When people think about working in music or audio, they often picture performers on stage or artists in the spotlight. But behind every track, film, game and podcast is a network of creative professionals shaping sound from the ground up.
From studio sessions to screen audio and emerging tech, here are 10 real jobs in music and audio, including some unexpected pathways, that show just how broad a creative career in sound can be.
1. Audio producer
Audio Producers manage and oversee the technical side of recording sessions. They coordinate workflows, guide creative decisions and ensure projects meet professional standards. This role suits people who enjoy leadership, collaboration and hands-on problem solving.
2. Mixing engineer
Mixing Engineers shape how sound is heard by combining, balancing and refining recorded audio. Their work is essential across music, film, podcasts and advertising — and it’s one of the most in-demand technical audio skills in the industry.
3. Interactive audio specialist
Working across games, apps and immersive media, Interactive Audio Specialists design sound that responds to user actions. It’s a rapidly growing field that blends creativity with emerging technologies like VR and interactive storytelling.
4. Film and screen sound editor or mixer
Sound Editors, ADR Engineers and Re-Recording Mixers play a crucial role in film and television. From cleaning dialogue to building immersive soundscapes, these professionals help bring stories to life on screen.
5. Audio forensics specialist
One of the most unexpected audio careers, Audio Forensics Specialists analyse and enhance sound recordings for legal and investigative use. It’s a technical, detail-driven role that shows how far audio skills can reach beyond music studios — a pathway explored further in Collarts’ look at unexpected audio careers you never saw coming.
6. Music producer
Music Producers guide recording sessions, arrange compositions and shape the creative direction of songs and projects. Often working closely with artists, they balance creative vision with technical expertise to bring music to life.
7. Composer
Composers write original music for film, television, games, advertising and live performance. This career suits musicians who enjoy storytelling through sound and working across different creative industries.
8. Songwriter
Songwriters craft lyrics and melodies for themselves or other artists. With streaming platforms and independent releases on the rise, songwriting has become more entrepreneurial — often blending creativity with production skills.
9. Performer or DJ
Performers and DJs build careers through live shows, touring, releases and online platforms. Today’s artists are often self-producing, self-recording and self-releasing, making technical audio skills just as important as performance.
10. Multi-hyphenate creative
Many graduates don’t fit into just one job title. It’s increasingly common to combine roles — producing, performing, composing and engineering — to create a flexible, sustainable career. As highlighted in stories like Musicians making noise this Ausmusic Month, today’s creatives often build careers across multiple platforms and disciplines.
Similarly, pathways into music and audio don’t always follow a straight line. Collarts has shared stories of students who started regionally and found their way into creative industries through persistence, adaptability and hands-on experience, proving there’s no single “right” way in.