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SoundGirls Activity Pages

 

With each passing month, my little SoundGirl is growing by leaps and bounds.  This past month she started walking, and the month before that she figured out dancing.  Before long she should be able to hold a crayon without eating it first.  This is really exciting because there is an abundance of coloring pages for her to explore and learn from.  Taking a page from Sylvia Massy (check out the coloring books based on Recording Unhinged), I thought I would share some coloring and activity pages for SoundGirls of almost any age to enjoy.

Review of BBC Symphony Orchestra Discover

Review of BBC Symphony Orchestra Discover

I couldn’t quite believe my eyes when I saw Spitfire Audio was offering a smaller version of their BBC Symphony Orchestra titled ‘Discover’ at an affordable £49. Not only this but if users can’t afford the ‘buy it now’ price, Discover is available for free if you complete a short questionnaire and wait 14 days to download.

What is BBC Symphony Orchestra Discover?

So how and why has Spitfire done this? The concept behind Discover is to create an accessible gateway into orchestral composition for music creators at every level. Discover is a smaller version of larger BBCSO editions and features the same professional and detailed recording process for 33 instruments and 47 techniques, but is under 200MB.

Download and installation

The download process for BBC Symphony Orchestra Discover is extremely clear and simple, and options are given for choosing from a version for either Mac OS X 10.10 or later, Intel Core 2 Duo, or Windows 7, 8 or 10, Intel Core 2 Duo or AMD Athlon 64X2. Once you’ve selected the correct option for your computer, you can then open BBCSO as a plugin that is compatible with most music creation software and DAWs. The download and installation was quick, with easy to follow instructions and took a matter of minutes.

The Instrument Sounds

As soon as I’d installed BBC Symphony Orchestra Discover, I was like an excited kid, eager to open a project and start making noise. The first thing that struck me was the realism of the instrument sounds; Spitfire Audio did not skimp on the quality in Discover, and I was instantly impressed. Another element that I appreciated was that Spitfire kept the playable range of each instrument voice true-to-life; a decision that not only keeps the caliber of the sound where it should be but one that will also benefit learners who are finding their way around the orchestra.

The controls available to each instrument are intuitive and easy to navigate in the plugin window, and everything is labeled clearly. All instruments have three sliders that control the amount of expression, dynamics, and reverb.

Playing techniques are specific to each instrument, with options including long vibrato, spiccato, pizzicato and tremolo on all strings (minus tremolo on double bass). Woodwind and brass instruments offer long or staccatissimo. The percussion section provides realistic staccatissimo techniques for harp plucks, celeste, timpani hits and untuned percussion, tubular bells, marimba, xylophone and glockenspiel.

Another unexpected surprise in the plugin window is the easy editing option of instrument tuning, panning and volume controls.

Advanced Articulation

Depending on which DAW you are using, your articulation controls and methods will vary. Babylonwaves have created free Cubase Expression Maps and Logic Articulation Sets which are created to assist those who are struggling with these elements in Discover. This can be really helpful for learning and understanding how articulation can be used, and this shortcut should add to the creative experience rather than feeling like a separate and arduous task. The Babylonwaves free download is available here. https://www.babylonwaves.com/2020/05/07/free-art-conductor-for-spitfire-bbcso-discovery/

Other notable points

The library can be installed on up to two computers at a time, which is a nice option for people on the go, who are away from their main workstation. Spitfire has made it easy to copy the downloaded folder over to other devices for this purpose. With this in mind, owners of the Professional and Core versions of BBCSO will automatically receive Discover for free, and all editions are fully interchangeable and compatible with each other thanks to mode switching technology. The other editions of BBCSO are Core at £399, and Professional, which is £899.

The approach Spitfire Audio has taken with the BBC Symphony Orchestra Discover edition is one that provides high-quality instrument sounds to all, while also offering an insight into the more advanced packages that users can aspire to own when they have maximised their options and need to move on up. Personally, I can’t praise Spitfire’s approach enough; they have created a truly accessible option for orchestral composition without fault – there’s no catch, no compromise on quality and no hard sell. Discover is a highly pleasing product that stands alone, delivers more than expected, and authentically supports music makers and composers of the future.

You can find out more about BBC Symphony Orchestra Discover and download here: https://www.spitfireaudio.com/bbcso/discover/

 

 

 

The Power Of Audio

The online podcasting space is a playground for creators to innovate, connect and influence. What was once an underground movement is now an oversaturated market of opportunity for brands to speak to their customers directly. The development and global reach of podcasts continue to show how digital-first talent can create a streamlined partnership between their unique content and a brand, leading to what can be a successful revenue stream for both parties. However, with the widespread belief that “everyone has a podcast”, the challenge becomes how to stand out, create distinctive formats and effectively position sponsors within podcasts. It is important to note how podcasts can give a voice to smaller companies and niche markets in a succinct way. Conversations around branded partnerships on podcasts have escalated as the combination of creativity, a new platform and a new audience is increasingly attractive to brands.

With wide-ranging genres and topics, podcasts are increasingly pertinent in the media world to compete with the constant production of online content. The new wave of podcasting has increased the number of online places you can go to for information. There is an unlimited possibility for people to learn from others. The function of a podcast does not always have to be educational; most are far from it. Many comedians have turned to podcasts as a way to showcase their best work, edited in a way in which suits them. There are very few unedited, raw podcasts as producers lean towards a more stylishly finished piece with soundbites, clean-cut features and intro/outro music. All these different styles could look to integrate a brand partner that matches the themes and tones of the conversations.

YouTube once acted as the progressive powerhouse, a petri dish of creativity. It was an evolutionary form of “edutainment”. Too many podcasts jumping out of our screens every day may suck the creative content out of the world if every comedy duo around starts to host their own weekly conversational podcast. The sponsored messaging within podcasts must continue to evolve and represent current climates and global situations. Both brands and hosts of podcasts must work together to design creative, relatable and concise ad breaks within the episodes. We are living in a world of constant search to experience real-life through a virtual form, whether that be via audio or video. We are also becoming more distracted, 64% of young people are “online” when watching TV (Social Chain, 2018). This means that podcasts must move with the times and speak to their audiences honestly and authentically, becoming more creative with every change they make in order to maintain our attention.

New forms of immaterial, digital labour envelope our everyday lives.  Podcasting can be a form of labour in which you are constantly immersed. In order to network and succeed, you could always record one more episode, the belief being that the risk of becoming irrelevant is managed through social connections. What must be avoided is the tragic love story of creativity and success. Creative media appeals to those with a forward-looking vision. Listeners could be described as the “losers that keep waiting to be seen”, the dreamers amongst us that place value on positivity. Podcasters can weaponise nostalgia, hitting us with anecdotes, comedy sketches and old-school ways of living, allowing escapism from the real world. If a brand can produce messaging and continuously engaging information via an ad read, listeners will return for more and be more likely to investigate the product or service being advertised and brands can ensure the value is felt with full effect.

Film and television often represent historical standards of unfair representation and social norms, whereas podcasts by new wave millennials advocate more activism in the media industry to encourage inclusive, multi-faceted and ambitious creations. The influence on attitudes via audio-visual communication and advertising can be staggering. Challenging conversations lead to progression. This activism will increase the integrity of creative industries. It is interesting to evaluate the difference in influence between mainstream television and radio programmes and new media. Presenters of television and radio can often feel detached from their audience. Particularly when working with unbiased corporations, where they’re unable to promote or discuss any of their own opinions. This means that the audience, although engaging in their millions, does not know anything about the personal life of the person they are watching. They are not invested in their lives. They have no attachment. In contrast, digital-first talent has amassed their following by being open and honest online and giving their truthful opinions on everything ranging from food to politics to veganism. In the current climate of hedonistic lifestyles, it is unsurprising that online social media talent can influence audiences more than mainstream media. Taking this into consideration, it could be confidently suggested that partnering with podcasts is a great way to reach new audiences and provide clear explanations of what a certain brand may offer.

As podcasts provide copious amounts of content with the offer of inspiration, ideas and advice to make business and life decisions, they can be incredibly influential. You feel connected to a person through headphones, carrying out active listening such as nodding your head, laughing or verbally agreeing with someone that is not physically there. It is an exciting time for brands to be involved with a new wave of creative entrepreneurs that are using a simple medium to build global connections around the world. Podcasts whether they be educational, comical, fiction or everything in between bring people together in a shared moment of relatability. Quick and easy listening styles of podcasts sponsorships leave people wanting more and the content can be made personal to all listeners. Brands should be on the lookout for a podcast partner that matches their brand values and demographic, as it will enable them to reach a new audience using a creative and effective ad format.

Anti Racism Discussion Group – August 9th at NOON PST

Anti Racism Discussion Group

Several of our members have asked that we start a discussion group on Anti-Racism Work.

We are forming a monthly discussion group, where we will study on our own a video, essay, book, etc. and then meet to discuss what we have learned and how we can apply it to creating a more inclusive industry.

For our first discussion we will watch

Ibram X. Kendi’s Lecture on How to be an Antiracist, at UC Berkeley https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxa43H8m034

We will discuss key questions from the How to Be an Anti-Racist Book Club 

And explore and share our experiences within the industry.

If you want to read the book we encourage you to do so. You can order How to Be An Anti Racist directly from the publisher here or from your favorite Independent Bookseller. Consider ordering books from a black-owned bookstore find one here.

This discussion group will be in a safe space and we are working on rules to keep all members safe. We will be sending these out with the Zoom Link.

August 9th at NOON-2 PM PST – 3 to 5 PM EST.

This discussion is planned for 2 hours.

Register here

Why Anti-Racist work?

Using an anti-racist intersectional frame

An anti-racist intersectional frame recognizes all the different ways people and communities experience racism with respect to their identities. An anti-racist frame also recognizes that racism both in the United States & abroad is grounded in and motivated by anti-Black racism. Therefore, an anti-racist intersectional frame provides a conceptual tool to examine institutional and systemic oppression that Black, Indigenous & People of Colour (BIPOC) face because of both their race and identities while providing a guiding approach for working with and in communities and systems to create a more just and equitable society.

How does anti-racist work intersect with sexism and misogyny in the music industry? Intersectional theory asserts that people are often disadvantaged by multiple sources of oppression: their race, class, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, and other identity markers.

An anti-racist intersectional frame is an action-orientated frame. It critiques society’s structure and its treatment of people and communities while providing a guiding approach for how to work towards a more just and equitable society.

Definitions

Central to using a frame is developing a shared language. The following breaks down individual concepts as a means to better understand what an anti-racist intersectional frame entails.

Anti-racism is the active process of identifying and challenging racism, by changing systems, organizational structures, policies and practices, and attitudes to redistribute power in an equitable manner.

Anti-Black Racism is any attitude, behavior, practice, or policy that explicitly or implicitly reflects the belief that Black people are inferior to another racial group. Anti-Black racism is reflected in interpersonal, institutional, and systemic levels of racism and is a function of white supremacy

A racist idea is any concept that regards one racial group as inferior or superior to another racial group in any way.

Intersectionality is a concept and frame coined by Professor Kimberlé Crenshaw in 1989, to describe the ways in which race, class, gender, and other aspects of our identity “intersect” overlap and interact with one another, informing the way in which individuals simultaneously experience oppression and privilege in their daily lives interpersonally and systemically. Intersectionality promotes the idea that aspects of our identity do not work in a silo. Intersectionality, then, provides a basis for understanding how these individual identity markers work with one another.

Resources on Anti-Racist Work and Intersectionality

HOW TO BE AN ANTIRACIST

BLACK LIVES MATTER

Kimberlé Crenshaw: What is Intersectionality?

Intersectionality Matters: A Conversation with Kimberlé Crenshaw

SoundGirls Anti-Racist Resources

 

Introduction to LRADs

With the recent protests over the killing of George Floyd, the Long-Range Acoustic Device (LRAD) and other acoustic weapons used by police have been making headlines once again. Since these devices are most commonly deployed against nonviolent protestors for crowd control, I thought it would be useful to give a brief overview of their development, use, and most importantly, how to protect yourself.

A Brief History of the LRAD

The LRAD, like many other police devices, was originally a military weapon. Work on “sound cannons” began in 2000, after an al-Qaeda attack on the USS Cole [7]. The goal was to create a device that could be used to communicate with possible threats from a distance and disperse them with a high-pitched alarm sound if needed.

Developed by what is now Genasys Inc. (formerly the LRAD Corporation), the LRAD quickly spread from the Navy to the Army, before crossing over into law enforcement [6]. Since its adoption, the LRAD has been deployed domestically against protesters at protests such as Standing Rock, the Women’s March on DC, Occupy Wall St, and the Eric Garner protests. It has also been widely adopted by law enforcement worldwide [7]. Domestically, a Genasys Inc. press release from June proudly lists police departments in Portland Ore., San Jose, Colorado Springs, Phoenix, Columbus, Charleston, and Ft. Lauderdale as just some of the 250+ cities in which police have deployed LRADs recently [3], [6].

The LRAD 100x

The version of the LRAD that protestors are most likely to encounter is the LRAD 100x, although they may encounter other models affixed to vehicles or helicopters. A lightweight model marketed to police departments, the LRAD 100x may be standalone or worn by officers. The 100x peaks at roughly 137 dB, emits a 30˚ beam of sound with up to 5500 meters, and is loud enough to cause pain within 20 meters [5]. Like all LRAD devices, it operates within a limited frequency range of 200 Hz – 10,000 Hz, which means that the tones produced overlap with the most sensitive part of our hearing: the range of human speech [4]. This model may be used to communicate with targets directly, play pre-recorded messages, or emit painful tones intended to disperse people.

Questionable Safety

The peak volume of an LRAD can range from 140 dB to 160 dB, depending on the model. For context, according to the CDC, noise above 70 dB for a prolonged period of time is where your hearing begins to damage. Noise above 120 dB can cause immediate harm to your ears. 140 dB is where you may feel physical side effects along with hearing loss. 160 dB is where eardrums can burst [8].

Despite their widespread use against civilians, very little research has been done into the long-term effects of acoustic weapons. Temporary and permanent hearing loss, tinnitus, nausea, migraines, disorientation, ear damage, and lasting sensitivity to loud noises are just some of the reported symptoms [2]. The damage caused by LRADs can also be exacerbated by police who are not properly trained on how to manipulate dispersal tone characteristics, do not use them at the recommended distance, or simply do not care about their targets. The ACLU and Physicians for Human Rights are two of many groups that are calling for the suspension of LRAD use by police [1]. Several excessive force suits have been filed against various police departments regarding their use of LRADs and other sound cannons on protestors, including a successful one in Pittsburgh and an ongoing one against the New York Police Department [2].

Protecting Yourself and Your Hearing

Since LRADs have a peak volume ranging from 140 dB – 160 dB, it is extremely important to be informed. A small amount of exposure to such high-volume sounds can have lasting effects.

 

Sources

  1. “Acoustic Weapons Fact Sheet”. ACLU [Online]. Available: https://www.aclu.org/fact-sheet/acoustic-weapons-fact-sheet (accessed July 9, 2020).
  2. B. Kesslen. “’Plug your ears and run’: NYPD’s use of sound cannons is challenged in federal court.” NBC News [Online]. Available: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/plug-your-ears-run-nypd-s-use-sound-cannons-challenged-n1008916 (accessed June 29, 2020).
  3. ‘Genasys™ Inc. LRAD® Systems Deployed by First Responders and Law Enforcement for Critical Crowd Communications’, 2020 [Online]. Available: https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/06/04/2043685/0/en/Genasys-Inc-LRAD-Systems-Deployed-by-First-Responders-and-Law-Enforcement-for-Critical-Crowd-Communications.html (accessed Jul. 29, 2020).
  4. L. Peskoe-Yang. “How to Dodge the Sonic Weapons Used by the Police.” Popular Mechanics [Online]. Available: https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/weapons/a32892398/what-is-lrad-sonic-weapon-protests/ (accessed June 29, 2020).
  5. “LRAD 2018-2019 Product Guide”. Genasys Inc. [Online]. Available:
  6. N. Khan. “Defend and Protect”. The California Sunday Magazine [Online]. Available: https://story.californiasunday.com/long-range-acoustic-device (accessed June 30, 2020).
  7. W. Nicol. “What is LRAD? The ‘sound cannon’ used by police, explained.” Digital Trends [Online]. Available: https://www.digitaltrends.com/news/what-is-lrad-sonic-cannon-explained/ (accessed Jun. 29, 2020).
  8. “What Noises Cause Hearing Loss?” CDC [Online]. Available: https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/hearing_loss/what_noises_cause_hearing_loss.html (accessed June 29, 2020).

 

Strategies for a Successful Career in Touring

Join us for a lively discussion between a gathering of A-List touring pros as they share their stories and strategies for success and longevity in the business of concert touring.

… and guess what? They’re all women!

We will discuss

The Reality of the Job – Paying your Dues – Mastering Your Craft -What Technical Skills are a Must – How Production Crews are Staffed -What Production Managers are looking for – How to get your first tour and your next one – Being a Versatile Tech – Your Skill Set- Defining your job expertise – From A-List to Back in the Van.

August 5th at 3 PM Pacific Time.

Register Here

Moderated by Michelle Sabolchick Pettinato and Karrie Keyes

Michelle began working in live sound in the late 1980s,  a time when there were very few women in the field.  Her professional touring career started a few years later when she was hired to mix FOH for the band Spin Doctors. Since then, Michelle has traveled the world mixing FOH for some of the most recognizable names in music including Indigo Girls, Jewel, Gwen Stefani, Janet Jackson, Melissa Etheridge, Goo Goo Dolls, Styx and many more.  In 2015 Michelle was inducted in Full Sail University’s Hall of Fame and in 2019 Michelle created and launched Mixing Music Live an online video course for live sound and mixing.  She is an active mentor and coach to those seeking a career in Live Sound and Music Production and has been a frequent speaker on industry and university panels and conferences.  Michelle is Co-Founder of soundgirls.org and she continues to be a full time touring sound engineer, most recently on tour mixing Elvis Costello up until the current pandemic.

Karrie has spent the last 30 years as the monitor engineer for Pearl Jam and Eddie Vedder. Karrie started out doing sound for punk bands in Los Angeles in 1986 under the tutelage of Dave Rat of Rat Sound, where she spent twenty years helping to establish the company. She was able to gain an immense amount of hands-on experience and technical knowledge at Rat, which eventually led to her becoming the monitor engineer for The Red Hot Chili Peppers from 1990-2000. She first met and started working with Pearl Jam who opened for RHCP on their 1991-1992 Blood Sugar Sex Magic Tour. She has worked with Sonic Youth, Fugazi, and Neil Young. Karrie is a Co-Founder of SoundGirls

Panelists Include

Becky Pell is a monitor engineer with 25 years’ experience in the live music industry. Originally from the UK, Becky now lives in Australia. Her mixing credits include Westlife, A-ha, Anastacia, Take That, Il Divo, The War of the Worlds, Muse, Kylie Minogue, Bill Wyman, James Brown, Jennifer Lopez, Sarah Brightman, and Natalie Imbruglia. She is regularly in charge of monitors at the world’s largest festival, Glastonbury, and writes a monthly column for Live Sound International. Becky is also a qualified coach and Yoga Therapist, and between tours, she runs yoga retreats in beautiful locations around the world and coaches clients on Zoom.

Christina Moon has been working in audio for over twenty years. Primarily known as a touring monitor engineer, but has had her hands in a little bit of everything in order to get her foot in the door. Christina works with Sleater Kinney, Beach House, LCD Soundsystem, Yeah Yeah Yeah’s, Death Cab For Cutie and Interpol.

Claudia Englehart has been a professional live-sound engineer for 38 years. In 1982 she began her career working in the historic San Francisco jazz club Keystone Korner. In 1983 she moved to New York City and continued mixing live sound in clubs such as CBGB’s, The Bitter End, and S.O.B.’s, and then in 1985 began touring full time as a front of house engineer. Since 1989 Claudia has been working full time as sound engineer and tour manager for guitarist Bill Frisell. She has recorded two live albums for Frisell, “East/West” and “Bill Frisell Live”. She has also mixed and recorded just about all of his live concerts over the past 30 years, which has resulted in a Live Download Series, concert recordings available for download on Frisell’s website. When not on tour with Frisell Claudia has toured extensively with many other renowned artists, including Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Laurie Anderson, Lou Reed, Ron Carter, Michael Brecker, Grover Washington Jr., Dave Holland, John Scofield, Charles Lloyd, Lee Konitz, Marianne Faithfull, Rosanne Cash, Ryuichi Sakamoto, David Sylvian, Medeski Martin & Wood, John Zorn, The Kronos Quartet, Don Cherry, Cecil Taylor, Eddie Palmieri, Willie Colon, and many others.

Marguerite Nguyen started her career interning with a local rock station and promoter. Working as a promoter, she realized there were not many women tour managers and decided that that was the path she would follow. She got her first gig on the road with the Indigo Girls working under Matt Miley. From there she moved to Los Angeles and has gone on to work with Coldplay, Janet Jackson, My Chemical Romance and more.

Melissa Britton started mixing live sound in a classic rock biker bar in Golden, CO. Shortly after, she started working for a sound company that opened the door to venues all over Colorado like Red Rocks amphitheater, Fiddler’s Green, Mile High Stadium and most smaller theatre’s in Denver. After several years with the company,  she was picked up by Dave Koz who she still works with today. Koz also exposed Melissa to other Jazz, Blues, Pop, and Funk artists (Al Jarreau, David Sanborn, Tower of Power, Keb Mo, Sheila E., James Ingram, and Boney James) that expanded her career.

Working in a smaller market is intimate, personable, and constantly shifting gears.  You wear a lotta different hats to get the job done. A positive attitude and a strong work ethic go a long way. It’s kept Melissa busy the past 25 years and taken her all over the world.

Tana Douglas is acknowledged as rock’n’roll’s first female roadie. Her journey started at the age of fifteen, in 1973 in Australia within a year she was working for AC/DC, first doing backline then F.O.H. Sound for the band. She then moved to lighting working for a Major Australian Promoter and completed in quick succession several tours with International acts such as Santana, Suzi Quatro, Neil Diamond, David Essex, and Leo Sayer and Status Quo all before she turned 18. Tana has worked in Audio, Lighting, Tour and Production Managing and Logistics.

Tana resides in Los Angeles, California, where she is currently participating in speaking engagements, mentorship programs to the next generation of Music Industry technicians and is writing her second book.

Versatile Microphones for Home Recording

I hope everyone is still staying safe & healthy. I also hope you are out there CREATING! I know I sure am. That’s why for this month’s blog I wanted to write about the best home recording microphones out there! Ones that DON’T break the bank, and some that do if you’ve got the cash! Either way, I’m really excited to write this month’s blog because this is something I am looking into myself right now with all the home recordings I’ve been doing as of late. So…here we go!

The Shure Sm7b

This microphone is SO versatile. I mean, I’ve recorded vocals on it. I’ve used it as a snare microphone. I’ve used it as a “kick in” microphone. I’ve used this baby on guitar amps and all sorts of other things. That’s why I think it’s such a great mic to have as a staple in your home recording studio. Or even if you’re like me and just looking for a better microphone to record your own vocals with- this one is a fantastic pick.

Some science behind this microphone. It is a dynamic mic. You are going to have to do a little eq-ing on the mixing side of things to get your vocals exactly where you want them, but with that being said- the raw audio this guy captures isn’t bad at all. Plus it’s only $399.99, so on the less expensive side of the microphone spectrum.

Blue Microphones “Bluebird”

I have heard so many good things about this microphone from friends who do a lot of at-home recordings. It is indeed a condenser mic, so you can expect to get some sweet top off the bat from this one. This mic has a hi-pass filter, and a 20- dB pad to help you capture the perfect tone going INTO the box. The price of this microphone is only $299.99, and they have other models that cost even less. This is just their fan favorite.

Fun Fact: Blue Microphones has an interchangeable cap series which is exactly what it sounds like. You can change the cap of the same base on a microphone giving you multiple options of sound to choose from. I’ve worked at a studio that demoed this exact cap series, and I was pleasantly surprised when some of the caps really did a pretty good job of replicating the more high-end microphones we all aspire to own one day.

Neumann TLM103

The next microphone is a large jump in price, and most of you might already be familiar, but it is a fantastic, versatile microphone that is great to have if you have the money! The Neumann TLM103. Some may say… this is an obvious choice, but I love this microphone. Like the Sm7b, I can use it on just about anything, but the range of which I can use it on is even wider because it is a large-diaphragm condenser microphone. I can use it on overheads (if I have a pair), vocals, guitars, room mics, etc. The microphone is derived from the class Neumann U 87. There are no pads or hi-pass filters on this microphone, but that’s because the capsule itself is immaculate. This microphone rings in at about $1,100.00 (which isn’t too bad if that’s in your price range especially for a Neumann).

Thanks again SoundGirls! I hope you enjoyed this blog. If you have microphone recommendations, PLEASE reach out and let me know of them! My email is virginiahaladyna@gmail.com

El sonido y sus profesiones aplicadas July 23

 

El sonido y sus profesiones aplicadas:

Conoce desde la experiencia de profesionales de que tratan algunas especialidades en mundo del audio.

Este jueves 23 de julio, tendremos la tercera sesión de esta serie de charlas: Sonido en Estudios de grabación, estaremos conversando con las profesionales:

Nilda Vechiatti,  se dedica a la Investigación, docencia y asesoramiento en temas de Ingeniería Acústica. Egresada de la facultad de ingeniería de la Universidad Nacional de la Plata en Ing. De telecomunicaciones con especialización en Acústica, ha realizado numerosos proyectos de investigación en el área y es la actual Presidenta de la Federación Iberoamericana de Acústica y Presidenta de la Asociación de Acústicos Argentinos.

Florencia Saravia: Desde el 1994 en el mercado de audio brasilero, Florencia comenzó su carrera en Río de Janeiro. Fue una de las pioneras en edición digital en Brasil. Dió clases de ProTools y Grabación en IATEC, en el Curso de Producción Fonográfica en Río Música y en el curso de Producción Fonográfica en la Universidad Estácio de Sá. Tiene varios artículos publicados en la prensa especializada nacional. Trabajó como segunda ingeniera de mastering en Classic Master, de 2005 a 2009. Trabaja en sonido en vivo para Gal Costa, Chico César, Luiza Possi, Filipe Catto y para varios artistas independientes. Fue ingeniera responsable del proyecto “Escuta como Minas”, de Spotify Brasil, en 2019.

Salomé Limón, Productora e ingeniera de sonido, presidenta de PIAudio (Asociación Iberoamericana de Productoras e Ingenieras de Audio) y miembro activo de la Grammy Academy, la Latin Grammy Academy y del CPI (Circulo de Productores e Ingenieros) de los Latin Grammy.

Comenzó su carrera en el Madrid en 2004. Su primer proyecto fue el disco de Andrés Calamaro “ El cantante”. También ha trabajado con artistas de la talla de Paco de Lucía, Anoushka Shankar, Chick Corea, John Legend, Vampire Weekend, Enrique y Estrella Morente, entre otros muchos.

Ganadora de 4 Latin Grammys y nominada como mejor ingeniero de sonido 5 años consecutivos por la Academia de los Latin Grammy.

A día de hoy Salomé continúa su carrera como productora, ingeniera y compositora a la vez que colabora como ponente y profesora compartiendo sus conocimientos a través de diversas charlas y masterclass en Berklee College of Music, Maxsine School en China, IE University, Fest Portugal, etc.

Regístrate en

Día: 23 julio

Hora:

  • 12:00pm(GMT-6)🇨🇷🇳🇮🇬🇹🇭🇳🇸🇻
  • 1:00pm(GMT-5)🇨🇴🇪🇨🇲🇽🇵🇦🇵🇪
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  • 8:00pm (GMT+2)🇪🇸
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Carolina Anton, es Ingeniera de Sonido – Sistemas/FOH y Mon. con más de quince años de experiencia, ha colaborado con artistas y producciones distinguidos en más de veinte tours a nivel nacional e internacional; Ha mezclado para artistas como Kool & The Gang, Gloria Gaynor, Natalia Lafourcade, Mon Laferte y León Larregui, ademas trabaja para compañías como 2hands production services y Eight Day Sound. Actualmente se encuentra realizando mezclas en formatos de sonido inmersivo.

Carolina es cofundadora de la empresa 3BH, que desarrolla proyectos de integración tecnológica para estudios de post-producción y música en México y Latinoamérica y a partir del 2016 comenzó a representar a la organización Soundgirls.org en México, apoyando a las mujeres a profesionalizarse en la industria del espectáculo.

Andrea Arenas, graduada en Ingeniería electrónica, con estudios de música y percusionista, es ingeniero de sonido con 14 años de experiencia. Trabaja para Cirque du Soleil en el show Totem y cuenta con experiencia en sonido en vivo, grabación y producción musical en estudios, también grabación y producción musical de orquestas sinfónicas de El Sistema. Su experiencia profesional va desde trabajos en producciones discográficas de la Deutsche Grammophon con Gustavo Dudamel, como también soporte técnico de consolas Digico y otras reconocidas marcas en Hermes Music para bandas como Maná, Vicente Fernández, Ricky Martin; ha participado como voluntaria de audio para soundgirls en eventos como el She Rocks Awards, Girlschool y preparación de gira de Pearl Jam.  Ha sido técnico de sonido en varios shows del Cirque du Soleil. (At sea, Luzia, Amaluna y Totem)

Parallel Compression

 

Have you ever wondered how to get your vocal to punch through the mix? Or a kick drum to achieve a punchy sound? Or give clarity to a solo instrument? Well I have a technique that does just that and it’s called Parallel Compression, or as it sometimes referred to, New York Compression.

Parallel Compression is the art of mixing a (usually) dry signal with a heavily compressed one. The benefit of this is that you can achieve a very tight and compressed sound without it affecting the dynamics of the actual performance.

I will preface that it should be used sparingly and not on every track as it can sometimes sound harsh and brittle on the ears if used too aggressively.

To achieve parallel compression, create an aux track and send the signal to it from the audio track you want to use.

Then load up a compressor on the aux track.

The settings below are a rough guide for a punchy sound but feel free to adapt them if you want a more subtle sound.

Ratio: I personally like to set my ratio between 8:1 to 12:1.

Threshold: On a few tracks, the threshold is between -30dB to -40dB. I usually want around 10dB gain reduction.

Attack Time: You want a fast attack so nothing above 5 ms.

Release Time: I found the sweet spot to be around 50 – 100 ms.

Gain: Boost the gain if it is needed (sometimes I like the way mix without boosting the gain).

The next step is to play the track and blend the Parallel Compression in with the original audio. This is where you can make a few tweaks to the settings to get your ideal sound.

After these steps, hopefully, by now your track should be punching through the mix.

My final tip would be to trust your ear and experiment with this technique as much as possible until you find a variation that suits your style of music.

Happy producing!

 

 

 

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