Opening doors to the Audio World

But how do you actually make the leap from university to professional life? Unfortunately, the reality is usually somewhat sobering.

The world out there isn’t waiting for you to finish your studies and then present you with a job in the audio industry.

There are currently over 42,000 audio jobs available in the United States, covering a wide range of roles such as sound designers, audio engineers, and audio editors.

The audio job market offers opportunities for freelance audio engineers, audio interns, as well as full-time, part-time, and contract positions.

With the demand for audio and video technicians projected to grow to 95,400 jobs by 2034, planning your career in audio is more important than ever.

Most audio jobs prefer candidates with a degree in Audio Engineering, Music Production, Film/Media Production, or a similar field. Typically, 3+ years of experience in audio editing, mixing, or sound design is required, along with proficiency in digital audio workstations (DAWs) like Adobe Audition, Pro Tools, or similar.

Ongoing training is essential to keep up with evolving technologies in the industry.

A strong understanding of audio principles, attention to detail, pacing, and emotion in sound is crucial for success in audio editing and sound design roles.

Nevertheless, my master’s thesis has contributed fundamentally to why I can do what I do today and helped launch my career as an audio engineer. I’d like to help you find out how you can do the same.

What’s in it for you?

• Support: I help you with your thesis, be it with a short interview or as a supervisor.

• Innovative: we will find a future topic that will open a door or two for you.

• Practical: finally you have a presentable audio sample with which you can apply on the market.

• Network: I’m in constant contact with the big companies and can make connections that benefit everyone. I can also help you navigate your audio job search, including how to use job search features and filters—such as job type, location, and site (on-site, remote, or hybrid)—to find relevant opportunities efficiently.

You don’t even have to write your paper with me. I will gladly try to put you in touch with the right people. But in the past, a student job has also come up, or we can spread the word about your work via my blog.

Audio jobs can be found on various job sites, and filtering by location—such as New York, NY—can help you target the right opportunities.

So just drop me a line without any obligation:

contact me now

This is what my intern George Becker had to say for his time with me:

Martin Rieger is very active in the 3-D audio scene, both nationally and internationally, and is therefore well connected in the industry. His broad customer base as well as his practical experience make him an expert in his field.

With the opportunity to complete my internship semester at VRTonung, I was able to gain impressions in many different areas. In addition to numerous valuable tips, I learned what really matters in the audio industry and how to establish myself in the market.

I would like to thank you for your cooperation and I am looking forward to furthering joint projects in the future.

Topics overview, ideas and projects

My personal focus is creative audio production. Therefore this topic also would be desirable in my eyes if such a work can be linked directly with a practical application. So you don’t only have a page-long, theoretical work, but also something to show after all.

But in principle, the topic can be freely chosen and I don’t want to exclude anything categorically. Here are a few keywords that are always interesting and can be combined with each other.

In general, the question of what added value sound (be it as 3D audio, interactive, personalized, etc.) can offer is above all.

I also have a number of upcoming projects that would work great as student research projects. So just write to me.

• 3D Audio Production (for various media: music, film, VR, XR etc.)

• Virtual Reality (360° Video, Roomscale Experiences with 6 degrees of Freedom applications).

• Augmented Reality (what GPS based apps are out there, BOSE AR SDK, Apple Spatial Audio iOS update).

• Because immersive music is a big topic, also the different use cases (binaural music with or without head tracking, speaker mixes, personalization, what genre works).

• What’s out there for AR Audio Devices (Ambeo Smart Headest, Bose headphones and sunglasses etc).

• What potential is there on Social Media for 3D Audio (360 videos on YouTube and Facebook, binaural content possible on all platforms).

• Testing of various tools (object-based audio, audio definition model, Dolby Atmos, wavefield synthesis, ambisonics, Hypersound etc.), including installing audio software and equipment as part of the technical process.

• Interactive and personalized audio applications (where do users want to have more influence on the mix, where do they not care).

• Evaluating different speaker situations (in car, cinema, in VR, with smartspeaker or soundbar at home.

• Live streaming (concerts, theater performances, TV production with object-based audio, interactive concepts with audience participation)

• zoom fatigue: How can audio as 3D content counteract this, what creative playground do online conferences offer?

• relaxation (how can sound be used for relaxation): ASMR, 3D nature sounds, binaural beats

• Sound installations with many speakers or headphones (For festivals, museums, etc.)

• Haptic acoustics triggers with vibration (Subpac, Buttkicker, Soundbrenner) Augmented Reality, Extended Reality, 360° Video

• Content marketing , SEO, (how can immersive content be distributed and reach audiences?)

• Voice (what can we get from such technologies, how do you use voice assistants change our behavior).

• AI (how will artificial intelligence shape the recording studio workflow, what will we soon no longer have, where is the human substitutable)

• Storytelling (how does sound add value and what difference does 3D audio make? Consider adding sound effects, ambient layers, or transitions to enhance audio projects.)

• Industry specific applications, how can sound add value here: Art, Culture, Industry, Education, Architecture, Medicine, etc.

• Smartspeakers, soundbars and new devices that make 3D audio accessible to consumers.

• immersive media, cross-media applications, innovative ideas.

• mobile apps, software applications

• audio programming (roles like Audio Programmer, or using programming in audio applications and sound design)

• interactive audio applications with Unity, Unreal Engine, Max/MSP; Middleware’s FMOD, Audiokinetic Wwise

• Blockchain, Krypto, NFT (Non-Fungible Tokens) combined with sound music and ars

Subscribe to the latest 3D audio news

Work already supported

For the following researches, I gave interviews for bachelor, master, or student research projects

• D. Strübig, “Analysis of the Audio Definition Model regarding functionality on creation level”, Stuttgart Media University

• M. Dahl, “Storytelling through sound design in 360° film”, Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences

• A. Aklin, “An investigation of the possible panning approaches of accompanying music in the interactive and non-interactive Virtual Reality’s environment.”, SAE Institute Berlin

• D. Rieger, “Added value of 3D audio: current developments in the production of immersive audio content,” Stuttgart Media University.

• T. Stump, “Sound Design im 360°-Film – Aufmerksamkeitslenkung von Zuschauern im 360°-Film durch gezieltees Sound Design”, University of Applied Sciences Graubünden

• L. Bernd, “Comparison of sound field and channel-based recording methods for 3D audio according to the Auro-3D 9.1 Standard”, Mittweida University of Applied Sciences

• M. Bernsteiner, immersive sound design and 3D audio production, Institute for Electronic Music and Acoustics (IEM) (VR Tools)

• J. Fritsche, composition in virtual space, Leipzig University of Music and Theatre

• C. Scheibel, “Conception and realization of a laser-based panning process”, PopCollege Fellbach

• O. Beyer, “Virtual reality science magazine”, TU Dresden

• S. Lamche, 3D Audio Eastern Bavarian Technical University Amberg-Weiden

• S. Giesl, “Free Will as Opportunity and Challenge – Potential of Current Immersive Techniques for Entertainment Film”, Furtwangen University of Applied Sciences

• Dr. D. P.O. Wiedemann, “Investigating role perception, Perspective, and Space through virtual reality related game interfaces”, Middlesex University London

• K. Siedl, “Audio production in times of 3d visualisation with Pressure Zone Microphones”, OTH-AW

• J. Wagner, Christian Birkner, Leipzig University of Applied Sciences

• P. Kolodziej, “Immersive 3D Sound – Influence on Narration in Modern Film and Extension of the Technology to Mobile Devices”, RheinMain University of Applied Sciences Wiesbaden

• R. Jaud, “Mentoring Sound Design for VR”, Zurich University of the Arts

• V. Strobel, 3D Audio for Marketing in tourism, OTH-AW

• S. Vogl, “Binaural Audio to increase Immersion – Influence of Microphoning Techniques on the Perception of Moving Images”, University of Applied Sciences St. Pölten

• A. Glatz, “Evaluating the advantages and disadvantages of binaural conversation podcasts for the listening experience”, Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences

• D. Gallas, “3D audio – the future of radio?”, Bundeswehr University

• G. Becker, “Development of a proposal for a working environment for object-based audio production in the recording studio at Ansbach University of Applied Sciences”, Ansbach University of Applied Sciences

• D. Beckmann, “Binaural Audio in Videogames”, SAE Institut Hannover

• T. Crettaz & O. Loshkin, “Binaural audio in VR and real-time”, SAE Genf

• C. Denz, “Empirical analysis and identification of different design spaces for augmented audio applications in public spaces”, University of Siegen

• L. Dahm, “The future of VR concerts”, Macromedia University of Applied Sciences

• T. Merkle, “Does the integration of binaural sounds make the gameplay more authentic and does this strengthen immersion?”, HS Furtwangen

• S. Schmitt, “Three-dimensional microphone technology – an overview of current technologies”, Rheinmain University of Applied Sciene

• A. Enes, “Virtual Reality Concert Streaming”, German Pop Academy

• A. Rosenberger, “360° Musikvideos mit Spatial Audio in Ambisonics”, Trinity College Dublin

• M. Puentes, “Spatial Audio Unveiled – A Qualitative Exploration of the Apple AirPods Immersive Spatial Audio Technology”, Triagon Academy

• P. Guggenberger, “3D audio production and design in combination with 2D media such as cartoon-like animations”, Fachhochschule Oberösterreich

Sources that also reference my home page

• Mariam Rafehi, “Bending Educational Reality,” Virginia Commonwealth University.

• Bastian Kilper, “Opportunities and Challenges of Binaural Audio for Auditory Media. A technical and design perspective”, Stuttgart Media University.

• Johannes Männer, “Binaural Audio for Virtual Reality Concerts. Recording and mixing popular music for 360° videos in the context of an interactive VR application,” Stuttgart Media University.

• Marcel Remy, “Audio for 360° Video. Quality criteria and production workflow in the context of musical performance practice using the example of the Hessischer Rundfunk”, Stuttgart Media University.

• Randy F Fela, “Perceptual Evaluation on Audio-Visual Dataset of 360 Content”, Senselab FORCE Technology

• Revista Latina de Communicaión Social, “Cross-media radio and hybrid radio: the new way to inform and entertain yourself on the digital stage”, https://nuevaepoca.revistalatinacs.org/index.php/revista/article/view/1848

• Vacharaporn Paradorn, “A Comparison of Maximum Length Sequence and Power Spectral Analysis of the Impulse Response of A Linear Time-Invariant System”, University of Massachusetts, https://www.proquest.com/openview/0c0da6def902f7083b6742412f13b4c0/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y

• Vincenzo De Masi, Qinke Di, Siyi Li , Yuhan Song , “Sonic Landscapes in the Metaverse: Exploring Immersive Audio Design in Virtual Environments”, https://riviste.unimi.it/index.php/connessioniremote/article/view/26755

• Katharina Fuchs, Paradoxical Sound Spaces: The Sound Aesthetics of Virtual Reality Films between Mediation and Immediacy Effect, University of Paris 8

Supervised student assignment and scientific research papers

Why do I want to help with student research projects?

Admittedly, I don’t really have time to do much research on top of the daily job madness. But that’s exactly the problem. Over the years, an insane number of topics have accumulated on my notepad of which I think: “Someone should really look into this more deeply – but unfortunately, it can’t be me.”

Helping students and supporting research projects is one way I can serve the needs of customers and the wider audio community, ensuring that new ideas and solutions continue to emerge.

Nevertheless, in the past, I was able to invest a few hours to help students by phone to implement the work later on their own. Be it with topic ideas for theses, contacts in the industry, or practical projects for research.

Along the way, I get to meet and collaborate with talented people from across the audio industry, including engineers, producers, and creative technologists.

After my master thesis opened many doors for me not too long ago, I would now like to give something back. In the end, a win-win situation should arise for everyone.

So a thankful thesis topic for the student and me as part of the audio community am happy when an innovative topic is taken up for which no one has time at the moment.

A great example in the industry is Audible, a leading creator and provider of audio storytelling.

Audible emphasizes the power of stories to transform lives and create community, and they actively recruit and cultivate local talent to drive community initiatives. Their global offices encourage employees to volunteer and serve in their communities, and they celebrate diversity by encouraging everyone to bring their full selves to work.

This commitment to community and diversity sets an inspiring example for students and newcomers entering the audio field.

So the best thing to do is to send me a non-binding mail and see what happens.

You can find a video about me here

Drop me a line