Bryony October an independent live sound engineer who started touring when she 15. She has toured as a merch-seller, catering assistant, and backline tech before moving into live sound. She has been working in live sound for the last 20 years.

You Can’t Be What You Can’t See
We bring to you the stories of women working in audio, from the Groundbreakers to the Next Generation.

Transitioning in the Music Industry

Laura Nagtegaal is a transgender woman, fully transitioning in 2017. This is her experience working in the music industry.

Laura is a Backline Tech and has been working in Live Event Production since 1995. She started out doing merchandise and moved into working as a backline tech, stage manager and tour manager. She owns her own company surrealm.net and hails from the Netherlands. She has worked with acts such as Samael, Within Temptation, Porcupine Tree, Amon Amarth, Carcass, Triptykon, Blind Guardian, and Ayreon.

The Secret to Being a Woman on the Road

What's the secret to this career? SoundGirl Heather Holm suggests you don't forget these tips when you have advanced in your career.

Heather Holm, holds a BA in Broadcasting & Digital Media Communication & an MS in Organizational Change Leadership. Heather works in higher education dealing with event logistics and production technology.

So you Think you Want a Career in Live Sound.

It’s good to have an end goal in mind for where you want to be. Equally important is to clarify your motivations so you can be sure that your expectations are aligned with the realities of the job.

Michelle Sabolchick Pettinato has been the sound engineer for some of the most recognizable names in music. Spin Doctors, Elvis Costello, Mr. Big, Melissa Etheridge, Goo Goo Dolls, Styx, and more.

An Open Letter to Theatre Reviewers

The play includes more than the actors on the stage. I’m a sound designer working mostly in regional theatre, and I would say 85% of the reviews I read don’t even mention designers or technical crew.

Elisabeth Weidner is a sound designer, composer, and engineer based on California’s Central Coast.

How to be the New Crew Person

In the live entertainment industry, you will find yourself working new venues fairly often; in the beginning, it might be every week! It’s not easy being ‘the new crew,’ and it can feel somewhat daunting at first.

Olive Olin is a freelance sound engineer and production manager based in London. She holds a BA degree in Music Production.

Refresh your sound effects definitions with this great glossary produced by Kate Finan. Watch for part 2 soon!

Kate Finan began her career as a post-production sound effects editor. Over the next several years, she worked her way up to being a supervising sound editor at Warner Bros. and then left to start her own studio, Boom Box Post.

Deconstructing a Song

Songwriting can be one of the most rewarding parts of being a musician. The beauty of songwriting is that nothing is right or wrong, and the world of music is filled with a wide range of different genres and styles. But, if you are new to writing, I decided to deconstruct a simple song structure to help get you started.

Jen Athan is a composer and producer based in Glasgow. She has written music for theatre shows and short films and enjoys creating music to accompany a narrative.

Hearing Health - Hearing Test

After seeing several recent articles and social media posts promoting good ear health, SoundGirls Contributor Michelle Sciarrotta realised that she was long overdue for a hearing test. Here is what you can expect!

Michelle Sciarrotta is a singer/songwriter, composer, and musician. She is passionate about women’s rights and education for girls.

The EQL Directory
Powered by SoundGirls, Made Possible by Spotify

The EQL Directory is a global database of professionals that seeks to amplify the careers and achievements of women working behind the scenes in music and audio. Any person around the world can add their name and claim their space. And, any person looking to hire a more inclusive creative team can find professionals in their area.

Radioactivity and Sound

Nicole explores the spooky ambience of radioactivity. Its manifestations are generally physical sensations, like heat, or mutations rather than sonic phenomena. However, there are fascinating sounds and ambiances that are connected with nuclear radiation.

Nicole Kirch is a recording engineer and musician. In her short career, she has worked on location sound, post-production, stage crew, and electronics.

New Podcast Finds

SoundGirl Alexandrea McLeod shares podcasts she's been enjoying recently; ranging from educational to entertainment topics. What podcasts are you listening too lately?

Alexandra is a recent graduate from the University of Exeter. Her main passion throughout university was her role as ‘Head of Station Sound’ for XpressionFM. She has had experience working at BBC Devon, Cornwall and Newcastle as well as PhonicFM (Exeter).

The Importance of Saying No!

The importance of saying yes while building a career in audio is important, but the importance of saying no is almost more important than saying yes. However it can be much more difficult!

Kate Haldrup is a Nashville-based freelance recording engineer and drummer. She has been freelancing in Nashville both as an engineer and drummer.

Giving Up Wasn’t a Choice – Freelancing in Bollywood

Priyanka SE, Bombay IN: Based in Bombay, India, Priyanka SE is an audio engineer and music producer who’s been working as a freelancer in the Bollywood Industry on versatile mainstream and indie media, audio and music projects for the past five years. She has a distinct taste in Music, irrespective of the genre and language, especially Blues, Jazz, Sufi, Indie, Folk Fusion, and Film Scores. Apart from that, she’s also an avid reader, an amateur writer, and Equal Gender Rights activist.

The Importance of Reference Tracks

Reference tracks are important because often while mixing, your ears can lose perspective. A reference track is helpful to have this happens, you can play the track and compare it to where your mix.

Virginia Haladyna is a musician, songwriter, performer, and freelance recording engineer based out of Austin, Texas.

Impulse Response Testing and Field Recording

SoundGirls Michigan Tech Chapter Director Sarah Calvert shares with us her adventure doing field recording at a mine.

"The experience of trekking into a dark mine for your job is exciting and unique, but in many ways, that hard work translates into the work you do as a designer. I now have many exciting and unique reverbs that I can use in my designs."

IEM Maintenance & Troubleshooting

Proper Maintenance for IEMS - No amount of volume, pretty effects or space-creating trickery will make up for the sound being muffled by a wall of wax, or cutting out because of dirty connections.

Beth O’Leary is a freelance live sound engineer and tech-based in Sheffield, England.

Production Communication

Soundgirl Susan Williams explains production communication via intercom or comms systems. Providing important insights into the system's parts and setup.

Susan Williams is an educator in Winter Park, FL. Susan has spent her career working for various theatres, including the Orlando Repertory Theatre, The Garden Theatre, & the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival.

SoundGirls of Mexico Blog

El bajo porcentaje de mujeres en los festivales mexicanos en 2019 es consecuencia de la desigualdad histórica. Este especial de argot es una mirada profunda a uno de los muchos aspectos que suceden en el contexto de la industria de la música.

SoundGirls of Mexico Blog

The low female percentage in Mexican festivals in 2019 is a consequence of historical inequality. This Slang Special is a deep look at one of the many aspects that happen in the context of the music industry.

Tips from the Pros -How to prevent/prepare for live sound failures - Christina Moon, Michelle Sabolchick Pettinato, Kim Watson, Becky Pell, Karrie Keyes, and Brad Madix

As Festival and Touring Season are upon us - Here are tips for staying healthy on the road.

What's in Your Go Bag?

Don’t forget the things that make your job go smoothly. Do you need in ears on this gig? What about headphones? Flash drives are always useful. A snack? An emergency twenty dollar bill?

Elisabeth Weidner is a sound designer, composer, and engineer based on California’s Central Coast. She is currently the Sound Director and Resident Sound Designer/Composer for PCPA, Pacific Conservatory Theatre.

Erika Earl. Jett Galindo, Ali McGuire, Lenise Bent, and Catharine Wood share their advice and careers SoundGirls.
You can view the video on our YouTube Channel - www.youtube.com/channel/UCYP0dnGLCUH7rRgasadHM7A

Editing SoundGirls into Wikipedia

Wikipedia Hackathon to add Women in Audio into Wikipedia. Nicole has provided SoundGirls with a roadmap. It is a great step by step guide.

Nicole Kirch is a North Carolina based recording engineer and musician. In her short career, she has worked on location sound, post-production, stage crew, and electronics.

Career Paths in Film and TV – Highlights

Report Sexual Harassment or Assualt - JDoe App

Sexual misconduct remains a difficult crisis for women and men. Fear, social blaming, and isolation continue to be key factors that cause victims to remain silent. JDoe is an encrypted and anonymous reporting platform. By linking victims of mutual offenders with lawyers. JDoe is designed with survivors and witnesses in mind. A detailed index of sexual misconduct laws by state is built directly into the app to help guide users through the reporting process. Quickly browse for nearby resources and the latest policies concerning sexual misconduct.