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Colorado – BLUE MAN GROUP – BACKSTAGE TOUR & DINNER

 

BLUE MAN GROUP – BACKSTAGE TOUR & DINNER

A Big Thank You to Blue Man Group and DPA Microphones

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2019

7pm Dinner (provided by DPA Microphones),

9:15PM Tour

DINNER AT THE CORNER OFFICE, 1401 Curtis Street, Denver, CO 80202

TOUR AT THE BUELL THEATER, 1350 Curtis Street, Denver, CO 80202 (meet near the stage door)

Space is limited to 10 SoundGirls Members – You Must be a member of SoundGirls to attend.  Register to become a member here

Register for Event Here

Come get a backstage tour of Blue Man Group’s national tour at the Buell Theater! DPA Microphones treats us to dinner at 7pm at The Corner Office, then we’ll meet up with Steph Gorden, the A2 for the show (and fellow SoundGirl member) after the show for a look at what all goes in to making and touring the show.

 How to be the New Crew Person

 

 

In the live entertainment industry, you will find yourself working new venues fairly often; in the beginning, it might be every week! It’s not easy being ‘the new crew,’ and it can feel somewhat daunting at first. I remember when I started out and I used to not be able to sleep and get stomach ache because I was so stressed out that I was not going to fit in or that I was not going to be able to make some friends or do a good job.

Obviously, it was all in my head, and nowadays, I don’t lose any sleep over being new, but it took some time to get my confidence up and be comfortable with the unknown.

So let’s look at how we can tackle the basics of being new!

Pre-Gig

Look smart and wear practical clothing. Black is the standard colour in the industry because we are meant to be invisible, but it just always works. Honestly, any life situation where you feel like you do not know what to wear, wear black.

If you have got long hair or hair that tends to be in the way, put it up! It’ll be in the way when you’re working or get stuck into something you don’t want to have it stuck in.

Same with jewelry, make sure you’re not wearing anything that might come in the way or be at risk of being pulled out.

If you are new to a venue, make sure you look up the technical specifications of that venue and make sure to familiarise yourself with their equipment. If you are lucky and have got the time, ask to shadow the in-house person, or have a walk through their in-house system.

If you are working with new equipment, make sure you read the manuals beforehand, so you come prepared. Watch YouTube tutorials and make notes of handy tips and tricks to make sure your shift will run smoothly throughout the day/night.

The Gig

Be on time, or preferably be early! Time is not always on our side, so make sure you buy it as soon as possible. Being 30 min early might save you later on in the day, or you will have the time to actually have a little break later on. Either way, you will thank yourself later.

Introduce yourself!

To avoid assumptions on who you are, be the one to introduce yourself first. Let them know your name, who you are, and what job you’re there to do. This way, there will be fewer misunderstandings on who you are.

Ask for help, if you’re in a new venue, but there is a house technician, ask this person for help! That’s what they’re there for, and it will save you time rather than trying to figure everything out on your own. Although all venues are set up on the same basics, there are some differences due to XYZ.

Be friendly and keep the conversation light, if you are not as busy as somebody else ask them if they need a hand with anything.

Always bring a snack and water. There is nothing worse than working long hours on an empty stomach, and well, no one is pleasant to be around when they’re hungry and low on energy.

Post Gig

Hopefully, the gig has gone well, and you had a successful night with hopefully very minor to no issues at all. Before you leave, make sure everyone is OK, ask if anyone needs help with anything. Loadout goes a lot quicker with a helping hand, so make sure you do not leave anyone loading out on their own.

Drop them an email saying thanks; if you have covered someone’s shift, just let them know how everything went.

Find out whom to invoice and make sure to invoice as soon as possible to stay on top of your finances!

With these basics in the bag, you’ll make a good impression, and hopefully, with time and knowledge your confidence will come along, and you will no longer be ‘the new crew person

 

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Glossary of Sound Effects (Part 1)

One of the major hurdles of becoming a sound effects editor is learning your library.  This means knowing what keywords to search in a given situation as well as building up a mental catalog of “go-to” sounds.

While it is always a good idea to start by looking at the picture and then thinking of descriptive words to search, it helps if you know which words will yield the best results.  This is where onomatopoeia enters the scene.  Onomatopoeia is defined as the formation of a word from a sound associated with what is named (e.g., cuckoo, sizzle).  Following is a beginner’s guide to onomatopoeic sound effects search words.  Some of these terms can be found in any dictionary, and some are unique to sound effect library naming conventions.

crackle – a sound made up of a rapid succession of slight cracking sounds. Also, look up: sizzle, fizz, hiss, crack, snap, fuse, fuze, burn, fire

crash – a sudden loud noise as of something breaking or hitting another object. Also, look up: bang, smash, crack, bump, thud, clatter, clunk, clang, hit

body fall – a sound made by a body falling onto a hard surface. Also, look up: body hit, land

boing – the noise representing the sound of a compressed spring suddenly released. Also look up: bounce, bouncing, bonk, jaw harp

boom – a loud, deep, resonant sound. Also look up: explosion, slam, crash, drum, taiko, rumble

buzz – a humming or murmuring sound made by or similar to that made by an insect. Also look up: hum, drone, insect, neon, fluorescent

chomp – munch or chew vigorously and noisily.  Also, look up: munch, crunch, chew, bite

click – a short, sharp sound as of a switch being operated or of two hard objects coming quickly into contact. Also, look up: clack, snap, pop, tick, clink, switch, button

creak – a harsh scraping or squeaking sound. Also look up: squeak, grate

flutter – the sound of flying unsteadily or hovering by flapping the wings quickly and lightly.  Also look up: beat, flap, quiver, wing

glug – the sound of drinking or pouring (liquid) with a hollow gurgling sound. Also look up: pour, drain

groan – a low creaking or moaning sound when pressure or weight is applied to an object OR an inarticulate sound in response to pain or despair. Also, look up: creak, squeak; moan, cry, whimper

honk – the cry of a wild goose. Also look up: gander, goose

ahoogah – the sound of a particular type of horn.  Also look up: model a, model t, antique horn, bulb horn

jingle – a light ringing sound such as that made by metal objects being shaken together.  Also, look up: clink, chink, tinkle, jangle, chime, sleigh bells

neigh – a characteristic high-pitched sound uttered by a horse. Also, look up: whinny, bray, knicker

poof – used to convey the suddenness with which someone or something disappears.  Also look up: puff

pop – a light explosive sound. Also look up: bubble, cork, jug, thunk

puff – a short, explosive burst of breath or wind.  Also, look up: poof, gust, blast, waft, breeze, breath

rattle – a rapid succession of short, sharp, hard sounds.  Also look up: clatter, clank, clink, clang

ribbit – the characteristic croaking sound of a frog. Also look up: frog, toad, croak

quack – the characteristic harsh sound made by a duck. Also look up: duck, mallard

rustle – a soft, muffled crackling sound like that made by the movement of dry leaves, paper, cloth, or similar material.  Also look up: swish, whisper, movement, mvmt

rumble – a continuous deep, resonant sound.  Also look up: boom, sub, earthquake

scream – a long, loud, piercing cry expressing extreme emotion or pain.  Also, look up: shriek, screech, yell, howl, shout, bellow, bawl, cry, yelp, squeal, wail, squawk

screech – a loud, harsh, piercing cry.  Also, look up: shriek, scream, squeal

skid – an act of skidding or sliding.  Also look up: slide, drag

slurp – a loud sucking sound made while eating or drinking.  Also, look up: suck, drink, straw, lick

splash – a sound made by something striking or falling into liquid.  Also, look up: spatter, bespatter, splatter, bodyfall water

splat – a sound made by a wet object hitting a hard surface.  Also, look up: squish

splatter – splash with a sticky or viscous liquid.  Also, look up: splash, squish, splat, spray

squawk – a loud, harsh, or discordant noise made by a bird or a person.  Also, look up: screech, squeal, shriek, scream, croak, crow, caw, cluck, cackle, hoot, cry, call

squeak – a short, high-pitched sound or cry.   Also, look up: peep, cheep, pipe, squeal, tweet, yelp, whimper, creak

squish – a soft squelching sound. Also look up: splat, splatter

swish – a light sound of an object moving through the air.  Also look up: whoosh, swoosh

swoosh – the sound produced by a sudden rush of air. Also look up: swish, whoosh

thunk – the sound of a cork being pulled out of or placed into a bottle or jug.  Also, look up: pop, cork, jug

twang – a strong ringing sound such as that made by the plucked string of a musical instrument, a released bowstring, or a ruler held steady on one end and plucked from the other.  Also, look up: ruler twang, boing twang, ripple, pluck, violin, guitar

whip crack – the loud and sudden sound of a whip moving faster than the speed of sound, creating a small sonic boom. Also look up: bullwhip, whip, swish, whoosh, swoosh

whoosh – a heavy sound of an object moving through the air. Also look up: swish, swoosh

woof – the sound made by a barking dog.  Also look up: bark, howl, yelp, whimper, dog

yelp – a short sharp cry, especially of pain or alarm.  Also, look up: squeal, shriek, howl, yowl, yell, cry, shout

zap – a sudden burst of energy or sound.  Also look up laser, beam, synth, sci-fi

See the original post here.

 

Missed this Week’s Top Stories? Read Our Quick Round-up!

It’s easy to miss the SoundGirls news and blogs, so we have put together a round-up of the blogs, articles, and news from the past week. You can keep up to date and read more at SoundGirls.org

October Feature Profile

https://soundgirls.org/bryony-october-tolerance-patience-the-ability-to-remain-calm/

The Blogs

Radioactivity and Sound

Hearing Health – Hearing Test

Deconstructing a Song

SoundGirls News

Opportunity to Shadow Sound & Lights National Tour

AES Exhibits-Plus Badges for SoundGirls Members

NAMM 2020 Badges for SoundGirls Members

Accepting Applications for SoundGirls Bloggers

We just got some new merch in. Long Sleeves, Onesies, Toddlers, Gig Bags, and Canvas Totes. Check it out Here

Internet Round-Up

Lisa Affenzeller on Roadie Free Radio!
FOH Engineer, Tour Manager, Production Manager, and Stage Manager based in Hamburg, Germany.

 

 

 

SoundGirls Events

Bay Area Chapter Monthly Meeting

Alberta SoundGirls Chapter Social

Colorado SoundGirls Chapter Social

AES SoundGirls Events

SoundGirls Dante Certification Level 1, 2, 3

SoundGirls Alberta Chapter – Field Trip

Vancouver SoundGirls Console of the Month

SoundGirls Electricity and Stage Patch

Los Angeles – Live Sound Workshop

SoundGirls FOH Tuning Workshop – Los Angeles

SoundGirls Opportunities

SoundGirls and SoundGym

Sound Particles Licenses Available

Meyer Sound Supports SoundGirls

SoundGirls Resources

Spotify and SoundGirls Team Up – EQL Directory

SoundGirls – Gaston-Bird Travel Fund

Letter for Trades and Manufacturers

Women-Owned Businesses

SoundGirls Scholarships 2021 Now Open

Events

Sexual Harassment

https://soundgirls.org/about-us/soundgirls-chapters/

Jobs and Internships

Women in the Professional Audio

Member Benefits

Deconstructing a Song

 

Songwriting can be one of the most rewarding parts of being a musician. The beauty of songwriting is that nothing is right or wrong, and the world of music is filled with a wide range of different genres and styles.

But, if you are new to writing, I decided to deconstruct a simple song structure to help get you started.

In my opinion, the most straightforward song structure to apply to your writing is the pop song structure. It goes a little like:

From my experience, the best thing to do before writing a song is to plan what you’re going to write about. For example, this could mean anything from deciding the name of the song and the topic, to write a few sentences about what you want to communicate within it.

Then I usually tackle the first two verses.

I think of writing verses like telling a story — you’re helping to build a world for the listener.

The pre-chorus is an excellent way to transition to the chorus, and you can also change the melody slightly here, which usually will perk up the listener as they will hear something new.

The chorus typically features the title of the song or repeats a specific phrase. This is the part of the song that I think you can get really creative with exciting melodies and rhythms.

The bridge of a song I like to think of as a little plot twist. You can often change the key of the song, or if you’ve written upbeat lyrics at this point, you can change them to something more somber.

Then you can nicely transition back to the chorus a couple of times.

I hope some of this information helped, especially if you’re new to songwriting. It can often be an intimidating and vulnerable thing to write a song if you’ve never done it before.

The best thing to do is to keep it up and keep practicing. You’ll have a couple of albums worth of songs before you know it!

 

Hearing Health – Hearing Test

What to expect from your hearing test

After seeing several recent articles and social media posts promoting good ear health, I realised that I was long overdue for a hearing test so promptly booked myself in with an audiologist to get a check-up at my local Specsavers hearing centre. The NHS covers hearing tests here in the UK, and so they are funded and available to all who require them. Whilst I am eternally grateful we have this service, I found the process of the test rather unpleasant, baffling in its design, and felt it left me with more questions to research myself than it had answered.

The Hearing Test

The exam started with a series of questions regarding medical history, hearing concerns, work, and lifestyle. I told the audiologist my concerns and was met with a weird scoff and strained line of subsequent questions when I answered my profession, making it an uncomfortable start. Maybe she was having a bad day, or had found musicians and engineers to make difficult patients? I can only wonder. Next, a photograph was taken inside each of my ears, which is called an otoscopy, and then the photos were brought up onto a computer screen to show the ear canal. Once those were out the way with no problems, the headphones went on in the soundproof booth, and the hearing test started.

Pure tone audiometry (PTA) is a test that measures the hearing threshold. Pure tones are played in each ear, and the responses are measured – in this case, by pushing a button each time I could hear a sound. The test starts with one ear: a frequency is played loudly, and then the same frequency is played slightly softer, again and softer again several times. This is then repeated in the same ear with the next tone. PTA measures audibility thresholds and has a “normal” average range but does not identify all hearing loss, and therefore some question its accuracy. The average levels refer to the average of hearing threshold levels of the tones used in the test, which are typically 500, 1000, 2000 and 4000 Hz. Headphones are changed during the test from being on the ear as you would normally wear them, to a different set which is placed slightly behind the ear onto the bone of the skull. The process is repeated on the other ear, with the click response being the only interaction from the patient to the audiologist during the test.

Questions arising from the test

The strange thing to me about this method is the lack of the element of surprise – the interval time between the diminishing volume tones was quite rhythmic and predictable, creating absurd existential doubt over the tones reality versus expectation. I had gone in with no real memory of my last hearing test and had thought it would be more similar to an eye exam in the way that new pictures and letters are introduced to the eyes for the first time with no way of cheating your way through, and there’s a continuous back and forth interaction with the optometrist. The lack of interaction meant that there was no opportunity to discuss whether there was a different experience in each ear or anything else that might have cropped up during the test. It seemed quite odd not to have any dialogue, and the decision not to randomise the tones in frequency, volume, and ear was the thing that surprised me, rightly or wrongly.

I was brought out of the booth and greeted with fine results, but unfortunately, it was not the cause to celebrate you’d imagine; I was told that my concerns raised back at the very beginning of the test were either:

  1.  not real and were in my head, or
  2.  due to a brain problem.

The audiologist explained to me that her role only studies the signals as far as the ear and that the signals to the brain from the ear are the jurisdiction of another doctor. The test was over, and I wondered how older or more confused patients might be dealt with at this point.

What to do if you are facing hearing loss

Hearing impairment is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a hearing loss with thresholds higher than 25db in one or both ears. Loss at this level at one or more of the previously mentioned frequencies in the PTA test can guide an audiologist to the specific diagnosis and treatment.

If you’re curious to get tested but are unable to arrange an exam in person, there are various online sources with recreations of PTA tests you can do to discover if you are in the “normal” range or have any areas of concern you’d like to understand better. As with most things, though, prevention is better than the cure and looking after your hearing should be a priority. While I’m not working with stadium rock levels of loudness every night, safety measures are so crucial for those working in potentially damaging environments.

Moulded earplugs and IEMs are a big but worthy investment for both prevention and treatment to stop further damage occurring. Whilst I’m not affiliated with any companies myself, I have peers who collaborate with businesses who provide IEMs and earplugs to them in the way of sponsorship deals, which can be a great and mutually beneficial way to help with the cost of necessary ear protection.

Since my hearing test, I’ve been pleasantly surprised in my research to find there are rolling schemes in the UK such as the Musicians’ Hearing Health Scheme which provides access to specialist hearing assessment and bespoke hearing protection, partnership with Help Musicians UK and Musicians Hearing Services. These tests are with musician-specialist audiologists and include regular check-ups and bespoke hearing protection, all at a massively subsidised rate, making hearing health and treatment both accessible and affordable.

Final thoughts

In the last few weeks, I’ve learned that PTA is possibly not the most suitable or in-depth method for testing musicians’ hearing, although it gives a good benchmark to pinpoint severe hearing loss. I’ll definitely be visiting a musician-specialist for my next appointment, for the bedside manner as well as the knowledge. In matters of health, I do sometimes worry that complacency is encouraged, and if possible, my advice would be to visit a specialist and get a second opinion if something feels ‘off.’ There are experts, sponsorships, and schemes actively working to help look after musicians and engineers, and I for one am comforted knowing they’re out there taking musicians’ health seriously.

To find out more about getting specialised hearing assistance in the UK, including tests and ear protection visit:

Musician’s Union

In the United States visit

MusicCares

Musician’s Hearing Solutions

SoundGirls Electricity and Stage Patch

Learn the basics of Electricity and Stage Patch, and Putting together a Gig Bag.

Electricity

This workshop will cover the Basics of Electricity.  What you need to know on the gig – Not a bunch of theory, but what we need to know for gigs. There are two basic aspects of working with electricity. One is to move enough electrical power from point A to point B to adequately energize the equipment that requires it. The other is to do it safely. Sometimes, these two factors will be in conflict with each other, usually because of budgetary restraints Large wire and cables are needed to move a lot of power, and they are expensive to purchase and install properly, but small, cheap gangs of “extension cords” may seem to get the job done, until a plug or receptacle burns out, or a cable catches on fire. And therein lies the potentiality for serious problems.

Stage Patch

Stage Patch is the most important job on a gig. You will learn how to properly wire a stage, learn how to make input lists, festival patches, and best steps to becoming a patch master.

Gig Bag

What’s in your Gig Bag:  Learn what tools you should have in your gig bag.

Taught by Ivan Ortiz

Ivan Ortiz is an audio veteran, with over 18 years of experience in professional audio – gaining his education working for a small sound company that specialized in Latin acts while attending Full Sail. After he graduated he headed to the west coast – taking an internship at Rat Sound Systems and his “can do attitude” led to weekend work with several Los Angeles based sound companies. Ivan would go on to tour as a system tech for Blink 182, Jimmy Eat World, Pepe Aguilar and toured for several years as a monitor engineer for My Chemical Romance, Gavin DeGraw, and multiple fill in gigs for other bands as FOH or MON Engineer.

Ivan would go on to work for LD Systems in Houston Texas working the Houston Rodeo as Monitors Engineer for the event for five consecutive years. While working for LD Systems Ivan also had the opportunity to work on national televised events as the A1 for NCAA Final Four, NCAA Sweet Sixteen, Houston’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, before returning to Rat as shop manager and all around Tech Master.  Ivan is now the Technical Resources Manager at Rat Sound Systems.

 

SoundGirls FOH Tuning Workshop – Los Angeles

This  workshop covers various Front of House system design and scenarios. Topics include designing the PA, software prediction, coverage over SPL, time alignment, sub-woofer configurations, and coverage gaps. This is an intermediate course and will help professionals to hone their skills.

Designing  your  PA  

Using  Prediction  Software  accurately  

Coverage  over  SPL  

Time  Alignment  

Subwoofer  configurations  

Filling  the  gaps  of  coverage

About Ivan Ortiz

Ivan Ortiz is an audio veteran, with over 18 years of experience in professional audio – gaining his education working for a small sound company that specialized in Latin acts while attending Full Sail. After he graduated he headed to the west coast – taking an internship at Rat Sound Systems and his “can do attitude” led to weekend work with several Los Angeles based sound companies. Ivan would go on to tour as a system tech for Blink 182, Jimmy Eat World, Pepe Aguilar and toured for several years as a monitor engineer for My Chemical Romance, Gavin DeGraw, and multiple fill in gigs for other bands as FOH or MON Engineer.

Ivan would go on to work for LD Systems in Houston Texas working the Houston Rodeo as Monitors Engineer for the event for five consecutive years. While working for LD Systems Ivan also had the opportunity to work on national televised events as the A1 for NCAA Final Four, NCAA Sweet Sixteen, Houston’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, before returning to Rat as shop manager and all around Tech Master.  Ivan is now the Technical Resources Manager at Rat Sound Systems.

 

Los Angeles – Live Sound Workshop

Here’s your chance to gain knowledge in live sound in a professional environment

In this class, you will learn:

Instructors

FOH Instructor – Amanda Davis: L.A.- based FOH engineer for Janelle Monáe, Tegan & Sara, and Ella Mai

Monitors & Production Instructor – Whitney Olpin: Monitor Engineer for Melody Gardot, Lauryn Hill, Fitz, and The Tantrums, Sublime with Rome, Marian Hill, X-Ambassadors, and Walk the Moon.

System & Stage Patch Instructors – Emily Pearce and McKenzee Morley: Both Emily and McKenzee work for Schubert Systems

Backline Tech: TBA

Karrie Keyes – Monitor Engineer for Pearl Jam and Eddie Vedder and Executive Director for SoundGirls will be on hand as well

Registration

Register Here

Schedule

Day One

Day Two

 

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