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Hybrid Recording: The Art of the Details 

Good art lies in the details. Oscar Wilde said of writing poetry: “I spent all morning taking out a comma and all afternoon putting it back in again,” and while facetious (like everything Wilde said), it rings true for all forms of creation. Once you get through the bulk, the initial drive for content, then it’s time for the details. A single comma can make all the difference. It can change the meaning, change the interpretation, change the flow, change the visual aesthetic of the poem. It is a decision as important as the change is small. It’s when you begin to dig in and to polish that art really takes off.

This is no different for music

You can get down your chords and melody, layer your instruments, get broad strokes mixing, and get it sounding pretty (damn) good with ease, but getting that last little push, that takes talent, and it takes time. How much time you have to make a record depends on your budget, and that graph is a smiley face. You start out home recording, no budget, just your time, and you can spend as long as you want creating and fine-tuning and to make the art that you want to make. Eventually, though, you may get the itch to do something more. Maybe you hate engineering or can’t wrap your head around mixing, maybe you want a producer to help you bring your musical vision to life. Maybe you just want to experience going into a studio. So you save and save and when you’re ready to realize that studios and engineers and producers are expensive. Thousands. At best you can do a couple of days. You’re now losing time. Now, instead of having forever, you have hardly any time, and the details get left behind. Of course, as your budget gets larger you can afford more time until you’re working with so much money that you’re back where you started, able to spend as long as it takes (unless you have a deadline) in order to get your art the way you want it.

Hoping for a million-dollar budget is probably out of the realm of possibility for you, as it is for most artists, but that doesn’t mean you can’t put the level of creation into your art that you want. Enter what I call hybrid recording (Not to be confused with recording with analog gear into a DAW like it used to refer to. These days, that’s just called “recording.”). You do your initial recording in a studio, getting your live tracking and as many parts as possible done (especially drums), and then go back to home recording for the rest of it. That’ll give you that studio sound, and that studio experience (since, you know, you’re recording in the studio), while also giving you the freedom and flexibility to not only create the art you want but also do so without feeling forced by time and by money into inspiration. That can yield amazing results, especially with a talented producer who can mitigate the anxiety of the clock (it is the producer and engineer’s job to keep track of time, btw, not the artists’), but sometimes what you really need is a late-night cup of coffee and a pair of headphones in the place you’re most comfortable.

Because of the pandemic, I’ve been doing a lot of distance/email producing, and I will say that it’s actually working out pretty well. My artist will record their song, with all the time they need to construct arrangements and get the right takes, and then email me a mix. I’ll listen through, make notes that I send back, and we’ll do it again for the next version until we’re both happy with the arrangement and the performances and feel the song is ready for mixing. It takes a lot less time on my part than actually going into the studio to do overdubs, and it gives the artist that flexibility and freedom. Yes, it does mean that I can’t be there to coach performances and to stoke inspiration in the moment, which are all really important roles for a producer (probably the most important), but that doesn’t mean we can’t get amazing results, because we do. It just takes a little while longer, a little more back and forth, and a little more guesswork (depending on the rough mixes).

So how does a recording session like this work?

For a 10-12 song LP, you’re going to be looking at 3 days in the studio. The first day will involve a lot of setup (low end 4-6 hours, possibly more), and at least the first two days will be over ten hours. If your engineer or studio won’t work that long, then you’ll have to add on another day. Be upfront with your budget, and try and have some padding in case things go over. Your producer/engineer should be able to adjust things to work with your needs. Maybe you skip using all that fancy outboard gear that takes a bunch of time to set up, so you can get an extra song or two done on day one. Still, you shouldn’t push or rush your way through everything in less than two days. I’ve done 6-7 song days before and they suck, and the results sound like it. In order to prepare to go in, though, you’ve got to practice. I tell my artists to practice two hours a day for two weeks leading up to their recording session. And why wouldn’t you? You’re spending a lot of money and you want to make the most out of it, ample practice not only gets you the best results but saves you money.

Editing is a vital part of making music, and good editing can often be the difference between sounding indie and sounding pro. Even with the practicing, you’re not going to go in and be a one-and-done kind of thing. You need to do multiple takes, no only because you need material in case you notice things you want to change later on, but because if the first take is great, the second take can always be greater. And there are always parts of each take that are better than the same parts in others. Even that killer magic take. Basic take comping will take up a good chunk of your recording time, and you don’t want to also have to spend that time having the individual parts edited. That sucks. It sucks for the band because it costs money, and it sucks for the engineer because editing is boring. I try to put off editing until after the recording session to save on studio fees. In a perfect world, I’d spend about 1-1.5 hours editing a song. In reality, I’ve spent 4-6 before, because the bands don’t listen to my practicing requirements. If I have to spend four hours per song on editing, for our 12 song LP that’s over a full week of work. Vs less than two days. How much money do you think you’ll save by practicing.

Once we get our studio tracking done, and our editing, it’s time for the actual fun and the whole point of this article. I’ll send you rough mix stems, so you can adjust your drum and bass and guitar and whatever levels, and then you’ll do what you do best: make magic. We do our back and forth, and once everyone is satisfied, we move on to mixing.

Mixing is a vital part of making music. It’s when we make all the different tracks we recorded sound good together, take care of that EQ and compression we skipped to save on studio fees, and handle the final creative touches to really make something special. Mixing can take a lot of time, certainly, the first song does, and might end up costing as much or more than your tracking session. You can get mix engineers for cheap, you can get those who are expensive. You can even get

Finally, we get to mastering. Mastering is the final polish that gets the songs ready for release. This is typically done by a different engineer to get a different pair of ears on the production. And after that, we’re done!

What I’ve outlined here is not making records on the cheap. There are oodles of ways to get your budgets down to next to nothing. Make friends with someone who has a home studio, invest a few hundred bucks into your own equipment, find someone fresh out of engineering school looking to build a discography. But if you want the next step, something more, working with an established pro in a proper professional studio, then this is a way to go about it that can give you that sound and experience, and make something that would otherwise be unaffordable just about within the realm of possibility.

But seriously, practice.

Lillian Blair is a producer, engineer, and audio educator working out of the Seattle area. She is currently a staff engineer at The Vera Project Studios, where she chairs the Audio Committee, teaches studio recording and audio mixing and mastering. She is also co-founder of the new Audio Engineering Certificate Program at North Seattle College.

 

 

 

7 Steps to Making a Demo with Your Phone

 

The internet is full of songwriters asking the question; how good does my demo have to be? The answer is always, “it depends”. Demos generally have one purpose; to accurately display the lyrics and melody of a song. Yet, there are varying types of demos and demo requirements but for this blog’s purpose, that is our one purpose!

*(see the end of this blog for situations where you will want to have your song fully produced for pitching purposes)

If you are a

Songwriter who wants to create a demo for the creative team of an artist

Artist who wants to create a demo for a producer

Songwriter who wants feedback on a song

Demos for these purposes can be recorded on your phone. If you have recording software (otherwise known as a DAW: Digital Audio Workstation) you can use that too. The steps are the same. But for those who don’t have a recording set up and have no interest in diving into that world, your phone and a variety of phone apps make it super easy.

Figure out the tempo

The “beats per minute”, or BPM is a critical component to the momentum and energy of a song. Pretty much every novice singer/songwriter has a tendency to write their songs in various tempos. The verse starts off at a certain groove and then by the time the first chorus comes in, the tempo has gradually increased to a new bpm. Then it goes back down during the soft bridge, then back up to an even faster tempo at the end.

None of us were born with an internal metronome, so don’t beat yourself up about it. However, most mainstream music that we hear today is going to be in a set tempo for the majority of the song. There may be tempo changes, depending on what the song calls for but, generally speaking, most songs do not change tempo. You and your producer can decide if a song needs tempo changes or if it is the kind of song that should be played “freely”, with no metronome at all.

Start by playing your song, and imagine yourself walking to the beat of your song. Is it a brisk walk? Or a slow, sluggish walk? A brisk walk is 120 beats per minute. Pull up your metronome and pick a starting bpm, based on how brisk (or un-brisk) the imaginary walk feels. Set that tempo and then play along to it. If it’s feeling good, keep playing through until you’ve played every song section (verse, chorus, bridge) at that tempo. If it stopped feeling right at some point, adjust accordingly. Ideally, you’ll find that happy bpm that is perfect for the song.

Type up a lyric sheet: I have artists put these lyric sheets on Google Drive and share them with me so that we are always working off of the same lyric sheet as changes are made.

Mark tempo changes on the lyric sheet: mark specific tempo changes if there are any. Mark a ritard (ritard means to slow down) where they need to be as well. If there is going to be a ritard, it is usually in the outro.

Check the key: Do you accidentally change keys in different sections? Just like the case of tempo changes, beginner singer/songwriters, especially if they’ve written the lyrics and melody a cappella (without accompaniment) can easily change keys without knowing it. If you don’t play an instrument, that’s ok! Have a musician friend or teacher help you. Your producer can also help you with this, as long as that is included in the scope of their work. Ask beforehand. If you do know the key and have determined the chords, include those in your lyric sheet.

Can you sing it: Have you sung it full out with a voice teacher in the key you’ve written it in? Singing it quietly in your room in a way that won’t disturb your roommates might not be the way you want to sing it in the recording studio.

Record the song: Record the song with the metronome clicking out loud if you aren’t using an app (you may need two devices; one to play the metronome and one to record) There are apps available where you can record yourself while listening to the click track through earbuds, then when you listen back to the recording, you won’t hear the click track. The point is that you sang it in time. One app I’m aware of where you can do this is Cakewalk by Bandlab. There are many!

Share the file: Make sure you can share the audio recording in a file format they can play. MP3s are the most common compressed audio file that can easily be emailed but most of our phones don’t automatically turn our voice memos into mp3’s. As a matter of fact, some phones will squash an audio file into some weird file type that sounds like crap (I have a Samsung and it does this!)

The most important steps for creating a demo for the above-mentioned purposes are making sure you have fine-tuned lyrics, melody, and song structure in a (mostly) set tempo. Following all of these steps will make you a dream client for your producer!

*If you want to pitch a song for use in film or TV (licensing/sync) then it needs to be a fully produced song. Do NOT submit demos to music libraries or music supervisors. They need finished products.

If you want to pitch your song to a music publisher, who in turn will pitch your song to artists, they will want full production in most cases. The artist may have it entirely reproduced but you have to “sell” them the song. You want to shine it in the best light possible. A demo would be needed for the creative team (producer, studio musicians, etc.) who will create your produced version for pitching. 

Health and Holidays

I don’t exactly know when I realized it, The moment I knew music was what I wanted to pursue for the rest of my life. When was it? I know that I’ve always had a different ear from most people in my social circle.

In grade school, the second to be exact, I was ecstatic about being able to hit this large snare. I wanted to know why that noise it made was different from the tapping of my foot or banging my desk. Sure drumming was fun, but after it was over I would spend some of my free time during the snack break to sit with the snare. I would tap it, then hit it, and then I’d do it in a repeating motion. Maybe that was the moment I got hungry to ask questions. In the third grade, I started to pluck the high E string on my dad’s guitar, writing music that didn’t involve me holding down any strings that would cut through my tiny hands.

I kept asking, and some teachers found it annoying. I constantly, regardless if it was or wasn’t music-oriented, raised my hand and asked. It became so much that the teachers over the years all repeated the same phrase “Anyone other than Kimmy?” as if to discourage me to stop being so inquisitive.

As I got older the rift between me and my peers widened. I would spend most of my time home with my diamond dove Olivia and my guitar. I felt as though I was on another planet those days with my bird and instrument, untouchable even. I would later get Garageband on my iPhone, and as if I was in the second grade all over again I would spend my time on Garageband fooling around with loops I thought sounded cool all while trying to mentally dissect what was happening.

This passion for knowledge and melody also was an outlet. When my dad was in the hospital, or when my grandmother passed – I was consumed by my music. The grief and anguish were all obsolete in my cocoon. Nothing was in or out of that hole I was deep inside of, It felt safe and warm from everything outside of it. Maybe it was in these moments I knew I could never have a life outside of this rhythmic cocoon I’d created.

It is important that I became so developed in one expertise, but I didn’t develop the skills necessary to talk casually with others. I was career-minded and focused so much on earning my keep in an industry that was never made to accommodate me – that I didn’t take a single moment to step back and breathe a little. I think that’s the parting message I want to share before we close out the year.

At the start of 2021, I wrote about New York City, my home. And how in a city known for never sleeping it did, in fact, sleep. It was starting to come back to life little by little. Now that Broadway is starting back up and live entertainment ( though limited ) is coming through town, this city is back to being the city without any winks.

So what does the city coming back have to do with the backstory? Well, I wanted to give you some context, and honestly, when I request this of you. I want you to take care of yourself.

Take some time to give yourself warm words and self-recognition. What did you accomplish? It doesn’t need to be going on that dream vacation or scoring a promotion, it can be but it doesn’t have to be! Maybe you took a bike ride and found a new route that was better than the older one, or maybe you found a new favorite food. Whatever it was, congratulations. As we get back to our pre-pandemic lives and things go back to the same-old-same-old I don’t want people who might have been or are like me to fall behind.

It is so easy to get consumed with the day-to-day; to lose yourself to routine. This holiday season give back to yourself and treat yourself right. I was a person that was at one point that only ever made room for one thing – it was when I opened myself up to others that I really did grow as a musician.

Sure, I had plenty of fake friends along the way, but I also met some real gems. These people are still in my life and I am forever grateful for them. So consider talking or reconnecting with old friends or acquaintances. Maybe meet some new friends at a karaoke bar? You never know what might happen.

Just remember to take care of yourself, you are important and valued and no one can say different.

Next year I am looking forward to being back with the laundry list of things to talk about. Maybe some gear talk, and more resources as I come across them. Whatever comes next year we will grow as people together.

Thank you to SoundGirls for the amazing year despite the ups and downs, I’ll see you all next year!

( side note: If you are feeling anxious or depressed I’d encourage you to call or text these numbers. If you are feeling suicidal please reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline! They are available 24/7 free and confidential! )

Resources for Mental Health

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741

Friends for Survival: 916-392-0664 OR 800 646-7322

The Trevor Project ( LGBTQIA ): Text START to 678-678 OR Call 1-866-488-7386

Editing Women into Wikipedia Part 3:  Notability

There’s nothing more disheartening than to create a Wikipedia article only to have it instantly flagged for deletion.  Even with hours put into finding sources and carefully formatting every section to fit Wikipedia’s style, there is one major issue that can doom the best of intentions:  Notability.  Let’s say that you want to create an article on your favorite SoundGirls Blogger.  You might be able to find an interview, a picture, and maybe even their IMDb page.  However, it takes more than that to qualify.

Notability

Means a subject that stands out from the crowd.  An event that started a movement, a company that pioneered a technology, a person who did something for the first time, these are all subjects that are deserving of note.  Celebrity status can help a person acquire notability, but it does not guarantee that they are worthy of a Wikipedia article.  In my previous articles, I stressed the importance of reliable sources of information.  By using books, journal articles, and interviews there is added longevity and importance.  A social media star usually misses these in their 15 minutes of fame.

Wikipedia editors often choose topics they care deeply about, however, Wikipedia is not the place to deep dive into a given topic.  Just like their predecessor, the encyclopedia, they are a place to start a research journey.  Every article is there to give a taste of information.  Categories are for a summary of knowledge in a selected field.  By flooding Wikipedia with the mundane, it drains the usefulness of the website.

What guarantees notability?  As mentioned before: reliable sources.  Books, biographies, interviews all contribute to the information contained in a Wikipedia article, but also add to the subject’s notability.  Notable people win awards.  Grammy night is a great time to edit Wikipedia.  Academics, while not famous, can be notable if they publish groundbreaking research or books that influence their fields.  Specifically for the field of Entertainment, notability means having worked on several popular works:  films that get released to theatres and festivals, songs that chart, tv shows on network tv, or streaming platforms.

There is a reason why Wikipedia encourages new editors to edit articles over creating new articles.  Finding a subject that fits the notability requirements can be tricky.  Luckily my user page https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Lyrelyrebird (as mentioned in my previous Editing Women into Wikipedia articles), as well as Wikiprojects, have lists of suggested subjects to get you started.  Remember to be bold and cite all your sources.  Happy editing!

Editing SoundGirls into Wikipedia

SoundGirls Wikipedia Edit-A-Thon

Mollie Autherson – DiGiCo Tech Specialist

 

Mollie started at DiGiCo on the R&D team during her placement year while attending the University of Surrey. Before finishing the year, she let DiGiCo know that she would love to come back after she finished her degree and she did when they offered her a job in the sales department. At DiGiCo she got an insight into the R&D side of the company that most of the Sales team haven’t had. Things like knowing how the different parts of the console engines work together and how the code that the software department writes works. From knowledge, she can track faults down more easily and have a better idea about which part of the console is causing it. She also understands what’s possible in the console in terms of new features, as well as what sort of system configurations are possible and more importantly why they are or aren’t possible.

Early Life

Music has been a big part of Mollie’s life, she started taking music lessons and learning to play the trumpet when she was eight. She would join different ensembles and spend most of the week in rehearsals and lessons, and she got the opportunity to tour Europe a couple of times and perform at the Royal Albert Hall.  Around the age of 12, Mollie developed a love for metal music and would teach herself how to play the guitar.

Then Mollie got a  MacBook and discovered GarageBand

“I found an app with a picture of a guitar as the logo. I thought it looked cool so I clicked on it. I’m sure that anyone who’s into audio and has used a Mac will know that this was GarageBand. After some playing around on the app I realized that I could use it to record my guitar, add drums and write my own music. I started watching YouTube tutorial videos and trying to learn about what else I could do with the software. It was this insight into audio that led me to study Music Tech in Sixth form as one of my four subjects.”

Mollie would study Maths, Further Maths, Physics, and Music Tech at Sixth form. “As part of the Music Tech course we did work in the studio and I also ran the live sound team for the Sixth form through this. It was during that time when I realized there were careers in audio, including technical ones that could incorporate with Math and Physics that I enjoyed.” She would then enroll at the University of Surrey where she would take the Tonmeister course, which included music and sound recording, and would graduate with a BSc 2.1

Career Start

I got my start with my university placement year which I did at DiGiCo. When I started University, I wanted to work in a recording studio but after doing some recording sessions at Uni, I soon realized that I didn’t enjoy them enough to want to do it as a job. I’d spent far too many nights in the studio at 4 am waiting for bands to be creative when I just wanted to go to bed. I had to start looking at other audio careers and saw a technical placement at DiGiCo. I’d never heard of them but thought that my experience in college doing live sound could make me a suitable candidate for the job. I applied, got the job, and then fell in love with the live audio industry.

How did your early internships or jobs help build a foundation for where you are now?

For my placement year at DiGiCo, I was working in the R&D team. My job was to test the consoles to find software bugs in the software updates or new consoles. As you’d imagine, after a year of using DiGiCo consoles every day, I learnt how to use them inside-out. I also got an insight into the R&D side of the company that most of the Sales team haven’t had. Things like knowing how the different parts of the console engines work together and how the code that the software department writes works. From this, I can track faults down more easily and have a better idea about which part of the console is causing it. I can also understand what’s possible in the console in terms of new features, as well as what sort of system configurations are possible and more importantly why they are or aren’t possible.

What did you learn interning or on your early gigs?

I learnt a lot of technical stuff – things like the difference between SMUX and Hi-Speed MADI, how to set up networks, how to use Dante, etc.

Did you have a mentor or someone that really helped you?

The whole team at DiGiCo was really supportive and willing to help out with any problems or questions I had. The team is like a big family and everyone made sure that I was getting on alright when I joined. They’ve also made sure to introduce me to people and help me start networking.

Career Now

What is a typical day like?

My days vary so much. Some days I’ll be writing technical data sheets for our products or adding technical bits to the website, some days I’ll be showing sound engineers how to use our consoles, or even doing some testing work for R&D. Since coronavirus hit, we’ve really increased the number of videos and webinars that we are creating to make up for the fact that we can’t visit customers or have them come into the demo room. I’ve become heavily involved in making videos so most days over the past few months I’ve been either writing scripts for videos, filming, video editing, or setting up our video kit for webinars.

How do you stay organized and focused?

I find keeping lists very useful. It helps me visualize everything that I have to do and prioritize the things that need doing more urgently.

What do you enjoy the most about your job?

I get the chance to meet all sorts of people and travel but without having to live on the road for weeks at a time. There’s also plenty of variation in my work to keep things interesting and I’m constantly learning new things. I also enjoy getting to see our consoles being used out and about. Going to gigs has been a hobby of mine since I was young, and I love going to see my favorite bands and seeing them use our stuff.

What do you like least?

Spending days on end editing videos can get a bit tedious. I enjoy doing it but I don’t like being sat at my desk for too long!

What is your favorite day off activity?

Either spending the day playing guitar or working on a guitar-building project.

What are your long-term goals?

I’d like to stay in the audio industry and continue meeting people and making lifelong friends.

What if any obstacles or barriers have you faced?

On a few occasions when talking to people at trade shows and exhibitions etc., I’ve felt like they’ve underestimated my technical knowledge because I’m a young woman. The audio industry has always been male-dominated but there are still very few women on the technical manufacturing side.

How have you dealt with them?

Just smile and prove them wrong!

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

It’s said all the time, but it’s true that the only stupid questions are the ones that don’t get asked. If you’re unsure, just ask. It’s better to ask a question and get something right than to not ask and get something wrong.

I’d also recommend keeping a little notepad with you. When you learn something new and interesting/useful, write it down. That way, it solidifies it in your head but also means that you can look back on it in the future if you need a refresh. I’m forever referring back to my notepad and even getting requests from other people to have a look at it.

Must have skills?

You’ve got to be good at listening in this industry. Whether it’s listening to your mix in order to make it better or listening to other people. When I’m showing people how to use our consoles, I think the most important thing is to listen to them. Find out what they already know, what they don’t know, find out what sort of things they want to do with the console so that you can focus on features that will benefit them. There is no ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to console demos and training.

Favorite gear?

I guess I have to pick a DiGiCo console here! My favorite is the Quantum338. It’s a gorgeous-looking console, the screens are big and bright, and it has all of the great features that come with the Quantum consoles. I’m a big fan of the SD12 but miss the Mustard Processing and Spice Rack when I’m using it. The DMI-KLANG is also a personal favorite when I’m using a console like the Quantum338 or the SD12. So much power on a tiny card. After having heard the immersive mixing from a musician’s point of view, I understand why people don’t want to go back to stereo after having used it.

More on Mollie

Events and Training

Find All Upcoming SoundGirls Events Here

AES – The Equity Learning SeriesAES is committed to addressing the issues of equity, diversity and inclusion in order to support the interests and pursuits of audio engineers of all identities.

The Equity Learning Series provides AES members with the chance to learn about important issues facing underrepresented communities, especially in the world of audio engineering, in an inclusive, group setting. AES is committed to addressing these issues in order to support the interests and pursuits of audio engineers of all identities. Facilitating learning, open discussion and understanding of the issues through this series is one way we seek to do this work..

AES members receive a 30% Discount on Women in Audio through AES’s agreement with Focal Press/Routledge.

Nonmembers can receive a 20% discount at womeninaudio.com using the discount code FLY21 (which will give the user 20% off of any title on Routledge.com until 12/31/2021). Register Here

Beats by Girlz Louder Than Ever!

Join our virtual celebration & annual fundraising party! 

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 3 www.beatsbygirlz.org/wav

Music Production for Women

What to consider to get the best recordings

With Olga FitzRoy December 9th

EPIC Conference

Travel with us on January 10, 2022.

24 Hours & 50 Sessions starting at USD 60 Only. Early bird tickets 10% off!!

Straight to Eventbrite for tickets. Click the button below to register!

More information here: www.globalepicevent.com

The 2022 Live Production Summit

Conference for live events & entertainment production professionals will return to the luxurious JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass Resort & Spa in Tucson, AZ. January 13-15th.

Event Safety Alliance Summit

A hybrid in-person and virtual three-day event that will take place March 22 – 24th on the campus of Rock Lititz in Lititz, PA, sponsored by Take1 Insurance and Intact Specialty Insurance. (Go here for more information and to register.)

Allen & Heath Launches Mini Masterclass Series

Wednesdays, 9:00 a.m. PST

Make sure to check out the free ‘Mini Masterclass’ sessions offered by Allen & Heath.  Two tracks are currently running. Feel free to pick and choose any or all of the sessions that grab your interest. Installation Inspiration features veteran engineer and design consultant Samantha Potter. Monitor Mix Mastery is presented by the go-to monitor engineer and production manager Mike Bangs. See you in class! https://americanmusicandsound.com/allen-heath-mini-masterclasses

Insights in Sound

Fridays

Join host Daniel Liston Keller for a series of in-depth and irreverent conversations with people behind the scenes, behind the technology, and behind the music. From musicians and producers to touring pros, sound designers, inventors, and more. Previous episodes, including Pablo Wheeler, Jeri Palumbo, Harmoni Kelley, and Michael Beinhorn here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLELP8j3P2xz8tzRSqycOMtxrUWMvNzvvA

Nobody Likes Networking

For anyone who is looking for new work during these challenging times, Mike Dias — the Executive Director of IEMITO, the In-Ear Monitor Trade Organization — has a new monthly column in Pro Sound News focusing on networking skills. Now more than ever we need to be able to lean on second and third-tier relationships for opportunities. And if that sentence makes you uncomfortable — you’re not alone. No one likes making small talk and asking for favors. No one is a natural-born networker. But it is a skill that anyone can learn. If you want more concrete steps than what’s available in the Pro Sound News article, Mike has published many of his past networking talks and notes from his upcoming book at his Nobody Likes Networking site for free.

DiGiCo

Exclusive online DiGiCo Workshops: YOU choose the subject! We are running several online Clinic Workshops where you get to decide what we talk about! Each session is a private one-on-one workshop with a member of the DiGiCo team. So, book now and tell us what you want to know!

Book here: http://bit.ly/digicoclinics

Mixing Music Live

Concert Sound Engineer and SoundGirls Co-Founder Michelle Sabolchick-Pettinato shares her knowledge and experience from 30 years in the industry. Offering two online courses: Mixing Music Live and intro to live sound and mixing and LISTEN! a guide to EQ and Critical Listening. A discount is available to members of SoundGirls. Both courses include great info and lessons via her blog and newsletter. https://www.mixingmusiclive.com

HARMAN Live Workshop Series

HARMAN is thrilled to invite leading Front of House Engineers, Lighting Designers, Technicians and other knowledge experts in the industry to share workshops of their secret methods, tips and tricks.

https://pro.harman.com/lp/learning-sessions

SSL Live Sound Training Program

For the ultimate immersive learning experience, SSL offers its Live Certified training — a six-hour intensive online video course led by Live Product Specialist and live sound veteran Fernando Guzeman. Currently, SSL is offering certified training courses in both English and Spanish during June.

https://www.solidstatelogic.com/ssllivetraining

The Production Academy

Hosts weekly webinars The Pandemic Sessions.

https://www.theproductionacademy.com/pandemic-sessions

Post-New York Alliance – Post Break

You can watch past episodes here A weekly series produced by the PNYA Education Committee explores post-production in New York State. Each week, a different topic will be discussed with a variety of professionals. https://www.postnewyork.org/blogpost/1859636/Post-Break

Color of Music Collective

Hosts free virtual panels on a weekly basis that amplify People of Color and LGBTQ voices in the music industry. You can sign up for their newsletter to see when the next panel is.: https://www.colorofmusiccollective.com

Omni Sound Project

Dedicated to being the most accessible point of entry to the music and audio industries. We strive to provide affordable opportunities for learning to under-represented communities as well as spotlight the talents of female and non-gender-conforming audio professionals. All genders are invited to attend our online educational events. Find all events and to register at https://www.omnisoundproject.com/

Part of the Main

Has launched a series of affordable theatre training workshops from QLab and Lighting Programming into Theatre Marketing and PR. They are offering 20 funded bursary spaces to Black artists. Learn more bit.ly/partofthegrid

Intro to SoundGrid Studio: Online Webinars

Join us for personal small-group webinars about the new Waves SoundGrid Studio for real-time audio processing in the studio. Get a personal overview of how SoundGrid Studio can benefit you for:

These are limited-availability sessions with Waves Studio Specialist Ryan Monette, who will provide answers to any questions you might have.

https://www.waves.com/events/soundgrid-studio-online-2020?utm_source

Andrew Scheps Talks To Awesome People

There are a lot of awesome people in the world, and they all have amazing stories to tell. Getting them to tell their stories on camera is not only fun and educational for all of us, but it helps document some of the absolutely incredible things that have happened in the brief history of recorded music. Join Andrew and his guests for a deep dive into what makes them, and the people around them, tick..

Every Monday 2:30 PM EST, 6:30 PM GMT.

https://www.puremix.net/live/andrew-talks-to-awesome-people.html

I’m with The Crew

A very personal look at human nature and the adaptability required to get through this unprecedented time. Shining a light on the importance of understanding and managing the holistic-self in order to find the strength to take action.

Hosted by Misty Roberts & Jim Digby, Produced by Shelby Carol Cude, guided by mental health professionals Taryn Longo and Dave Sherman with weekly special guests, this live-webinar provides an opportunity to gain greater insight and control over how we respond to these times and manifest the resilience to survive and start again when that time comes.

The webinar takes place at 11:00 a.m. PDT every Friday.

https://showmakersymposium.com/im-with-the-crew

Robert Scovill – The Lab

An online, interactive session focused on pro audio called “The Lab”. This 90-minute session is a completely open forum with much of the topic matter being driven by attendees. Robert has a complete console, recorders and small networked PA system set up in an attempt to address and investigate most challenges. Admittedly the focus is geared more toward console, processing and mixing out of practicality as much as anything. Attendees are encouraged to share their screen and their challenges regardless of console type.

First three Mondays of every month. 1:30 p.m.

It is first come first served with a room limit of 300.

Sign up at https://www.robertscovill.com/ under News and Events.

Pooch & Rabold on YouTube

Pooch and Rabold have over 50 years of experience between them as Front of House live sound engineers.   They work for artists like Bruno Mars, Justin Bieber, Kenny Chesney, Iron Maiden, Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, Linkin Park, Motley Crue, Guns N Roses, Widespread Panic, and many others.  They have traveled the earth looking for the best steakhouses in all but a handful of countries.   Rabold and Pooch share all of their knowledge in this very informal series of videos where you get to be a “fly on the wall,” while two of the most respected live sound engineers talk freely about audio.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjx5xSFzwXd43XL4cZDeCag

Robert Scovill – The Back Lounge

An online social group called “The Back Lounge”. Here industry people of all types; production people, i.e. road managers, production managers, backline, audio and lighting pros, company owners and personnel, HOW staff etc. all gather to discuss the state and future of the industry and share guidance and resources on financial assistance strategies and any other topic that suits the discussion.

First three Fridays of every month. 4:20 p.m. PDT

This is first come first served with a room limit of 300.

https://www.robertscovill.com/

Sennheiser Academy Online Webinars

Sennheiser is pleased to announce a series of webinars for our customers and partners. Join us online in the coming weeks to learn about a wide range of topics, from RF and microphone basics to roundtable discussions with sound engineers, as well as a chance to put your questions to our application engineering team.

https://en-us.sennheiser.com/webinars

Updates & Resources

For COVID-19 updates and resources, check out the NAMM. In addition, NAMM is offering a variety of webinars and sessions to help understand alternatives and tips to coping with this new dynamic.

https://www.namm.org/covid-19

Club Cubase

Join Club Cubase Google livestreams every Tuesday and Friday, as Greg Ondo answers all of your questions.

https://www.facebook.com/47279836044/posts/10157291784976045/?d=n

Show Makers Symposium

The Show Makers Symposium is a place for us to gather, learn and give back. During these uncertain times, we will shine as much light as possible toward the end of the tunnel and provide as many resources as available for growth and mental resilience.

https://showmakersymposium.com/#missionstatement

Event Safety Alliance

The Event Safety Alliance® (ESA) is dedicated to promoting “life safety first” throughout all phases of event production and execution. We strive to eliminate the knowledge barrier that often contributes to unsafe conditions and behaviors through the promotion and teaching of good practices and the development of training and planning resources.

https://www.eventsafetyalliance.org/

Learn with Dave Rat

Learn new tips for pro audio engineers and sound techs on Dave Rat’s YouTube Channel. Dave mixed FOH sound for Red Hot Chili Peppers for 27 years, Rage Against the Machine, Blink 182, Soundgarden, Foo Fighters, The Offspring, and more. When he was 18 years old, he co-founded Rat Sound Systems which is the primary sound vendor for Coachella and provides world-class audio sound systems for numerous touring artists including Pearl Jam, Jack Johnson, Pixies, Alt J.. In addition to being president of Rat Sound, Dave has designed speaker systems including the EAW MicroWedge series and Rat SuperSub. The SoundTools.com division of Rat Sound is actively manufacturing and distributing his product designs.

https://www.youtube.com/user/www73171/featured

Wireless Side Chats

Lectrosonics has produced the new video series Wireless Side Chats, hosted by VP of Sales and Marketing Karl Winkler. Episode 1 explores the history of early wireless, episode 2 shows how to solve the seven most common wireless mic problems, episode 3 is an in-depth clinic about Lectrosonic wireless designer software, and episode 4 further explores best practices when using wireless.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwnOnolFSN5K2-2QZOwzVq-0ZFYgoPXDH

eMotion LV1 WEBINARS

Join Waves on our special eMotion LV1 Online Webinars series with one of Waves’ top live sound specialists as your guide. The seminars will be conducted as intimate sessions for small groups, involving an overview of eMotion LV1 mixer with a chance for you to ask questions after being given an overview of the layout and main functions and advantages of this product. Check the website for upcoming dates.

https://www.waves.com/events/lv1-online-webinars

Richard Furch – #mixtipwednesday

Now in the third year,  #mixtipwednesday aims to offer quick tips to get you out of the creative ruts and keep you inspired making records and improving your craft. Also, an Instagram Live event, every Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. PDT, mixer Richard Furch (@richardfurchmix) answers your questions and engages the listeners with insights into the craft and business of record mixing.

QSC@Home

QSC@Home is a comprehensive online launch point dedicated to users’ success across a vast range of solutions and applications. Through its “Connect, Learn and Experience” architecture, QSC@Home visitors are treated to unique collection of online training, tutorials, certification, webinars, entertainment and live online support from company experts, all of which is constantly curated and updated. QSC@Home is a valuable tool for everyone from systems contractors, integrators, A/V IT technicians, A/V consultants, musicians, artists, djs, live sound engineers, recording pros, HOW musical directors, cinema technicians, cinema dealers and end-users at all levels of expertise

https://www.qsc.com/qsc-at-home/

Conversations with Sound Artists

The Dolby Institute and the SoundWorks Collection Podcast, now in its 6th season, is putting the spotlight on episodic content, featuring in-depth conversations with the sound artists behind some of the best broadcast and streaming shows. Join the talented artists behind the shows The Mandalorian, Westworld, Mindhunter, Ozark, Locke & Key, and Unorthodox for in-depth discussions about the creative sound choices for these shows.

Learn more:  https://dolbylabs.co/33NNrgw

Wrong End of the Snake

Tuesdays at 2:00 PM EST

Front of House Live Sound Engineer Ken “Pooch” Van Druten, and Monitor Live Sound Engineer Kevin “Tater” McCarthy, team up to host a webinar exploring the sometimes irrational, always spirited relationships between the music industry tribe. Join us each week as Pooch and Tater reflect on decades of highs and lows, professional tips and tricks, and a special industry guest.

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_R2_ZRFobS3Og41Ax9JeQqQ?

ADAM Academy

An informative video series on the company’s YouTube channel which provides all viewers from entry-level audio students to skilled working professionals with valuable information, tips and tools that they can use to get the best performance from their loudspeaker monitor systems. Recent video topics include: How to Calibrate a Subwoofer; Studio Monitor Placement; Proper Monitor Maintenance & Cleaning; Mixing Rap and Hip Hop Master Class by Brooklyn-based hip hop producer and engineer Paul Womack; Audio Post; How to Mix Acoustic Sessions; How to Mix Live Sessions for Video featuring engineer Eric Bastinelli;  How to Tune Drums; How to Mic Drums; Drum Editing in Pro Tools; Tips for Becoming a Successful Freelance Musician presented by Grammy-nominated bassist Jonathan Maron.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGSZx_3dmWXqXo1-k5GqJtEmU9Uy4Sfye

New Lurssen Mastering YouTube Channel

On this channel with weekly updates, Lurssen Mastering engineers, Gavin Lurssen and Reuben Cohen get you closer to their audio engineering world and share useful tips and insights into the art of mastering.

Lurssen Mastering is a world-renowned multi-Grammy award-winning mastering studio. They have mastered many gold and platinum records and have received several industry awards. In addition to the Grammys earned and proudly displayed by Lurssen Mastering, numerous songs worked on by the team have been nominated for Oscars over the years and several have won this prestigious award.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuSlopV23zOqLzuKpeLKSIQ

 

Not a Solo Project

Whether you work in theatre, concerts, studio, or podcasting, it’s unlikely that you are a team of one.  All of these disciplines tend to be very collaborative, and often our teammates are scattered around the city, state, country, or even the world, making thorough communication extremely important.  Sometimes an email chain or group text just doesn’t cut it, so when you need to beef up your communication style, consider one of these communication platforms (in no particular order).

Slack

Ok, I said no particular order, but this one is my favorite.  Maybe it’s because this is the one I use the most.  The user interface is great, and it can be used via web, mobile, or PC.  It integrates well with other apps like Google Calendar, Drive, and Zoom, making productivity an all-time high!  File sharing and adding attachments is straightforward and easy, and the notification system allows for deciding which kind of notifications you would like to receive, or receive none at all during Do Not Disturb mode.  You can assign different channels or threads, so everyone doesn’t have to be involved in every conversation if that is not the end goal.  You can also @ mention specific people if you need to specifically draw someone’s attention to a particular subject.  The search function is quite robust and handy, and best of all (cause I’m a sucker for emojis) customizable reactions make this team app super fun!! Two enthusiastic thumbs up from me!

Teams

If you are a heavy Office 365 user, you might love this additional integration into Microsoft land.  Teams is all about productivity and increased focus on work, and the very professional/business look of the interface really supports this idea.  If you’re into a little more of a fun chat environment, you can still add reactions, gifs, and emojis at will. This software is pretty user-friendly and is entirely cloud-based, so your teammates can access info anywhere.  Teams have channels like Slack but also integrate Tabs within the channels as another layer of organization.  The default tabs are Posts (storage of every chat within a channel), Files (storage of shared docs within the channel), and Wiki (a smart text editor for editing, drafting, and chatting).  You can also add and customize additional tabs.  Teams also features outside app integration like Dropbox and Google Drive and also allows for video and audio calls without leaving a chat.  It’s been reported that there are maybe too many similar tools, but maybe that’s better than not having enough?

Google Hangout Chats

I know there are many Google tool users, so if that’s you, this is your platform!  Of course, the most attractive part of this is the total integration with all of the Google apps like Gmail and Google Drive, but I must let you know that it’s not so easy to integrate with Office 365, so if that’s important to you, maybe stick with Teams.  This platform requires no installation and it’s free, so setup is a breeze.    Messaging in Google Hangout Chats is easy and efficient, and you can add a layer of organization to your chats by using Rooms.  Screensharing and file sharing are available, although file-sharing can be a little clunky.  Like most of the other apps, audio and video calls, as well as instant messaging, are available.  Video resolution could be better, but hey, it’s free. This is a pretty basic app, but free and easy to use are really top features, especially if you’re just getting into collaboration platforms for the first time.

If these communication platforms don’t live up to your expectations, I implore you to jump down the internet rabbit hole where many, MANY more options exist, but my advice is to give these three a shot first so that you know what you do and do not need in your everyday team communication.

 

 

 

Stay Passionate

 Resources to Get Started with a Life-Long Practice of Professional Development

Do you remember your first audio project?  Do you remember how excited (or scared) you were about it?  For the vast majority of folks working in audio production, we fell into this industry out of passion.  It’s a labor of love; long hours and thankless sessions can happen, but we are there to answer the call because we know that we can make things sound the very best we possibly can make them sound.

That initial spark of emotion when we start out drives us all to be better engineers and artists; You have got to keep that spark! In an industry that is always evolving, it is crucial to keep learning, figuring out what is next on the horizon. Our field is really exciting, and actually digging into the various resources available can keep you pumped about your job.

Over the years I have gathered a ton of resources. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but it can get you started on your own professional development journey.

Organizations

Joining an organization not only provides a curated array of resources but is also a way into a community. One of the best ways to learn is from others in your field. Most of the organizations below have membership fees (though some are free), and there are student and early career options available.

SoundGirls 

Obviously! Becoming a member is free. https://soundgirls.org/membership/ 

WAM (Women’s Audio Mission)

Based on San Fransisco, the Women’s Audio Mission holds classes for marginalized genders in audio. Some are in person, and they have remote options as well. They also provide career counseling and work experience.
https://womensaudiomission.org/get-involved/become-a-member/

OmniSound Project

OmniSound Project provides a ton of courses. I took their “Approaching a Mix” intensive a few months ago. They have fantastic workshops as well, and they also do 1:1 lessons. Membership is free to people who belong to marginalized genders.
https://www.omnisoundproject.com/membership.html

TSDCA (Theatrical Sound Designers and Composers Association)

The TSDCA was founded as a response when the Tonys removed Sound Design as a category in 2014. Although the Tonys have since reinstated the awards for Sound Design, the TSCDA continues to be a resource for those working in theatrical sound design, composing, and audio engineering.

https://tsdca.org/application/

AES (Audio Engineering Society)

The Audio Engineering Society is the largest community of audio experts and was created by the industry, for the industry, to inspire and educate the technology and practice of audio. Becoming a member gives you access to 20,000+ of research papers and discounts on their conferences — a must for keeping up with industry technology and standards!
https://aes2.org/aes-membership-overview/

MPSE (Motion Picture Sound Editors)

The premier organization for sound editing professionals. It is dedicated to educating the public as well as the entertainment industry about the artistic merit of sound editing.

https://www.mpse.org/join-us

GANG (Game Audio Network Guild)  

An organization for those working in-game audio. https://www.audiogang.org/why-join/

TEA (Themed Entertainment Association) 

A place for professionals working in and students of themed entertainment to connect. Think theme parks, exhibits, immersive theater, experiential pop-ups.
https://www.teaconnect.org/Members/Join-TEA/index.cfm

Conferences

SoundGirls 

SoundGirls will be hosting their first virtual conference on December 4th and 5th, 2021. There will be a wide array of panels that cover all the different fields of audio.
https://soundgirls.org/event/soundgirls-virtual-conference/

AES (Audio Engineering Society)

I am always blown away by the wide range of panels at AES conferences. I will say that there is often a lot of panels that cover the music industry.
https://aes2.org/events-calendar/aes-fall-online-2021/

NAB (National Association of Broadcasters)

A must if you work in Radio, Television, Streaming, Sports, or Podcasts.
https://nabshow.com/2022/

GameSoundCon

Takes place every year in Los Angeles. It is a great way to learn about Game Audio, see some products at vendors’ tables and meet people working in the field.
https://www.gamesoundcon.com/

GDC  (Game Developer’s Conference)

If you want to work in games, try meeting non-audio people. Those are the folks that will hire you! GDC takes place every year in San Fransisco.
https://gdconf.com/

SIGGRAPH (Special Interest Group on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques)

A conference about computer graphics and interactive techniques. From what i have heard, there are often VR projects being presented.  https://www.siggraph.org/

LDI (Lighting Design International)

LDI is a lighting convention, but they usually have a small section with audio vendors and demo speaker systems. Besides, it is good to meet folks working in other parts of the industry.  https://www.ldishow.com/

NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants)

NAMM is a great place to start for anyone working in any part of audio, however, it is geared mostly towards the music industry. Held every year in Anaheim, CA. https://www.namm.org/

CES (Consumer Electronics Show)

A great way to learn and get updated on consumer technology trends and the interests of our audiences. https://www.ces.tech/

ComicCon

Another option is to meet people working in other fields, that could potentially hire you. And, it is essential to consume media and have an understanding of storytelling so that you can best support them with sound. No links here because there is one in most major U.S. cities. (The OG ComicCon is held annually in San Diego.) Look for the one closest to you!

Indiecade

Held annually in Los Angeles, Indiecade is THE gathering for independent game developers. There are board games and LARPs too! https://www.indiecade.com/
On the video game note: also check out Meetups, Global Game Jam, and search for hackathons in your area. Hackathons typically take place over a weekend, and the goal is to build a game. Global Game Jam is pretty much an epic hackathon that takes place annually in multiple cities at the same time. It is a great way to practice sound design while meeting other people. Search for a chapter near you: https://globalgamejam.org/

Blogs 

SoundGirls
So many topics! https://soundgirls.org/contributors/

A Sound Effect 

A wealth of resources about how sound has been made for many different movies, games, shows, and attractions, as well as a place to buy a lot of sound effects.

https://www.asoundeffect.com/

iZotope

A great resource to learn about iZotope products, as well as mixing tips.

https://www.izotope.com/en/learn.html

Pro Tools Expert 

A blog for Pro Tools users. https://www.pro-tools-expert.com/

TheaterArtLife

Blogs about all of the departments in theatre. https://www.theatreartlife.com/

April Tucker’s Blog (Post Production Sound)

April Tucker’s awesome log about post-production. Send along the blogs for filmmakers to your director and editor friends too! https://apriltucker.com/blog/

Podcasts

Available wherever you listen to podcasts.

SoundGirls 

Interviews with kick*** women in audio.

A Sound Effect

A wide variety of topics from how sounds were made for certain films, television shows and games, to hot tips about working in audio (like protecting your ears).

Twenty Thousand Hertz

A podcast about how everyday sounds were made, from washing machines to UI sounds to car sounds. And so much more.

Sound Business

Akash Thakkar’s podcast where he interviews people making a killer living in music and sound.

Tonebenders 

One of my favorites. Interviews with people working in post-production and game audio and how they tackled sound design for certain projects.

Courses 

LinkedIn Learning

I could list what courses are good— but this list would be 20 pages long. Just look up what you want to learn and LinkedIn Learning probably has it. (Hot tip: Many public libraries have a LinkedIn Learning account.)

OmniSound Project

As mentioned before, OmniSound Project holds intensives, workshops, and 1:1s for a wide array of topics and they have a very welcoming community. The website is linked about, but I highly recommend following them on Instagram to keep up to date with their class offerings: https://www.instagram.com/omnisoundproject/?hl=en

The Production Academy

Offers courses in wireless audio, mixing fundamentals, show power, and stage.

https://www.theproductionacademy.com/courses

Sound Design Live 

Courses about all things regarding live sound, from system optimization to mixing to RF coordination. https://school.sounddesignlive.com/

Ear Training

SoundGym https://www.soundgym.co/

iZotope Pro Audio Essentials https://pae.izotope.com/

Forums 

Production Expert
Saved me many times. https://premium.production-expert.com/

Reddit
Too many options to link. Whatever part of audio you work in, there is a Reddit Forum for it.

Facebook
Same deal as Reddit — if you have an interest in a specific realm of audio, there is a Facebook group for it. Also search for local chapters. (i.e., LA Sound Mixers.) Start with the SoundGirls and Hey Audio Student Facebook groups.

Certifications

WWISE

Middleware for game audio. (How you get audio into a game engine.) Common at AAA studios.

https://www.audiokinetic.com/products/wwise/

DANTE
Live sound networking protocol, with three different levels. Levels 1 and 2 are great even just to begin to learn IT technology.

https://www.audinate.com/learning/training-certification/dante-certification-program

QSYS

Show control software for installations, attractions, and even places like airports, restaurants, and conference rooms. It can do a LOT. Note that it is only for Windows.
https://training.qsc.com/

Shure’s RF Certification Course 

Master RF coordination so you have the knowledge to handle any wireless microphone situation that comes your way with this three-course certification: https://www.shure.com/en-US/support/shure-audio-institute/certification/rf-certification

Wrapping up

I hope this list is motivating! Beyond staying on top of the technology and process, constant professional development can motivate you and make you an awesome person to work with — because you will feel excited and intellectually stimulated! It is worth the investment of time and money to keep the spark ignited and to stay on top of your game.

To Freelance or Not to Freelance

I see this question come up so many times that I decided to dedicate my final blog of 2021 to it. I will preface that I still don’t have the answer to this question, but I’ve now done both freelance and full-time jobs. I hope that sharing my experiences with you, will help you make informed decisions and what is best for you and yours.

 

 

I’ve been going back and forth about this question for the better part of a decade. Before I had kids. Before I was officially married.

I wrote this email to a music producer who I looked up to in 2012.

I needed to get a woman’s perspective on careers, and kids, etc because I’m panicking a little bit about the future. The past few months have actually been pretty good for me in terms of freelance, at the end of the month, I always make rent, bills, etc.  My issue is that every once in a while I will have a panic attack about what comes next and the fact that I can’t save, and that I can’t start paying my loans, and saving for kids, retirement, etc.  I know that as a female all that stuff starts to creep up, but at the moment I have some decisions to make and am trying to weigh my options.   I’ve been interviewing for a job that isn’t exactly the one I wanted, but it’s a foot in the door, and hoping to move up.  It moves away from audio work- and more sales and marketing, but at least it’s within an audio company.  It’s full-time and benefits, which with the hours, it would still allow me to work on most of the side-projects I do.  I know this would mean moving away from all the things I’ve worked so hard for, and studied, and spent so much time on.  But it’s stable, and I feel like right now I need that, but I’m still kind of freaking out because I don’t know if it means I’m giving up on everything else I’ve tried doing.  

From your point of view, having worked in the industry and having kids, can you shed some light?

If you’ve ever felt like me in that email, then continue to read on. I’ll backtrack here and tell you how I got to the point of writing that email. I WAS EXHAUSTED. Freelancing is great in that it provides flexibility – being your own boss. Making your own schedule. Deciding what projects you want to work on.

The issues come up in that you find yourself saying YES to everything because you don’t know when the next job is going to come. And if you say NO now or too many times, are these people going to call you for the gig next time? What if you say NO and next month there’s no gigs coming and you could’ve used the overworking last month? Burnout is a real and huge problem when freelancing.

Other problems, keeping track of your finances, your expenses, 1099s, what you can write off at tax time… the list goes on and on. But needless to say, when I wrote that email, I was dead. I was done. I wanted none of that life anymore.

 

Grace Row is a music producer in NYC. She worked at Sony Classical in its heyday before it shut down, and became the audio producer for the Metropolitan Opera. She also has 2 kids and has made her way through this insane city. She was the recipient of the above email. And every once in a while, I find myself coming back to that email because it was some of the best advice I’ve received in life.

So I’m going to share her advice with you and break it down as I give you a look at how things turned out with the decisions I’ve made thus far.

You can take the job and decide that it isn’t for you in a year.  What stability does is make your priorities clear, and once the kids come, they do become your priority.

I did take that job, and honestly, I think I lasted less than 6 months. I was miserable. I did enjoy getting a stable paycheck, but it was the job itself that I couldn’t get behind. (It also didn’t help that the job was poorly compensated). I missed engineering too much, and at the time, we didn’t have kids so no big. I tried. ALSO, big LOL thinking that with a 40-hour workweek, I would have energy or time to do side projects. By taking a stable job, the whole point was to stop the burnout – no more “extra” projects.

I went back to freelancing for another 2 years before I got my foot in the door as a freelancer for NPR which led to a freelance gig at Bloomberg. By 2015, we were now talking about kids. And the question about getting a full-time, stable job came up again. Not to mention my accountant that year asked me something that still sticks with me. “You’re losing money in this field, why are you still doing it?” Welp… Loving your job is important, but that’s a topic for another day. Back to Bloomberg and the full-time job that landed in my lap, another not ideal scenario because it was Hong Kong hours, Sun-Thurs, but a job nonetheless.

And so I found myself coming back to Grace’s email.

If stability is what you crave, then there is nothing wrong with exploring achieving that right now.  You might have peace of mind to discover other passions you didn’t know you possessed.

Peace of mind is such, such, I repeat such a huge deal. If you are constantly stressed about money, rent, and life, it is so hard to be creative. Maybe some people thrive off of that, but I personally can’t. I can’t even read a good book when I’m anxious. When I took the Bloomberg gig, it was the first time I was making decent money and had zero stress about paying bills. It was like a huge weight was lifted. I didn’t have to track finances. It was the first year my taxes were SUPER easy. Wow, just one W2! WHAT IS THIS LIFE?!?!

But, that job came with its serious issues and setbacks, and the stress didn’t help us trying to get pregnant. I stuck through it for a year and some change until I finally called it quits and then landed the engineering job at Latino USA which was with NPR at the time. Finally, this job was a breath of fresh air. Comfortable hours, worthwhile and meaningful work, nice people, stable pay – and yup, I got pregnant fairly quickly. Mat leave, benefits, give me all of it. I now realized how important and meaningful stability was for me. STABILITY > FREELANCE.

I wasn’t looking to leave that job, but the Spotify EQL gig was an opportunity I couldn’t say no to. I had now been working full-time for four years and while going back to freelance was scary, I had to take a chance. I would be stable for 6-months during the residency, but afterward, my husband and I decided I would give freelance a shot for another 6-months to see how it went. It’s been 2 years since EQL ended, and I guess it’s been going ok. I’ve learned to be better about my financial records. I have a lot of excels to track my expenses. At the end of the year, I tally it all up to give to my accountant.

But freelancing with kids can be a blessing and a curse. On one hand, you have the flexibility to do things at the drop of a hat, pick-ups, drop-offs, doctor’s appointments, etc. On the other, you’re back to saying yes to a lot and you may miss stuff. I got called for a gig on my son’s 2nd birthday. At the time, I convinced myself that he would go to bed and wouldn’t remember anyway, but I would remember. Plus long hours mean a lot of missed bedtimes. And that often has a way of sneaking back up on me.

What I always say about women balancing their work and family is that it’s very rare to have it all concurrently, but likely you’ll have it all at various points in your life.  I had a great run at Sony with producing and the life and money it brought us, but once the kids were in school, the traveling and guilt of not being with my family really took their toll.

Guilt. Mom guilt sucks. It has its way of making you feel horrible, yet it’s the guilt you impose on yourself – no one else gives you that guilt trip. It’s hard, and it definitely changes things. No matter how much you tell yourself you’re being too hard on yourself, that pressure is very difficult to manage. Can you find ways to cope and get past the guilt? Yes, of course. It also may not be a huge deal for some parents. But, will I personally miss another birthday? Unless it’s the biggest and most important gig on the planet, then I probably won’t accept. Because like it says above, “you’ll have it all at various points in your life.” No reason to make things harder when there may be another opportunity later.

 

Now that I now have two kids to support (with my spouse), the topic is once again on the table. Do you know how expensive daycare is? It’s insane. And while we have one year before our oldest hits public school, we are in the meantime paying for two kids’ childcare.

I was fortunate during the pandemic to become part-time staff back with Futuro Media (home to Latino USA where I was before). Part-time stability has been a great hybrid for me personally. I know I’m getting X amount a month, but I have dedicated hours a week to take on other projects that I wouldn’t be able to do if I was full-time at one place. Some months I bring in a lot of extra, some months it’s not as much. I’m also lucky that my partner has a full-time job.

In the end, part of the reason freelancing is always so appealing is it lets you explore and work in lots of different areas. But as I’ve mentioned several times in this post – stability is important. I always joke that podcasting pays for my music habit. And I love podcasting. I love sound design. I love producing. But the stability that comes from those checks let me have the brain space to take on other projects. So should you take a full-time job or keep freelancing? It kind of depends on what kind of lifestyle you want to lead. Nothing in life is super permanent (except death) so you can always try things out; see how it goes. Like my guru said when I was still figuring things out.

This is the time to explore other opportunities.  You’ll meet great people – that’s important too.  You can always come back to freelancing – You’ll know if it isn’t right

 

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