By: Malle Kaas
Did the ten years I was away from the industry change me?
Well, of course, I have changed in the last ten years, things in my life also changed. I started working as a nurse, but becoming a nurse was not really a dream of mine. At the time though, I wanted a career that I could work anywhere and becoming a nurse filled that desire.
Surprisingly, it has had a great impact on me. Many of the aspects of being a nurse benefit me now in sound. I find myself much more structured when I’m working at a gig. One of the best things is how I now approach stressful situations. As a nurse, you are trained to focus on your tasks during stressful situations, yet you are aware of everything that is happening around you. This is a great skill to have when you’re on stage during a show, and it’s loud and something breaks down. I have also learned how to deal with all kinds of people in all kinds of situations. This also comes in handy working in the industry.
The other day I was talking to a sound guy, who said working gigs is sometimes like being at a war. People are often stressed out, and often times artists are in crisis mode before a show. So here are some things to think about: How to handle a stressed out co-worker or a crisis-torn artist? How to act and react in stress related situations at a gig? I feel that the years I spent working as a nurse has allowed me to acquire more knowledge and experience on how to deal with people in general. Knowing how to deal with different people is just as important as having a technical understanding of your sound career.
Week Eight at Brit Row:
We got an introduction to the Avid Profile and the Digico SD8. While the Profile is a favorite of many engineers I can’t say it is a favorite of mine, which is fair enough, because the truth is, it’s impossible to be an “expert” on all of them. I have found it is best to pick a few and make them your favorites. For my part, it is the MIDAS Pro-series and the Digico SD8. The Digico SD8 was the one the console that Miguel and I used on this week’s band day. We had a band come in and set up, and do a gig. We had a blast on the SD8. It is so convenient to mix monitors on.
