Prepare

Taking the AETCA

The AETCA consists of 110 multiple choice questions, including 96 technical questions and 14 critical listening questions. Examinees will have a total of 75 minutes to complete the entire assessment. While there is no strict time limit per question, it is designed with the intention of spending around 30 to 45 seconds per technical question and 70 seconds per critical listening question, although most can be answered in less time. The exam is administered entirely online through Canvas. After completion, scores will be released within 14 business days. 

All technical questions will present the examinee with a question prompt and four possible answer choices, from which they must select the one that best answers the prompt. It’s important to note that many of the incorrect, distractor answer choices are not necessarily "wrong," but rather represent solutions that would be inefficient, ineffective, or unsafe. More details and sample questions with full breakdowns can be found below.

The critical listening questions will present the examinee with a brief audio clip, typically around 30 seconds in length. The clip may feature a section of a song, an instrument, a vocal performance, or a full mix, or it may highlight isolated issues such as distortion or phase cancellation. Examinees will be required to identify specific audio characteristics, detect technical flaws, or determine the appropriate processing adjustments needed to improve the sound based on the question prompt.

What's on the AETCA

The AETCA is structured to evaluate a wide range of audio engineering skills, ensuring a well-rounded assessment of both technical knowledge and practical application. Questions span five distinct content areas:

• Audio Physics (16 questions) – Covers the science behind sound and electrical signals, including topics such as wave propagation, phase relationships, impedance, electrical circuits, grounding, and acoustics.

• System Design (20 questions) – Focuses on the setup and architecture of audio systems, including analog and digital signal paths, gain staging, patching, microphone selection, connectivity, and understanding how different audio components interact within a system.

• Mixing Techniques (24 questions) – Examines techniques used to shape and balance audio, including equalization (EQ), dynamic range control (compression, limiting, expansion, and gating), reverb and delay effects, stereo imaging, and other processing techniques. 

• Technical Application (36 questions) – Challenges engineers to apply their knowledge in real-world scenarios, including live sound troubleshooting, optimizing microphone placement, addressing feedback issues, selecting appropriate equipment for different environments, and adapting to unpredictable technical problems.

• Critical Listening (14 questions) – Tests the ability to identify and diagnose audio issues by ear, covering frequency imbalances, phase cancellation, clipping and distortion, unwanted noise artifacts (hum, hiss, RF interference), and the impact of different processing techniques on a mix.

Each category reflects the diverse skill set required in professional audio engineering, ensuring a thorough and practical evaluation of competency. A detailed outline of all assessment content can be found here. 

While there are a plethora of topics included in the list of testable content (and over 1,000 current AETCA questions that could possibly appear on any assessment), each individual AETCA administration will only cover a random fraction of the available content areas. Individual questions within each section are weighted based on the relative importance of their content to the overall field of audio engineering. For example, a question covering the Doppler effect (which is not relevant for most day-to-day engineers) will be weighted less than a question asking about how to use an equalizer. 

Please remember, the AETCA is designed to stretch your knowledge of audio engineering and test you on subjects with which you may not be familiar. You are not expected to get every question correct, and most examinees will correctly answer only about 65% of the questions. 

Difficulty of the AETCA

The AETCA is designed to assess the most important and relevant content areas in the field of audio engineering in a fair and objective manner. However, it also provides an opportunity for examinees to demonstrate an exceptional depth of knowledge that extends beyond fundamental concepts.

Approximately 20% of the exam consists of basic, straightforward questions that the vast majority of examinees (over 90%) will answer correctly. These questions may involve identifying common cable types, explaining the relationship between frequency and pitch, or describing the cause of phase cancellation. Such questions primarily test foundational knowledge and often involve rote memorization of key concepts and definitions, similar to what might be found on flashcards.

Around 60% of the AETCA consists of moderately difficult questions that require a deeper understanding and the ability to apply core concepts. These questions seek to replicate the critical thinking and decision-making that audio engineers conduct on a day-to-day basis. Examples of such questions could include troubleshooting signal flow issues, interpreting technical specifications, or analyzing the effects of microphone placement. Most examinees (around 70%) will be able to answer these questions correctly.

The remaining 20% of the exam consists of high-level comprehension and synthesis problems. While these questions do not introduce concepts beyond those outlined in the content guide, they require examinees to apply their knowledge in new ways or integrate multiple ideas to solve complex problems. These questions are designed to differentiate those with an advanced mastery of the field, with only about 30% of examinees answering them correctly.

Scoring Breakdown

AETCA results are reported as two separate scores totaling to one composite score. Each score in the AETCA is curved in such a way that the average examinee (the 50th percentile) will score around 100 in each individual category. 

• Fundamentals & Techniques (FT) – Measures proficiency in core audio engineering concepts such as signal flow, basic acoustics, equipment setup, mixing, and signal processing. This score ranges from 80 to 120 and is based on questions from the audio physics, system design, and mixing techniques content areas. 

• Applications & Listening (AL) – Measures the ability to apply audio engineering knowledge in real-world scenarios. This score ranges from 80 to 120 and is based on questions from the technical application and critical listening areas. 

Each individual section score will be totaled to a composite score ranging from 160 to 240. The average, well-qualified examinee will receive a score of 200. 

Sample Questions

Sample questions were taken from previous versions of the AETCA and are designed to provide some useful examples of the types of topics, formats, and difficulty levels you can expect on the assessment. These are the same questions that are used on the short sample exam that is available once registered. 

All current sample questions can be found here.

Academic Integrity

Canvas (the platform used to administer the AETCA) automatically tracks all activity within the examinee's browser during the assessment, including whenever the examinee leaves the testing window. Any examinee who leaves the testing window during the assessment may have their scores voided without refund. This behavior may also result in a ban from taking the AETCA again, or the withdrawal of any previous AETCA scores. 

Ready to Register?

Once you're ready to register, follow the steps outlined on the Register page to secure your spot for the AETCA. Be sure to review all technical requirements, fill in the registration form, and complete the necessary payment and confirmation steps. If you have any questions or need assistance, support is available to help guide you through the process.