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January

 

If you have found this blog I’m going to assume you are one of about three options. One, my friend or family member. Two saw a post about it on Instagram or Facebook. Or three you are a sound designer and engineer who is entering the field or has been in the field for a little while but is feeling a little lost and alone when looking for new jobs. And if you aren’t in any of those 3 options I’m surprised and totally happy you are here! No matter who you are, how you found my blog, or why you decided to keep reading past the first five sentences… I am happy you came across my blog and I hope you gain something from reading this blog.

Today’s blog will be a little different than my future posts because I need to lay out some foundational information to make you understand why I decided to write this blog. First off, my name is Elizabeth Calandra and I am currently in the final semester of my degree in theatre with a minor in dance. I originally went to college to perform but then found sound design and absolutely fell in love with it. With graduation just around the corner, I am starting the absolutely terrifying process of applying for “real world” jobs as a sound designer and audio engineer. In starting this process over the last few months, I have often thought how amazing it would be if I could go on a website or group chat of some kind and see that other people in my specified industry were struggling in the same ways I have been. So, when I saw the opportunity to create that myself… I couldn’t say no.

This blog will be different than the other blogs on SoundGilrs no doubt. The chance I know something you don’t know about the technicalities of sound is possible but not what I am setting out to teach or talk to people about. I am simply going to narrate my final semester of school applying for jobs and then my first six months post-college in the industry and hope this makes someone feel a little less alone.

So let’s get started and talk about January. This month I have reached a total of 33 jobs that I have applied for. This includes sound designer, engineer, and assistant jobs for regional, professional, and children’s theatres, as well as some event companies. In this first blog I am going to focus less on the jobs applied for and more so on advice, I have gotten or wished people told me on this journey. So here are my top five tips when starting to job hunt.

My first piece of advice when newly starting to apply for jobs is to keep a list of places you have applied to, and places you want to apply to once their applications open. If you don’t keep a running list of the jobs you apply to, you are relying on your memory alone, and trust me you will apply to the same place more than once because you forgot you already applied. I know because I did it. Also, if you keep a list of places you want to apply to, you can check their websites weekly for new job openings they might have posted.

My second piece of advice is to set aside time each week to look for jobs. There are new jobs posted daily in this industry, especially in January and February for summer work, the more you check the more opportunities there are available for you. Like I said prior, checking all the websites of the theatres or companies you have on your list for new job postings is one way. As well as various websites, live theatre technician posting websites include offstage jobs, playbill, USITT, and even right here on Soundgirls. You can also check indeed and various Facebook groups that are more geared to your specialty. I check all of these places weekly and apply to the jobs I see and think would be a good fit for me.

My third piece of advice is to not apply for all the jobs you see posted that are in your field. Just like when you apply for a job, the company is seeing if you are a good fit for them, so it is important to know if they are a good fit for you. Before applying to a company always look at their website, reviews on google, and social media accounts to get a feel of the kind of theatre or company they are. If it is a larger company I definitely suggest looking at reviews and googling what the work environment is like. Now you do have to take these reviews with a grain of salt. However, they could draw your attention to something in an interview you didn’t like, which you might not have thought about it if you didn’t do prior research.

My fourth piece of advice is to know your self-worth. We are often told in this industry that sometimes we have to settle, which I don’t disagree with. However, I think this can be misinterpreted to mean settling for being treated poorly and that is not what you should do. Never ever let an employer make you question your self-worth or what you deserve in a job. Sure, entry-level positions aren’t the end goal and aren’t glamorous, but that doesn’t mean anyone has the right to mistreat, belittle or harass you.

My fifth piece of advice is to not be afraid to ask for help. Looking for jobs in this industry is absolutely terrifying. You are not alone. Even if it feels like it, you at least have me who’s going through it with you. I vent to my friends, my professors, and my parents more than I’d like to admit about my job searches. However, this has also led me to some of the jobs I have applied to. My professors recommend theatre’s all the time for me to apply to. As well as my friends, when they apply for a job at a theatre they tell me to apply there too. Even my parents have pointed me in the direction of opportunities and they have almost no connections in this industry, or so I thought! My point is to lean on the people around you and if you are reading this that includes me now as well.

To conclude I just want to say thank you for starting this journey with me. I promise it will be a crazy year to follow along with. What I can’t promise is that my year will end happily because I am not going to lie on this blog. I won’t say I got a job if I didn’t and I won’t say I’m happy if I’m not. So, if you are looking for a happily ever after blog this isn’t the one for you.

If you have questions about me or want to contact me for advice or help finding jobs or even just to talk to someone going through what you are going through, my website should be linked to my blog page. There is a contact me tab on my website that any of my readers are more than welcome to fill out. I hope to hear from you soon! Thank you for reading and talk to you in February.

Review of Congress Radio

 

1942 was an intense time in World History.  World War II was rampaging across Europe and expanding beyond Asia and the Pacific.  It would be easy to miss an important event trying to summarize 1942.  Congress Radio: Usha Mehta and the Underground Radio Station of 1942 by Usha Thakkar is set in 1942 as well.  However, the story of Congress Radio is not directly related to WWII, and it is one area of history that I had not heard much about India’s Independence from Great Britain.  Mahatma Gandhi began the Quit India Movement in August of 1942 at the All India Congress Committee (AICC), and from it, a series of revolts and conflicts between the ruling British and Indian citizens occurred.  Inspired by Gandhi and the lack of independent news, Usha Mehta, along with Vithalbhai Jhaveri, Vitthaldas Khakar, Chandrakant Jhaveri, and Babubhai Thakkar created the underground radio station they called Congress Radio.

Congress Radio begins with a summary of India’s independence movement.  Thakkar runs through the significant events chronologically and introduces the major players for those who are unfamiliar.  Even though the introduction discusses an emotional connection between the author, the subject, and the setting, everything is presented in a straightforward manner.  In fact, the whole book reads much like a police report.  Unsurprisingly, the appendix is full of police reports and court records.  For those into minimally biased, court proceedings of important history or those who are invested in the history of modern India, this is a perfect read.  For those wanting to be inspired by the bravery of young college students rebelling in the face of the world’s largest empire:  there are pieces that exist in College Radio, but not in the main section of the book.  Look for the inspiration and struggle in the court records, especially Mehta’s, and in Mehta’s recollections.

Usha Mehta (also referred to as Ushaben), was 22 when she helped create Congress Radio on August 14, 1942.  It was often her voice broadcasted at 42.34 m.  Interspersed between her reports of local uprisings were pre-recorded speeches of Gandhi and other leaders.  Despite relocating the broadcasting location almost daily the organizers of Congress Radio were arrested and taken off the air on November 12, 1942.  There was no mistaking Usha Mehta’s involvement, however, she chose to remain silent during the trial, even with solitary confinement and other coercion tactics.  Mehta’s strength and Congress Radio’s dissemination of uncensored news were so vital to India, that it helped earn Mehta the Padma Vibhushan (Lotus Decoration), India’s second highest civilian honor.

Passion in the face of oppression.  Strength in the face of power.  Congress Radio has those moments of inspiration, but this is a book for history buffs and subject matter experts.  However, I am encouraged to find more stories like Usha Mehta’s hiding in the world of audio.

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My Catharsis: Never Give Up On Your Passion

From a very early age, music was everything to me, I remember sitting on this sofa in the corner of the living room, I was around 4 or 5 years old. I had just put my favorite Richard Clayderman vinyl (yes, it’s true!). On my hands, I had this little ‘piano toy’ borrowed from my big sister that I could play all the tunes by ear. They call this ability absolute pitch (AP) since during my childhood I used to play and repeat all the notes by hearing only. I had no idea of music theory at all and in my mind, it was something normal to repeat flawlessly the notes. Years later I found that this piano toy was, in fact, the first commercial digital synthesizer called Casio VL-Tone VL-1, used in several hit songs around the world like “Da Da Da” from Trio. It’s been almost three decades, and I remember these moments like they were yesterday.

I could keep improving my piano skills but being born in a familiar environment where music is seen only as a hobby is one of the worst things for a kid with musical talent. Generally, you don’t want to disappoint your parents whom you love, so when your family wants you to study something that gives you “financial stability” you try to follow “their dreams” or you are at least influenced by it. I know many people that break free, but at the same time, many people are caged in this nightmare, like I was.

Trying to please my family I left music (as a profession) aside almost my whole life. Being a schoolteacher was a profession well seen in my family, so I followed this study path at the University. But I could at least choose the specialization in music to be able to teach music in schools. To be honest I wanted to be a musician or work with music but not be a teacher in a school. After finishing University, I had my diploma, sounds great, right? No, unfortunately, I encountered another issue because in Spain it was very difficult to work in a private school with only a specialty in music, so I needed to continue to do more specialties in other areas just to be able to work. Also, English was a requirement to get more job offers so I needed to learn a second language as quickly as possible, I had a plan.


Destiny – Music is always around us

The plan was to go to Ireland to improve my English. Deep down I never strayed from what I was most passionate about. During an English class, a colleague mentioned that he was playing in a small music band, and they were open to musicians and in need of a first flute. I couldn’t believe it! Coincidence? For my spare time in Dublin, I got music with me, I mean… my flute. Did I say that I play the flute? Ok, backing in time during my early childhood I wanted to learn piano in a school, but familiar financial issues kept me away, so I ended up learning by myself. But years later when I was around 12 years old, I could learn the transverse flute to play in the music band of my small town in Spain. There I had a concert to be the first flute. It was supposed to be my very first debut, but it was a fiasco for me.

Back in Dublin, I’m a grown woman with a childhood trauma in live music performance. I had my second chance to participate in a music band again as a first flute. Destiny? I was facing a never healed wound. Just 15 years before in the music band of my small town, the conductor gave me the opportunity to play my first solo in a live presentation, I studied it day and night relentlessly for this moment, but just on the day of the concert, I trembled and the air just did not come out, the notes did not sound right and the conductor made me a sign to shut up and pointed my partner to overtake my performance, I was devasted. I was a failure – I thought. In Ireland, I was about 27 years old and feeling more confident, and also the trust given by the conductor gave me the braveness to play splendidly as the first flute again in a concert in Dublin. It was my catharsis; I had finally crossed the barrier of everything that was holding me back.

After my studies in Ireland, I returned to Spain to look for a job as a teacher. In the meantime, I started playing flute in a jazz-blues band in my small town. It was an opportunity to improvise on the fly, it was my first experience in jam sessions. I loved it, ‘oh my’… it was magical! Then I found a job in Madrid to work as a childhood teacher of English and music.

Even working with music as a teacher, I was not happy. I needed desperately a new motivation for my soul caged in a job that I was not motivated for. Then I bought this little guitar-like instrument, famous in Hawaii and based on the Portuguese cavaquinho called the ukulele.  It was my salvation. By chance, I discovered a new world, and I made friends in the Ukulele Club in Madrid, we were like a family. Along with playing with the ukulele I was also singing and that became another passion, I really enjoyed playing with my voice. To help others to learn I started creating tutorials in Spanish on Youtube in my spare time. I called the channel “Lydia Ukelele”. I remember receiving some criticisms from people close to me undermining my tutorials for being so “easy”. Indeed, that was my purpose to not be a barrier for anyone. I’m proud that organically the channel got almost half a million views in total just by doing good. There I received tons of good vibes and positive comments from grateful people.

The truth is I always wanted to work with music. I wanted to compose, produce my own music, to write my own melodies and lyrics. With the support of my fiancé, I decided to leave teaching for good and dedicate myself entirely to music composition and music production. Music production? I accepted the challenge. Music production was by no means easy as I needed to sail through seas totally unknown to me. I deep dove into looking for knowledge through courses, books, and websites like ‘SoundGirls’. I’m still learning but for the first time ever, at 36 years old, I feel I am on the right path, for me it is a dream coming true the possibility to live and work with my passion: music. Since this change, I’ve been composing original songs and scoring for short movies.

Finally, I would like to say to all of you who think that music is your passion, please don’t base your path on the opinion of others. You are free to choose whatever you like to do. Do not let anything or anyone stop you, always follow your dreams no matter what your family, your teachers, or even your friends tell you, only listen to your heart.

“Miracle” was my first instrumental song composition released last year on SoundCloud. The title is not by chance, it has a lot of meaning to me. It’s my miracle.

Recently I also released an instrumental composition titled “Never Surrender” then remember: never give up what you love the most! Keep inspired. Keep going.

With love,

Lydia Guía

 

Traveling

Do you remember the movie Planes, Trains, And Automobiles? Traveling has lately felt more and more like this movie. For those of you who have not seen this classic, I highly suggest you watch it and enjoy the laughs. For those who have seen it though, you know all too well what I’m talking about. Traveling to wherever with someone you don’t exactly get along with, let alone tolerate. Now add the fact that we have to do this while carrying our gear, clothes, necessities, and essentials from destination to destination. This can be complicated and at many times trying, especially when jumping from planes to trains, to automobiles.

 

 

It’s normal for all of us who are in this industry to travel with our own gear. Unfortunately in today’s world, however, this has become more of a tangled mess rather than an easy way of moving with our work. How are we supposed to move our tools, mixers, headphones, and all the rest we need through the endless regulations that are modern transportation? These are some tips and possibly even some answers you may not have thought of.

Planes

A toddler is crying at the back of the aisle, there’s been turbulence for at least an hour, your coworker hasn’t stopped snoring since they sat down next to you, and you just finished a 13-hour load out and have to head straight to the next venue for the load in once you land. Now boarding for planes.

As someone who has spent much of these past few years traveling in some manner, boarding with the tools of the trade has proven on more than one occasion to be a difficult task. Before you say “You can simply check the bag,” yes, you can simply check the bag with your gear. But what about your other bags with tools, spares, clothes, and other essentials? If you check every bag, this gets quite expensive, and too often when we tour or travel for work, the companies don’t always reimburse us and some companies don’t even cover more than one checked bag and one carry-on. “So just pack light.” Well, that’s not always an option in this line of work. Your options often come down to either bringing it yourself, buying it when you arrive (in which case you’ll just have to pack it later), or renting it wherever you’re going. In the long run, it is generally more cost-efficient to bring what you need yourself and rent other items on a case-by-case basis. “Just don’t fly, drive yourself or get on a bus.” I see where you’re going with this as that is the more cost-efficient answer. But, occasionally there are once-in-a-lifetime opportunities like working at a huge international festival which requires making the trek onto a plane. When you’re loading out a music festival one weekend on the East Coast, and need to load in a film festival on Tuesday on the West Coast, a bus won’t exactly do the trick and you’re likely to fall asleep at the wheel before you make it to the other end of the country. A plane is sometimes your only option when trying to travel long distances in short amounts of time.

So how do we get all of our shit through the TSA?

1 Bag For 1

For those of us who spend more time in a hotel than in our own homes, it is essential that we bring enough clothes and other items to get us through several months at a time. The 1-for-1 method is something that has helped me greatly when getting through multiple airports in a single day. You bring 1 bag large enough to fit all of your clothes, yes even your steel-toe work boots because getting those off at security is just a pain. Pack tightly, and remember if you roll something up you can DIY steam it yourself later while you enjoy a hot shower in the hotel. When it comes to sanitary and personal essentials, pack liquids in a small clear bag so it doesn’t have to be taken out and inspected through every airport. Typically, you can fit this small clear bag in either your carry-on or your clothes bag. In my gear bag, the largest of the bags, I always put the heavier and sharper objects that I know won’t make it through the inspections and check the bag.

Some of the gear that I bring are:

 

I recommend always ensuring this bag, especially if you decide to put even more gear in yours. Then the carry-on is the smallest bag I have on me but still has a lot in it. Often this is my work bag that I have repurposed for the flight, but still carries much of the same. This holds a lot of my spares, laptop, change of clothes, passport, and other travel items that will require quick access. I always pack another small bag in my carry-on, this is for food. Find the food that you need while working on the road and be sure that you have enough of it to get you through the travel day until you can get more. As long as the food items are unopened, the majority of airports won’t give you any grief about it.

So, we have 1 bag for clothes, 1 small clear bag for liquids that can fit in the clothes bag, 1 gear bag, and 1 carry-on for easy access items. This now allows you to check a bag, and ensure it, without breaking your wallet while still having the normal suitcase and carry-on for the plane.

Travel Kits

The infamous “All you could ever need in one!” travel kits. The reason I don’t like to recommend these is that they come with a lot of bells and whistles but not a lot of useful storage. It’s a lot of very tiny pockets. But, as women this is not something we are unfamiliar with. Why do you think we get so excited when we find pants or skirts or really anything with pockets then almost instinctively yell “It has pockets!!” at the top of our lungs? It’s because we don’t get anything with normal-sized pockets, so we are used to compact packing. But, having a travel kit with a hanging toiletry bag is essential when you know you’ll be bunking with someone at your new destination. This way there’s no debate on who brought what, all of your items are in your hanging storage.

Packing cubes are great for organising so you know exactly what is in which cube. These can also keep things like your going-out shoes and work shoes separate so your going-out shoes don’t get ruined as easily by the heavy work boots. Some higher-end travel kits even come with built-in coolers, so you can bring anything you buy at the airport central onto the plane and have as a snack while you wait for your ride at your destination. You also have the ultimate invention of the luggage with the built-in charger. If you’re traveling during some of the busiest times of the year, a free outlet is hard to come by.

Trains

It is true that I haven’t met many people in the United States who mostly travel by train to get from one gig to the next. But that isn’t true for the rest of the world. During some of my time in the United Kingdom, it was extremely common to travel long distances by train. Even for some of my gigs on the East Coast, it made more sense to book a train for a quick weekend gig, or even a one-day event rather than justify the cost of a last-minute flight for something that was only a few hours away. “Why not just drive yourself?” Driving for a few hours does make more sense, but the times that I took the train to gigs on the East Coast, I had just gotten done with a different event. There were several times I would be getting done with a concert and jumping on a train late that night to make it to load in a festival the next afternoon. That precious time on the train was used for sleep, even though they rarely turned off the lights.

Leave Everything Except

Honestly, if it’s just a one-day job, how much do you really need to bring and how much can your rent or they’ll already have there? Leave as much as you can behind and bring just what you think is essential. If you’re traveling for a quick trip, you’ll need a small bag for your valued items like your wallet, phone, coffee that you relied on at the airport earlier that day, etc. This bag should never leave your person, especially if you’re traveling overnight.

Think minimalist.

antique train cabin/compartment.

You should also have a change of clothes and of course the gear you thought essential to bring. For quick gigs, I like to bring my own mixing headphones but not much else of my own gear. Depending on if it’s an outdoor gig, you’ll also want to be sure you have enough room for weather items like an emergency cover for any of your own gear in case of rain, and try to bring your own fan if it’s too hot outside for any normal person to be working. Trains will also allow you to bring your own food and drink on board as long as they aren’t excessive. I constantly have my cooling water bottle when traveling on trains, this can save you waiting on the dining cart for constant refills of your martini while your bunkmate downs their fifth cup of coffee for the day and continues telling you about that one time in band camp.

If you’re traveling overnight, remember to bring a small pillow. This will save your neck after being bent over a console all night and then sleeping upright. If you have the option on a last-minute ticket, try to book a sleeping cabin so you can also have access to the shower down the hall. Keep in mind, the cabins aren’t always available with such late notice but they do allow for extra space to stretch out after a long run and an even longer day tomorrow.

Show Up With Everything

While sleeping cabins can’t always be booked with a last-minute train ticket, they can be booked with even just a few hours notice. This will allow you to bring extra gear that may not be necessary but might be nice to have in case something goes wrong with rented equipment or the equipment the event is providing. For the times you can show with more than just what is required, this can in some ways ease your trip. When you show up with everything, you don’t have to worry about something not working or going haywire.

We have all arrived at a reliable event with just the necessities to find something has broken, and of course, it’s always something we have and purposefully left behind to make the trip easier. When you can bring as much of your own gear as possible, you don’t get screwed over when something decides to die right before the show starts. Equipment from venues can also be outdated, or overused. When multiple engineers and technicians travel to venues, we often don’t get told what state the equipment is in, even during advancement discussions. Walking in the stage door and seeing something in a state of duress is unfortunately not uncommon. What venues don’t always want to tell us is that they work their own technicians so much that their technicians don’t have the time to maintain equipment or get approval to upgrade.

When it’s your own gear that you’re bringing on the train you can also do a quick maintenance job on the ride to the venue, at least when you’re not asleep in your cabin or grabbing something to eat for the first time that day from the dining cart that’s about to close or cramming yourself into a tiny shower installment so you can feel some warmish water while someone constantly knocks on the door. This way you can be extra sure that when you arrive everything, including yourself, for the most part, will be in working order.

Automobiles

“Just drive yourself!” Fine, we’ll drive ourselves.

Let’s be honest, if you can drive yourself to every single gig and venue where you work, then you know how much it can suck. Forget the fact that every major highway in the world will always have traffic and crashes so you’re almost guaranteed to be an hour late, but an automobile is either boring or a constant battlefield.

You have to start the journey by packing the car, and unless you are insanely good at Tetris, that’s not going to happen easily. “It gets easier over time.” Packing and unpacking the car does get easier with every gig you do luckily, but it getting easier doesn’t change the number of things you have to load every time.

You also have to decide who’s going to be the driver, which can start an argument if it’s a small group. The most common solution to this is to take turns driving, which is where the argument of who drives first comes in. “That doesn’t seem too bad, just rotate who has to drive first while touring.” Except when you all have to wake up at four a.m. the next morning, and the person who drove last complains because the person who drives next doesn’t have to do as long of a journey as they did, things can get heated. You also have to address the elephant in the room of the cost of driving yourself, a.k.a. fuel prices. Believe it or not, there are more festivals and live events that don’t pay for the travel expenses of things like fuel. This means having to either split it between those traveling or having one person pay. “It’s ridiculous to ask one person to pay for all of that!” Not entirely actually, especially if others who are traveling are paying for everyone’s meals or accommodations. If expenses are being split other ways, asking one person to pay for fuel isn’t a bad idea.

You finally get on the road, and now you have to not only deal with other people’s bad driving on the road but with everyone that you’re traveling with as well. “That can’t be too bad.” Have you ever been on a long ass road trip with someone for months on end? You eventually run out of things to talk about, and you’re constantly fighting over who controls the radio and where to stop for food. “So drive separately.” Making these long trips alone isn’t really an option, notably when you’re getting paid to travel with these people.

Then you finally get to the venue and everything happens in a blur of unloading, setup, soundcheck, etc. If you’re lucky, at the end of the night you get to stay in a hotel before hitting the road again. But that’s not always the case as we are all too familiar with.

Van Life

Packing for van life doesn’t really have the same excitement as packing for a cross-country road trip with friends fresh from school, or even throwing in gear with no plan for your first-ever gig. When you essentially live out of a van or bus for months on end, it’s often a pain in the ass. The majority of the space has to go to the essential gear, and even more, space is taken if you’re bringing your own console and sound system so you can be a self-contained show. Now fit people in and all the things they want to bring.

In van life, it’s crucial to plan ahead as much as possible. This means playing the game of van-Tetris until every last inch of space is used by either people or gear. When you have the small space planned out, everything has a spot where it’s supposed to go so you can have as much comfort room as possible to stretch out for the long hours on the road. It’s often helpful to get a shelf built into the van if it doesn’t already have one for luggage and essentials you might need to grab at any moment.

After so many hours on the road, the van or bus can get messy… Especially when you’re traveling with guys who think it’s your job to clean up after them. Well, it’s not. Always have a designated trash bag and air freshener. These can be bags that you buy at a supermarket or the large bag you get when ordering several meals from the drive-through at two in the morning. Either way, make sure everyone knows where it is so you don’t have to constantly deal with a van that looks and smells like you’ve been on the road a while.

 

Wait In The Truck

As someone who had to drive herself to many many live events with her own gear, a truck is a nice investment to have in this industry. Packing a backseat full of gear in a small car and then having to drive for hours is physically and mentally draining. The last thing you want when you’re on the road all the time is to be crammed into a smaller space than you have to be. Though a smaller vehicle is more affordable, it means storing your gear in places like your back seat and right next to you upfront.

Whenever I would offer to bring my friends to events if they got their tickets, I would always have the backseat ready for them. This can’t happen if that backseat is packed to the brim with mic stands and amps. You also always have that one friend who can complain about anything. Imagine sticking them in the backseat with some of your gear and they gripe the entire time about how they’re being squished with no room while you’re trying to drive with the seat all the way forward, the steering in your lap, and running out of fuel for both the car and yourself.

This is the nightmare that all of us want to avoid.

Several people in this industry who do freelance also have a day job. Going from your day job straight to a gig that night in a small car means that you have to think pretty far in advance so that you don’t have to constantly go back to your place to pack the car, then drive to wherever the venue is. With a truck, you put as much of the heavier gear in the bed and throw a tarp and some straps over it. Especially when working an outdoor gig, a truck is easier to drive over tougher terrain. Being able to drive right up to the stage and unload rather than hauling everything from the parking area saves essential time if something goes wrong.

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So When You Travel

Clearly, no matter how you travel, the travel day is messy even with the best of planning and organising. Even for those who have done the travel day for years, it’s not always the relaxing day you intend it to be and need it to be. Having to move not only ourselves but also tools of the trade alongside someone we may not always get along with can clearly be difficult. Every travel situation we find ourselves in with this line of work will have its own complications. Whether we are flying miles high in the sky, speeding across the terrain on a train, or driving with habits that resemble that of a one-speed racer, we can almost always be certain that the travel day will be a hassle.

Intro to Atmos w/ Dylan Ely

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Sam Boone – Systems Engineer

 

Sam Boone has been working professionally in audio for just three years and is currently a freelance system engineer, completing her first tour with Volbeat in 2022. She discovered audio in middle school and spent considerable time working in churches through her teen years. Sam played in the school band as an oboist and then took up guitar as she decided she wanted to attend a school for music. She admits that she was a terrible musician but her love of music, would lead her to live event production. She would go on to attend Middle Tennessee State University as a part of their recording and music program. At the same time, she was interning with a local production company, and when they offered her a full-time position she dropped out of school.

Career Start

How did you get your start?

I got my start interning at a regional production company. I managed to land that internship by asking for an introduction from a family friend who was familiar with the company.

What did you learn interning or on your early gigs?

I learned several technical skills, primarily basics like cable management, show power, and troubleshooting and repairing gear. I also learned how to prep a tour from start to finish, line check, and build show files. More importantly, I began to see and learn how to interact with clients, how to ask questions, and observe.

Career Now

How did you discover System Engineering?

I discovered systems engineering during my internship while working in the shop, learning what a drive rack is and what it does. That led to me asking about the position of the person using the gear and what all systems engineering entailed.

Why were you drawn to System Engineering?

I was drawn to systems engineering because, unlike so many other aspects of live audio engineering, it’s as much a science as an art. For me, it’s taking the challenge of making the show sound the same in every seat into the context of a new venue daily. I enjoy that I can measure the system, see how well I’ve done, and see what I need to improve. It’s fascinating that I can see a lot of how something sounds on an analyzer. My work is a specific, measurable process, and nothing is random. It’s all a series of decisions with measurable effects, and I can go back to the data and say this is why I made these choices, and that, to me, is something I love.

If someone wants to pursue this path, what advice do you have for them? Education and skills?

The advice I have for someone jumping into this specific role in the industry is to not only get a mentor but also to read a lot. Sound Systems Design and Optimization by Bob McCarthy is a book that I have learned a lot from. I recommend reading Between the Lines by Michael Lawrence as well.

What is a typical day like?

My typical day on tour begins by making a 3D model of our venue for the day (or verifying a pre-made model if I was given sufficient information in advance). Then I’ll design the PA and send the splay angles, trim heights, and all other necessary information to our fly techs. From there, I’ll build FOH, run snakes, and get our FOH engineer powered up and ready.

Once our FOH engineer completes the virtual sound check, we tune the PA, take a walk and listen to it. At that point, we will make any changes we see fit. Then we go onto line check and soundcheck with the band.

Additionally, I’ll usually sit with all the front-of-house engineers through their soundchecks and make any changes they ask for in the PA. I typically have some downtime from there to relax, and finally, we have a show.

During the show, I walk around the venue and listen to the PA. I will also make any changes asked for by the engineer or any specific changes needed to make all areas of coverage sound the same tonally across the venue. Last, we load out and do it again the next day.

How do you stay organized and focused?

I use several spreadsheets and keep notes on everything from the patch to show file changes.

What do you enjoy the most about your job?

I enjoy the challenge of making every seat sound the same every day, regardless of the venue we are in. Some days we play in clubs, while others are in arenas. No matter the venue, my goal is to have every seat at every show sound as close to the same as possible.

What do you like least?

While I love doing tours in Europe,  what I dislike the most is the time change when I am there.  Tour life can be challenging to regulate and manage all aspects of your life, whether it be work, relationships, or simply trying to figure out how to have a functional schedule without burning yourself out. The time change simply adds another layer to the mix and makes talking to friends and family much more difficult.

If you tour, what do you like best?

I enjoy the people I meet and the travel.

What is your favorite day off activity? 

I go to the gym or run on days off to stay physically active. I also work on the next day’s gig, so I feel confident and prepared when I show up the following day.

What are your long-term goals?

Long term, I would love to become even better at my craft. I plan to eventually work on new technology or theory in research and development. I aim to contribute to the industry in a way that will outlast me. I plan to leave behind a better version of the industry than I found when I started.

What, if any, obstacles or barriers have you faced?

For me, the most challenging part of getting started was learning where to start asking questions. For a long time, I didn’t have enough knowledge to ask questions worth answering. Also, once I started learning about audio and its different aspects, there was a moment when it felt overwhelming to look at all the skills I needed to know.

How have you dealt with them?

I decided to deal with this by choosing one skill at a time to work on learning and then either further pursuing it if I was interested in it or moving on to the next one if I wasn’t. That’s how I gathered interest in systems engineering, leading me to my current job.

Advice you have for women who wish to enter the field?

My advice for young women joining this field would be not to be intimidated or deterred by the people around them. Some of the nicest people I have ever met, I’ve met on tour. We’re all figuring it out as we go, and we’re all constantly learning. If someone won’t answer your questions, it’s a sign you should be asking someone else.

Must have skills?

My must-have skills are troubleshooting, organization and communication.

Favorite gear?

My favorite piece of gear I’ve used this year is the Meyer Galaxy 816 processor. I’ll put one in front of any system, and it’s been a game changer to have access to U-shaping for tuning PAs.

You Can Find Sam on The Signal to Noise Podcast

 

Mechanics of Mixing

Mixing is an active experience

Anyone who’s watched me mix a show knows that I’m never standing still. I’m usually tapping my toes or bopping my head to the music while timing my fader throws. I’m constantly shifting my focus as I look up at the stage, down at my hands, or at the monitors on either side of me. I’m listening so my fingers can respond to the actors or musicians while keeping a thought on what’s coming up next. The actual mixing might happen in a small footprint, but there’s a lot going on. It helps to have a solid physical foundation to make your day-to-day life easier especially as so much of our job requires repetitive motion, which can take a toll on our bodies.

The first thing to look at is how you stand or sit at the console

If you’re sitting, it makes it easier because you can adjust your chair to the right height every time and call it good. Personally, I prefer to stand: it keeps me more alert and focused, especially when I’m on a show for months or years. Also, I’m short, so it’s easier for me to reach the top of the other fader banks of the console if I’m standing rather than having to get out of my chair or slide it any time I want to make an adjustment. If you prefer to stand as well, do yourself a favor and get an anti-fatigue mat. The floors at FOH can be anywhere from concrete to carpet to plywood, and it pays down the road to be nice to your knees now.

However, standing at the console can present a challenge if people mixing the same show are at different heights. If you’re short, you can stand on a case lid or apple box. If you’re tall, you can lift the console up with wooden blocks, or (if you already know when you’re in the shop) get racks that are taller and can make the board higher. Personally, I know that 16 space racks put the console at a good height for me to mix while standing.

In some cases, you might not able to find a good solution, or the console is already set to someone else’s height (if you’re a sub or A2 and the console is already set at a good height for the A1). In these cases, I end up using a chair, even though I’d rather stand. It’s far better to have a proper position and the minor inconvenience of having to get up if you need to make an adjustment than force yourself to mix in an uncomfortable position.

For me, a comfortable position means

That I aim for a console or chair height where my elbows are bent at a relaxed, roughly 90˚ angle so there’s an almost straight line from my elbow through my wrist when my hands are resting on the console, fingers on faders. If you’re too far above the console, your elbow ends up higher than your wrist and you put extra pressure on your joints as you naturally press through your palm with the way the wrist bends. On the other hand, if you’re too far below, your shoulders have to rotate outward to get your hands on top of the console and that puts pressure on your shoulders as well as the wrists.

Any rotation of a joint, even a small amount, can create problems over time. On Les Mis, I used my index and middle fingers to move the two orchestra faders, which is fairly common for most people. However, that rotated my wrist to an awkward angle which put stress on it. Eventually, my forearm muscles started to tighten up from that strain, which made it uncomfortable to mix. Even in the mix videos for that show (recorded after maybe 50-60 shows into the run), there are a couple of times where I have to find breaks to stretch out my hand or roll my wrist to relieve some of the tension. I went to physical therapy and got stretches and exercises to help (if something hurts, always go see a professional in a timely manner), but what actually fixed it was when I realized that I could use my middle and ring fingers for the band faders instead and that would shift my wrist to a better position. This eliminated the cause of the problem itself, and as a side benefit, I had my index finger free to make verb adjustments without having to move my hand off the band faders!

No one mixes the exact same way

So what works for me might not work for you, and that’s okay. I prefer to use my middle fingers as the primary for mixing dialogue, but some people use their index. It takes time and a willingness to experiment to develop what your mixing style looks like.

Here are a few things I’ve found that have helped me as a mixer

 

I use the heel of my hand as an anchor point while I’m mixing: as my hands have to move back and forth to different faders, that bone at the base of my palm always ends up resting on the same area of the console, just below the faders. From there, I have a general reference for where the fader is without having to look at my hands: I know based on how far my fingers are extended because my hand is always the same distance from the base of the fader. (With any rule, there are always exceptions: sometimes I’ll have to throw further than usual, so I’ll lift up the heel of my hand and use my pinky for additional stability, or a scene might have me jumping around more than usual so I’m not in one place long enough to truly anchor my hand. When it works, use it. If it doesn’t, find something that does.)

If my left hand (usually dialogue) is free, but my right hand (usually band, some vocals, and the button for sound effects, next scene, etc) is in the middle of a band move when I need to take a cue, I’ll cross my left hand over my right to hit the GO button, similar to playing a piano. I’ve gotten skeptical looks from mixers when doing it while I’m training on shows, but it’s something that works for me. It takes a little trial and error to make sure it’s the right choice and I’m not taking my hand off a fader when I really shouldn’t or my right hand actually does have a moment to talk the cue, but when it works, it helps to simplify my mix choreography.

I’ve spent a lot of time tweaking how my script works. While the script itself isn’t a mechanical part of mixing, how you integrate page turns definitely is. As I developed my system for marking and formatting, I made it my mission to condense the script to as few pages as possible and minimize how many times I had to reach up to flip a page. While that is a legitimate strategy, I found that it put my page turns at awkward points in the mix and had me scrambling at times. Over the course of several productions, I found that it worked far better for me to make sure that each page of the script ended on an easy (or as easy as possible) turn, whether that was a pause in the action or splitting a long line up over the end of one page and the beginning of another. This added a few page turns overall but put them at much easier places in my mix.

Something I need to continue to work on is my focus. Once I’ve been on a show for a while and I have the mix down, my mind will want to wander. Another mixer told me she uses yoga and meditation to help improve her concentration and her ability to bring herself back to the present and to the show. I’m slowly improving, but it’s another skill I need to hone, especially after I lost some of that ability while I didn’t have the chance to mix on a regular basis during the Covid hiatus.

However, consistency will help you as you develop better focus. While I obviously encourage being flexible, once you find what works, set a routine. That’s taking a cue on the same beat of a song, or presetting the band on the same word, even when you could do it anywhere in that sentence, or even taking a water break during the same line every show. Just like standing helps keep me focused when my show count-ticks into triple digits, consistency builds a muscle memory that has saved me more than a few times if my concentration slips.

The most important thing is to listen to your body and your instincts. If something hurts or feels uncomfortable, find a way to change your process so you don’t have to do that. If you have an idea for something that might streamline things, try it. The worst thing that happens is you go back to what was working just fine before and try the next idea when it comes along.

Greta Stromquist: Dialogue Editor and Associate Producer

When I began blogging for SoundGirls in January of 2022, I had hoped to interview various audio professionals from marginalized genders, but none more so than Greta Stromquist. We met at WAMCon Los Angeles 2019. We were both early to the conference at Walt Disney Studios, struck up a conversation that morning, and reconnected throughout the day. Whereas I was new to the very idea of recording and mixing my own projects, Greta was established, having already developed a partnership with mentors to record audiobooks. We exchanged numbers and stayed in touch. And when I really needed help in the early months of the pandemic, she agreed to edit the episodes of a Wilco fan podcast I co-host with Mary MacLane Mellas. Without her, it may never have been released. And so it is with gratitude and admiration that I introduce you to Greta Stromquist in my last SoundGirls blogging venture for the foreseeable future. Cherish the friends you make in audio. Now meet one of mine.

You got started in audio through the support of mentors. Tell us about that. At the time, you were working as a barista, right?

Yes. Yeah, I was working in a coffee shop. I feel like I got into audio a little bit unconventionally. When I met my mentors, they sat me down and introduced me to the world of ProTools and post-production. Then I spent a few years working with them on audiobooks, recording people for audiobooks. I’d be working [at the coffee shop] then I would go to the studio and work with them. It was honestly kind of like going to school. It was a special time when I got to be creative and have the support to do it.

You always hear about people forming these relationships with regulars at their workplace, and this seems like the most notable example of that that I have ever heard, where it literally changed the direction of your whole life.

It truly did. I think about that often. They’re both super generous with their knowledge and continue to be incredibly supportive. I’m not sure what I would [have been] doing right now, but it definitely wouldn’t have been audio, because there’s a lot of gatekeeping. Unless you go to school or know somebody, it is something that you really don’t get access to.

How does your art background influence your craft as a dialogue editor?

I always have had so many different interests, whether it’s painting, drawing, taking pictures or editing videos. All your skills from everywhere, even if they seem unrelated, they do come together.

What are some of your favorite podcasts? And in what ways do they influence your own work?

Anything public radio storytelling. Like Code Switch. It’s a genius way of melding in the human experience with incredibly thoughtful sound design and scoring of the episode that just draws you in. You just come into your own little world. It’s something I grew up listening to that’s always been something I’ve really enjoyed.

Describe the arts community you belong to.

I think in LA it’s been hard for me to feel a part of any community, but I will say I’m endlessly inspired by the individuals I know who pave the way for themselves to make the art that is important to them. For me, it’s been hard to find community, group-wise, but the friends that I do have are incredibly creative, and I draw inspiration from that.

Which project has challenged you the most? And how did it alter your process moving forward?

For the past year and a half, I’ve worked on an audio-reality podcast series. It was my first time working on a large-scale project where we were dealing with hundreds of hours of tape and I had to keep everything organized. I also got to work a bit as a story editor, and it was one of those jobs that I didn’t think I was qualified to do. I was shocked to even get an interview. It’s very interesting being on the other side of it, thinking back [to] how anxious I was for the first few months and having constant impostor syndrome. But now I feel proud of the work I did, like I’ve [become] a better editor and walked away with excellent organization skills. I think the biggest challenge of it, though, was honestly just believing in myself. It’s really cheesy and stupid, but that was really the hard part.

What are your go-to tools for dialogue editing?

I carry with me what my mentors have taught me. I think a lot of it is just being okay with how the recording itself sounds. Sometimes less really is more. There are all the really cool plugins that serve their purpose, and I can make stuff sound really crisp and clean. But yeah, all the little things that give it life: that’s how it sounds. That’s how it is.

What advice would you give others who wish to become dialog editors? And are you someone who would be interested in mentoring someone down the road?

Yeah! Imposter syndrome is like, “I can’t mentor someone, I don’t know enough,” but I actually do really enjoy teaching. Inevitably, when you’re teaching someone something, you’re learning, too.

“What advice…” If you’re interested in audio, or in the editing world, start small, recording something and bringing it into whatever DAW or NLE you have, playing with it, editing it, and trying plugins. Just go from there. Start small, then bug anyone and everyone you know. Reach out to anybody you want to talk to.

What goals do you have for yourself in the coming year?

I definitely want to keep working on projects that challenge me. I have enjoyed working in the podcast world, but I’m still drawn to film and TV. I would love to get my foot in the door. There’s [an] overlay of skills, for sure. I’ve had a taste of story editing and loved it, however, re-recording mixing and ADR is something I would love to explore. I am open and excited to new opportunities and to see where my skills will take me next.

Thank you, Greta, and all of you SoundGirls readers. Now go make some noise (and/or record some).

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