There are many different types of recording industry jobs. Some of the most common of these jobs deal with the actual recording process itself, including mixing, editing, and production. Other recording industry jobs may involve the management of artists or of the record label. In order to sell albums, the recording industry also hires people to do marketing and advertising. Some jobs may also include researching trends in music and scouting out new artists for the label.
Many people with recording industry jobs are involved with the production of albums. One of the most important of these jobs is sound engineering, the process of recording the sound produced by artists on a recording stage. Once the sound has been captured, the raw data is given to arrangers and mixers who layer it together so that the vocals, percussion, and other instruments are all in the proper balance. Sound editors may also be involved in the creation of tracks, piecing together the best parts of any number of takes so that the track is flawless when it is complete. The producer will oversee this entire process and may be personally involved in the engineering, arranging, or editing.
Though artists can hire producers and pay them to make an album, many are signed with large record labels that cover the costs of album production for the artists. Some people may be employed by these larger record labels in discovering new talent and approaching them with an offer to make an album together. These recording industry jobs could involve listening to thousands of demos that have been submitted, attending live concerts, or talking with teens or young adults to find out who the best local musicians are. Once artists are signed with a label, composers may work with them to help write the music for an album, and publicists and artist coordinators may work with them to manage their public images.
In order to sell albums, the recording industry relies on sales and marketing professionals. These types of recording industry jobs can include web designers, advertisement designers, marketing directors and sales staff. These professionals determine both how to advertise the album and who to advertise it to so that money isn't wasted on ineffective marketing. Visual artists may also be brought in to create album artwork and merchandise that the record label and recording artists can profit from.