Emotion System's Tristan Sear talks about learning to code with his brothers, and why a career in software engineering means he learns something new every single day
By Contributor
Published: August 9, 2022 Updated: August 10, 2022
Emotion System's Tristan Sear talks about learning to code with his brothers, and why a career in software engineering means he learns something new every single day
target=_blank title=Share on LinkedIn class=share-linkedin>
Tristan Sear, research and development software engineer, Emotion Systems Talk us through a day in your role: My role is quite collaborative, and every day is completely different. From fixing bugs to running tests - every problem needs a different, creative approach.
In a day of research, you very rarely know how long a project is going to take. It could take 5 minutes if someone has done something like it before, because then it's as simple as doing a Google search and you're done. But sometimes like with a project I'm working on now - you find out that something hasn't worked for 2-3 years, and you have to figure out how to build it from scratch.
Coding is very precise, it does exactly what it tells you to and it's easy to make small mistakes that can lead to big problems. Bug fixing can be as simple as correcting a mistype or require a deep dive into the ones and zeros in a file and we write very particular code to correct more nuanced issues.
Overall, the role is about solving lots of little daily puzzles to build up a solution that solves a much more complex problem, and I never know how long a project is going to take until I dive into the code!
How did you get started in the media industry? Completely by chance! When I was studying for my degree in Physics with Theoretical Physics, a module that involved looking into waveforms meant I stumbled across Emotion Systems. Several modules on my degree also involved coding, and my dad is a programmer too, so my interest in programming was piqued from a young age. When it came to applying for jobs, I was familiar with Emotion Systems, I had the right skillset from my studies, and my interest in audio made it a good fit.
What training did you have before entering the industry? The majority of my training for the role came from my degree - I did two courses on C , which gave me a working knowledge of programming. This allowed me to become fluent in the C language and apply coding to realistic applications and write my own programmes.
But I'd also had training from my dad - when I was younger, he created a game for me and my brothers, teaching us how make a stick figure move around based on the commands we input. I was always interested in coding, and it was a passion project of mine that helped me get my job - figuring out how to make the best possible move in a Scrabble game. During my interview at Emotion Systems, we bounced ideas off each other! So, being familiar with coding from an early age and then having more formal training at university set me up nicely to enter this industry.
Why do you enjoy working in the industry? I'm constantly learning and creating - I've yet to take on a project where I haven't learnt something new, and it's fascinating to watch the industry evolve. It's also rewarding to be creating a noticeable difference to content - and to see my work has an impact. We once loudness corrected Game of Thrones, so it was exciting to be able to say I'd made a difference to that content, no matter how small!
What piece of advice would you offer someone looking to explore a role similar to yours? Don't be put off by something that looks complicated! It's easy to get started, you can jump on Google, get started on a project, and be well on your way to picking up some coding basics within the hour. There's a great community of shared knowledge, so no matter what you're trying to do, someone has probably solved the same problem already. It's just about finding patterns, optimising, and developing your experience and skillset. A great way to get started is to find a passion project - for me it turned out to be Scrabble!
Europe Stories
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
09/09/2026
RT brings three packed days of live radio, entertainment, news, weather and fun
Join RT Radio 1: Morning Ireland, Oliver Callan, Today with David McCullagh,...
08/09/2026
Built for rap producers, by rap producers
Sauceware Audio, the independent plug-in company founded by Grammy-nominated producer Jacob (Travis Scott, 21 Sava...
08/09/2026
Classic Sound Techniques design revived
Warm Audio's latest release delivers a meticulous recreation of the preamp circuitry employed by the Sound Techn...
08/09/2026
Latest soft synth inspired by the Memorymoog
XILS Lab have just launched a software instrument that draws its inspiration from Moog's iconic Memorymoog,...
08/09/2026
Tuesday 8 September 2026
Sky Go gets a major upgrade for Sky Glass and Sky Stream customers
Today, Sky launches a new version of the Sky Go app for Sky Glass ...
08/09/2026
Documentary thriller simulating a Russian attack on UK soil will culminate in a live final episode reuniting the playersTuesday 8 September 2026
Trailer releas...
08/09/2026
Tuesday 8 September 2026
Jamie Demetriou and Amelia Dimoldenberg to host next t...
08/09/2026
Wuppertal September 8, 2026
Riedel Introduces New OnAir Headset PlatformRiedel Communications today announced the launch of its new OnAir headset platform, a...
08/09/2026
BERLIN, September 8, 2026 - J nger Audio will introduce a major expansion of its flexAI audio processing platform at IBC 2026. The flexAI system adds autonomous...
08/09/2026
New Vendor-Agnostic Broadband Intelligence Fabric Reduces Operational Complexity and Improves Service Quality for Broadband Service Providers SAN JOSE, Calif. -...
08/09/2026
Arvato Systems Brings TI Expertise to the Stage
Panels, workshops, and real-world examples at the TI-SUMMIT 2026
Arvato Systems, a partner of the TI-SUMMIT 2...
08/09/2026
On October 1, Apple Arcade is rolling out a lineup of fun new games for players ...
07/09/2026
Two new full-range, flat-response cabinets introduced
HeadRush have recently introduced a pair of new full-range, flat-response cabinets designed for player...
07/09/2026
Answering questions about AI in game audio
GameSoundCon, the largest professional conference for video game music and sound design, have announced that they...
07/09/2026
New directional headset mic on show at IBC
Just ahead of this week's IBC show, DPA have announced the launch of a new directional headset that's bee...
07/09/2026
We are not building systems to replace human decision-making; we are building systems that execute our decisions at machine speed. The media companies that win ...
07/09/2026
Monday 7 September 2026
Freddie Meredith joins cast of SNL UK ahead of start of Season 2
Freddie Meredith Images
ZIP (3MB)
Saturday Night Live UK announces ...
07/09/2026
Monday 7 September 2026
Sky and NFTS team up to launch new routes into screen careers
Sky has today announced a new apprenticeship programme, with application...
07/09/2026
Monday 7 September 2026
Sky Sports announces most comprehensive NFL coverage to...
07/09/2026
Dolby, MainConcept, Techex and J nger Audio will showcase the industry's first demonstration of Serial Audio Definition Model (S-ADM) in a cloud-based produ...
07/09/2026
dB Broadcast will showcase APIS Hive, its software platform for designing, deploying and managing modern broadcast infrastructures, at IBC 2026.
Developed from...
07/09/2026
552,000 streams on RT Player
The historic fight, which saw Katie Taylor become...
06/09/2026
Recreates Rolands TB-303 & MC-202
BS-203 MacroAcidizer is the first virtual instrument from Born Second, and it offers a recreation of two Roland classics -...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
05/09/2026
MK2 & Bass system control app improved
HEDD Audio have just launched a new and improved version of the control software that pairs with their MK2 and Bass m...
04/09/2026
Media organisations interested in the Media Innovation Europe 3.0 Business Innovation Synergizer (BIS) can now consult a new FAQ document providing additional a...
04/09/2026
Powerful new soft synth announced
Traveler is the first software instrument to be released by KeySolutions Sounds, and it's an ambitious one! Said to co...
04/09/2026
Free virtual instrument range expanded
The latest expansion of e-instruments' free Fragments series introduces a packed-down version of the company'...
04/09/2026
Company recognised for second time
Two years after winning an Engineering, Science & Technology Emmy Award for dxRevive Pro, Accentize have been recognised ...
04/09/2026
Bilbao - 3rd September 2026 -AgileTV, a leading provider of end-to-end TV and vi...
04/09/2026
RT ANNOUNCE NEW DRAMA THE MURDER OF MR. MOONLIGHT
BASED ON THE DISAPPEARANCE...
03/09/2026
Yospace will be at IBC from 11th - 14th September (booth 5.C78). For more inform...
03/09/2026
Create musical synth bass sounds from scratch
Anthony Marinelli Music have recently announced the launch of Bass DNA, a new online course that teaches music...
03/09/2026
Most powerful Tonex hardware to date
IK Multimedia's latest release introduces their most advanced Tonex hardware unit to date, combining their AI Machi...
03/09/2026
Upmix & downmix software upgraded
Penteo Audio Plugins have announced that the latest version of their powerful upmix and downmix software is now available....
03/09/2026
With the start of the new apprenticeship year, young talent has once again begun their professional careers at SGL Carbon's sites in Germany. Recently, the ...
03/09/2026
With the industry increasingly embracing hybrid, software-defined production models, Calrec will preview a series of Argo and ImPulseV software enhancements at ...
03/09/2026
Luxembourg, 03 September 2026 - SES, a space solutions company, extends its collaboration with the Peruvian Navy (Marina de Guerra del Per ) to deliver sovereig...
03/09/2026
Thursday 3 September 2026
Jeff Goldblum announced as host of Saturday Night Liv...
03/09/2026
Wuppertal September 3, 2026
Gonshiro Strengthens Collaboration With Riedel, AR...
03/09/2026
Comscore Expands Its AI Intelligence to Measure Sponsored Chat Advertising and I...
03/09/2026
First Class Takes is a new six-part series for RT KIDS that captures funny, hon...
02/09/2026
Combines the Phat Drive with high-voltage valve circuit
The latest pedal from Keeley Electronics combines their popular Phat Mode drive pedal with an all-ne...
02/09/2026
Free version of virtual mixing room plug-in introduced
Lewitt's Space Replicator plug-in provides users with a virtual monitoring environment that aims ...
02/09/2026
Two new mixing & mastering plug-ins revealed
AIR Music Tech have just introduced the Stereophonic Bundle, a pair of processing plug-ins designed to provide ...
02/09/2026
Rohde & Schwarz has achieved initial verification of 3GPP Rel. 17 power-saving f...
02/09/2026
Bilbao - 3rd September 2026 -AgileTV, a leading provider of end-to-end TV and vi...
Emotion System's Tristan Sear talks about learning to code with his brothers, and why a career in software engineering means he learns something new every single day
