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Producers:  Your job listings need to include pay

And that pay needs to be reasonable

I don’t know of a time prior to this pandemic that the entire entertainment industry was out of work.  It’s very difficult to think of when or how we will get back to work, and the grim reality is that many of the companies with which we are accustomed to receiving work will not be there when “normalcy” returns.  This means that when we do return to work, there will be more of us than available jobs.  My biggest fear is that producers will try to take advantage of these situations and offer new jobs at the lowest possible dollar.  It’s been happening since before the pandemic, and I’m afraid the situation will only get worse when those jobs are in higher demand.

First of all, when are we going to get to the place where openly discussing pay isn’t a taboo subject?

For as long as I have been searching for jobs in my professional career, the pay is almost always the last thing I find out about.  Why?  Why would producers hide that information?  Are they embarrassed about the rate?  Is it too low?  Is it illegal?  If the answer to any of these questions is yes, well then, producers, I’m here to say that you’re doing it wrong.  Your pay rate, benefits package, and special offers should be a selling point for you.  If you’re touting your company’s great reputation, clout, and place in the industry, but you’re not willing to share pay information until you’ve almost got a potential employee hooked, I can’t help but think that you’re taking cues from the Mr. Wormwood Book of Ethics, and my theatre buddies will know that Mr. Wormwood is not good company to keep.  Many of us begrudgingly go through the motions of updating our resumes and websites, collecting letters of recommendation, filling out lengthy applications, and making time for multiple interviews just to learn that after all that time, the salary was never worth it in the first place.  I don’t know about you, but when that happens to me, I feel cheated and duped.  I shouldn’t have to pass a series of tests just to find out what you’re willing to pay me if I’m offered the job.

Look, I get it, your company was hit hard too.  You’ve had to resort to Zoom theatre and other cheap programming just to keep the electricity on.  You’ve had to furlough many of your full-time staff, and you’ve been trying to live off of PPP loans for 11 months.  If that wasn’t bad enough, you are going to have to beef up your Covid-19 compliance when you are able to open again, and that will mean shelling out more money.  The thing is, though, there is a way to do this honestly and ethically.

If you are unable to offer a living wage for a full-time position (*protip—$30k p/y as the full-time Technical Director in Los Angeles County is not a living wage) you need to rethink your company’s structure.  If having a very experienced, top-of-the-line TD is a priority for you, you need to prioritize their salary first.  Commit to paying that person what they are worth, and they will commit to you.  Maybe the scale of your productions needs to come down.  Maybe the number of shows you produce needs to be adjusted.  Maybe you need to up your grant writing and donor outreach game, but the simple fact of the matter is if you cannot afford to pay an experienced TD what they are worth AND produce your dream list of shows at the same time, then you can’t afford either, and your internal structure needs to change.  If $30k is what you have to offer, and you cannot budge on that number, that means the job description needs to change.  This is not reasonable for a full-time job, but it could be reasonable for a part-time job, depending on the job requirements.  It could also be reasonable as an entry job for a recent graduate or even an internship.  Being able to make creative adjustments to facilitate the job security of your current and future employees is a really attractive prospect.  It also means that you can proudly display your pay rate on your job listings and know that you are being fair to your applicants.

Producers, you have to prioritize your people

All of us have been using this downtime to really explore those HR processes that have and have not been working.  We should all be very aware by now that “must-have five years professional experience” and “$30,000 per year” for a full-time skilled job are just two points that should not exist together in the same sentence.  If you’re saying to yourself, “It’s always worked for us in the past,” you should know that even if it’s been working for you, that doesn’t mean it’s working for your employees and applicants.  Companies that try to get by on the lowest possible salary have a high turnover rate usually due to employee burnout.  The employee that is receiving a lower than living wage rate is either trying to work as much as possible to pick up lots of overtime so they can make rent, or they’re working tons of side gigs and have little energy or will leave to perform adequately for their main company of employment.

The fact that we feel we HAVE to take the low-paying jobs so that we can get that “five years professional experience” is what creates the rat race that we desperately need to dismantle because when we all come back post-pandemic, that rat race is going to be much worse.  We will shift the reasoning for taking these jobs to “so that I can eat and live” and when we do so, we will be handing over even more leverage to the producers that think the technician/designer/actor/etc. that works for the lowest dollar wins.  Producers, you have to prioritize your people.  Be open, honest, and fair in your job offers, descriptions, and expectations.  Make sure a human is capable of living off of only your job.  Eliminate the need for side gigs.  Make the people the center of your budget—prioritize them.  Happy employees make happy companies, and there is no other version of this very simple mantra.

 

“Sound Guys:” How Bias is Transmitted Through Implicit (and Explicit) Language

How many of us have been approached with, “Wow it’s weird to see someone like you at the console! Do you know what all those buttons do?,” and the immediate thought was, “What do they mean by that?” Some of the language we use contains implicit bias that can perpetuate harmful stereotypes. My intention here is to talk about how language can be harmful and why it is important to be mindful of the impact of our words.

Let’s start by looking at an example of a comparison that tries to present two subjects equally, but does just the opposite. Stanford linguists conducted a study on the sentence, “Girls are as good as boys at math.” The sentence implies that being good at math is more common for boys than for girls. When they swapped “girls” and “boys” so the sentence read, “Boys are as good as girls at math,” subjects associated a natural math ability with “girls,” as the second part of the sentence. While the first sentence is trying to convey that both sexes are equally good at math, it’s actually implying that math comes to boys more naturally because it is setting “boys” as the standard for “girls” to meet.

The same thing applies when someone says something like, “Although she is a girl, she is really good at math.” This sentence is suggesting that girls are not usually good at math by saying that this person is, despite the fact that she’s a girl. By insinuating that this girl is an anomaly, we are implicitly telling other girls that they probably are not good at math because girls usually are not.

Subtle Prejudice

Subtle prejudices crop up in the audio industry when we hear people say things like, “Mary can mix a band as good as Steve,” or  “They’re a girl but they can push a subwoofer like a man.” By setting men as the standard for both of those skills, it is possible that we are intimidating women out of those roles even if the intent is to praise someone for their skills. When we use sentence structure that unintentionally creates comparisons between two subjects, we are sending a message that we think one of those subjects is better than the other.

Alternatives

These alternatives are more inclusive: “Mary and Steve are really great front-of-house engineers.” And, “They’re really strong and great at loading trucks!” Now we are promoting someone for their unique skillset, without comparing them to anyone else or saying that they are an exception to a standard.

Implicit Bias

Implicit bias in language exists in ways other than the order of words in our sentences. Linguistic Intergroup Bias (LIB) occurs when we describe people that fit into our own demographic in a positive light, whereas people outside our demographic receive negative descriptors. In a study conducted at Emory University, two groups of students were shown cartoons of adults depicting different scenarios and asked to describe what they saw. Participants in one group provided judgmental descriptions for illustrations of folks outside of their own demographic and described folks within their personal demographic more matter-of-fact. Participants in a different group were shown the same pictures but asked to acknowledge their first thoughts as social constructs that had nothing to do with the events in the pictures. After taking a moment to recognize their own biases, the students in the second group wrote factual and non-judgmental descriptions for illustrations of people in and outside of their demographics.

Unconscious Bias

Most of us have unconscious biases that we transmit through speech. The study on LIB at Emory University demonstrates that we tend to favor folks that remind us of ourselves, and those biases become exacerbated when we continue to describe “outsiders” with judgmental language. We see this favoritism manifest in the industry in a number of ways; Like when men refer to other men as “assertive” and women are “bossy.” They have ingrained biases about how women should act and transmit it via a double standard in their speech.

Problematic Language

Problematic language doesn’t just exist in how we structure our sentences or what we choose to say. Many tech companies, such as Google, Amazon, and Twitter, have stopped using “master/slave” to describe one piece of hardware receiving commands from another. Nikon stopped using such terminology twenty years ago. And what about calling cable ends “male” and “female?” It doesn’t describe what those cable ends do. It’s time we call them what they are — plugs and jacks. The live performance was the first form of entertainment. Why then, is it the last to change?

Our jobs dictate that we adjust to changes in complex technology. With the rise of digital audio, audio engineers had to switch from analog snakes to CAT5 and fiber cables. Now engineers are becoming competent at networking technology as the foundation of most sound systems. Audio folks are very adaptable! We really shouldn’t balk at changing a couple of words that come from traumatic or problematic origins.

Moving Forward

Thankfully, there is a movement within the industry; some regional theater companies have stopped using the phrase “hang the blacks,” when the crew hangs stage curtains. They say “hang the black curtains” instead. Implementing change in the terminology we use can be done, we just have to make the conscious choice.

Many established technicians and engineers have said, “Well, what people say hasn’t bothered me. I kept my head down and showed up to work.” This is a textbook case of survivorship bias, which is when we persevere through poor treatment from others, accepting those challenges as a necessary part of our career paths because we do not see the people that did not survive. Just because a few of us have made it by tolerating toxic environments does not mean that is the way it has to be. And, it becomes a cycle; those survivors can contribute to perpetuating toxic work environments due to learning harmful techniques and tone from bad mentors. For every individual who tolerated a bad work environment, there are several people that were chased out, and not for lack of thick skin.

There are scientific ways to discover our unconscious biases. Take these tests from Harvard’s Project Implicit – here are many! Do one at a time. Inclusion efforts, like all aspects of professional development, are a marathon and not a sprint. That is to say, it is imperative to keep it up. While part of the job is dealing with pressure, we need to stop creating unnecessary tension through speaking our unconscious biases. If you are a supervisor or in charge of hiring, check in with your crew and see if they are also taking these tests.

From a financial standpoint, it literally pays to take steps to create an inclusive workplace. If we are driving people out, we will not diversify, grow, or even replace retiring talent. Most of us can identify with being short-handed on a gig — it really sucks! Not to mention that if people leave because of an intolerable environment, there is the cost of hiring someone new. Turnover is expensive, and retaining your crew by encouraging a positive environment will save you the pain of hiring costs. Creating an inclusive environment will also open you up to new client relationships. It is possible that you will attract new employees who are savvy technicians and great with clients. This means those clients will keep coming back! Plus, your current employees will feel emotional support and do better and more efficient work. So there is absolutely monetary gain in educating employees on inclusivity.

Regardless of our intentions, the language we use can either implicitly or explicitly transmit bias because what we say conveys our thoughts and beliefs. Bias can be passed through sentence structure, how we describe others and industry terminology. If we educate each other and address implicit language that transmits bias, we open up our industry to new people, new ideas, and innovation that we might be missing out on right now.

Sources:

First, huge thanks to my editors Ellen Juhlin, Corwin Evans, Jenapher Zheng, and Julien Elstob for their feedback. You all held me accountable in writing well and making sure I got my point across!

Survivorship Bias (Wikipedia) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survivorship_bias

The Power of Language: How Words Shape People, Culture (Stanford News) https://news.stanford.edu/2019/08/22/the-power-of-language-how-words-shape-people-culture/

Some Well-Meaning Statements Can Spread Stereotypes (Stanford News) https://news.stanford.edu/2018/07/10/well-meaning-statements-can-spread-stereotypes-unintentionally/

The Story Behind “Master-Slave” Being Excluded by (Most) Tech Firms (Ongig Blog) https://blog.ongig.com/diversity-and-inclusion/master-slave-computer-term-bias/

How to Find Prejudice Hidden in Our Words (greatgood.berkeley.edu) https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_to_find_prejudice_hidden_in_our_words

Stereotypes and Biased Language (Purdue Online Writing Lab) https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/academic_writing/using_appropriate_language/stereotypes_and_biased_language.html

Your Words Have Impact, So Think Before You Speak (Entrepreneur.com)

https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/251290#:~:text=Within%20the%20words%20we%20speak%20is%20an%20emotional%20potency.&text=Words%20influence%20others%20and%20build,whether%20it’s%20good%20or%20bad.

 

Explaining Effects: Reverb

“Can I get some (more) reverb on my vocals, please?”

If I had a dollar for every time I’ve been asked that, I’d have… a lot of money. Reverb is one of the most-used audio effects, and with good reason, since natural reverb defines our perception of everyday sound. In fact, we are so used to hearing it that completely dry sounds can seem strange and jarring. It’s no wonder that everyone wants a bit of reverb on their vocals.

What we perceive as reverb is a combination of two things, called early reflections and late reflections. Early reflections are the first reflections of the source sound that make it back to our ear; they are the reflections that travel out, reflect off of something once, and head back. Late reflections are the reflections that spend time bouncing off of multiple surfaces before returning to our ear. Because we experience such a large number of reflections arriving at our ears so closely together, we do not hear them as an individual, echoed copies – instead, we get the smooth sound of reverberation.

Analog Reverb

There are two main types of mechanical reverb systems: plate and spring. Plate reverb was one of the first to come along. It revolves around the suspension of a large, suspended steel plate, roughly 4×8 feet, in a frame with a speaker driver at one end and a microphone at the other. When the speaker driver vibrates the plate, the vibrations travel through the plate to the microphone, mimicking the way soundwaves travel through air. The tightness of the plate controls the amount of delay – the tighter the plate, the longer the decay, as the energy of the vibrations takes longer to be absorbed. Additionally, dampers may be used to press against the plate and fine-tune the amount of delay. Of course, the unwieldy size and design of plate reverb present some pretty significant logistical challenges. Aside from the amount of space needed, its microphone-based design means that any external noise is easily picked up, so keeping the units away and isolated from any noise is also essential. For these reasons, its use was relegated almost exclusively in studios. A famous example of plate reverb is the Pink Floyd album Dark Side of the Moon – plate reverb (specifically the EMT-140) is the only reverb used on that album.

Spring reverb, developed a little later, is much smaller, more portable, and what you will find built into most amplifiers today. Unlike plate reverb, it relies on electrical signals and does not need any speakers or microphones to function. Like plate reverb, it relies on creating vibrations but does this by sandwiching a spring between a transducer and pickup. The transducer is used to create a vibration within the spring, which the pickup then converts into signal. Spring gained popularity as the defining sound of surf music, where you will find it used in copious amounts – any Dick Dale record, for example, is a good way to get familiar with how it sounds.

Digital Reverb

Like analog reverb, digital reverb can also be divided into two main categories: algorithmic and convolution. Most digital reverbs are algorithmic reverbs. Algorithmic reverbs require less processing power than their convolution-based reverb counterparts, and most of the pre-stocked reverb plugins you’ll find in your DAW will fall into this category. Algorithmic reverbs work by using delays and feedback loops on the samples of your audio file to mimic the early and late reflections that make up analog reverb, creating and defining the sound of a hypothetical room based on the parameters that you set. The early reflection component is created by sending the dry signal through several delay lines, which result in closely spaced copies of the original signal. Late reflections are then created by taking the already-generated early reflections and feeding them back through the algorithm repeatedly, re-applying the hypothetical room’s tonal qualities and resulting in additional delays.

Convolution is the more complex method of creating digital reverb. It involves capturing the characteristics of physical space, defining a mathematical function called an impulse response that can apply that space’s characteristic response to any input signal and doing an operation called convolution to get the (wet) output. Essentially, you are using a mathematical model to define the reflective properties of a physical room and imprinting that room’s unique signature onto your digital sample. The entire process is based on the measurement of a room’s response to what is called an impulse, an acoustic trigger meant to engage the acoustics of the room. These are usually atonal sounds, such as a white noise blast or sine sweep. Microphones are used to register both the trigger sound and the resulting acoustic response. This audio is then fed into a convolution processor, which separates out the triggering sound and defines the room’s impulse response. With the impulse response obtained, the convolution processor can now use convolution to apply that room’s response to any input signal it receives, essentially multiplying the frequency spectra of the input signal and impulse response together and coloring the output sound with the harmonics and timbre of the impulse response. The end result is a signal that is a convincing model of the input sound being played in the space the impulse response defines.

The versatility of digital reverb means that the sound of just about every space you could want, real or imagined, is at your disposal. If used well, it can add completely new dimensions to your mixes or create wild effects. Just be careful not to wash yourself away in the process.

Sound Cookbook for Creative Exercise

In any artistic discipline, it is important to do creative exercises to strengthen skills, play, and expand your practice. For writers, there are countless books and websites entirely devoted to writing prompts. The same goes for other disciplines. For theatrical or film sound design, however, finding exercises is much more difficult. There are music composition exercises and prompts available which can be helpful but they don’t necessarily extend to all of the skills and methods that we need to practice. Making up brief exercises I can use as a sort of warm-up is an interesting and, typically, fun task but there are two issues that I run into with crafting my own prompt. Sometimes I sit down and want to get straight to the point without the frustration of having to create something in order to create something. Other times it is the exact opposite; I spend all of the time I’ve allotted creating a sound design exercise rather than completing one.

We are not necessarily accustomed to warming up in the same way a musician or actor might nor are we always afforded the opportunity to do so. When possible, it is helpful to flex those sound design muscles beyond our main projects. In the past year, with far less design work than I typically have, I have found it more essential than ever to practice my craft in any way I can. The natural solution to this problem is to compile a collection of exercises to have on hand and I’ve been doing just that. Up until this point, I’ve been stashing away little prompts for myself. Now I’m working on editing them into the form of recipes in the hopes of creating a more flexible set of exercises that could suit a variety of sound designers and artists in their individual practices.

One creative exercise of sorts that I already practice every day is cooking. It’s an outlet I love, not to mention something I absolutely need to do to sustain myself. With cooking, I always have someplace to start whether it be a recipe or the contents of my refrigerator. Having that sort of base makes it easier to get started and then I can make any adjustments and substitutions I want or just go off the rails completely. Then of course I get to share that food with others, enjoy it together, and then it’s gone. When I realized that this practice that is already a part of my day-to-day life is quite similar to how I want my sound design exercises to function, I decided to turn the prompts I was devising into recipes.

Framing these prompts as open-ended sound “recipes” takes some of the pressure off of the exercise. Like a good, dependable, encyclopedic cookbook (think The New Basics or The Joy of Cooking) I hope for these recipes to be simple, adaptable, and repeatable. The instructions are meant to be followed to your own taste rather than strictly adhered to. Use the tools you have and the methods that interest you. They are also meant to be created for the purpose of enjoyment and creative nourishment only once, without any need to revisit and replay it. You can, of course, always follow the recipe and cook up another batch of sounds at any time. And if it suits you, you can always cook with others and share the experience.

The recipe below is an example. It is intentionally broad, but you can always return to the item -saltwater taffy in this case – for inspiration or guidance. Don’t overthink it! If you feel inclined to try it out, I hope it provides you with enough direction to get started and spend a few minutes creating, combining, and manipulating sounds in an unexpected and pleasurable way.

Salt Water Taffy

Makes 35 seconds of sound taffy

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1 (5 sec.) recording of water (any variety)

2 (1 sec.) purely digital sounds

1 (to taste) recording of something within 5 feet of you

Flavoring of your choice

Instructions:

  1. If you are recording your water sound, take no more than 1.5 minutes to do so. Otherwise, choose a found or previously recorded water sound. Stretch to length (35 sec.). Adjust pitch however you like.
  2. Take one of your 1-second digital sounds and cut it into quarters. Then sprinkle throughout.
  3. Take your second digital sample and use to add rhythm to the piece.
  4. Record whatever you select within 5 feet of yourself. Process using 2-5 different manipulations. Add to the mix, then listen back and adjust to your liking.
  5. Finally, to add flavoring, identify what is missing and add something with a sweet and tangy taste. Be as liberal or sparing as you’d like.
  6. Enjoy!

 

 

 

Books and Videos

Video Resources

Visit the SoundGirls YouTube Channel for a wide range of videos on Audio. Find training, webinars, panels, and more.

SoundGirls Lending Library

SoundGirls members are able to check out a book from our library for 30 days. It is free for members.

How it works

Request one book at a time, SoundGirls will mail it to you in the domestic United States for free. In return, you will ship the book back to SoundGirls or mail it to the next member who has requested it.

If you have books on audio that you would like to donate – email us at soundgirls@soundgorls.org

See Books Currently Available and Request Books Here.

Recommended Reading

7 Things Every Live Sound Engineer Should Know

SoundGirls Co-Founder Michelle Sabolchick Pettinato has created a Free eBook called It covers some of the principles and ideas she has found to be most important when working in Live Sound, especially in mixing.

Top 30 Audio Engineering Blogs, News Websites & Newsletters To Follow in 2019

Strictly Educational

The Sound Reinforcement Handbook
The Book features information on both the audio theory involved and the practical applications of that theory, explaining everything from microphones to loudspeakers.

Live Sound Reinforcement
Excellent book to introduce beginners and HOW volunteers to live sound reinforcement. Readers will learn about sound as experts share their experiences, along with tips and tricks.

Sound Systems: Design and Optimization
Bob is thorough, complete, methodical, and passionate about the laws and facts of physics. He includes rules-of-thumb and cheat-sheets that will give you instant insight into the invisible.

Sound for the Stage
Patrick Finelli’s thorough manual covering all aspects of live and recorded sound for performance is a complete training course for anyone interested in working in the field of stage sound.

Mastering Audio: The Art and Science
Written by award-winning Bob Katz, Mastering Audio gives you a thorough introduction to the unique procedures and technical issues involved in mastering.

Acoustics and Psychoacoustics
Acoustics and Psychoacoustics gives you an essential grounding and understanding to how real music sounds behave in different spaces whether during a performance or a recording.

Field Recording Book Round Up
A selection of books and information on field recording by Creative Field Recording.

Professional Audio Reference
Pro audio reference book list

The Business

Tour:Smart: And Break the Band
From packing the right equipment to keeping enough gas in the tank to get home, every aspect of making a successful tour with a band is addressed in this comprehensive guide.

Welcome to the Music Business – You’re Fucked!
Get a free copy!

The Worst Gig
Everybody from Rush and The Sex Pistols to Owl City and Fitz & the Tantrums can be found in helpfully titled sections like Wrong Venue, Insane Fans, Dangerous Malfunctions, Nature’s Wrath, Violence and the self-explanatory Oops.

Sound Design Live: Build Your Career as a Sound Engineer

Women’s Issues / Women in Music

Kim Gordon: Girl in a Band
Kim Gordon, founding member of Sonic Youth, fashion icon, and role model for a generation of women, now tells her story—a memoir of life as an artist, of music, marriage, motherhood, independence, and as one of the first women of rock and roll, written with the lyricism and haunting beauty of Patti Smith’s Just Kids.

Alice Bag: Violence Girl: East L.A. Rage to Hollywood Stage, a Chicana Punk Story
The proximity of the East L.A. barrio to Hollywood is as close as a short drive on the 101 freeway, but the cultural divide is enormous. Born to Mexican-born and American-naturalized parents, Alicia Armendariz migrated a few miles west to participate in the free-range birth of the 1970s punk movement. Alicia adopted the punk name Alice Bag, and became lead singer for The Bags, early punk visionaries who starred in Penelope Spheeris’ documentary The Decline of Western Civilization.

Viv Albertine: Clothes, Clothes, Clothes. Music, Music, Music. Boys, Boys, Boys.
The guitarist for seminal female punk group The Slits recounts playing with Sid Vicious, touring with the Clash, dating Mick Jones, inspiring “Train in Vain,” and releasing her solo debut in 2012.

Patti Smith: Just Kids
InJust Kids, Patti Smith’s first book of prose, the legendary American artist offers a never-before-seen glimpse of her remarkable relationship with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe in the epochal days of New York City and the Chelsea Hotel in the late sixties and seventies. An honest and moving story of youth and friendship.

Girls to the Front: The True Story of the Riot Grrrl Revolution
Girls to the Front is the epic, definitive history of Riot Grrrl—the radical feminist uprising that exploded into the public eye in the 1990s and included incendiary punk bands Bikini Kill, Bratmobile, Heavens to Betsy, and Huggy Bear. A dynamic chronicle not just a movement but an era, this is the story of a group of pissed-off girls with no patience for sexism and no intention of keeping quiet.

Cinderella’s Big Score
Cinderella’s Big Score celebrates the contributions of punk’s oft-overlooked female artists, explores the latent—and not so latent—sexism of indie rock (so often thought of as the hallowed ground of progressive movements), and tells the story of how these women created spaces for themselves in a sometimes limited or exclusionary environment. The indie music world is littered with females who have not only withstood the racket of punk’s intolerance, but have twisted our societal notions of femininity in knots. Raha focuses on the United States and England in the 70s and 80s, and illuminates how the seminal women of this time shaped the female rockers of the 90s and today. Groups profiled range from The Runaways, The Slits, and The Plasmatics to L7, Sleater-Kinney, and Le Tigre. The book includes women not often featured in “women in rock” titles, such as Exene Cervenka of X, Eve Libertine and Joy de Vivre of Crass, and Poison Ivy Rorschach of the Cramps. Includes rare interviews and more than forty B&W photos.

The Lost Women of Rock Music: Female Musicians of the Punk Era (Studies in Popular Music)
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, a new phenomenon emerged in UK popular music – female guitarists, bass-players, keyboard-players and drummers began playing in bands. Before this time, women’s presence in rock bands, with a few notable exceptions, had always been as vocalists. This sudden influx of female musicians into the male domain of rock music was brought about by the enabling ethic of punk rock (“anybody can do it!”) and by the impact of the Sex Discrimination Act. With the demise of the punk scene, interest in these musicians evaporated and other priorities became important to music audiences. This book investigates the social and commercial reasons why these women became lost from the rock music record, and rewrites this period of popular music history.

Other Music-Related Books

Musicophilia
Oliver Sacks explores the place music occupies in the brain and it affects the human condition.

This Is Your Brain On Music: The Science of a Human Obsession.

The Rest is Noise, Listening to the 20th Century
A voyage into the labyrinth of modern music, which for many people remains an obscure and forbidding world.

Lexicon of the Mouth – Poetics and Politics of Voice and the Oral Imaginary
The oral cavity is posed as an impressionable arena, susceptible to all types of material input, contamination and intervention, while also enabling powerful forms of resistance, attachment and conversation, as well as radical imagination.

Sonic Possible Worlds – Hearing the Continuum of Sound
In Sonic Possible Worlds, Voegelin proposes a new analytical framework that can access and investigate works across genres and times, enabling a comparative engagement where composers such as Henry Purcell and Nadia Boulanger encounter sound art works by Shilpa Gupta and Christina Kubisch and where the soundscape compositions of Chris Watson and Francisco López resound in the visual worlds of Louise Bourgeois.

Sound Unseen – Acousmatic Sound in Theory and Practice
The first major study in English of Pierre Schaeffer’s theory of “acousmatics,” Sound Unseen is an essential text for scholars of philosophy of music, electronic music, sound studies, and the history of the senses.

The Sound Book: The Science of the Sonic Wonders of the World
Trevor Cox is on a hunt for the sonic wonders of the world. A renowned expert who engineers classrooms and concert halls. Cox now revels in exotic noises—creaking glaciers, whispering galleries, stalactite organs, musical roads, humming dunes, seals that sound like alien angels, and a Mayan pyramid that chirps like a bird. With forays into archaeology, neuroscience, biology, and design, Cox explains how sound is made and altered by the environment, how our body reacts to peculiar noises, and how these mysterious wonders illuminate sound’s surprising dynamics in everyday settings—from your bedroom to the opera house. The Sound Book encourages us to become better listeners in a world dominated by the visual and to open our ears to the glorious cacophony all around us.

This Show Must Go Off – Episode Two

Younger Season 7 at Bowery Ballroom

We’ve made it! I cannot believe I am writing this, but here we are, exactly one year from the last ticketed concert at The Bowery Ballroom. What a wild ride. We have been keeping moderately busy with important structural and safety upgrades, new video and lighting install, NIVA involvement and the good graces of Save Our Stages, and event rentals.  What I plan to take you through today is how a venue, typically very adept in a specific industry, can transform into something new and different, while still staying safe, and authentic.

TV Production

TV production is a new world for some independent concert producers. There is extensive union presence, budgets I could only dream of, and precious time to get it all right. If you still cannot manage to get it right, edit it in post.

During the advance process I spoke with Lighting Designers, Rigging Gaffers, Set Decorators, Assistant Unit Production Managers, Production Managers, and last and most relevant, a Covid Compliance Officer. It all makes my head spin, but I was also a little envious of clear, defined manageable job roles.

Contrary to what you might think, a larger staff and bigger funding do not always mean increased preparedness. In fact, it tends to isolate departments from each other and can make advancing a bit difficult, having to tackle each component of the advance with a different person. I was aware supplemental lighting would be brought in and the room would be decorated. We had sorted out power needs, and I was given a rough art direction and light plot, and that is all.

The event contract and a certificate of insurance are the biggest differences on paper. The renter takes out insurance for the space occupied, the people in charge of their care, and any incidents that will occur. During a concert, that is my responsibility and it helps to know there are multiple sets of eyes ensuring a safe work environment.  Other striking differences include time, labor, and money.  A shoot day began at 9 am and wrapped at 5 am (yes, 20 hours). We had two days of build and one full strike day. This schedule, coupled with our dark stage, made our normal house policies flex a bit. The lighting designers asked that our fixtures be removed from the stage ceiling, so others could be used. The stage curtains would be changed to a deep red fabric, and our PA system would be partially removed. I felt confident approving these alterations knowing the necessary equipment was brought in, (genie lifts, ladders, span sets, etc) the structural weight distribution did not significantly change, and on a personal note, it had been a very long time since our lights were cleaned. This afforded the perfect opportunity. Additional changes included wallpapering or draping our walls, adding furniture, and extending our stage 4 feet. (My dream!)

I had to remain confident that the show hires would effectively make this all happen, and trust our contract agreement that our venue goes back to normal at the end of the rental. Other than that, I took some educated guesses on the production staff needed and hired an A2, and LD for shoot day, and an L2 for prep and strike days. Security was kept to 3-4 on shoot day and 2 on prep and wrap days. I acted as PM and compliance officer for the venue and had relief and support from our incredible manager Amanda, and owner Michael.

COVID Compliance

My first time working with a Covid Compliance Officer was a great experience. It is my goal to ensure the house staff comes to work healthy and stays that way. The CCO on-site ensures all working personnel are healthy, provided with adequate PPE, and can safely and securely provide testing and store health records. She and I were the only two staff members on-site from load-in through load-out each day. We discussed which areas of the venue would be deep cleaned prior to entry, which areas would be spot cleaned throughout the day, records for active house staff, Covid testing procedures, meal and rest break areas, and what to do in the event of an outbreak. I cannot stress how important this job is for the future of our industry. Lean on them for PPE, and make sure you feel safe to complete your workday. I would highly recommend taking any of the free/low-cost covid compliance classes and list that as a valuable skillset on your resume.

Some important takeaways from this shoot at Bowery were feelings of gratitude and pride for my staff that can so easily adapt, assist the TV crew with their needs, and ensure everyone enjoys what they are doing. It was a feeling I sorely missed.  Another note is that the CDC guidelines really do work! Masks are effective when worn correctly, and even more so when you double mask. Regular Hand washing and sanitizing works, and avoid touching your face in between washing. Socially distance where you can as much as you can, and test regularly when that is not possible.

It can be safe for us to return back to work, but we need to trust each other to be responsible, and those in power to provide adequate PPE, testing, and transparency. If you were to ask me five years ago, as a freelance touring engineer, when I would be returning to work, I would have already changed careers by now. I would not have wanted to be the first to work a concert event. Drunk sweaty crowds, long hours, dirty clubs, are you kidding?!? Years later, and with more agency, I feel optimistic that Bowery can and will do it right.  We are investing in equipment and education to keep people safe, and live music is not something to fear.

There was very little that could be called music during this film shoot. In fact, the first audio through the PA in the past six months was a click track. Talk about my worst nightmare!  I do hope that my next blog, and our next event, have a little more music involved.

Look out for the last season of Younger, out on Paramount + later this year.

Free Online COVID  Pandemic Response Training

 

 

Webinars, Training, Events

Theatrical Sound Designers and Composers Association TSDCA

All Events are EDT.

Wednesday, May 19th, 3:00 pm – Session #1 – “TSDCA Salon #26” – Jazz composer/bandleader Jihye Lee and composer/vocalist/sound artist Ken Ueno will present and discuss their new musical works, hosted by Melanie Chen Cole. Sign up here!

Thursday, May 20th, 2:00 pm – Session #3 – “Empowering and Advocating For Yourself and Others: Part 1 – Contract Language and Negotiation” – Lucas Blackadar, Director of Legal Services for Arts & Business Council of Greater Boston, Inc. and Monica Llorente, Senior Lecturer for the Pritzker School of Law at Northwestern University, discuss strategies and materials used in creating more equitable contracts for designers and technicians, hosted by Sam Kusnetz, Brendan Doyle, and Arshan Gailus. Sign up here!

Friday, May 21st, 1:00 pm – Session #4 – “Score Design: the art of conceptualizing and producing complex scores for projects with sonically demanding needs” –  Producer/composer Raz Mesinai will discuss his methods of creating extremely detailed and unique scores for different projects, hosted by Greg Mackender and Michael Roth. Sign up here!

8:00 pm – Session #5 – “Re-entering The Workforce In A Time Of Trauma” – Somatic trauma therapist Taryn Longo leads a discussion of dealing with anxiety as theatre workers return to their work environment, hosted by Lindsay Jones. Sign up here!

Saturday, May 22nd, 1:00 pm – Session #6 – “TSDCA Education Committee: New Directions in Teaching Sound & Composition” – Educators Amy Altadonna, Libby Meyer, Vincent Olivieri, and Christopher Plummer, will discuss new teaching techniques for music and sound design discovered during the pandemic, and how they can fit into future lesson planning. Sign up here!

8:00 pm – Session #7 – “IN C” – Join all of the members of TSDCA as they come together in a collaborative musical performance of “In C” by Terry Riley. Members of the public are also welcome to participate in the performance as well. Hosted by Michael Roth, Josh Samuels, and Leon Rothenberg. Sign up here!

Monday, May 24th, 1:00 pm – Session #8 – “A2 COVID Safety Protocols” – Health and safety expert Eddie Raymond will discuss best work practices for staying safe and maintaining audio gear in this time of heightened health awareness, hosted by Joanna Lynne Staub. Sign up here!

As a special members-only activity, TSDCA has commissioned celebrated playwrights Donja Love, Laurel Ollstein, and Frank Higgins to create “prose prompts” for the TSDCA Creative Challenge that takes place during the weeklong event. Members will use the inspiration of the prompts to create new audio works that will be presented on the final night at the now-legendary TSDCA Prom!

Please visit https://tsdca.org/tsdca-annual-meeting-2021-biographies/ to learn more about these panelists.

Theatre Art Life

  • Designing Dreams – One on One with Brian Larsh
  • Tuesday, 18 May 2021 7:00 PM EST
  • FREE REGISTER HEREThe Value of Automation – One on One with Gareth Conner
  • Wednesday, 19 May 2021 10:00 AM EST
  • FREE REGISTER HEREMasterclass: Fundamentals of Theatrical Automation
  • with Gareth Conner
  • Tuesday, 25 May 2021 10:00 AM EST
  • Webinar price: 20 USD REGISTER HERE

Music Expo

Getting off the ground starting your studio or label, Publishing? Run a studio? Returning to a live sound business? Manufacturing audio hardware or software? Broadcast? Post-Production? Join us for a discussion on moving through 2021 with (a LOT of) learnings from 2020… May 20 at 6 PM PDT https://www.musicexpo.co/event-info/getting-off-the-ground-starting-your-studio-or-label

Touring Professionals Alliance

We are bringing the TPA Kitchen to San Francisco & Nashville providing high-quality, chef-made take-home meals to those in the music industry. We wanted to take this moment to say that we know this time has been incredibly difficult, but hopefully, there is a load-in right around the corner. In the meantime, come join us for some incredible food by fantastic Chefs & Restaurateurs. To register, please visit: www.touringprofessionals.com

#NOBEL4ISS Equal Space Challenge – Filmmaking Webinar Series

Claremont High School’s Cinematic Arts Program (CCAP) has teamed up with the Entertainment Industry Professionals Mentoring Alliance (EIPMA) and Space Games Federation® (SGF), and the Vaughan International Film Festival to host a series of biweekly webinars (March 24-July 14) to meant to inform and educate aspiring filmmakers through the production process from industry professionals in conjunction with the #NOBEL4ISS Equal Space Challenge open to students, young professionals and others interested in careers in media and entertainment from around the world.

Webinar topics include copyright law, producing, writing, editing, directing, cinematography, sound, special effects, mixed media, and more.

Visit the websites below to learn more about the #NOBEL4ISS Equal Space Challenge
https://filmfreeway.com/Nobel4ISS
https://eipma.org

#Nobel4ISS

May 19, 2021 04:00 PM
Jun 2, 2021 04:00 PM
Jun 16, 2021 04:00 PM
Jun 30, 2021 04:00 PM
Jul 14, 2021 04:00 PM

AES Spring Show

May 25 – 28 Register Now and Make Plans to Join Us for the AES Show 150th International Convention – https://aesshow.com

Femme House

Are your drums sounding dull? In this workshop, learn how to give your drums more life through effects processing. May 28 at 12 PM PDT https://www.eventbrite.com/e/may-femme-house-session-drums-processing-tickets-153856606251

Join us this May 2021 one of a kind Live Event Career Exploration with Rock Lititz to learn more. We will be providing virtual content to high schoolers during the week of May 10. Including TWO HOURS of flexible content and associated informational worksheets. There will also be a LIVE Q+A session offered to connect with real industry professionals.

Teachers are encouraged to sign up for full classes, or any driven individual students are welcome to sign up independently.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LiveEventDayVirtual21?fbclid=IwAR0UViw6swpGOqF4cAe1QCamBgvDBjScokZUtjoMGPaf-25XKZKgVIMRzPI

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 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 on-line 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

Working with Hands from Uber Works

2020 brought a variety of topics concerning gig workers in the US to light. From addressing unemployment for independent contractors to the House of Representatives introducing the P.R.O Act, Covid-19 is changing the conversation for the classification of gig workers. Florida introduced Uber Work, Uber’s new on-demand staffing business, in December 2019 to launch in its second city ever, Miami. Since March put a strain on the need for gig-based workers in the right-to-work state, I only recently had the pleasure of working alongside people utilizing this new app.

Some background information

One of the many struggles with event logistics during this time has been maintaining labor lists. Florida has fewer restrictions for venues drawing the attention of companies with events that don’t entirely rely on a live audience. Broadcast events like award shows have been navigating how to keep crews safe while still creating impressive rigs. Labor companies are eager to work and make promises to fill large calls, maybe biting off a little more than they can chew. Infrequent work has forced talented and knowledgeable hands to leave the industry temporarily to find steady day-work to make ends meet or leave entirely to transfer their skills to jobs less affected by the pandemic. You can’t always take off of work to take a few days of 8-hour calls.

It’s been interesting. When there’s one large event in my market at a time, I see the same friendly faces repeatedly regardless of which company is filling the call. You can almost work full-time under multiple companies. But it’s a little more complicated for those companies when there’s more than one event and as we’ve gotten further away from March 2020. Two different companies needing to fill 100+ calls can become very difficult very fast. Everyone is going to take the sweeter deal first.

What company is giving more days? How many hours a day? Who provides the better rate? Is there Covid testing? Parking? Hotel? Food?

What happens to the labor company that gets shorted by people being unavailable?

This is where one company that I was working for turned to Uber Works. A major selling point for this app is that people can take shifts for jobs that are entry-level and require very little previous skills. I can say with confidence, that is not the live entertainment industry. This job took place in a good-sized arena in Downtown Miami. I would never consider a fast-paced arena environment to be entry-level. We were already multiple days into this gig building the staging, raising video walls, flying line array, and lighting truss out. It’s an active work zone so I figured the crew of about 20 people would be coming in with tools and their own personal protective equipment. Most had no tools and just wore ankle-high boots (couldn’t say if they were safety toes). PPE was provided by the labor company but many of these workers would misplace their gear and it would be returned to supervisors by the end of the day.

Uber Works’ flagship city was Chicago. Miami has a very different logistical landscape when employing people. I’m not sure the company truly thought out some of the challenges different cities may have. English isn’t necessarily the default language for our work environment. Our crew is diverse and we tackled issues the company didn’t consider head-on with multiple translations for safety meetings, giving directions, and assisting anywhere we could. Uber Works didn’t consider possible accommodations they’d need to make to have this crew integrate smoothly. Language barriers become more apparent as things get more technical. Not every crew lead was bilingual. I found it challenging to try to explain signal flow to someone who has never seen XLR before. I was grasping at words to explain stage directions when they’ve never been on a stage before. This was taking on-the-job training to new levels.

It became very clear that while this technically solved the problem of not having enough hands, it came at a high price. How can I get frustrated with someone who was basically set up to fail?

The people from Uber Works who agreed to take on this difficult challenge were some of the sweetest, eager, willing to work people. They were pleasant to be around, they were patient and willing to learn, they tried to be aware of their surroundings in a possibly dangerous environment. I found that they shared some solidarity within their own group sharing a difficult experience and worked well as a team. I appreciated their enthusiasm but I personally can’t agree with ever having Uber Works on my job site ever again. Uber Works has a lot of kinks they need to fix and it’s not a solution for our industry.

For Uber Works to willingly send untrained people into an arena was reckless. There are inherent dangers to our field in dealing with heights, power, heavy machinery, and large loads. To add possible room for miscommunication exponentially increases that risk. These were people risking their lives to make ends meet during a pandemic where jobs are scarce and they were going in with their eyes closed.

The wonderful people who make up our industry are not easily replaced by someone deemed “unskilled” by a large corporation. We have a wealth of knowledge that is often built up from years of experience and dedication to our craft. I’m hoping in the future labor companies will be more willing to split bids with other companies in order to properly fill calls for clients. I’m also hoping companies like Uber Works don’t continue to devalue our labor. You can’t penny and dime our skillsets or take a commission on an hourly rate. A low-balling bid war during this time wouldn’t just set back rates; it would push so many more away from an industry that they love.

The gig was chaotic, but I think that says more about the companies who agreed to these terms than the working hands.

SoundGirls Grab Bags

SoundGirls is redesigning our website and in anticipation will be designing new merchandise. We are putting all our merch on sale and offering grab bags (while supplies last)

Grab Bags are $20 plus shipping.  SoundGirls Grab Bags may include T-shirts, The Girls Guide to Doing Sound, Buttons, Lanyards, Notepads, Gig Bags, Canvas Totes, and other surprises. This is while Supplies Last. Please fill out this form and we will bill you through Paypal. Grab Bags will be shipped after the payment is made.

Reserve your Grab Bag Here

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