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The Mountain Recording Retreat – Catharine Wood Discount for SoundGirls

This May 17-22, 2020 join Catharine Wood for the 5th Annual Mountain Recording Retreat in Capon Springs, West Virginia. An immersive 5 day audio workshop retreat with world-class mentors in a relaxed setting – Registration includes all meals, hotel and workshops ongoing throughout the day…Interested in expanding your audio toolbox while on vacation? Catharine has 5 x $100 discount registrations for SoundGirls – use WOOD2020 at checkout http://recordingretreat.com/

There are only 5 Discounts available – so register soon!

The 5th Annual Mountain Recording Retreat
Workshops, Mentoring, Golf, and Pie!
May 17-22, 2020 Capon Springs, West Virginia

The Mountain Recording Retreat is intentionally not like anything else. It is far more than recording workshops. It is about community, music, and great sound. It is five days of learning, listening, and relaxing in a community made up of world-class mentors and fellow music makers.  Each year about 80-90% of the attendees sign up again for the following year.

We will have daily recording workshops, listening panels, easy access to mentors, DIY gear building workshops, and bingo where you can win prizes from the Capon shop.

Learn from World Class Mentors

Our mentors this year include Ronan Chris Murphy, John Rodd, Catharine Wood, Fett and Chris Kincaid. Check out our Mentors Page for more information on them.

Daily Schedule

Each day will feature workshops by various mentors and throughout the week there will be listening sessions where you can have your music evaluated by the mentors and other participants, but there is also time carved out to socialize, collaborate and enjoy the beautiful resort. Meals are served family style and all of our attendees and mentors share meals together.

Lectures and Listening Panels

We are still working on the schedule for 2020, but previous workshops have included: DIY Mastering, Mixing Workflow, Step by Step mixing workflow, Breathing Life into Virtual Instruments, Behind the Scenes of an Orchestral Session at Abbey Road, Intro to Synthesis, Vocal Production and more.

Several nights throughout the week, you’ll have a chance to have your work listened to and critiqued by your mentors and fellow attendees.

Ground Breaker Tana Douglas

Photograph by Lisa Johnson Rock Photographer.

Tana Douglas is known as the first woman roadie and got her start working Production in 1973 when Philippe Petit rigged a steel cable between the towers at the northern entrance to the Sydney Harbor Bridge.  (Kathy Sander another roadie got her start in 1974 touring with Elton John). Without realizing it she had just done her first gig. This was followed by a meeting with a well-known Australian Tour manager Wane “Swampy” Jarvis, who piqued her interest in the production side of the Music Industry. This led to her first paying gig with a band called Fox, setting up and looking after their stage equipment known as the backline. After taking that job and relocating to Melbourne, an offer to work for a different band came along in the middle of 1974. This band was AC/DC. Throughout Tana’s four-decade career she has worked in backline, sound, lights, logistics, production, and tour management.

At just fifteen, Tana had joined the circus that was rock ‘n’ roll and after taking the job with a young and upcoming band AC/DC, found herself on a fast track to a lifelong career. Her first job with AC/DC was to continue doing backline until she says that “it became clear that we really needed our own PA to help Bon (Scott) with his vocals. I was sent to pick it up from a local sound company called Strauss, Nova Sound. Not realizing that from that moment in time I would become their FoH Sound engineer. It wasn’t so much a matter of volunteering for the position, it was what the band wanted. They trusted me and knew that I understood what sound they were looking for, which is very important. I had zero training. In those days in Australia, it was not uncommon to do 10, 12 or even 14 shows in a week. There was no time for training. I also had the dubious pleasure of operating their monitors, at the same time; through the FoH console. Not the ideal situation for a notoriously loud band.”

The sound system Tana fetched was a 3-way system with A4 bins, JBL horns, and tweeters. Tana discovered that it was not cutting it and upgraded to a 4-way system with W Bins, A4’s as midrange, and multi-cell horns and tweeters. The monitor system consisted of five fold-back wedges with dual speakers in each. The only advice she was given to running sound, was to keep the guitar volume down and it should be good. Tana says “we would do shows with other bands on the bill as we weren’t headlining these larger shows in the beginning, so I would watch and try to learn as much as possible from people who obviously knew what they were doing and apply it to the shows where we used our PA.”

The biggest challenge she faced with mixing for AC/DC was inadequate equipment and the sheer volume coming off the stage. Tana says that “as the PA grew in size so did the number of speaker cabinets on stage, for the guitars. As I was still relatively new to this whole thing, I didn’t know enough to demand a system that would be capable of doing the job. We were restricted by the budget and size of venues to accommodate a larger PA. We also travelled with all the gear in the back of a bus. Not to mention I was only 16 years old.”

Despite all this Tana learned some important lessons. One was that the equipment must be able to handle the job, so you can do your job. ”If you are good you can get the most out of your system, but there is only so much a system can give, I made it work, but thinking back it would have been nice to have had at least twice the system. Would have made my life so much easier. Even with the restrictions both the band and the audience were happy with the sound I managed to get.”

The 18 months Tana spent working with AC/DC ignited her passion for a life on the road but she realized she needed to find an environment where she could continue to learn. She took a job with a production company called ACT that specialized in International tours coming to Australia.  Their crews were considered the best in Australia and Tana toured with artists Suzi Quatro, David Essex, Leo Sayer, Carlos Santana, Neil Diamond,  and Status Quo.

Tana says “leaving AC/DC was a big step, a leap of faith that it would be the best move for me to grow and learn. I also wanted a team around me that I could become a part of and if I had those two things, the job I did at that time really didn’t matter. The position they needed filled was for a lighting person, so I jumped. It was a complete change of direction which I felt was appropriate for this next phase of my life.”

For the next several months she worked her ass off, watching, learning and growing. Tours in Australia typically last about a month and Tana did seven back to back tours working with some of the best international production personnel. Tana says she utilized the time wisely “I always asked about everything. How? What? Why? When? Where? something should be done. These questions make the difference between someone who knows how to set up a system and someone who knows how to operate a system. whether it is sound or lights. I think another important thing I learnt very early on was that for me to be accepted in this industry it was all about how I fitted in as a member of a crew, not how I stood out as a woman.” 

Tana would make her transition into lighting official by moving to the U.K., where she landed a job building a 360 lamp lighting rig for Status Quo and then spent the next four years touring with them. Tana would move over to TASCO and head up their lighting department working and touring with Ozzy, David Coverdale, Iggy Pop, The Who, Elton John  to name a few. In 1983, Tana would move to the U.S. to work for the U.S. TASCO Division along with Delicate Productions and Light and Sound Design, continuing to work with Elton John, Men at Work, INXS, Little River Band and Johnny Halliday’s Spectacle in Paris for 7 months.

Lighting appealed to the artistic side of Tana, she loved art in school and always enjoyed creating things and experimenting with color. It was also an exciting time to be involved in lighting, everything was changing so quickly. She says “we went from a couple of hydraulic light towers with 16 steel lamps a side to suspended truss configurations with hundreds of aluminum lighting fixtures, moving motors, truss spot operators, retractable set pieces, to the piece de resistance: the Vari-Lite. There was no turning back.”

Thinking outside of the box when problems arise and need a quick resolution for live TV. TASCO Crew.

The first time Tana realized she had “made it” came when she was requested for The Who and Friends Roar In at Wembley Stadium in 1979. This was The Who’s comeback show after the loss of Keith Moon and AC/DC was on the bill as well. The second time was when she was in charge of dimmers and control of the largest lighting rig ever built consisting of 3,000 par cans, 64 Vari-Lites, a dozen 10K Fresnels and all the moving parts including a giant fist with the performer, Johnny Halliday inside.

Tana remembers her time at Tasco “I loved my time with TASCO London. It was hard work and extremely long hours, new innovations, pulling all-nighters, in a freezing cold warehouse in time for the tour to start. What made it all worthwhile is I was given a position of authority which validated that all the hard work had been worth it. I have to say I loved the other people that worked for TASCO. It was a really good bunch headed up by Terry Price and Paul Newman at the time and made me feel a part of it all. That was always important to me. Growing up without any family to speak of, I needed that feeling of belonging and I found it there.”

Focusing the rig between acts.

Tana loved Tasco, but after gaining custody of her son, Tana knew she had to make some changes in her career. She says “ the blinding difference between men touring and women touring is children. I don’t know if that will ever really change. Maybe now, there are laws in place on grounds for dismissal but when I was touring it was not something that was up for discussion. I had gained custody of my son, and that meant I needed to make changes to my career. Touring for 10 months of the year was no longer an option. So she moved into Logistics.

Working in logistics, Tana dealt with making the band’s schedule work, creating carnets, and financial bonds for customs, freight forwarding to make sure the equipment arrives on time and in working condition. Dealing with artists’ personal requests, such as when Alice Cooper forgot his snake and had to get it to London in time for his first show or when a bass player left his instrument at home in LA when the band flew to England to play Reading Festival. This was an instrument he insisted was too important to travel as cargo and required breaking into his house after warning the local police, retrieving instrument and getting on a plane to Reading in time to hand it to him on the side of the stage as the band was starting their set.

Many of her clients came from the crew people she had grown up with and had moved into Tour or Production Manager positions. At first, she was working for a company, but when the company went belly up, she started to handle the accounts on her own, starting her own company Network. During the ten years she worked in logistics, she handled accounts for Bad Religion, Tom Waites, Butthole Surfers, Billy Ray Cyrus, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Luther Vandross, En Vogue, Tool, Jane’s Addiction, Pearl Jam, Lenny Kravitz, Ice-T, Ice Cube. Henry Rollins, Carlos Santana and many more. Sadly she closed her company due to health reasons in 1985.

After her health recovered, she went into tour managing. Tana believes these things are a “natural progression if you have worked enough different parts of production over the years, then you should really know what it takes to be a successful tour manager. It wasn’t something I had aspired to be and I only really worked with one band that was in development and while I enjoyed it, the band fell apart and I moved on to representing Bill Ward from Black Sabbath negotiating his reunion with Sabbath for their upcoming shows at the Birmingham NEC that were to be both filmed and recorded. That was fun and included flying Bill halfway around the world for a “chance” encounter with the promoter who was happy to have Bill on board and then the negotiations that ensued with Sharon Osbourne, who was not happy to have Bill on board. But that’s a whole other story.”

Tana now resides in Los Angeles, and has spent the past couple of years finishing a book called “LOUD”. It is being published through HarperCollins and will be released on April 20, 2020. Tana is also involved with organizations called Crewcare and Support Act both based in Australia. The organizations focus on health and wellbeing for road crew. They sponsor and the annual “Roady4Roadies” that raises funds to help and support both musicians and crew members in times of difficulty. Both organizations are doing cutting edge research into the effects of life on the road. She is also working with The Arts Centre in Melbourne on a new project for their Rock Vault that will entail a series of panel discussions and individual interviews to be filmed, centered on the history of Production in the Australian Music Industry.

What do you like best about touring?

The music, of course, is what draws most of us in, but then there are the bonds that form with others on tour that are special. A good crew makes all the difference. I would tend to pick a tour by the crew, not the performer, as the crew is who you’ll be living with for the next 12 months of your life, not the performer. Plus, a good crew doesn’t work for a bad performer.

What do you like least?

I dealt with a lot of solitude being the only woman on a tour. I mean, there is always a group of people around, but interaction with 20 to 100 guys on a daily basis can get tricky when you are out there alone as a female, for extended amounts of time. What is acceptable behavior for a guy can be frowned upon for women.

How did you deal with that?

Not always well, sad to say. We all make mistakes in judgment. I guess what is important is we learn from them and hopefully don’t keep making the same ones. At least, mix it up a little (laughing).

What is your favorite day off activity?

Swimming and horseback riding

What is your educational or training background

Zero

Did you find it hard to find people to train/teach you? Do you recommend a formal education or just learning on the job? or a combination?

Once I’d taken that leap of faith over to ACT way back in Australia with the likes of Wyn Milson, Peter Wilson, Curley Campbell, D’Arcy, Russell Kidner, Billy McCartney to name a few, it was like I’d found my tribe and to them, it was a bit like having a little sister (who could drink you under the table) but also keep up with them on the work front. Who doesn’t want the best for their little sister? On the international side, I had the likes of Patrick Stansfield, Paul Newman, Chris “Smoother” Smythe as an early support system. I think also while I was obviously young, thankfully nobody figured out just how young I was. That may have changed things.

There were no options for schooling as there are now. How effective that is I am sure it depends on who is teaching the class. I hear that Kevin Lyman is teaching a class at USC. I’m sure that would be worth attending. I think though with any schooling it needs to be adapted to a real-life situation. You can be taught that something is hot, but until you feel just how hot it is, you can’t appreciate what it is you are being told. In the touring world, it is different every day. You must be prepared to adapt to that, as does your equipment. Be flexible. There is no one way.

What if any obstacles or barriers have you faced?

It’s never easy when you are going against the grain. It was a wilder time when I was starting out. There were no rules, there were no other women. I literally had to give as good as I got. There was resistance from some areas, but there was also a great deal of support from others, once they realized not only was I serious about doing this as a career, but I was also capable of doing the job better than most, there was a shift in how I was perceived. For me, the biggest obstacle was a personal one. Relationships never went well for me. Maybe it was because I was mostly in a supervisory position? Or as I say, “My picker is broken”. Think long and hard before getting into a relationship, as you can’t let a relationship come before the job you have been hired to do.

How have you dealt with them?

I tried to stay away from relationships, while likewise staying away from the group that is of the opinion that you shouldn’t be there before they even meet you. Don’t even bother with them. Prove yourself by example, by doing the job better than others. Don’t complain, make it better. Choose your battles. There is no point in winning a battle if you lose the war.

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

Focus on the details. Learn from every situation that arises. There will be many and they will all be different. Your success will rely on how you fit in as a crew member, not how you stand out as a woman. There is no such thing as a stupid question, as long as you learn from the answer. Embrace change, as there will be a lot of it. The friendships you make on the road will stay with you for your life, so be authentic and true to yourself.

Must have skills?

Think outside of the box. If you have done a course or some other type of schooling that is great but don’t let it tether you. Every day is different on the road and things change in a moment. Be prepared and keep up. Always listen to advice and respect your crew.

What are your future goals

At this stage, I am interested in developing talent on both the artist side and the crew side. I have also started my second book.

Favorite gear?

I got to play with a Neve desk which at the time was a big deal. I was also lucky enough to be one of the first people to tour with the new AVOlites dimmers and consoles that changed the face of lighting.

Anything else you want to add or contribute

Where you start is rarely where you finish. Just because you start in one field doesn’t mean you need to stay there. What we think we want isn’t always what we need. By being willing to accept change you will end up where you were meant to be. It will be a journey that is not an easy one, but the rewards make it all worthwhile. Enjoy the world!

More on Tana

Find More Profiles on The Five Percent

Profiles of Women in Audio

Girl Boss

To be a woman in our industry it takes a lot. A lot of power, energy, skill, leadership, determination, drive, patience, compassion, emotion, and strength.  I was recently given a card that I feel sums up the entire kind of woman it takes to stand tall through all the experiences we encounter in this career and in our daily lives.  The card said:

~ Girl Boss ~

A woman in control, taking charge of her own circumstances in work & life. Someone who knows her worth and won’t accept anything less. She is not a “mean girl” in fact, she hates “mean girls.” She is empowering and inspiring those around her.

A girlboss knows that if you don’t have big dreams and goals, that you’ll end up working really hard for someone who does.

This speaks volumes to me. It is so true! It doesn’t focus on the differences that we are often compared with by society such a girly, sporty, glam, or butch. Those names are set aside and we’re allowed to be our individual selves and no matter if we like makeup or not, tight clothes or not, dresses and heels, or t-shirts and converse; we go after our goals, reach for the stars, and breakdown walls that do not belong.  We are Girl Bosses. This statement shuts down the stereotypes and lets us be accepting and empowering of all. It sets aside the Hollywood idea of the mean girl that puts others down in exchange for empowerment and support. It lets us be who we want and need to be to excel, find our happiness, and meet our goals.

Be this woman, make friends with this woman, support this woman. Be the Girl Boss and build other Girl Bosses around you because Girl Bosses are awesome and we need more of them just like you!

Find the card here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/526187802/girl-boss-card-boss-babe-boss-lady?ga_search_query=girl%2Bboss&ref=shop_items_search_4&crt=1

 

Women in Audio Engineering

During the first week of November, my alma mater, the DePaul University School of Music, held an 11-day music festival with numerous masterclasses, panel discussions, and concerts to commemorate the unveiling of its new Holtschneider Performance Center.  I was asked to take part in the panel discussion sponsored by the Sound Recording Technology department titled Women in Audio Engineering. The panel sought to bring to light the fact that although women are a minority in music production and audio engineering (according to Women’s Audio Mission, women make up five percent of all audio professions), there are many notable women contributing in these fields. In addition to highlighting the professional hurdles and triumphs faced by the all-female panel, the moderator, Tom Miller, Director of Sound Recording Technology at DePaul, also posed several important questions regarding how we, as an audio community, can strive to achieve parity in the future.

Highlighting a Few Amazing Women

Although women from every generation continue to forge ahead in our field, the hard reality of being only five percent of the industry means that women rarely have the privilege of meeting one another.  My hope with this post is that the accomplishments of the women I recently met at this panel can inspire and invigorate fellow female (as well as male and non-binary!) audio professionals from afar.

The women listed below are not affiliated with Boom Box Post or the opinions expressed in this blog post. The following bios were supplied to DePaul University by the panelists themselves:

Christine Schyvinck

Chris Schyvinck is Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer at Shure Incorporated, the world’s leading manufacturer of microphones and audio electronics. As the highest-ranking officer at the Company, she is one of a few women to hold an executive position in the pro audio industry. Her leadership has been integral to the steady growth and profitability of Shure.

During her tenure, Chris has led critical initiatives for the Company, including reducing material costs without sacrificing product quality, dramatically improving on-time delivery, and globalizing manufacturing operations. She joined Shure in 1989 as Quality Control Engineer. After several promotions, she moved into Process Engineering, becoming manager in 1997. In 1998, she was made Vice President of Corporate Quality.

Two years later, Chris was named Vice President of Operations, responsible for Corporate Quality, Procurement, Supply Chain, and the Company’s manufacturing facilities in Mexico and China. She was promoted to Executive Vice President in 2004 and directed the opening of Shure’s first manufacturing facility in China one year later.

In 2006, Chris was tapped to head the Global Marketing and Sales Division, assuming management of the Company’s Business Units in the Americas, Europe, Middle East/Africa, and Asia/Pacific regions as well as the strategic integration, marketing, sales, artist and public relations, technical support, and customer service functions. Sales increased by more than 78 percent during her ten-year period as Executive Vice President of GMS.

In 2015, she was designated Chief Operating Officer, and, in 2016, was appointed Shure President and CEO, becoming only the fourth such officer in the Company’s 90-year history.

Currently, Chris leads the Company’s eight divisions: Administration, Finance, Global Legal Services, Global Marketing and Sales, Human Resources, Information Technology, Operations, and Product Development.

She has a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is the former Chairman of the Industrial Advisory Board for the School of Mechanical Engineering at UW-Madison. Chris recognized Shure as the perfect blend of her two passions (music and engineering) and rejected employment offers from larger manufacturers. While working at Shure, she completed her Master’s degree in Engineering Management from the McCormick School of Engineering at Northwestern University and is currently seated on the Board of Industrial Advisors for that program.

Mary Mazurek

Mary Mazurek is an audio engineer, interdisciplinary artist, educator, and PhD candidate. Her audio broadcasts and recordings are regularly heard on WFMT, Chicago. She has worked with: the European Broadcast Union, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Steward Copland of the Police, and Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg to name a few. She is a practicing media artist whose works have been exhibited in the U.S., Mexico, and Europe. She is also a sought-after educator and is currently writing her Ph.D. dissertation, which concerns developing an epistemology of noise in music and art.

You may also read more about Mary’s journey in this adaptation of a speech she gave on September 12, 2018 at the Recording Academy Task Force On Diversity and Inclusion at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago.

Marina Killion

Marina Killion is an accomplished audio engineer based in Chicago. She is currently the Senior Audio Engineer at Optimus, where she has worked since 2009. She does everything from sound design, dialog editing, Foley, ADR, to final mix. Marina has a background in classical music performance, and studied Sound Recording Technology at DePaul University. She has worked on many notable campaigns such as Chicago Blackhawks, UPS, Reebok, Always, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Invesco, and Olive Garden. She is currently mixing her third feature length independent film, and has previously mixed three documentaries, two web series, a television pilot, and many short films in addition to her commercial projects. Her work has been shown at the Chicago International Film Festival, Chicago Comedy Festival, Midwest Independent Film Festival, and many more. She also won a Silver Addy Award in 2014 for her work with the Eastern Board of Cherokee Indians.

Kate Finan

You all know me!  But, if you don’t, feel free to check out my bio here on our website.

Starting the Conversation

Because I found the panel’s questions to be incredibly thought-provoking, I wanted to share them with all of you so that you might think about your own answers and possibly engage with your peers on this important topic:

What can we do to attract women to the audio profession?

How can we support women in our industry?

What can we do to break down the “good old boy” perception of recording?

Resources

Finally, I am supplying a list of my favorite resources for women in the audio industry or for those who would like to support their female or non-binary peers.  Most of my suggestions are geared toward women in STEM, post-production, or animation since those are the areas in which I work. So please feel free to comment with any of your own suggestions for other areas of the audio industry.  Here they are in no particular order.

And don’t forget to join your professional organizations so that your voice can be heard at the highest levels of our industry!

 

Inspire the Next Generation

Why is it so weird for men to see women working in technical jobs in entertainment? Perhaps it’s the same weirdness as seeing a woman as a plumber or construction worker. Plain ol’ sexism. Beckie Campbell, owner of B4 Media Productions and Orlando Chapter head of SoundGirls, recently returned to Central Florida after being out on tour. We caught up at a local SG Social. Beckie observed that only 1 in 19 venues she visited had a woman in a position of power. Most venues had women working as techs in various positions, which she felt was becoming the norm. What is stopping women from taking the next step into a leadership position?

Women in entertainment have made some amazing headway, Audio Engineering Society announced Nadja Wallaszkovits as their President last year and Christine Schyvinck has been the CEO for Shure since 2016. The accomplishments of these women were based on dedication to their careers and support from their peers. Without that support, many women fall flat when trying to advance.

According to a study of Women On Screen and Behind the Scenes in Television conducted by Dr. Martha Lauzen, “Overall, women accounted for 31% of individuals working in key behind-the- scenes positions. This represents a recent historic high, besting the previous high of 28% set in 2016-17.” The numbers for women working in audio-related positions on the top 250 grossing films of last year were far lower.

 

In other “non-traditional” professions, women still represent a larger portion of the workforce than in entertainment. Forty-five percent of all union members are women, according to the Teamsters Union (2016). Women as construction workers rank only 9.1% (Connley, 2019), and women as truck drivers come in at 6.2% (2018). Schillivia Baptiste emphasizes a strong point, similar to Christine Schyvinck’s keynote presentation at last year’s AVIXA Women’s Council Networking Breakfast.

“I think there is not enough introduction at the elementary and middle school grade age of what young girls can be,” says Baptiste, who links the industry’s scant female workforce to a lack of early exposure. “I think it starts there, and before you get to high school you’re choosing a high school that has something you want to study and then by the time you get to college you’re able to make a decision and say, ‘OK, this is what I want to do ’” (Connley, 2019).

Clearly it starts young. Girls are dressed in pink and boys in blue, and we give our children a predetermined place in life. Most of the women that I’ve met in audio and tech positions across the world have felt they existed outside the expectation that women should be homemakers and nurses, occupations that society accepts as female-appropriate. Empower your daughters, sisters, and nieces so they can have opportunities to learn and research whatever excites them.

Here are some great places to start educated the young women in your lives:

SoundGirls

SoundGirls Women in the Music Industry

Girls in STEM 2020 – NASA

National Girls Collaborative Project 

Girls Rock Camp Alliance

Women In Film Scholarship

References

Connley, Courtney. (2019, January 29). Just 9.1% of America’s construction workers are women—here’s what it’s like to be one of them. CNBC. Retrieved from https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/28/heres-what-its-like-to-be-a-woman-construction-worker.html.

Connley, Courtney. (2018, June 18). Just 6 percent of America’s truck drivers are women—here’s what it’s like. CNBC. Retrieved from https://www.cnbc.com/2018/06/13/heres-what-its-like-to-be-a-woman-truck-driver.html.

Dr Lauzen, Martha. (2019, September). Boxed In 2018-19: Women On Screen and Behind the Scenes in Television. Center for the Study of Women in Television & Film, San Diego State University.

Women In Unions, By The Numbers. (2016, March 29). Teamsters Union. Retrieved from https://teamster.org/news/2016/03/women-unions-numbers

 

 

Mixing Music Live – 50 % Discount for SoundGirls Members

SoundGirls Co-Founder Michelle Sabolchick Pettinato has created a course on Mixing Music Live and will teach you the fundamentals and beyond of mixing live sound.

Special discount for SoundGirls Members – Get Mixing Music Live for 50% off! Email us for a discount code soundgirls@soundgirls.org.  You must be a member of SoundGirls to receive this discount.  You can register to be a member here.

The course will be open for enrollment April 15th

The course is usually $297 – With your SoundGirls Discount, the course is only $148.50.  This is a fantastic deal! Thanks, Michelle!

Would you like to learn about live sound and mixing from someone who has been the sound engineer for some of the most popular names in music?

Mixing Music Live is an introductory course on Live Sound and Mixing. The course was created by Michelle Sabolchick Pettinato who has had a career as a touring concert sound engineer for nearly 30 years. Michelle has worked with Gwen Stefani, Goo Goo Dolls, Styx, Melissa Etheridge, and many more.

Whether you are doing live sound as a hobby or a possible gateway into a career as a live sound engineer, Mixing Music Live will teach you the fundamentals and beyond of mixing live sound for a live event. Find out more here.

 

 

 

Mix With the Masters Scholarships Marcella Araica and Producer Danja

SoundGirls Members have the chance to receive a 1000€ (euro) scholarship provided to SoundGirls members from Mix With The Masters. There are three scholarships available for the week-long session with award-winning engineer Marcella Araica & Producer Danja.

This is a week-long seminar valued at 4,000€ and includes lectures and workshops, accommodation within the mansion, catering (breakfast, lunch, dinner) the fitness room, swimming pool and shuttles from Avignon to the studio.

You must have an advanced understanding of audio and work as producer/mixer/engineer to attend Mix with the Masters.

Session Dates: March 24 -30, 2020

Apply for the scholarships here

Deadline to apply is March 6, 2020

You are responsible for Travel to France and the remainder of the balance to Mix with the Masters.

Session Includes

  • private bedroom, on-site within the mansion for 6 nights
  • Full-board accommodation with meals prepared by gourmet chefs on-site
  • Return shuttle services from Avignon to Studios La Fabrique
  • Unlimited drinks and snacks throughout the week
  • Approximately 50 hours in the studio with the guest speaker
  • One-on-one time between you and the master to assess and work on your own material
  • Professional photography done throughout the week, including portrait shots of you with the Master
  • Hundreds of full-resolution photos shared with you afterward via a download link, to keep and use as you please
  • A certificate of completion issued on behalf of Mix With the Masters and Studios La Fabrique, signed by the Master if you wish
  • Exclusive MWTM merchandise given only to seminar attendees: embossed Moleskine notepads, pens, mugs, t-shirts, USB keys, and stickers.
  • Use of the La Fabrique swimming pool, garden, fitness centre, and scenic walks
  • Nearby access to the enchanting town of St. Rémy de Provence

     Marcella “Ms. Lago” Araica, has swiftly burgeoned into a towering beacon of talent as one of the music industry’s hottest, most prolific sound engineers. Credited for mixing over one hundred chart-topping tunes, Marcella has had the opportunity of working with world-renowned musical icons such as Beyoncé, Britney Spears, Madonna, Nelly Furtado, Usher, Joe Jonas, and Missy Elliot, along with super producers Timbaland, Danja, and Polow Da Don. In just a few short years, this musical mastermind has already accomplished what most strive to achieve in a lifetime.

    Nate “Danja” Hills is one of the most sought after writers and producers in pop music today and is a two-time Grammy Award winner, four-time Grammy nominee and SESAC “Songwriter of the Year” in 2007, 2008 and 2010. Danja boasts a catalog that features twelve #1 Billboard Singles including “SexyBack,” “My Love,” “Lovestoned” and “What Goes Around Comes Around” by Justin Timberlake, “Promiscuous” and “Say It Right” by Nelly Furtado, “Give It to Me” and “The Way I Are” by Timbaland, “Gimme More” by Britney Spears, “4 Minutes” by Madonna, “Sober” by Pink and “Knock You Down” by Keri Hilson. In addition, Danja has written and produced songs for a who’s who of popular music including, among others, 50 Cent, Bjork, Ciara, Diddy, DJ Khaled, Duran Duran, Jennifer Lopez, Jo Jo, Katherine McPhee, Mariah Carey, Rick Ross, Snoop Dogg, T.I., T-Pain and Usher

Program

The process of greatness fostering greatness has long been recognized and is the reason why masterclasses are organized. The Mix With The Master’s seminars is part of this tradition, offering an exchange of in-depth first-hand studio experience and knowledge that is unparalleled and not available anywhere else. Each seminar is conducted by one of the world’s top music mixers and producers, ready to share their professional secrets with a select group of a maximum of 14 carefully-screened, professional-level participants, who come from all over the world.

One factor that contributes to the enormous success of the seminars is that all tutors support the general MWTM ethos, which is about the love of music, music technology and wanting to help others. Participants also are in part selected on displaying similar, positive attitudes. The fact that the seminars last a full week is another major contributory factor because it offers tutors the time and space to go into real depth, and the participants the opportunity to spend a prolonged time watching a master at his peak, and to ask any question they can think of.

The tutors share exclusive, insider-information on any subject: detailed technical knowledge, how to run sessions, how to handle artists, how to manage a career, the right attitude, how to remain successful, and more. The tutors also assess the work of the participants, by listening to their mixes and mixing recording sessions that they bring, and providing extensive feedback to each participant on where they are at, and how they can get to where they want to be. This is invaluable and offers participants wanting to become world-class professionals in their own right a unique advantage.

Another primary factor in making the MWTM seminars exceptional is that they take place at La Fabrique, a large, comfortable, high-end recording studio located in a picturesque historic building, surrounded by huge, lush grounds, and set in the south-east for France in one of the world’s most beautiful environments. The secluded and idyllic location offers the participants and tutors a lot of space to relax and recharge, far away from the hustle and bustle of daily life and the all-demanding intensity of their regular professional environments.

Because the courses are residential, the participants and tutor work, eat, socialize, and sleep in the same environment. While tutors, and participants, will at times opt to retire to their private quarters, there is ample opportunity for social interaction outside of the studio environment. Participants interact extensively with each other and the tutor, making it easier to assimilate the intangible qualities necessary to be successful at the highest level—presence, focus, social skills, intelligence, creativity, the right attitude, and so on.

In short, for seven days participants can experience mixing with a master in both senses of the phrase, mixing and interacting with them. Get more information about Studio La Fabrique

 

 

SUGERENCIAS PARA MANEJAR EL ESTRÉS EN EL TRABAJO

 

El ambiente en donde nos encontramos es fundamental para tener una buena calidad de vida además de un buen desempeño laboral, pero hay un tema importante que no tomamos mucho en cuenta, cómo podemos laborar en un medio relajado cuando nuestro trabajo tiene como principio factores que físicamente nos desgastan?

La falta de sueño, mala alimentación, cambios de horarios frecuentes y principalmente el estrés son pieza fundamental para potencializar el cansancio mental y físico de cualquier ser humano, es por eso por lo que les compartiré algunos ejercicios para contrarrestar nuestro desempeño.

El  ESTRÉS, un problema por desgracia muy frecuente en la sociedad actual y puede acabar ocasionando graves problemas de salud.

Lo primero, es definir ¿qué es el estrés? Las personas tenemos un sistema de alerta que se pone en marcha ante las situaciones de estrés y que puede provocar distintas reacciones psíquicas y físicas como el aumento del estado de alerta, del tono muscular o de la frecuencia cardiaca y respiratoria. Este mecanismo de alerta tiene una finalidad adaptativa sin la cual no habríamos podido sobrevivir en nuestros inicios evolutivos y que nos hace responder de forma adecuada ante determinados cambios o situaciones de peligro.  Pero cuando esta reacción se prolonga en el tiempo se convierte en un problema porque genera un estado de alerta constante que acaba siendo perjudicial para nuestra salud física y mental.

Cuáles son las situaciones que nos producen estrés?

Cualquier tipo de cambio, tanto negativo como positivo, puede causar estrés. Algunos ejemplos pueden ser, situaciones tan diversas como enfermedades propias o de personas que nos rodean, problemas económicos, el nacimiento o los cuidados de un hijo, tener que estudiar o hacer exámenes y pérdidas de un ser querido; Enfocándonos directamente en el ritmo de trabajo que tenemos dentro de la industria del espectáculo, nos enfrentamos directamente con situaciones altamente estresantes como, cambios de horarios, viajes constantes, trabajar bajo presión, estar lejos de la familia y amigos, entre muchos otros. Pero los mismos cambios no afectan de igual forma a las personas. Hay determinadas situaciones que cada individuo las vive con mucho estrés mientras que a otros apenas les afectan.

Qué tengo que hacer para aprender a manejar el estrés?

Hay que aprender a identificar las señales que nos avisan de un posible exceso de estrés. Estas señales pueden ser de tipo emocional: cansancio, tristeza, mal humor, ira, agresividad, ansiedad,  inquietud, nerviosismo, pesimismo o conflictos en las relaciones con otras personas. Además pueden existir señales físicas de estrés: sudor, palpitaciones, contracturas musculares, dolor o ardor de estómago, dolor de cabeza, cuello o espalda e insomnio. Si nos encontramos con alguna de estas estas señales, debemos reconocer sus posibles desencadenantes e intentar controlarlas antes de enfermar. Esto dicho así parece muy fácil, pero no lo es. Tienes que realizar algunos cambios en nuestros hábitos y formas de pensar, así como aprender recursos y habilidades para enfrentaros a estas causas. Si lo consigues, el esfuerzo merecerá la pena:

Enfréntate a los problemas y no mires para otro lado.

Analiza los problemas con calma, intenta resolverlos y acepta si no los puedes cambiar. Ten una actitud positiva y déjate ayudar por los demás. En vez de preocuparte, deberías ocuparte. Intenta ver los cambios  como un reto, no como  una amenaza. Confía más en  la gente. Comparte tus emociones con los demás. No te aísles. Es muy útil hablar con personas que han pasado por situaciones parecidas. Relativiza y recupera el  sentido del humor.

Aprende a decir NO

Es muy importante marcar tus límites. No siempre tienes por qué cumplir con las expectativas y deseos de los demás.

Disfruta cada día y cuídate. Reserva un tiempo para realizar alguna actividad que te guste (leer, ver series o películas, ir al cine o al teatro, escuchar música, salir con tus amigos, ir al campo, ver exposiciones, viajar, pintar…) y hazlo sin prisas.

Haz ejercicio de manera regular.  Es la forma más saludable de  aliviar la energía y la tensión acumulada. Come y bebe con moderación. Puede parecer que el alcohol y el abuso en las comidas reducen el estrés, pero en realidad lo aumentan.

Haz descansos en el trabajo.

Evita el exceso de estimulantes (como cafeína, alcohol, etc.) y deja de fumar (la nicotina es otro estimulante más y provoca también síntomas de estrés).

Les comparto algunas sugerencias y ejercicios para tranquilizar nuestra mente y cuerpo que en lo personal me han ayudado a sobrellevar momentos de tensión, giras y largas jornadas de trabajo con muy buenos resultados.

El ejercicio y estiramientos funcionan increíblemente para quitar molestias por estar mucho tiempo de pie o en una misma posición, dolores de espalda, dolor de cabeza y cuello.

Les comparto ejercicios básicos y muy simples que pueden hacer en cualquier momento y lugar. Si tienen alguna lesión mas severa no duden en acudir a un médico.

Cuiden su cuerpo y su mente en todo momento.

Ejercicio para relajar y estirar espalda y cuello

Ejercicio para relajar espalda baja, cadera y piernas.

Presiona 4 a 5 segundos cuando sientas dolor de cabeza. Sentirás molestia, respira profundamente mientras presionas los puntos y muy pronto comenzará     el alivio.

Carolina Antón

Es una líder internacionalmente reconocida en el campo de mezcla en sonido en vivo, diseño de sistemas y optimización de refuerzos sonoros. Por más de 15 años, Carolina ha establecido una trayectoria dentro de su carrera, colaborando con artistas y producciones distinguidos.

Carolina C. Antón nació en México, graduada de la universidad Urasenke Gakuen Professional Chado College, Midorikai 浦千家ガ食えんみどり会 (Arte y cultura japonesa) Kioto, Japón. Su primer acercamiento a la música fue como baterista realizando estudios en la universidad de Berklee College of Music. Poco tiempo después de regresar a la Ciudad de México, comenzó a trabajar dentro de empresas de audio profesional, siendo una de las pocas mujeres en México que realizaban trabajos técnicos y de mezcla de sonido.

Con más de 20 tours a nivel nacional e internacional Carolina ha participado como parte de la producción de varios festivales como: KnotFest, PalNorte, Presidente (República Dominicana), Electric Forest (USA).

Actualmente trabaja como freelance para empresas como: 2handsProductions, Eighth Day Sound, Britannia Row Productions, entre otras.

Ha mezclado para artistas como Kool & The Gang, Gloria Gaynor, Natalia Lafourcade, Mon Laferte, Leon Larregui, entre los más importantes.

Además, Carolina es co-fundadora de la empresa 3BH con quien desarrolla proyectos de integración para el área audiovisual en LATAM.

Después de una sobresaliente carrera profesional, en el 2016 Carolina comenzó a representar la organización Soundgirls.org en México con el objetivo de apoyar a las mujeres dentro del medio del espectáculo.

 

SUGGESTIONS FOR MANAGING STRESS AT WORK

The environment where we are is essential to have a good quality of life in addition to good work performance, but there is an important issue that we do not take into account, how can we work in a relaxed environment when our work does physically wear us out?

Lack of sleep, poor diet, frequent schedule changes, and mainly stress are fundamental pieces to potentiate the mental and physical fatigue of any human being, which is why I will share some exercises to help counteract mental and physical fatigue.

STRESS, a problem unfortunately very common in today’s society and can end up causing serious health problems.

The first thing is to define what is stress? People have an alert system that starts up in situations of stress and can cause different psychic and physical reactions such as increased alertness, muscle tone or heart and respiratory rate. This alert mechanism has an adaptive purpose without which we would not have been able to survive in our evolutionary beginnings and that makes us respond adequately to certain changes or situations of danger. But when this reaction continues over time it becomes a problem because it generates a constant state of alert that ends up being detrimental to our physical and mental health.

What are the situations that cause us stress?

Any type of change, both negative and positive, can cause stress. Some examples may be, situations as diverse as illnesses of our own or those around us, economic problems, the birth or care of a child, having to study or take tests and losses of a loved one; Focusing directly on the pace of work that we have in the entertainment industry, we are faced with highly stressful situations such as schedule changes, constant trips, working under pressure, being away from family and friends, among many others. But the same changes do not affect people equally.

What do I have to do to learn to manage stress?

We must learn to identify the signs that warn us of a possible excess of stress. These signs can be emotional: tiredness, sadness, bad mood, anger, aggressiveness, anxiety, restlessness, nervousness, pessimism or conflicts in relationships with other people. There may also be physical signs of stress: sweat, palpitations, muscle contractures, pain or heartburn, headache, neck or back, and insomnia. If we encounter any of these signals, we must recognize their possible triggers and try to control them before becoming ill. That said it seems very easy, but it is not. You have to make some changes in your habits and ways of thinking, as well as learn the resources and skills to deal with these causes. If you succeed, the effort will be worth it:

Face the problems and don’t look the other way.

Analyze the problems calmly, try to solve them and accept that you cannot change them. Have a positive attitude and let yourself be helped by others. Instead of worrying, you should take care of them. Try to see the changes as a challenge, not as a threat. Trust more people. Share your emotions with others. Do not isolate yourself. It is very useful to talk with people who have gone through similar situations. Relativize and recover the sense of humor.

Learn to say NO

It is very important to mark your limits. You don’t always have to meet the expectations and wishes of others.

Enjoy every day and take care of yourself. Reserve a time to do some activity that you like (read, watch series or movies, go to the cinema or the theater, listen to music, go out with your friends, go to the countryside, see exhibitions, travel, paint …) and do it without hurry.

Exercise regularly. It is the healthiest way to relieve energy and accumulated tension. Eat and drink in moderation. It may seem that alcohol and food abuse reduce stress, but they actually increase it.

Take breaks at work.

Avoid excess stimulants (such as caffeine, alcohol, etc.) and stop smoking (nicotine is another stimulant and also causes symptoms of stress).

I share some suggestions and exercises to reassure our mind and body that have personally helped me cope with moments of tension, tours and long working hours with very good results.

– Listen to music that reassures you, in my case, I always carry recordings of Bowls that I usually listen to on flights and long journeys.

– The aromas are also great alloys to achieve relaxation along with deep breaths. Currently, you can get vaporizers where you can place natural oils I highly recommend them.

The exercise and stretching work incredibly to remove discomfort from being long-standing or in the same position, backaches, headache, and neck.

I share basic and very simple exercises that you can do anytime, anywhere. If you have a more severe injury, do not hesitate to see a doctor.

Take care of your body and your mind at all times.

Exercise to relax and stretch back and neck

Exercise to relax the lower back, hip, and legs.

Press 4 to 5 seconds when you feel a headache. You will feel discomfort; breathe deeply while pressing the points and the relief will begin very soon.

Carolina Anton is an internationally recognized leader in the field of live sound mixing, system design, and sound reinforcement optimization. For more than 15 years, Carolina has established a career path, collaborating with distinguished artists and productions.

Carolina’s first approach to music was as a drummer studying at the University of Berklee College of Music. Shortly after returning to Mexico City, she began working within professional audio companies, being one of the few women in Mexico who performed technical and sound mixing work.

With more than 20 national and international tours Carolina has participated as part of the production of several festivals such as KnotFest, PalNorte, President (Dominican Republic), Electric Forest (USA). She currently works as a freelancer for companies such as 2handsProductions, Eighth Day Sound, Britannia Row Productions, among others. She has mixed for artists such as Kool & The Gang, Gloria Gaynor, Natalia Lafourcade, Mon Laferte, Leon Larregui, among the most important.

In addition, Carolina is co-founder of the 3BH company with whom she develops integration projects for the audiovisual area in LATAM. After an outstanding professional career, in 2016 Carolina began representing the Soundgirls.org organization in Mexico with the aim of supporting women in the middle of the show.

 

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