking direction from directors?
15. How well do you work under pressure?
16. When performing a final mix, how do you make sure that all of the different sounds are balanced and clear?
17. Describe your process for setting up a recording or performance space.
18. What do you consider to be the most challenging part of sound engineering?
19. Explain how you'd set up your equipment at a concert.
20. Tell me about a time you misunderstood a client brief. What happened and how did you rectify the situation?
21. Tell me about a time you had to work with a difficult client. How did it go?
22. There is a loud buzzing noise in a recording, but the performer doesn’t notice it. Would you bring it to their attention?
23. Tell me about a time you almost missed your deadline. How did you meet it? What would you do to prevent similar situations in the future?

Sound Engineer Interview Questions and Answers

Every interview is different and the questions may vary. However, there are lots of general questions that get asked at every interview.

Below are some common questions you'd expect during Sound Engineer interviews. Click on each question to see how to answer them.

1. Do You Have Any Questions for Us?
2. What Is Your Greatest Accomplishment?
3. Are You a Leader or a Follower?
4. What is Your Greatest Strength?
5. Why Do You Want To Leave Your Current Job?
6. What is Your Salary Expectation?
7. Tell Me About Yourself
8. What is Your Greatest Weakness?
9. Why Should We Hire You?
10. Why Do You Want This Job?