Any sound heard in any [MO1] media involves the work of an audio producer. Audio production is the art and science of sound recording, editing, and mixing. Audio producers oversee the process of capturing sound accurately and ensuring everything sounds high quality. Audio production may consist of many different types of media. Whether producing music, creating video game sound, engineering live sound, engineering film or tv sound, or producing a television broadcast. Capturing audio generally consists of three phases of production: pre-production, production, and post-production.

Pre-production consists [MO2] of planning what will happen during the recording session. Projects should begin by fully understanding the requirements and expectations for the audio. Questions such as, “What job am I doing and why,” and “what do I have control over?” should be asked by the audio production team. The audio production process is very different when recording a musician as opposed to recording an interview. Factors to consider may be what types of microphones will be used, background noise that can be eliminated, as well as how power may be generated.

A storyboard, which is a graphic organizer for all of the audio being recorded[MO3] , is prepared to gain an overall view of how the audio should sound.  Choosing the location of the recording may include listening to a location before the recording. This will help the engineer determine the necessary equipment and brainstorm possible solutions to issues that might arise during production such as unwanted noise or inclement weather. Experienced audio engineers recommend writing equipment lists to ensure the right pieces are fully charged, prepared, and packed, if necessary.

Each type of project will require different things during production. However, organization and planning are key for any audio production's success.

The production phase of the audio production process begins with setup. When possible, begin setup before the subjects arrive. Doing this will allow for a more efficient event and will display an impressive level of professionalism.

Setup includes arranging any soundproofing materials, assembling equipment, and doing a soundcheck. During the sound check, the audio engineer tests the sound levels in the room and makes any preliminary adjustments. Once the subject arrives on the scene, the audio engineer should relay any pertinent information to the subject about the recording process. This might include instructing the subject on where to stand or how to interact with a microphone. Or it could be discussing how the whole process will go.

Recording sounds such as music, foley, dialogue, or narration are all included in the production phase of a film or television production. Foley is the reproduction of everyday sound effects that are added to films, videos, and other media in post-production to enhance audio quality.

Tracking is essentially the process of recording songs and occurs during the production phase of producing music. The name “tracking” comes from the fact that each instrument is recorded individually and given its own "track" in the mix so the balance and sound of each may be controlled later. During the production phase, sound engineers, musicians, artists, and voice actors work on integral parts of the production to create a cohesive project.

When the main content has been recorded, some projects may require gathering location sounds, such as the murmurs from a crowd anxiously awaiting a concert or tapping from the subject typing on a keyboard. The additional audio collected may be used to cut away from the main audio if necessary.

Every project will have a slightly different production process. As an audio engineer, preparing for unexpected changes or new challenges is essential while working on a project. When recording, a lot of the final decisions about the product can be made after the recording. However, in live audio production, all of the decisions about mixing the project must be made live. Mixing in live recording is the process of selecting the amount of sound from each source to play when a group of various sources is added together.

Whether recording audio or performing audio, audio production requires thinking about the audience, sound quality, and the methods for achieving the best outcome of the project.

Audio post-production is the final step in which editors slice raw audio files to make them sound as the client intended. Mixing is done as part of the recording process. However, after the initial mix is made, it can be adjusted in the editing process. Mixing is the process of making all the elements blend, balance, and work well together.

In addition to mixing, the audio may need further editing to get the best performance. These types of edits may include merging different takes of a recording, removing unwanted or unneeded parts of the recording, and adding elements, like music or sound effects. [MO4] Modifying levels of various sounds and converting analog signals into digital recordings are all part of post-production[MO5] .

After completing all of the edits, and the client has approved the finished product, the next step is preparing the audio for publication in whatever format is necessary.

Mastering is the final opportunity to make an audio production have the best sound. Mastering a track involves quality controlling the track, performing tonal balance for optimal sound translation, and bringing the volume of the track up to industry standards for loudness, while sticking true to the original sound of the mix as possible. Each type of audio production has different industry standards for the audio level, as in decibels and volume. Mastering engineers are skilled in taking audio that has been previously mixed in either the analog or digital domain and preparing it for distribution.

[MO1]I would probably just say media.

[MO2]consists

[MO3]being recorded

[MO4]I think we should say something like in audio books or podcasts editors may add in music or sound effects since technically music and sound effects are audio productions.

[MO5]missing a period