I started this month with some work on the books, a one-off awards show. It was a wonderful feeling to be back at it, while at the same time trying to remind myself that I haven’t forgotten how to re-string a guitar. However, it was short-lived. The crew was cut back due to Covid restrictions and I was back in my sweat pants before I could say load in.
It got me to thinking about how we attach ourselves to our jobs. I started walking taller knowing I was working again, I had a purpose once more. Seeing other people’s posts about feeling a loss of purpose during this lockdown, I’ve been thinking how potentially unhealthy it is that we have such an attachment to our jobs. We are not wholly our jobs. Yes, we may have dedicated years to trying to get the job in the first place, but it does not define us. Just because we have pivoted to driving a delivery van or working in a coffee shop, it doesn’t make us a different person, or at least it shouldn’t. We should focus on our qualities and what we bring to the world that way. Can you deliver a package in the same way you would tend to an artist? Do you take pride in being on time every single day for your shift just like you would need to for a bus call?
You can still be super passionate about your career, but it doesn’t need to be all-consuming. Do you take breaks between tours? Are you able to maintain relationships off the road? As much as we want to believe that people are looking out for us, our artist cares about us, at the end of the day it’s a business. They will no doubt do whatever is best for their business, so you should also think of yourself as a business. Nurture yourself, put yourself first.
What is your identity outside of work? I have been taking this forced time off to start learning to surf. I have always wanted to learn, I have put myself in the best location (Southern California baby!) and now there are no excuses for not having the time. In fact, I am becoming quite knowledgeable on how the waves are during all the seasons (or should I say the one season we have here!).
The one commodity you can never replace is time. Enjoy being handed some time off, or at least having time to do something different.
The Changing of the Guard – Training subs and replacements on a show
Last month, in Tips and Tricks for Subs and Replacements, we discussed how to put your best foot forward when learning to be a sub or replacement on a show. This month let’s look at the other side of the equation, when you are the one running the show and someone new is coming in either to sub for you, or to take over the show entirely. We will mostly discuss training subs in this post, but the training principles and tips should apply in both scenarios.
Why is having a well-trained sub so important? Well, the old saying “the show must go on” applies equally on stage and backstage! Just as actors have understudies for their roles, it is important that no one person’s health or availability is the “single point of failure” on a production, such that the show literally cannot go on without them if they must call out. Additionally, you don’t want the show to simply “go on” without you. You want it to be as good as it is when you’re the one mixing! When your sub is mixing the show, they are representing you, your work, and the entire sound department, so you want to know you have someone who is going to do their best job and be a good ambassador on your behalf.
Think of your show as this tower, and don’t let one person’s absence be the block that breaks it!
I like to break the training process into 3 phases: Pre-Prep (before your sub’s first official day), Training (when your sub is learning to mix the show), and Hand-Off (when the sub finally gets “hands-on faders” and starts mixing the show). Depending on your sub’s prior mixing experience, this process can take anywhere from a few days to a month. Typically, I will ask for 16 performances (2 weeks, assuming 8 shows a week) to complete this process, and I have this is the typical timeline in NYC.
Phase 1: Pre-prep
There is a lot you can do to make things easier for your incoming sub before they are even hired. The first of these is to maintain a good mix script! If you read my last blog, you know that I take paperwork and formatting very seriously, because they’re the best tools we have to convey all the information that is needed to mix the show correctly. If your script is paper, think about making a digital version, or at least a scanned PDF. That way your sub can have access to all your notes as they put together their own copy of the mix script. Collect any additional paperwork or training materials that might be helpful to them and organize it all in some sort of shared folder. For example, if a new sub was to join my show, they would be added to a private Dropbox which has my mix script, a blank script, the score, face pages (for learning people’s names), startup/shutdown instructions, show recordings (audio-only and conductor cam), and hands videos that my current sub filmed when he was training so that he could reference them while practicing. Back when I was a stage manager, one of my sayings was “the book matters more than you do,” and this idea certainly applies here. When your sub is mixing for real, you won’t be there to answer questions, so as much of that info as possible needs to be written down and easy to reference.
A sneak peek inside the contents of the “RoA_SoundSubs” Dropbox
Phase 2: Training
Once your sub is in the building and training has officially begun, you will want to give them at least a few performances to get familiar with the show, the mix, the pace, and the sound before they start practicing. They should watch the show from the audience at least once before moving to FOH to shadow you. Once they are shadowing you, this is when they can be building their script, taking notes, and asking questions. On Rock of Ages, I had a small table with a video shot of the stage over to one side, plus our console had an overview screen that I could angle towards my sub at the table. This allowed them to watch both the show and a mini-version of my DCAs moving in order to see my strategy for making certain pickups in real-time, and without having to be right on top of me at the console :). If you’re able, try to explain certain things to your sub in real-time while you’re mixing. The more context you can give your sub for why you approach scenes the way you do, the easier it will be for them to mimic your moves. Everyone learns their own way, so give your sub room to do the prep they need, whether that’s watching you, marking up their script, or mixing along with pennies or a practice console. If they are newer at mixing and need more guidance, do your best to instruct them on what to focus on as they train, and what notes they should put in their script to make things as clear as possible.
Phase 3: Hand-off
It’s finally time for your sub to start doing some real mixing! Rather than just have your sub dive in head-first and mix the whole show their first time, it’s best to give them bits and pieces of the show to start with and build up from there. There are 3 common methods that I know of for handing off a show: “top-to-bottom,” “bottom-to-top,” and my personal favorite, “inside out.” If you are handing off a show “top-to-bottom,” you will have your sub start by mixing the beginning the show, and then you will take over and do the rest at a logical “hand-off” point, such as during an applause break. The next night, they will again start mixing from the top, but go on for longer before handing back to you. This way, they are always mixing the show in sequential order, and they will always be starting by mixing a part of the show that they have done before. This can help to build confidence, depending on your sub’s experience and personality. “Bottom-to-top” is the same method, just backwards. Your sub starts at the end of the show (for example, with the finale) and then your “hand-off” point moves earlier and earlier. Handing off “bottom-to-top” can be great because the regular mixer sets the tone for the show, and the sub has a benchmark that they can follow once they take over.
Finally, handing off “inside-out” is when you have your sub start with mixing small sections in the middle of the show, then build out from there until they reach the “bookends” of each act. I love this method because I can tailor my sub’s hand-off schedule to them more specifically. It also has the same advantage as “bottom-to-top” where I can start things off and give the sub a sense of where their levels should be that night. Typically, I will first give my sub some easy stuff to mix in the middle of each act, such as intimate dialogue scenes and solo or two-character songs. I’ll try to make sure that they get a section with some sound effects if the show has those so that they can get used to juggling that responsibility with making their pickups. The next day, I will either add entirely new chunks of the show to their list or extend the length of the chunks they are already doing. Again, this is dependent on the content of your show and the experience of your sub. In this method, the original A1 will find in a few days that all they are mixing is the beginnings and ends of each act, and finally, the whole show will be “handed off!”
These methods all take some advance planning to make sure that your hand-offs are clean, and it’s good to make sure your sub, stage manager, and music director are all privy to the plan each night. You don’t need to go into major detail about who is mixing which exact lines of dialogue, but those folks will be able to give good notes about what they are hearing and what might need adjusting between you and your sub.
Clean hand-offs are key here as well!
Optional Phase 4: Noting and Brush-Ups
If time allows, try to make sure that your sub-mixes at least one entire performance by themselves prior to your planned absence day, if applicable. If things are progressing well and your show is fully handed off, the last thing I like to do is give my sub one show where I am not at the console with them, so that they can practice “flying solo.” At this show, I will sit in the back of the house so that I can get to the console quickly if I need to, but mostly I will try to write my notes down and stay out of their way! This really is the only way that your sub will learn to solve problems and make decisions without you there to help, which is exactly the goal of training them in the first place!
Once your sub is fully trained, you should make a schedule for them to come in and mix a brush-up performance every few weeks, with you noting them from the house. Even if you aren’t planning to take a day off, it’s important to make sure your sub stays fresh, and that can be hard to do if they go months without mixing a performance!
What if your theater isn’t in the habit of hiring and training subs? I know from personal experience that it can be hard to sell a producer on this idea, especially in low-budget venues or on short show runs. If you are met with resistance, ask your producer to think of it this way. Training a sub is like taking out an insurance policy for the show. Putting in the time and resources to train a sub in advance will likely result in a higher quality mix than if someone untrained must attempt to mix the show “cold.” Or in the worst-case scenario, the producer might have to cancel an entire performance and refund everyone’s tickets. Hopefully avoiding both these outcomes is in their best interests too!
On a side note, one of my sincerest hopes is that when theater returns post-pandemic, the need for trained subs, paid sick days, paid personal days, and thorough contingency plans will be taken much more seriously by everyone. No one should ever feel like they must “power through” if they aren’t feeling well, and I think that we all now realize that having a sick person in the building is not worth the risk it poses to everyone else! No more “war stories” about sick A1s trying to mix with their sinuses totally blocked or with a nausea bucket next to them (I, unfortunately, speak from personal experience on both). Also, we have always known that this work can be mentally taxing, and I hope that when we reopen workers will feel that they can advocate for themselves better in that arena too, whether by asking for support outside of work or taking a mental health day without fear of repercussions.
I hope this post and my previous blogs have helped to shed some light on this important aspect of running shows! Whether you are the sub or are training the sub, these tips and tricks will help you make sure that your show sounds the best it can, regardless of who is mixing it.
Luna Guitars
TO RIVAL OTHER BRANDS?
It feels like every guitarist must remember the first moment of holding a guitar. How did the body of it mold onto yours? Did the frets feel sharp or was it cleanly shaved down? There are memories here embedded in the guitarist- in fact, I’m more than sure that this is true for every musician. The pianist and drummer could concur.
The first guitar I remember buying was the Luna Guitars’ Passionflower Acoustic-Electric Guitar. It was a maple build with a Preamp: Orion 4-Band EQ w/ Digital Tuner; its neck was a Mahogany/Rosewood with Luna’s iconic Mother-of-pearl Inlaid Moon Phase Fret Markers with a purple body. A flower surrounded the soundhole cut-out. I was so memorized when I saw it, it looked like a drawing I once painted had come to life! It begged for me to play it, and so I took it home.
Luna Guitars have been around since 2005 and was founded by stain-glass artist Yvonne de Villiers. According to Armadilloent de Villiers inspiration came from watching her mother’s struggle over her 40-year bass guitar career. She sought instruments that could be uniquely tailored to fit different players’ bodies, hands, and musical styles. She also wished to avoid the same boring look that most guitars had, but rather making the instruments look and feel radical.
Today you can find Luna guitars everywhere! From Sweetwater to Sam Ash, from Reverb to Guitar Center. I frankly find it crazy that Fender (founded 1946), Taylor (founded 1974), and Yamaha (founded 1887) guitars can all be sold at the same in-store level as a Luna can with them only being 16 years of age! However, just because Luna lacks the age that other companies have, they make up the difference with the quality of a $1,000 instrument without breaking the bank.
To make this comparison using Sweetwater, I chose Sunburst-themed guitars from Yamaha, Fender, Taylor, and of course Luna. My only requirements? They had to be in the Sunburst theme, electric-acoustic, was a six-string, and its neck build had to be mahogany for consistency.
The Yamaha was a CPX1200II
6-string Acoustic-electric Guitar, with Spruce Top Rosewood Back and Sides, Mahogany Neck, Ebony Fingerboard, and SRT/System63 Electronics – Vintage Sunburst. For $1,349.99 you can get 3-band EQ, Focus/Wide control, Resonance control, and Blend control. It definitely thrives off bottoms and lower tones audio-wise, but is it worth the money?
Fender granddaddy Newporter
6-string Acoustic-electric Guitar with Spruce Top, Mahogany Back and Sides, Mahogany Neck, Walnut Fingerboard, and Fishman Electronics – Sunburst. Pay $429.99 for a very balanced guitar for players at any stage of the musical journey, especially for those players hanging around with the mid-sounds. The Fishman pickup/preamp is a personal favorite of mine for accentuating the guitar’s natural timbre.
Taylor’s 714-ce V-class
6-string Acoustic-Electric Guitar with Lutz Spruce Top, Indian Rosewood Back and Sides, Mahogany Neck, Ebony Fingerboard, and Taylor ES2 Electronics – Western Sunburst, takes the cake at $3,199.00. It definitely balanced the high-mid-lows better than the other guitars mentioned.
While I could go into a more detailed review on each of these, does the Luna stack up to the massiveness that Yamaha, Fender, and Taylor have? Well, Yes! Definitely! Luna has definitely amassed a dedicated army of fans. If we look into Luna Safari – 6-string Acoustic-electric Guitar with Spruce Top, Mahogany Back and Sides, Mahogany Neck, Walnut Fingerboard, and Luna SL3 Electronics – Tobacco Sunburst Satin. While it lacks the built-in Fishman pickup/preamp or resonance control it makes up with an effortless grab-and-go travel ability. It did sound a bit tin-like on the higher end but for $199.00 for a premium feel – it definitely could be a contender for the next acoustic-electric you pick up.
For a woman-founded company to compete with musical giants, it is an inspiration for other ladies to lead their own companies alongside Luna. As for me? Maybe it’s the nostalgia talking, but my Luna is the best-sounding guitar for me.
Una de las cosas que más añoro y por la que me dedique hacer sonido en vivo es el constante movimiento, conocer gente y viajar por el mundo… Tener un llamado y una rutina en tour donde viajas muchísimo y pasas por tantos aeropuertos, subes y bajas de aviones constantemente, tienes cambios de horario todo el tiempo… Si, esas son algunas cosas que me gustan, pero para algunas otras profesiones, el hablar de cambios de horarios, vuelos y el mundo, tiene un significado mucho más literal…
Cuando hablamos de prepararnos para “el show”, nos llena de emoción y adrenalina, sentir la energía de tantas personas reunidas esperando ver un espectáculo, pero esta misma adrenalina, la sienten otras personas de una forma diferente… Imaginemos el escenario del ingeniero que maneja el sonido y la comunicación clave entre en el espacio y la tierra, que su “show” es ver una densa nube de vapor junto con una gran explosión y descarga de muchos decibeles que emite la nave mientras despega hacia el espacio exterior, ufff, no tengo palabras para imaginar esa sensación, es por eso que hice contacto con Alexandria Perryman, Ingeniera de sonido de la NASA …
Así que viajemos juntos para entender un poco el sonido y transmisión al espacio exterior.
Cuenta regresiva T minus 10 sec… 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0!!!
Hace poco, televisaron el primer lanzamiento privado hacia el espacio que salió desde el Centro Espacial Kennedy, en Cabo Cañaveral, ahí, esta la Plataforma de Lanzamiento 39 de donde han despegado varias naves, entre ellas, el Apollo 11 (Que llevó al humano a la Luna), hasta el día de hoy ha sido uno de los principales puntos de conexión hacia el espacio.
La comunicación entre la tripulación de la estación espacial y el equipo de apoyo en la tierra, son fundamentales para el éxito de la misión. El poder transmitir un mensaje verbal en el espacio es crucial para la mayoría de las actividades de los astronautas, desde hacer caminatas espaciales, realizar experimentos, entablar conversaciones familiares y algo espectacular, poder transmitir información a todos los seres humanos en la tierra,
¿Pero como es que se logra esto?
Toda esta red de transmisión viaja hasta las personas que orbitan a más de 250 millas sobre la tierra gracias a una red de satélites de comunicación y antenas terrestres, todo esto forma parte de la Red Espacial de la NASA.
– de fondo… “Rocket Man” – Elton John,
canción preferida por algunos astronautas en sus viajes –
Un gran número de satélites de seguimiento y retransmisión de datos (Tracking and Data Relay Satellites – TDRS) forma la red de la base espacial, estos grandes aparatos, son y funcionan como torres de telefonía celular en el espacio, y se encuentran ubicados en una órbita geosíncrona a más de 22,000 millas sobre la Tierra, esto permite que la estación espacial se contacte a uno de los satélites desde cualquier lugar de su órbita. A medida que los satélites de comunicaciones viajan alrededor de la Tierra, estos permanecen por encima del mismo punto relativo en el suelo a medida que el planeta gira.
Los satélites de seguimiento y retransmisión de datos manejan información de voz y video en ¡tiempo real!, esto es, si un astronauta que esta en la estación espacial quisiera transmitir datos al Control de Misión en el Centro Espacial Johnson de la NASA, lo primero es; usar la computadora que esta a bordo de la estación para convertir los datos en una señal de radiofrecuencia, una antena en la estación transmite señal a la TDRS y luego ahí mismo dirige la señal al centro de pruebas de “White Sands” en donde se realizan pruebas y análisis de datos. A continuación, los teléfonos fijos envían la señal a Houston, y los sistemas informáticos en tierra convierten la señal de radio en datos legibles, si el Control de la Misión desea enviar datos de vuelta, el proceso se repite en dirección opuesta transmitiendo desde el centro de pruebas a TDRS y de ahí a la estación espacial. Lo increíble de esto es que el tiempo que se tarda en procesar este trayecto y conversión de datos es de muy pocos milisegundos por lo que no se percibe un retraso notable en la transmisión.
Toda esta comunicación es vital para el conocimiento y descubrimiento de muchos temas como el comportamiento de la órbita terrestre para que los astronautas realicen experimentos, proporcionando información valiosa en los campos de la física, la biología, la astronomía, la meteorología entre muchos otros. La Red Espacial entrega estos tan especiales y únicos datos científicos a la Tierra.
– “Here Comes the Sun” – The Beatles – Canción preferida por astronautas…
Platicando con Alexandria, comenta que antes de que existiera la Red Espacial, los astronautas y las naves espaciales de la NASA, solo podrían comunicarse con el equipo de apoyo en la tierra cuando estaban a la vista de una antena en el suelo, esto solo permitía comunicaciones de un poco menos de quince minutos cada hora y media aproximadamente. La comunicación en esos tiempos era muy lenta y complicada, pero actualmente, la Red Espacial, brinda cobertura de comunicaciones casi continua todos los días y eso es sumamente importante para el desarrollo y descubrimiento en el espacio.
En el año 2014, se probó una nueva tecnología de transmisión de datos “OPALS”, esto ha demostrado que las comunicaciones láser pueden acelerar el flujo de información entre la Tierra y el espacio, en comparación con las señales de radio, además OPALS ha recopilado una enorme cantidad de datos para avanzar en la ciencia enviando lásers a través de la atmósfera. Aunque los ingenieros de sonido encargados de la comunicación terrestre hacia los astronautas no la utilizan aún.
Sabias que la tripulación de Gemini 6 comenzó la tradición en 1965, despertando con la canción de “Hello Dolly” de Jack Jones-
Como ingeniera de sonido, me gustaría saber cual es el flujo de señal que utiliza la ingeniera de audio que trabajan en la NASA, y esta fue la respuesta…
Todo el ruteo de señal y mezclas se realiza desde una a consola System 5 Euphonix de AVID y cuando se manda señal o datos desde la tierra hacia el espacio, pasa primero a la consola de audio que a su vez se envía a un codificador digital de señal por medio de radio frecuencias que manda esta misma información hacia un decodificador que se encuentra en un satélite en el espacio para que la tripulación pueda estar en comunicación con la tierra.
Como lo mencionamos en un inicio, las Radio Frecuencias se utilizan hasta la fecha porque son más sencillas de captar además que transmiten mucho mas claro el sonido. En caso de que los astronautas realicen viajes más profundos al espacio, entonces se cambia la forma de transmisión enviando señales directamente a satélites especializados que mandan datos codificados entre ellos, en esta forma, existe un poco más de retraso pero no se pierde calidad del sonido.
Los astronautas estabilizan la nave para llegar la estación espacial internacional, observan Tremor (el dinosaurio) que sirvió como indicador de gravedad cero –
Algo que todo el mundo presenciamos fue cuando los astronautas Bob Behnken y Doug Hurley que viajaron en la nave espacial privada Dragon, llegaron a la Estación espacial recibidos por los astronautas Chris Cassidy, Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner, fue entonces que transmitieron en vivo unas palabras utilizando un micrófono inalámbrico conectado directamente a una cámara que envió la señal a un satélite realizando el flujo de señal como lo explicamos anteriormente, Alex detrás de la consola haciendo Broadcast hacia todo el planta, pudo sentir un poco de retraso (más de lo normal) pero no afecto la sincronía entre el video y el audio así como la calidad del sonido, tuvo ¡buen show! Además entre risas me dijo que se sintió feliz por los cursos básicos que le dio a los astronautas para poder manejar el equipo audiovisual en el espacio.
He podido sentir la emoción de operar una misión espacial a través de las palabras y vivencias de una ingeniera de sonido que enfatiza la importancia de ser el lazo de unión entre el espacio y el planeta, transmitir la pasión, la tecnología y los descubrimientos que marcan el futuro de nuestro desarrollo tecnológico como seres humanos. No me siento tan lejana a esta sensación aunque literalmente vives en otro mundo.
Para aquellas personas que no estén seguras de que camino tomar o como obtener este tipo de oportunidades y trabajos, en tours o en diferentes áreas, les comparto que en el caso de Alex, aplico a un trabajo anunciado públicamente a través de redes profesionales en donde no decía que trabajaría para la NASA y se entero hasta que llego al lugar… Esto demuestra entre muchos más ejemplos que no hay que juzgar sino buscar y explorar, cuando menos lo pienses llegarán estas oportunidades… mientras prepárate para que cuando las enfrentes, estés siempre mejor preparado(a).
Agradezco mucho el tiempo de charla con Alexandria Perryman y Karrie Keyes por la grandiosa introducción.
“Este es un pequeño paso para (el) hombre, un gran salto para la humanidad” primeras palabras de Neil Armstrong en la luna….
Rocket Man
One of the things I love the most and dedicate to making live sound is the constant movement, meeting people and traveling the world… Having a call and a routine on tour where you travel a lot and pass through so many airports, ups and down, planes constantly, you have schedule changes all the time… Yes, those are some things that I like, but for some other professions, talking about changes in schedules, flights and the world, has a much more literal meaning…
When we talk about preparing for “the show”, it fills us with excitement and adrenaline, feeling the energy of so many people gathered waiting to see a show, but this same adrenaline, other people feel it in a different way… Imagine the scene of the engineer handling the sound and key communication between space and earth, that his show is to see a dense cloud of steam along with a large explosion and discharge of many decibels emitted by the ship as it takes off into outer space, ufff, I have no words to imagine that feeling, that’s why I made contact with Alexandria Perryman, NASA Sound Engineer …
So let’s travel together to understand the sound and transmission to outer space a little bit.
Countdown T minus 10 sec… 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0!!!
Recently, they televised the first private launch into space that departed from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, there, this Launch Platform 39 from which several ships have taken off, including Apollo 11 (which brought the human to the Moon), to this day it has been one of the main points of connection to space.
Communication between the space station crew and the on-earth support team is critical to the mission’s success. Being able to convey a verbal message in space is crucial for most astronaut activities, from doing spacewalks, conducting experiments, engaging in family conversations and there’s something spectacular to be able to transmit information to all human beings on earth,
But how do you achieve this?
This entire transmission network travels to people orbiting more than 250 miles above Earth thanks to a network of communication satellites and terrestrial antennas, all of which are part of NASA’s Space Network.
A large number of tracking and data relay satellites (TDRS) form the space base network, these large appliances function as cell towers in space and are located in a geosynchronous orbit more than 22,000 miles above Earth, allowing the space station to contact one of the satellites from anywhere in its orbit. As communications satellites travel around the Earth, they remain above the same relative point on the ground as the planet rotates.
Data tracking and retransmission satellites handle real-time voice and video information! That is, if an astronaut on the space station wanted to transmit data to Mission Control at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, the first thing is to use the computer onboard the station to convert the data into a radio frequency signal, or antenna on the station transmits signal to the TDRS and then directs the signal to the “White Sands” test center where data testing and analysis are performed. Fixed phones then send the signal to Houston, and ground computer systems convert the radio signal into readable data, if Mission Control wants to send data back, the process is repeated in the opposite direction by transmitting from the test center to TDRS and from there to the space station. The amazing thing about this is that the time it takes to process this path and data conversion is a few milliseconds so there is no noticeable delay in transmission.
All this communication is vital to the knowledge and discovery of many topics such as the behavior of Earth’s orbit for astronauts to conduct experiments, providing valuable information in the fields of physics, biology, astronomy, meteorology among many others. The Space Network delivers this special and unique scientific data to Earth.
Talking to Alexandria, she says that before the Space Network existed, NASA astronauts and spacecraft could only communicate with the support team on earth when they were in sight of an antenna on the ground, this only allowed communications of just under fifteen minutes every hour and a half. Communication at the time was very slow and complicated, but today, the Space Network provides almost continuous communications coverage every day, and that is extremely important for development and discovery in space.
In 2014, a new “OPALS” data transmission technology was tested, and this has shown that laser communications can accelerate the flow of information between Earth and space, compared to radio signals, plus OPALS has collected a huge amount of data to advance science by sending lasers through the atmosphere. Although sound engineers are in charge of ground communication, astronauts don’t use it yet.
You knew that the Gemini 6 crew began the tradition in 1965, waking up with Jack Jones’ “Hello Dolly”
As a sound engineer, I’d like to see what signal flow the audio engineer working on NASA uses, and this was the answer…
All signal routing and mixing is done from one of AVID’s System 5 Euphonix console and when signal or data is sent from the ground into space, it first passes to the audio console which in turn is sent to a digital signal encoder via radio frequencies that sends this same information to a decoder that is on a satellite in space so that the crew can be in communication with the ground.
As we mentioned in the beginning, Radio Frequencies are used to date because they are easier to capture in addition that they transmit much clearer and the sound. In case astronauts make deeper trips to space, then the transmission form is changed by sending signals directly to specialized satellites that send coded data between them, in this way, there is a little more delay but no sound quality is lost.
Astronauts stabilize the spacecraft to reach the international space station, observing Tremor (the dinosaur) which served as an indicator of zero gravity –
One thing we all witnessed was when astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley who traveled on the private Dragon spacecraft, arrived at the Space Station received by astronauts Chris Cassidy, Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner, it was then that they broadcast live a few words using a wireless microphone connected directly to a camera that sent the signal to a satellite performing the signal flow as explained above, Alex behind the console doing Broadcast towards the whole floor, could feel a little lag(more than normal) but did not affect the sync between the video and the audio as well as the sound quality, they had a good show! He also laughed at me because he was happy with the basic courses he gave astronauts so he could run the audio-visual equipment in space.
I have been able to feel the thrill of operating a space mission through the words and experiences of a sound engineer who emphasizes the importance of being the bond between space and the planet, transmitting the passion, technology and discoveries that mark the future of our technological development as human beings. I don’t feel so far away from this feeling even though you literally live in another world.
For those people who are not sure which way to take or how to obtain such opportunities and jobs, on tours or in different areas, I share that in the case of Alex, I apply to a publicly-announced work through professional networks where he did not say that he would work for NASA and find out until I arrive at the place… This shows among many more examples that we should not judge but instead seek and explore when you least think about reaching these opportunities… as you prepare so that when you face them, you are always better prepared.
I am very grateful for the talk time with Alexandria Perryman and Karrie Keyes for the great introduction.
“That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” Neil Armstrong’s first words on the moon….
Hiring a Producer Vs Booking a Studio
So you’ve written a song or two…or five. You want to put out an EP. What’s the first thing you do? Start googling “recording studios near me”, right?
Maybe that’s not exactly how to go about it.
“So how should I go about it, Becky?”
I’m glad you asked!
The first question to ask is this; “Am I wanting to take a snapshot of my song as it is or do I want to commercially release it and have it sound like other commercial releases?”
Before we get into this, let’s define some of the terms I’ll be mentioning so you know exactly what they mean.
Production/Arranging
The orchestrating of all parts in a song or facilitating the orchestration by the musicians either hired out or created by the artist/band themselves. Selecting the sounds, designing sound effects, bringing an artist or band’s sonic vision to life.
Recording: Probably obvious
Mixing: The process of using volume levels, panning (where a sound lives in the stereo left to right spectrum), frequency equalizers, reverbs, delays and other effects to create space and separation of all the recorded/programmed elements in a song.
Mastering
The final treatment after a song has been produced and arranged, recorded and mixed and sounds well balanced. This process usually brings the overall volume up to standard, adds a shine or polish, more punch or more smoothness to the overall sound, depending on what the song is calling for.
I made up these definitions so don’t yell at me if I’m not quoting your music production textbook.
Booking a studio
Recording studios are all about capturing a “snapshot” of what you are bringing. If you have a crappy-sounding acoustic guitar, their $6000 microphones and $10,000 worth of preamps and compressors will capture that crappy sound beautifully. If your singing is mediocre, your mediocre singing will sound silky smooth. You get my point?
A commercial recording studio usually has larger acoustically treated spaces for the best quality you can get, specifically for recording instruments like drums or string ensembles, or choirs.
A recording studio usually has a “control room” which is where the engineer is sitting at the recording console, and the artist or musician is in a separate room viewed through a glass window. This separation again creates the best possible acoustic setup.
The studio usually has at least one but often several engineers who will do the recording. This engineer can range from a beginning-level intern to a genius wizard and everything in between. You may find a favorite after working with a few different engineers.
Your engineer may or may not be a producer or arranger. Don’t assume that they will be.
There’s a good chance your engineer won’t care if your song sucks. You show up with your song that says “I can’t believe you broke my heart, I should have known from the start” they won’t say a word. Remember…snapshot.
The cost of the studio and engineer are usually separate. The studio space might cost $75/hr and the engineer may cost an additional $100/hr. Be sure to double-check before booking.
You can usually get “block deals” at a studio. This means you can book the studio for a whole day, including an engineer for a discounted hourly rate. This can be great for bands who are really well-rehearsed and want to record as a band at once with very little over-dubbing. The danger in doing block deals is that bands usually try to squeeze in as much as they can in that time. By the end of a 12-hour session, your singer may have lost their voice or everyone is just flat out exhausted. What happens at the end of the block could be quite different than what happens at the beginning of the block. Another deal studios sometimes have is something like “record your song for $100!” This might actually mean “we’ll take a snapshot of what you give us (see #1) and we only have 2 hours to do it so let’s hurry”. What you’ll have in the end might be a nicely recorded demo.
The studio may include mastering but may not. Be sure to check.
Hiring a Producer
As defined above in the terms, a producer is often the person doing all of the arranging and orchestrating. What this means is that your producer needs to have an understanding of exactly who you are as an artist and what your sonic vision is for your music. This means a lot of communication, not just a “show up and record”.
A producer is like the sculptor of your sound. The importance of open, respectful and honest communication both ways is of utmost importance. A producer who gets “offended” if you don’t like something or who doesn’t seem to “get” you mean you will be compromising every little decision about your song until in the end, you don’t love it. So find a producer you can trust to listen to you.
A producer is often the one recording and mixing everything. Make sure they have a good quality sound coming from their productions. Listen to their past works and make sure it lines up with your quality standard.
A producer is usually working out of a home studio. Make sure their recording space is comfortable and has a good vibe. While home recording spaces certainly won’t be as epic as a huge recording studio, there should still be a sense of professionalism and order there. If it’s messy or uncomfortable then you won’t be comfortable recording and may not give your best performances.
Oftentimes a home studio doesn’t have a separate control room which means leave your friends at home. The more people in the room where you are recording the more chance there is that your producer will have to keep shushing your friends which isn’t much fun.
A producer should be interested in elevating the “bones” of your song (aka the lyrics and melody). A great producer will want the song to be the best it can be and they know that the greatest arrangement and production won’t “fix” a poorly written song.
If you love the producers’ arrangement but the final mix and master are not at the quality you want, it is 100% acceptable to ask them to outsource the mixing and mastering or ask them to send you the “stems” (which has become the term for individually recorded tracks in your song) so that you can find someone else to mix and master the song.
A producer may also be a mentor, not just someone who makes your music. If they have experience in the industry and they are willing to share insight and wisdom, that is worth grabbing on to! Even better if they can help guide you in the backend side of your music business, including marketing and strategies for building a fan base. (PS That’s how we do it at VoxFox Productions! 😉 )
So before doing that google search, ask yourself what you want the end result to sound like and what it is for. In a nutshell, it could be simplified to this:
Wanna take a snapshot: book a studio.
Looking for a Creative Partner: Hire a producer.
Jeri Palumbo – Sports and Entertainment Broadcast Mixer
Jeri Palumbo is a Broadcast Sports and Entertainment Mixer based in Los Angeles. Jeri has been working in audio for over 30 years, first as a trained musician and arranger before going into post-production and then moving into live broadcast. Working mainly within sports broadcasting, her clients include the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, NASCAR, The Super Bowl, World Series, Stanley Cup, and The Oscars. Jeri is also part of the RF Coordination team each year for the Rose Bowl. She has worked with entertainment shows including The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Conan O’Brien, and American Idol. She has won a Telly Award for her mixing work on “Songs of the Mountains”, a live bluegrass show.
Jeri’s family background is made up of four generations of musicians and her grandmother and mother were both professional jazz musicians. Her great-grandfather was a musician and violin maker, and Jeri’s father was a folk guitar player. Jeri started piano at age three and by the time Jeri was in high school she was arranging and writing scores. Jeri attended The Juilliard School of Music majoring in composition and orchestration, landing her a contract as a musical director which led to her interest in sound engineering. She worked side by side with the sound engineer and was introduced to the Fairlight CMI, the first digital synthesizer and wave manipulator, she was fascinated by how the engineer was able to change pitch and EQ. This was a game-changer and inspired Jeri to learn more about engineering and the potential possibilities of sound manipulation with digital audio tools.
Her Parents
Jeri’s parents would warn her that a career in music was unpredictable and urged her to obtain skills needed for steady employment and the possibility of retirement. Jeri studied computer science and IT (for two semesters) and then landed a job working in IT/LAN platform trouble-shooting at First Union Bank. While Jeri loved working and learning the technical aspects of the job, she still craved the creativity music provided. She wanted to blend her technical skills with her creative skills and looked toward Post-Production.
Post-Production
Jeri enrolled at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, SC, and hit the streets knocking on doors of all the post-production houses in nearby Charlotte, NC. She offered to intern for free and most did not return her calls. One that did was Media-Comm where she interned for a semester and learned to use the video editor from AVID and AVID’S AUDIO VISION, their pre-cursor to ProTools. Eventually, Media-Comm hired Jeri where she focused on enhancing audio for TV shows. One show that broadcast out of Media-Comm was RaceDay, a live show that preceded NASCAR on Sundays. Eventually, RaceDay came knocking and asked Jeri to mix the show. While Jeri had never mixed a live show and she had her doubts, the director of the show said “Audio is Audio and you will be fine”. Jeri did her homework and was told by a former mixer that he would not touch it as it was live and found that several people had turned it down because of the live elements and fast pace. Jeri took the gig and pulled it off.
Sports Community Radar
RaceDay was a big, complicated national show, and Jeri ended up on the list of live sports mixers because of it. Within a week CBS Sports called and asked Jeri to work on the NCAA Final Four. Jeri caught the attention of CBS Sports, Fox Sports, and ESPN. All of this led to a career working across the country on high-profile sports events, primarily serving as an A1 working in the broadcast truck. She was also asked to A2 for a friend in need one day and eventually wore all the hats in broadcast audio; A1 mixer, A2, RF Tech and Comms. As an A1 mixer, Jeri is in charge of everything you hear in the final broadcast. Jeri has been particularly embedded in RF technology and coordination, which has numerous technical challenges, particularly with the shrinking RF UHF spectrum. She worked alongside major RF manufacturers and colleagues of RF gear and technology in the recent RF Spectrum auction and lobbying to save a portion of the RF Spectrum for production. One of Jeri’s close partnerships with regard to saving these RF changes was with the late, great Mark Brunner of Shure. Jeri’s in-depth tech articles on the RF spectrum and the impact of the changes have appeared in several trade magazines.
Her most recent stint in sports was as A1 mixer for eSports and Gaming. In an unusual and unprecedented move, (and to much debate from many of her colleagues), Jeri mixed a live broadcast in stereo while simultaneously mixing an embedded object-oriented surround to the HOUSE – with no FOH – from the same console (Calrec Artimis see article https://calrec.com/blog/craft-profile-jeri-palumbo/). What Jeri tried to convey, and what those on the outside didn’t know, was that the network launch for this major event was three weeks short of having their studio finished for audio. So she did what any professional would do, tried to make it work with what she had, from the broadcast truck.
It’s Not All Sports
Jeri with her mentor Les Paul
Jeri has also been involved in other fields of audio and has worked as an A1 on a bluegrass show called Songs of the Mountains. Songs of the Mountains was a live-to-tape bluegrass show broadcast on PBS. There were tough parameters on this show as the producers did not want to mic the traditional instruments. Instead, they wanted it to be organic and traditional, where the musicians would play around a central microphone and step forward for solos. The show was challenging with the various acoustical instruments and Jeri found herself riding EQ more than faders as the frequencies would often play against each other. They used an AKG C414 because of it’s adaptability in the ever-changing scenario of the different instruments used. Jeri is proud of the work she did using simple techniques and she was awarded a Telly Award for her work.
New Projects
Recently Jeri has been instrumental in launching Arena Waves, a library of the highest quality music audio for Sports and Television content. Arena Waves kept Jeri extremely busy in 2020, while most live events were canceled due to COVID19, and was launched at the beginning of 2021.
Like so many in our industry, Jeri’s career path has been diverse. Her solid educational background in music and IT allowed Jeri to move into post-production and then into live broadcasts and engineering and again, back to music. In her own words with Arena Waves, “It’s a perfect meld of everything I know”.
Arena Waves is high-caliber music licensing library for sports, gaming, television and film. With seasoned composers and session musicians on board, (most have played on your favorites records), Arena Waves debuted at launch in the mid-three-quarters to high range when it comes to catalog volume (over 70k+ and adding 50-100 new cuts per week). Several things make this catalog unique, one being its ease of use while also having mobile platform flexibility. But more importantly, it’s worth noting the efficiency of the ready-made cut-downs for bumpers and highlights in the Producer’s Edge section. Cues are drop-in ready. Arena Waves also writes on-demand theme and cue requests and can provide quick turn arounds. With remarkably catchy themes from hard-driven rock, to dark and broody or moody, there is literally every style for every listener and media requirements and tastes. In fact, the catalog is so eclectic that, even though its intended purpose is sports, television and film, one can create personal playlists (register, it’s free) for their own listening pleasure. The music is that good and that diverse.
For more information, check out www.arenawaves.com and be sure to follow all their socials.
What is a typical day like?
Arrive early, unload the truck, run cables, interconnect with the facility, set up audio, fax if working in the field. In the truck, patch my patch bays, SAPS, routers and fader layouts. Load and set up music cues.
How do you stay organized and focused?
The pressure of live keeps me focused. Also having a Plan A, Plan B, etc as backup options for live. For complex mixing (i.e. eSports or multiple routers of audio), I’m a big fan of populating my bottom layers to remain static while cloning to upper layers per need of each show.
What do you enjoy the most about your job?
It’s live, it’s exciting and when it goes well, it’s instant gratification.
What do you like least?
It’s live, it’s exciting and when it goes badly, you SWEAR there’s not enough money in it EVER!
The best part of being on the road?
I’m on the road although I’m not on a bus, I am on planes a lot. The best part is the road family, exploring new areas of the world and for certain eating local cuisine.
What do you like least?
The hours, the wear and tear on your body, lack of sleep.
What is your favorite day off activity?
Exploring local cultures
What are your long-term goals?
To try new things, push my personal limits and continue to follow current and new passions.
What if any obstacles or barriers have you faced?
For CERTAIN misogyny and sadly, only from certain productions and a small posse of peers. Also sadly, everyone else – not just me – has experienced the exact same treatment from the exact same people from the exact same productions. When a recent interviewer offline told me she encountered these issues WITH THE EXACT SAME PEOPLE 20 YEARS AGO on a sports event (this production travels), I challenge all the networks to wake up and investigate these “hand fuls” that are predictable, unprofessional and putting a black eye unfairly on the entire broadcast community (and is now into its second generation of newcomers being mistreated yet again, by the EXACT same people). I assure that the broadcast community is not what these few bad apples represent, but the network productions ignoring it won’t fix it.
How have you dealt with them?
I ask questions not only of them but of those around them. If they all “posse together”, then I move on to a team that is worthy…and good…and healthy. I don’t stay in places where I know it will be IMPOSSIBLE to change.
The advice you have for other women and young women who wish to enter the field?
1) you have to have thick skin. Sports and Rock n Roll comes with a lot of testosterone that often “react” in their environments of comfort (ie a football field before a game). These people are in “game mode” and are not there to think of anything else.
2) production mal-treatment vs real emotions. Please know the difference. It’s intense and gets crazy and not every minor thing said is a reason for “HR”. HOWEVER, abuse should never be tolerated. Just know the difference and if you don’t know, get educated before entering this environment, hence “thick skin”.
3) know when you are in a toxic team – those that withhold information, constantly throwing their fellow members under the bus, not owning up to errors, etc. Be aware that even though this exists to some extent everywhere, not EVERY production conducts itself this way and the good ones, with good leaders, will NOT tolerate this from their team.
4) move on when you know it’s not going to work out for you. Get out earlier and find your tribe sooner
5) hone your skills
6) when you’re wrong, admit it. If you don’t know something, admit it. When you DO know, help your teammates learn
Must have skills?
1) know your audio or tell those around you you are willing to learn what you don’t know
2) people skills
3) be kind and understanding to those around you
4) everybody has a bad day and everybody has a bad GIG…shake it off, learn from it, get up and do it again
Favorite gear?
OOOOOOoooooh….well, in-studio mixing, I’m a big fan of Eventide gear. I’m also a big fan of the AKG414 due to its wide range of patterns,m. I love Sennheiser wireless mics for field and lav needs. I love all Lectrosonics RF wireless IFB/In-ear products. Both Sennheiser and Lectrosonics wireless mics and IFB/IEMs are interchangeable to me in quality and robustness. Radioactive Audio Designs uses a nice VHF and lower bands for communications that steer clear of broadcast bands….and Clear Comm and Telex have some nice workarounds with their comms systems as well. Shure’s Wireless Workbench is great for some concert venues (although I haven’t really used this on large scale events). I like seeing Studers in the studio broadcast environment while I like seeing a Calrec on broadcast trucks or remotes.
Last year was definitely a leap year. A hop, a jump, or a leap, people I have met have spoken of big and small changes. Since the salons are closed, they found themselves standing in the bathroom and taking scissors to their hair. In spite of it being risky, they quit their stable job. They planned their move out of the city. Bought something new, even though money was tight. They took breaks from their families with the purpose of recharging.
Throughout 2021 we will continue to process what happened, the uncertainty and worries that came into the light over the past year.
Yet I want to look ahead, or at least drive and power myself and others forward. Preserve the strength that arose from desperation and the contemplation you only find at the bottom. Because once we hit that, there’s a turn. I have recently learnt about technical analysis in markets and once you understand that whenever something goes up, it will always always have a corrective period. As in what goes up, must come down. At all times, it turns.
Like what my mum always used to say, go to bed and you will see it feels better tomorrow. There’s nothing like a new day to give you a fresh perspective. A new day to boost your confidence, fortify your thoughts, and see a problem with different eyes. It may seem like a strange expression, “different eyes”, since they don’t change, but we do.
So what are the leaps you will take this year? I’m not talking about goals like “I’m going to eat healthy” or “I will run a 10K this year”. Instead, what are your fears and how can you challenge them?
I have now been sick and injured for about two months, and as I sit at the kitchen table looking out at the world outside, my latest challenge is to be part of it. We are all waiting for life to resume, tours to go back on the road, and tickets to go on sale. Simultaneously we have to face the facts of the new normal and that we might never return to how it used to be. One synonym to resume is “restart”, and if I could offer a different perspective I would prefer to use this verb. Right now, as spring is kicking earth back to life, is a chance at a restart, back-to-school edition. Like when you came back from holidays and you weren’t sure if you’d still fit in. What if the other kids had changed… Well, I really hope that when we restart, others will see me and recognise I’m different. Because I have worked hard for a great deal of change, to reform my thoughts on how I want to live my life. My own giant leaps. What will be yours?
Women-led Non-Profit Organizations
March marks Women’s History Month where we pay homage to the women in the world that make an impact and difference in society. SoundGirls has been an amazing platform for women in the audio industry. In this article, I will be sharing resources for other women-led Non-Profit Organizations that help recognize and support women in music.
Beats By Girlz
Beats By Girlz is a Non-Profit Organization designed to empower women/GNC youth through music technology after-school and summer programs. Youth ages 10-17 can find their local BBG chapter and sign-up for Ableton Live lessons. Are you a music producer wanting to give back to the community? Sign-up to create your own chapter and provide lessons! More information can be found Beats By Girlz
Gear Fanatix
Gear Fanatix is a new platform for women/GNC individuals to review gear and have a safe space for discussion on music technology software and hardware. Think GearSluts minius the misogyny. Gear Fantix is looking for contributors to their platform! For more information about Gear Fanatix can be found Gear Fanatix
Gender Amplified
The mission of the Gender Amplified movement is to provide a platform for the promotion and advancement of women in music production and to identify and motivate the next generation of women music producers. By organizing public events that foster healthy dialogue about the role gender plays in the music-making process, Gender Amplified endeavors to give voice to a subculture of women and gender non-binary people who are using music technology to create their own music and perpetuate their unique identities. Gender Amplified
Hit Like A Girl
Hit Like A Girl is hosting the tenth annual international contest for female drummers, percussionists and beatmakers. Its purpose is to showcase and encourage drumming and lifelong musicianship for girls, women, and gender-expansive individuals, regardless of age, playing level, or geographic location. SoundGirls has teamed up with Hit Like A Girl for this month’s contest! More information can be found Hit Like A Girl
Shesaid.so
The shesaid.so community consists of women and gender minorities from all sectors of the music industry: from record labels, artist management companies, and booking agencies, through to technology platforms, creative agencies, composers, artists and more. With headquarters in London and LA, shesaid.so has 18 global chapters around the world including NYC, France, Italy, and Mumbai. More information can be found Shesaid.so
Women’s Audio Mission
Women’s Audio Mission is the only professional recording studio in the world built and run by women/GNC (Gender Non-conforming) individuals. Each month and year Women’s Audio Mission provides hands-on training, work experience, career counseling, and job placement for over 2,000 women. More information can be found Women’s Audio Mission
Women In Music
Women in Music is the industry’s leading non-profit working to advance the awareness, equality, diversity, heritage, opportunities, and cultural aspects of women in the musical arts through education, support, empowerment, and recognition. Founded in 1985, WIM is now fueled by 100+ volunteers working daily to serve thousands worldwide. More information can be found Women In Music
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