SOUND ENGINEERING ?
Diploma in Sound Engineering: Course Highlights
| Course Level | Diploma |
| Duration of the Course | 6 Months to 1 Year |
| Examination Type | Semester/Annual |
| Eligibility | Class 12th or equivalent exam |
| Admission Process | Merit-based/ Entrance exam |
| Course Fee | INR 25,000 to 4,00,000 |
| Average Starting Salary | INR 2,00,000 to 4,00,000 |
| Top Recruiting Companies | Colleges & Universities, media, publishing, and design houses, studios, TV, etc. |
| Job Positions | Studio Sound Engineer, Audio Engineer, Studio Designer, Live Sound Engineer, Mixing Engineer, Mastering Engineer, Music Arranger, Audio Post-Production, Music and Dialogue Editor, Location Recordist, Digital Media Entrepreneur, Sound Recordist, etc. |
Why Diploma in Sound Engineering?
The reasons why should you pursue a Diploma in Sound Engineering are given below:
- It gives theoretical as well as practical knowledge of Sound Engineering to the students.
- It has good job opportunities. Students can enter the audio industry easily by taking admission in Diploma in Sound Engineering.
- Students can get jobs in TV channels, radio stations, broadcast firms, music companies, sound studios, record production firms, R&D firms, sound system marketing firms, etc.
- Students get a decent salary package after getting placed in the audio industry.
- Diploma in sound engineering average salary ranges from INR 2 to 4 lacs.
Diploma in Sound Engineering: Admission Process
Admissions in Diploma courses are also done through both merit and entrance exams.
Diploma in Sound Engineering: Eligibility Criteria
- Candidates must have passed class 12th from Science Stream having Maths, Chemistry and Physics as main subjects from any recognized board.
- Candidates must have cleared the equivalent entrance exam for the respective college where they have applied for a diploma in sound engineering course.
Direct Admission
- Candidates who are willing to get admission in this stream can apply to Diploma in Sound Engineering colleges by both offline and online means.
- You can either reach the official website of the institute or to this step admission office of the institute to fill the admission application form.
- Fill the application form required and upload all the necessary documents which are asked in the form.
- After completion of the process of application, go for counselling round and attend the personal interview round to get your desired college.
Entrance Exam Based Admission
The student must fulfill the minimum eligibility criteria to apply for Diploma in Sound Engineering. The admission depends upon the minimum educational qualification which students will have to fulfill for the course.
Colleges offering Diploma in Sound Engineering course release application forms at different times. Students need to follow the steps given below to apply for a Diploma in Sound Engineering.
- Registration– the registration date will be released by the institute. Students will have to prepare accounts with general details like phone number, email id, etc.
- Fill up details– once the application form releases students will have to fill all the details in it carefully.
- Attach the documents– Students will have to scan all the necessary documents which have been asked by the institute to attach with the application forms. Documents like mark sheets, caste certificates, etc will be needed.
- Application fee– After filling up the application forms completely students will have to pay the application fee and submit the form finally.
- Download the admit card– After some days the admit card will release. Students will have to download it from the official website of the institute and check the date of the examination given on the admit card. The admit card will have the day and date of the examination written over it. Students will have to carry it to the examination center on the day of the examination.
- Examination– Students will have to appear for the examination on the date mentioned on the admit card.
- Results– Results will be released after some days of the examination. Students will have to appear for the counseling and admission process if he/she is successful in the examination.
- Counseling and admission– Those students who have passed the entrance exam will have to appear for the counseling process to take admission. The student can now take admission in the Diploma in Sound Engineering course.
Diploma in Sound Engineering: Entrance Exams
Usually, admission to Diploma in Sound Engineering is offered on the basis of merit scored in 10+2 class while some colleges conduct their own entrance test for admission in particular courses, the details of which are mentioned below:
| Entrance Exam | Conducting Authority | Exam Date | Exam Mode |
|---|---|---|---|
| MET | Manipal Academy of Higher Education. | December 11, 2021. | Online |
| SOFT CET | School of Fashion Technology. | May 6, 2021 | Online |
| BHU UET | Banaras Hindu University | May 2021 | Online |
| NID Entrance Exam | National Institute of Design | March 2021 | Offline |
Diploma in Sound Engineering: Entrance Exam Preparation Tips
- Divide your schedule: Studying without a deadline isn’t something that candidates can afford, therefore they must assign their days to certain topics and finish them within the deadline.
- Keep your resources limited: It is a must for candidates to remain focused and having too many resources will only alleviate the stress. Therefore, they must research well and shortlist some resources for the study plan and stick to it. Remember, Candidates can’t cover everything from everywhere, therefore keep it simple and accurate.
- Revision is the Key: Candidates should not keep revision for the last minute. They should keep revision sessions for regular intervals. They should make some crisp notes for the last minute reading and avoid unnecessary panic before the exam.
Diploma in Sound Engineering: Syllabus
The syllabus of the Diploma in Sound Engineering is divided into 6 months- 1 Year. Students who want to know about the syllabus can check the table below
| Fundamentals of Audio Engineering & Applications | Sound Design & Synthesis | Recording/Microphones Techniques |
| Studio techniques | Principles of sound | Unleashing the Art and Physics Behind Musical Instrument Development |
| The Power Of MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Surface) | Music theory & Ear Training | Basic Electronics and Decibels |
| Custom Library Development | Sound Design & Synthesis | Advanced Sampling |
| Audio Cables & Interconnections | Movie Background Scoring | Automation |
| Acoustics & Studio Design | Mixing and Mastering | Analog and Digital Consoles |
Note: The syllabus may vary college to college. But the general syllabus must contain the topic which is mentioned above. Candidates should follow the respective colleges for particular syllabus.
Diploma in Sound Engineering: Recommended Books
Some of the important reference books are mentioned below:
| Name of the Books | Author |
|---|---|
| Audio production and critical listening | Jason Corey |
| Music Production | Carlos Lellis |
| Handbook for sound engineers | Glen Ballou |
| Audio Engineering | Douglas Self, ?Ben Duncan, ?Ian Sinclair |
Diploma in Sound Engineering: Top Colleges
Many colleges are offering this course in India. Some of the top colleges offering this course are listed below –
| Name of the College | Average Fees |
|---|---|
| Zee Institute of Media Arts, ZIMA | INR 2 lakhs |
| IIFA Multimedia | INR 3.67 lakhs |
| Mumbai Music Institute | INR 75,000 |
| Crypto Cipher Academy | INR 1.93 lakhs |
| Vishwakarma University | INR 2 lakhs |
Diploma in Sound Engineering: College Comparison
College Comparison between Seamedu School of Pro-Expressionism, Shemaroo Institute of Film and Technology and Bridge Academy For Media Studies is given below:
| Seamedu School of Pro-Expressionism | Bridge Academy For Media Studies |
| Parameter | Seamedu School of Pro-Expressionism | Shemaroo Institute of Film and Technology | Bridge Academy For Media Studies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Objective | It is a prime media school based in Pune. It is a Private school offering specialized courses in Sound Engineering, photography, broadcast journalism, etc | One of the top colleges for a Diploma in Sound Engineering, located in Andheri East, Mumbai offers skill-based training to students. | Located in Puducherry offers professional training on Diploma in Sound Engineering, film production, visual communication, etc. |
| Location | Pune | Mumbai | Puducherry |
| NIRF Ranking 2020 | _ | _ | _ |
| Average Annual Fee | INR 3,40,000 | _ | INR 80,000 |
| Average Annual Placement Package | INR 3,50,000 | INR 3,76,000 | _ |
| Top Companies Visited | BYJU’S, TV9, Blue Frog, Center for learning resources, 24 Media Fusion, Reliance Games, The New Indian Express, etc | Yellow Turban Films, Jio Studios, Dneg, Zee Entertainment, etc. | Jaya TV, Vijay, Asianet, Amazon, Sun TV, Raj, Jesus Calls, etc. |
Diploma in Sound Engineering: Course Advantages
- Sound Engineering is the science of balancing, adjusting, reproducing, and editing sound. Audio engineers work on sound creation and also on the technical aspects producing the magical effects in sound.
- Audio engineers play an important role in the music industry. Diploma in Sound Engineering is 6 months to 1 year’s diploma level course which gives practical as well as theoretical knowledge to the students.
- Students learn about sound mixing and mastering, editing, and recording. A diploma in sound engineering is not only a technical course but also a creative course. Those students who have an interest in music can definitely join Diploma in Sound Engineering.
- Diploma in sound engineering covers subjects like fundamentals of audio engineering and applications, principles of sound, studio techniques, music theory, and ear training, mixing and mastering, etc.
Diploma in Sound Engineering: Course Comparison
All these degrees may sound similar. But Diploma in Sound Engineering and M.Sc Music and Sound Technology are different courses. Below is mentioned the comparison of all these courses:
| Basis | Diploma in Sound Engineering | M.Sc Music and Sound Technology |
|---|---|---|
| Duration | 1 year | 3 years |
| Focus Area | It is a theory-oriented and skill-based course that deals with the art of sound creating and editing. The course is usually offered by public institutes. | It is an application and skill-based course that deals with recording, mixing, equalization, and recording of sound. It is usually offered by universities, both public and private. |
| Admission Criteria | Merit-based, Entrance Examination | State-level or national level entrance examination score. |
| Eligibility Criteria | 10+2 with PCM subjects. | Graduation with at least 60% aggregate score in relevant subjects. |
| Average Course Fees | INR 25,000 to INR 4,00,000 | INR 2,00,000 to INR 6,00,000 |
| Job Options | Sound Engineer, Studio Manager, Promo Producer, Acoustic Consultant, Studio Designer, Live Sound Engineer, Location Recordist, etc | Sound Engineer, Studio Sound Recordist, Digital media entrepreneur, Production Assistant, Studio Designer, Location Recordist, Studio Manager, etc |
| Areas of Employment | TV channels, radio stations, broadcast firms, music companies, sound studios, record production firms, R&D firms, sound system marketing firms | TV channels, radio stations, broadcast firms, music companies, sound studios, record production firms, R&D firms, sound system marketing firms |
| Average Placement Package | INR 2,00,000 to 4,00,000 | INR 3,00,000 to INR 5,00,000 |

Diploma in Sound Engineering: Job Prospects
- Students taking admission in the Diploma in Sound Engineering can get jobs in TV channels, radio stations, broadcast firms, music companies, sound studios, record production firms, R&D firms, sound system marketing firms, etc.
- Students can become Studio Sound Engineer, Audio Engineer, Studio Designer, Live Sound Engineer, Mixing Engineer, Mastering Engineer, Music Arranger, Audio Post-Production, Music and Dialogue Editor, Location Recordist, Digital Media Entrepreneur, Sound Recordist, etc. by doing Diploma in Sound Engineering.
- Students can also go for higher education in this field such as B.A. in Sound Engineering, Master’s in Sound Engineering, or Ph.D. in music.
| Job Role | Average Salary (Annual) |
|---|---|
| Sound Engineer | INR 3,00,000- 3,50,000 |
| Mixing Engineer | INR 2,00,000-3,00,000 |
| Acoustic Consultant | INR 2,00,000-2,50,000 |
| Sound Recordist | INR 2,50,000-3,00,000 |

Diploma in Sound Engineering: Scope
After completing the Diploma (Sound Engineering) course. One can continue doing their further study and go for a Postgraduate and Ph.D. It will enhance their language skills and provide more knowledge. Graduation can work in the government sector as well as the private sector.
- PG Diploma: If a student wants to continue in the same field of education, the second program of choice is a PGD. It is a two years duration course and the eligibility criteria include having a Diploma Degree in related disciplines.
- PhD: If a student wants to continue in the same field of education, the second program of choice is a PhD. It is a three to five years duration course and the eligibility criteria include having a Diploma Degree in related disciplines.






