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Freelance or Full-time?

I was recently offered a full-time position, and although I turned it down — it got me thinking: Freelance or Full-time? Which path should I pursue?

Ever since I read the line in a cheesy Arthurian lore novel, I’ve been a huge fan of the idea that our best decisions are made when our head and our hearts agree. But what happens when there doesn’t seem to be a compromise? My heart screams freelance, and my brain desperately wants me to just go full-time. On the one hand, freelancing is exciting, and I’ve worked hard building contacts that I’m scared would all but disappear if I chain myself to one company. On the other hand, full-time means security. Full-stop.

I could spend most of next year working as a stagehand, a pusher, doing neck-down work, or I could spend the next year getting awesome gigs and further pursuing relationships. Getting experience, I would never have gotten with only one company. Since I can’t predict the future, how do I even begin to decide what route I want to take?

Luckily, I get to work with people that have been doing this as long as I’ve been alive (literally, in some cases). So I spent some time asking my coworkers about their experiences with being full-time. I have found that there are three basic categories:

The takeaway that I see from these responses is that their reasons are much more emotionally driven than I had initially though

Maybe making decisions based on our emotional needs is the logical thing to do. And maybe making rational decisions is good for our emotional health. There is a balance somewhere in there. Finding a way to pursue your career dreams and goals while also balancing the stresses that come with finances.

What I have found myself doing is working part-time, on-call for an in-house hotel AV company in addition to the freelancing that I do. The pay isn’t great, but it is work that is somewhat consistent and doesn’t add to my tax stresses. Of course, I’m young, I’m fortunate enough to be on my parents’ health insurance, and my only dependent is my cat. So this not-so-compromise works for me. My thoughts and feeling on this all might change in a couple of years.

“What do you want to do when you grow up?” is a question that everyone answers a thousand times; it can make you feel as though when you become an adult, you pick a career and that’s your job. The end. However, the reality is much more complicated. Life happens, and things change. I think the most important thing I’ve learned is that when the situation changes, don’t be afraid to change your approach. People are constantly changing their paths. Some even have said that they ask themselves the question of freelance or full-time on a yearly basis  We are fortunate to work in an industry that has many options, and many paths to success.

Compromising with your head and your heart is a daunting task, but I think seeing them as intertwined gives us clarity. The dichotomy of the logical or emotional decision is a false one. We are emotional beings, and every decision we make will have an emotional facet to it. At the end of the day, you’re the only one that can make this decision, so go forth and know that your path is not set in stone.

Work hard, do your best, and make yourself proud.

Tia Azimioara interest in live sound engineering began while studying the clarinet at the Orange County High School of the Arts, where she took a class on music technology. She would go on to double major in Anthropology and Classics at Lawrence University while working as a sound tech. She googled and YouTubed her way through shows and concerts. She fell in love with the fast-paced, trial by fire world of live production. After graduating she began working any live events that she could. After two years she has completely fallen in love with her varied and fast-paced life; today you can find her doing anything from slinging deck at a concert venue in Doc Martens, to working in IT specialist for a corporate event in a suit. She is not sure what the future holds but would like to use her training in anthropology to help make the industry more inclusive for everyone. 

Read Tia’s Blog

SoundGirls Launches SoundGirls Productions

SoundGirls was formed in 2013. Veteran live sound engineers, Karrie Keyes (Monitor engineer for Pearl Jam) and Michelle Sabolchick Pettinato (FOH engineer Gwen Stefani, Melissa Etheridge, amongst others) participated in a six women AES panel called “The Women of Professional Concert Sound”. Keyes remembers being amazed that in 2013 the industry was still hosting “Women” panels instead of simply showing the diverse talent that our industry has.

That being said, the panel was incredibly powerful for the panelists. “We had all been in the business for 20 years or more, yet most of us had never met before that day. Within minutes we bonded like long lost sisters. We were struck by how similar our experiences, work ethics, and passions were and wondered how our careers would have been if our paths had crossed earlier and we had been there to support each other throughout the years. Each of us had been asked hundreds of times during our careers: Are there other women doing sound? How did you get into sound? How would a young woman go about getting into sound?” related Keyes.

Thus was the first step in creating SoundGirls. “We set up SoundGirls as an online community for primarily women, but we are not exclusive, welcoming all to come and share their experiences, ask questions and find a supportive community. Since that time SoundGirls has grown and moved in directions we could not have envisioned when we started. The support of our industry has been overwhelming, from both the level of the various manufacturer’s and other sound companies, through industry engineers and enthusiasts. Currently we have over 4,000 members worldwide with a member base of approximately 65% women and 35% men. SoundGirls features monthly engineer profiles, publishes weekly blogs, educational workshops and seminars for rookies and veterans alike of all genders. We offer scholarships, internships and mentors for those working in music production.”

“One of SoundGirls long-term goals has been to provide career advancement, real world training, and jobs for our members by establishing an intern program.” continued Keyes. “Daniella Peters a long term friend, colleague, and SoundGirls supporter was aware of our desire to start such a program and had herself produced a music production workshop for the at risk teen girls of “ Step Up Women’s Network.” She has been working in professional audio for over 17 years with Rat Sound Systems and had, in her spare time, been providing sound systems and engineers for fundraisers and charity benefits in the Los Angeles area. She thought maybe there was a way to enable the women and girls at SoundGirls to intern at these gigs bringing her two passions of women and audio production together. Thus SoundGirls Productions was born.”

The overall vision of SoundGirls Productions is to inspire and empower the young people starting their careers in the world of professional audio and music production. With a range of gear available for rent and a roster of experienced engineers, for every production we send out a professional audio engineer and, upon the client’s approval, a mentee will provide on-the-job support to the professional. This has a dual purpose of providing the opportunity to have hands-on training while offering invaluable support to the mentor on a real life show.”

For more information: SoundGirlsProductions.com

My Journey into Live Sound – So Far

Some of us are lucky to know what we want to do when we grow up and can go to college and study our chosen profession.  When I was 15 years old, my interest in music began, from a very technical point. I started to listen to electronic music and was delighted by the effects like flangers or delays. Then I found out they were not a big thing, but I was amazed at that time. In that moment, I knew I wanted to know how to make songs but not as a composer. Then, I discovered gigs. I loved the energy coming from the performers to the audience, and I was impressed with how I felt during those two hours. Then I discovered the job of an audio engineer what I wanted to be a live sound engineer.

I enrolled in sound school when I was 20; I was in a class with a varied group of people: singers, composers, guitarists, bassists, drummers, pianists, DJs, and people who wanted to learn audio. The first day of class was complicated: my teacher, a live sound engineer was talking about things I’ve never heard of before. He talked about digital consoles (a Tascam DM 4800), and channels, aux sends, inserts, solo types, effects, master fader … and all of my classmates seemed to know what he was talking about but me. I remember that when I got home and reconsidered my choice for a moment. Was I in the right place? Did I choose the right thing? Is this what I really want? It was overwhelming! But my argument was solid and straightforward: “I want to learn how to work and mix concerts, and it’s okay if I don’t understand everything yet. That’s why I am going to school.”

There were three women out of the twenty students the first year and four in our second year. When I told people I was studying audio engineering they would say things like ‘that’s a man thing,’ ‘there aren’t many girls doing what you do,’ or even ‘are you a lesbian?’  I also received comments like ‘that’s so cool! ‘that sounds like so much fun!’ or ‘ there should be more women in here’ … eventually, I got used to this two sides.

As the time passed, the students started to choose different disciplines; recording, mixing, mastering, post-production, DJs, producers, marketing, and live sound. My teachers and mentors were always so real about the pros and cons of working in live sound. The lack of sleep, the fast-paced travel, battling the elements, this just fed my enthusiasm. I knew it wasn’t going to be easy and I also knew I would need to put in years of hard work before I would get the chance to be on an international tour.

I love preparing for an event. Learning the console, prepping my gear, choosing microphones all to make the performers comfortable onstage and do to provide the best sound possible to the audience. The journey is complicated, especially when you are a beginner and (though I refuse to accept this) being a woman. Every show teaches me something. I still have a long way to go in front of me, and I want to keep this excitement and drive to learn.

Brenda Oyola is a sound engineer who was born in Colombia and now living in Spain for the last 12 years.  She studied Audio Production at SAE Institute in Madrid and graduated two years ago. Though she’s happy working in recording and post-production, her true passion is Live Sound.  Brenda has been working around the country as an assistant and technician. She also has a deep interest in acoustics and enjoys listening to music. Though she has a long way in front of her in this spectacular industry, she hopes to keep the same passion that took her into this business and will keep working hard to make herself a great sound engineer.

Read Brenda’s Blog

 

The Heart at the Beginning

How did you know you were a SoundGirl/Soundperson? How did that spark make you feel? Do you carry it with you still?

For some of us, our lives feel somewhat planned out. For others, spontaneity reigns. I fall into the latter! No matter how I try to decide the path to take, life loves to throw me as many curveballs as it can muster. (Most likely chuckling at me as it pitches) I used to fight it, but in the last few years, I’ve been able to get in the game and get excited about how I’m going to handle each new surprise as it explodes into my life. When it comes to sound, if I am completely honest, I had no idea it was even a thing until it was presented to me. Not even exaggerating! I’d never plugged in an electric guitar, rarely thought about music as being more than vocals, and never thought about the fact the there was a human at a booth making all my favourite shows possible.

Now, you may be thinking, ‘Well that’s not cool, our honorable profession deserves musical aficionados, dedicated by many years of developing our trade and skills!’. To that I say, kill the elitist inside your head! We all start somewhere. Some are born so very lucky to be within a musical family or surrounded by people who teach and demonstrate the magic of music at an early age. Me, well I guess I am just a late bloomer! And this is exactly what my blog series is about. Do you ever see phenomenal natural talent, or technical genius and wonder how did I get here?! Is this really what I should be doing because I don’t feel like I can compare. Have you just started out and felt as though you are entering a race 12 years behind everyone else? Do you get overwhelmed at all there is to learn so intensely that it makes you feel like you know nothing, so you decline gigs and hide in bed? Me too. For real, me too. However, these thoughts are rarely helpful! I aim to reconnect you with the magic of it all. The passion that brought you here and the character that will make you persevere, so you can realize it’s not a race at all. It’s a marathon where you decide the start, control the pace, and have full reign to choose the finish line. Those competitors can be your best allies if you keep your head in the game, ignore the sour Sally’s, and push out that useless self-doubt. We all have skills that brought us here, and sometimes the subtle ones that seem small, are the ones that can get you ahead.

My moment came after a tumultuous spring. I was planning on hitching to the Yukon from the Kootenays in British Columbia. A friend offered a ride but had to make a stop because they were working a Festival, for which they offered me an ‘in.’ I went with the intention of slacking hard and partying to great music, but in true character, I took to my job of driving a box truck easily and quickly and ended up ditching parties to re-strategize the camper shuttle load in the parking lot. At the end of the weekend, I was considering moving to the states to work with this company full time. Thankfully a friend told me about a small-time bc festival in 100-mile house called Hootstock. I was unsure if I was taking the right course of direction as I nervously attended, and my life was forever changed.

I found the magic under the last night’s moonlight. We were meant to jam by the fire, but we weren’t finished our shift, so we started a song under the canopy of the artist’s kitchen. Musician after musician trickled in to join, and before we knew it we had nearly every instrument imaginable! An electric fiddle, upright bass, a saw, a whole brass section, a melodica, and no joke someone was playing the stove and cast iron pans with metal utensils. It was so monumental that the wood stove campfire was dragged to where we were, and we danced and played until we no longer could! We tried to take video, but it was futile. That moment can never be fully depicted. That moment was for us, that was our magic, our cosmic message telling us we were okay, that THIS is what life is about, and that we were all on the right path. From here I went on to volunteer at six more small-time festivals working every and any job they would give me. I was hooked, that music sang me a song I’d waited my life to hear. That magic was taking me somewhere, and I had to find out where!

Janna Dickinson aka JDog broke into the industry last year, when she accidentally worked nine festivals! At the Last-ival, having worked every volunteer role through to stage-managing, she watched the techs and realized that she had finally found a job where her varied skill sets could finally all work in unison. She spent nearly two months couch hopping while hitching to every tech across BC that she had met at festivals who were willing to teach her anything. Her first gig was waiting for her when she returned! With a childhood free from live music, she had never played in a band or plugged in an electric guitar. She was learning it all from scratch! So, learning WHAT an XLR cable is called, let alone what it’s for! She returned to the same festivals this year with a new role and received honorable mentions at each one. Follow her on her journey of navigating such a complex industry as a complete novice, working solely on instinct, an ear and the drive to work at her passion no matter the odds. Unafraid to ask embarrassing questions on her quest for excellence, she carries with her goals of touring, teching/tuning, tv and teaching. Her freelance company is Penny Lane Audio & Production.

Read Janna’s Blog 

Celebrating Women in Small Town America

Not often does a small southern town host a women’s event that stretches beyond wedding expos or Ladies’ Nights, so when I heard about the Carolina Lily Festival, I was intrigued.  Boasting an all-female line-up, the Festival serves as a fundraiser for the local non-profit women’s shelter (Coastal Women’s Shelter) in New Bern, NC.

The Coastal Women’s Shelter’s focus is on those who have suffered from domestic abuse.  As outlined on their website: “During the fiscal year 2015-16, we served 550 individuals in Craven, Jones, and Pamlico counties. One hundred women and 46 children lived in the safe house for an average stay of two months. We can house up to 19 individuals at any one time.

Bailey and Grant

The Carolina Lily Festival is celebrating its third year.  This year The Brown Pelican, a nautical-themed bar, is the venue.  On stage is Gabrielle Christie, playing guitar and singing a mix of covers and originals with a creamy voice that fills the room.  And the place is bursting at the seams with people of all ages and genders.  In the back is the raffle table where I find Bailey Evans and Grant Golden, key members in GEM productions, an event company hosting the festival.  They are the festival’s event coordinators.  I reached out to these three to find out why they chose to get involved.

Nicole Kirch (NK):  What is the Carolina Lily Festival and why is it important?

Gabrielle Christie (GC):  The Carolina Lily Fest is an event to raise money for the Coastal Women’s Shelter while supporting and celebrating local female artists. It’s important for several reasons. One, we need to continue raising awareness for CWS so that any woman in need knows that services exist and knows how to access them. Two, as a community we need to help financially support organizations like this. I think it’s our duty to make sure places like the CWS can continue operating. And three, I will always jump on the chance to support and cheer on local artists.

Bailey Evans (BE):  Coastal Women’s Shelter works to end domestic violence by providing women in our area with the skills, support, and confidence to live better lives.   It felt in keeping with the spirit of the organization to spotlight and support female artists during this event.  It’s been important to us to empower all artists to take the stage and follow their dreams, but Carolina Lily Fest is a celebration of women because empowering women is the reason we gather for this particular event.  Small towns like ours benefit from festivals dedicated to women for a number of reasons.  First and foremost, this specific festival highlights an organization that actively improves the lives of local women.  It reminds us of the challenges many women still face but also allows us to be part of the solution.  Additionally, it’s no secret that the entertainment industry is and has been rife with sexual harassment, so it’s important to give women some extra and exclusive opportunities to shine safely.

NK:  Is this your first time performing at the festival and why did you want to perform?

GC:  No, I had the honor of performing last year. I’ll always be happy to get involved. I think it is a cause worthy of our time and our donations.

NK:  What were your reasons behind a full female line-up?

BE:  We struggled with committing to the concept of an all-female line-up when we began planning the first Lily Fest.  We weren’t sure if that was the best way to develop an inclusive community-minded vibe.  However, we decided that there’s nothing problematic about celebrating a particular group and having an all-inclusive event.  This event focuses on women, but it welcomes everyone and invites all people to be involved in supporting a vital community organization.  This night is about encouraging the potential of women in our community, so it feels fitting to incorporate that concept into our line-up as well.

Grant Golden (GG):  We had a hard time deciding if we should do a full female lineup. Do we need to have an all-women lineup to empower female musicians, does it feel patronizing to make it feel like an entirely separate event? Ultimately we decided that an all-female lineup is the best way to ensure that the most female voices are heard, highlighted and praised. This seemed to be the best way to show that Carolina Lily Fest is here to serve as a safe-space for all attendees and a day to honor the strong women in our lives.

NK:  Have you ever performed in an all-female line-up before, what is your impression of it?

GC:  No actually, last year when I performed I did a solo set then got my band Bearfoot Monty to play as well which has male members. But I am so stoked for this year’s all female line up.

NK:  What made you interested in music and performance?

GC:  I’ve always loved music. And it’s been a long journey to performer. I was lucky to be brought up in a home where lots of different music was played. My sister bought me the album “Lungs” by Florence and the Machine when I was about 13, and from then on I knew I wanted to be a songwriter and performer. But I wasn’t until I was a junior in high school when I met an amazing music teacher did I get the push to pursue it. He made me learn the guitar so I could back myself up on stage. He told me I don’t ever want to have to rely on someone else for my music and I need to be able to do it myself. So I did. And over the years I just continuously get inspired by people and music and get encouraged to go further and further.

NK:  Define female empowerment.

GC:  Female empowerment… I think it’s the ability for a woman to be in charge of herself and not feel ashamed. It’s tough to truly get there though. I know I get put down a lot or condescended to and it can make you feel like you’re less. But being empowered means pushing past that and knowing your worth.

BE:  Encouraging women to determine their paths, assert their boundaries, and define themselves free from stereotypes or cultural expectations.  It’s such a hard thing for me to define eloquently because it includes so many concepts.  I just want everyone of all genders to be allowed to follow their paths and be treated as whole human beings on their journey.  Gender shouldn’t be allowed to define one’s personhood, limit one’s potential, or determine one’s role in the world.  In many places and for many people, being a woman still comes with restrictions and constraints that are unacceptable.  Female empowerment is encouraging women to break free from what they are told a woman is and become whatever they want to be.

GG:  As a male, I likely will have a slightly skewed definition of this, since it’s not necessarily a battle I have to fight on a regular basis, but to me, female empowerment is the act of empowering women to be the fearless leaders they indeed are. There’s always been an implicit disadvantage that women face in society, whether it be lower pay in the workforce, undermining of their thoughts and opinions in both career and social settings, or the constant sexual harassment they’re subject to. Female empowerment is how we can help to push past these struggles and work towards a mutual goal of development and sustainability for females in their communities.

NK:  Why is it important to have a festival dedicated to women and why should small town America have a festival dedicated to women?

GC:  I love that this small town is doing something that even some big cities aren’t. It just shows how much character this town has. It’s important because we are a tight-knit community and we need to be here for one another. Support is everything.

GG:  The music industry itself has always been somewhat of a boy’s club. Females in the industry always seem to have to push a little harder and speak a little louder to gain some traction in their scene, and if you have the power to help change that then you 100% should be doing that. Small towns can sometimes exist within an echo chamber, and while by and large New Bern seems to do a great job of elevating women in the community to positions of power, there is always room for improvement and GEM Productions wants to further help the development of gender equality amongst our town.

NK:   How has the festival changed in it’s three years and where would you like to see it go?

BE:  Lily Fest, like most of our events, is always an evolving concept.  Our ultimate goal is raising money for the Coastal Women’s Shelter, so we’ve made adjustments   It went from a ticketed event to a free one.  Each year we’ve tweaked our raffle and auction idea to better serve our audience and see greater returns.  It’s also beginning to make itself known as an annual event, so we are gathering regular supporters and volunteers.  I’d like to see that support and participation continue to grow because it’s those connections that allow us to grow the event and reach new donation levels.  I’d love to see it grow into a more significant, full-day event with more interactive aspects like panels, creative workshops, and the like, that raises more and more money each year.

GG:  Carolina Lily Fest is an ever-changing event. We’ve moved venues since our first year and changed it from a ticketed event to a free night of music at The Brown Pelican. While we had a larger production scale for our first year, it seemed to be a bit more pomp than it needed to be. We’ve minimized our overhead costs, and almost all of the artists are donating their time and talents to the cause, which is a fantastic contribution that we can’t be thankful enough for. As for where we’d like to see it go, I think having more community involvement would be fantastic, more visual artists and businesses being highlighted and contributing their goods is a great way to show how much our community truly appreciates the females in our scene and our lives in general.

NK:  How is this year different than previous years for the festival?

BE: This year we’ve seen far more interest in the event in the weeks leading up to the festival.  People remember it or they’ve heard about it and have reached out about getting involved or helped spread the word.  The buzz is a bit bigger, and hopefully, that means the crowd and donations will be as well.  Our raffle prizes and silent auction items are more numerous than in previous years.  Overall the spirit and intentions of the festival are the same as they’ve been since the beginning, but our skill set has grown each year, and this year we’ve hit our stride and feel much more confident about being able to achieve or exceed our goals.

GG:  This year features our biggest headlining act yet, Laura Reed, which is someone we’ve wanted to bring to town for years now. Laura serves as a beacon of light amongst the North Carolina music scene in terms of female empowerment. She’s worked with Grammy winning producers, has performed the national anthem at several national sporting events, and has toured internationally with some immensely talented artists. Laura is without a doubt one of the most accomplished artists we’ve brought to New Bern and having her on board to help support this great cause is nothing short of fantastic.

We’ve also forgone the traditional array of “vendors” that we have at events and are instead having people donate their supplies so that all money raised goes straight to CWS.

NK:  Any closing thoughts.

GG:  Carolina Lily Fest is our most significant fundraiser throughout the year, and it’s continued to grow along with GEM Productions. We’re always thrilled to see the feedback and reaction from Lily Fest because so many of these folks may not be familiar with the breadth of local talent our community contains. We’re lucky to be a part of such a supportive and inviting community, and we can’t wait to share another evening of fantastic local art with New Bern!

BE:  It’s a privilege to answer these questions and share my opinion with you, thank you for the opportunity.  This area has an incredible network of women in the music industry, and it’s an honor to be a part of it.

Bands are Like Spiders

When I started mixing bands in-house at university I was terrified: I had so much technical stuff to remember, and then I was faced with a bunch of stony-faced strangers who wouldn’t even come and talk to me! They were going to hate me. If I had known then what I know now about interacting with bands (and event organisers, or any kind of client really) those first gigs would have been so much less stressful. It’s easy to forget that not many people outside of our job really understand what the role entails; it’s a bit of a dark art to them. The technical team can make or break a show, and that can make people a bit nervous about us. Once I realised that bands are like spiders: they are, on the whole, more scared of me than I am of them, I could approach things differently.

First off: don’t expect them to come to you! They may be affecting an air of cool by being standoffish, or they may just be shy, or a bit lost because they’ve just got out of the van after an 8-hour journey and are looking for the facilities… Take a deep breath, smile, and go and introduce yourself. Be ready with a pen and paper to note anything you need to know that wasn’t in the advance. The single best piece of advice I’ve ever got for mixing is to write the band members’ names down! If you’re on monitors, write it on their mixes, on FoH on their vocal or instrument channels. It’s such a simple thing, but using their names during soundcheck makes them feel that you really are paying attention, and if someone yells “I need more of Dan in my wedge!”, halfway through a song with no hand gestures, you stand a fighting chance of knowing who and where Dan is. Communicating with them properly from the start will help them to relax so they can concentrate on having a better show. You’re also inviting them to let you know about problems constructively, instead of giving you the silent treatment then complaining after the fact that it sounded bad.

The same applies to any live event: take the initiative to introduce yourself to the client’s point of contact (or ask the head of the technical team to introduce you if that’s more appropriate) and be confident! I come from a background where modesty and talking down your skills is the norm, and confidence is looked down on as boasting, especially if you’re a woman. It took me far too long to understand that people look to the techs for reassurance that the show’s going to go smoothly. You needn’t be arrogant, just be secure in your abilities. Clients often gauge how well things are going by looking to you; the knock-on effects of you appearing happy or worried are definitely noticeable.

When things go wrong, and they will don’t let the confidence fade. Technical issues happen, it’s how you deal with them that’s important. Take a few seconds to assess whether you can fix the problem quickly. If not, it’s time to swallow your pride and let someone know. If you realise you’ve made a mistake don’t ignore it in the hopes, it’ll go away. The earlier you own up to it, the easier it is to deal with. For example, if you’ve forgotten to bring something from the warehouse, you might be able to get it delivered in time for the show if you mention it at 11 am, but you won’t have a chance at 6 pm. You might get teased or worse for it, but it’s much easier to forgive and forget as long as it’s alright in the end. How you deal with problems gets remembered much more than what the problems were.

As engineers, we often tend to shut out the outside world and think only about the signal path when something goes wrong during soundcheck or the show. While it’s great to be focused, taking a minute or two to tell someone else can actually speed up the problem-solving process, or at least prevent a stressed and angry client because the music has stopped and you’re ignoring them. If there’s another sound person there, tell them what’s happening. Two minds are better than one, and at the very least they can go and smooth things over with the band or event organiser while you get on with troubleshooting. It can be very frustrating when an already patronising colleague steps in and “rescues you,” but in the long run, it’s more important that the show goes well than that you were the one who saved the day.

If you’re the only tech, calmly tell whoever’s in charge what’s going on, and roughly how long it will take to fix. No need to waste time on details unless they ask; saying you have a technical issue but you’re working on it is usually enough. Don’t be tempted to tell even a little white lie! You never know who used to be a sound tech in a previous job, and bluffing to them could do you a lot more harm than good. Clients don’t care that an XLR has broken, all they want to know is whether you can fix it, how long it’ll take, and whether it’s likely to happen again. Remember the Scotty principle: overestimate the time you need by at least 25-50% to allow for unforeseen complications. People are much happier if you’re back up and running in 20 minutes when you said half an hour than if you promised them it’d be done in 10 or 15. Don’t waste time apportioning blame either. It’s impossible to look professional while pointing the finger at someone else, even if it was their fault.

There’ll be times where you might think there’s nothing that sharing the problem will do to help, but you never know. Someone might have a quick and simple solution that just didn’t occur to you because you’re stressed or inexperienced, or the event organisers could open the community fair with the sack race and move your band’s set to, later on, buying you precious time. You won’t know until you discuss it. You might be surprised by how willing people are to help if it ensures the success of the show, and makes life easier for that nice sound engineer who was so welcoming and friendly when they first arrived.

 

 

Ch Ch Ch Changes

It’s the new year’s resolution time where many people look at setting goals such as eating healthier, exercising more, or to stop procrastinating as much.  While some stick with it others give up within the first month or so.  Some people don’t believe in setting resolutions while others like myself set new goals any time of year, especially when I feel like I have achieved a previous target. For me, as part of setting new goals, it is helpful to look back on the past year.

2017 brought a lot of change in my career and life.  What I decided early on in the year it was time for a career change.  I wasn’t unhappy where I was, but I had felt like I had achieved my goals and needed a significant change to continue to grow as a person and in my career.  So, I started the job hunt which resulted in a move later in the year. I was pretty lucky to have a job line up quickly, found great housing fast, and had a family to help me with all the transition.

As with any change though, there were things I would end up having to give up and things that would inevitably change even though I didn’t want it too. I wouldn’t see my friends every day and eventually lose touch with some. My surroundings would be unfamiliar for a long time, and I wouldn’t be the expert in my new position until I learned it and so much more.  Many of these changes I expected, while others I did not.

For instance, some friends change a lot faster when you move unexpectedly. I need to keep reminding myself that lifelong friends will always stick around – near or far a great friendship will last any distance. Meanwhile, getting out and joining clubs or groups will create new friendships closer to home which could also open new possibilities and new experiences. It is incredible how people are connected and meeting one new person could lead to networking connections for even more positive changes down the line.

As for learning my new job, that will take time, and I am just going to have to get used to that. Each organization runs differently and has different goals.  Even though the jobs are similar the people, venues, and events are different. It will take time to work through all the differences and changes as well as to improve it with my experiences and skills.

I never expected that doing sound would become mostly absent from my life. I hoped by changing my job would have become fun again by having a new environment to work in and new things to learn.  Diving back into sound is essential to me. I will work towards it one step at a time, so I can change the phrase “I use to do sound all the time” to “I do sound all the time.”  It will be an uphill challenge as I rebuild relationships, learn new technology, and balance it all; but it is one I am sure looking forward to!

Even with the things that have gone according to plan and the others that have not I would still make the changes I did because through these experiences I will only grow as a person and be ready for future opportunities to come. So, my goals for 2018 are to continue running with the change I started in 2017, see where all of it is going to take me this year, and get back into sound. All different kinds of goals can create a fun and challenging year. What are your sound goals for 2018?

Philadelphia SoundGirls Chapter Kick Off 2018

Attend the first meeting for 2018 for the Philadelphia Chapter of SoundGirls and find out what is in store for the organization and our local chapter in 2018. Meet other women in the industry. What do you want to learn about, have access to, or do this year with SoundGirls? Share your ideas and experiences with other women in audio engineering.

A tour of World Café Live Downstairs will follow the meeting for anyone interested in learning about their system. Open to any members of SoundGirls and new people interested in joining. SoundGirls is open to anyone who has a desire and drive to succeed in professional audio and is open to any gender, age, or experience level. Find out more at www.soundgirls.org.

 

How Business Classes Helped My Audio Career

Many business owners in our industry experience the same growing pain: there’s a struggle between doing the work you love and the demands of a business growing larger than you can manage. There’s a learning curve to business, and if you’re not prepared, it’ll cost you work, relationships, and most importantly, money.

In my first years in the field, I watched multiple businesses crumble up close. One studio went into bankruptcy because the owner made some poor choices. Another studio I worked for laid off most of their staff in one day. As I saw this, I was also faced with the reality that I would probably have to run my own business someday. I decided to take a couple of business classes at a local community college and found them so helpful that I completed a business certificate and went freelance shortly after.

Since standard business courses aren’t typically part of the arts/audio school curriculum, here’s a rundown of some useful classes and their application in the field.

Introduction to Business – this trains you how to think in terms of business and business opportunities. Before this, my boss and co-workers seemed more like friends than business colleagues. In actuality, decisions have to be made sometimes based on what’s best for the business.

An intro to business class will likely teach how to write a business plan. This is important if you have any interest in growing a company beyond a “lifestyle business” or plan to find investors or funding for your business. (A lifestyle business is where you have a comfortable income and lifestyle but not trying to expand the business to the max it could be. Most freelancers in the audio industry fall under lifestyle businesses.)

Entrepreneurship – An entrepreneur is someone open to taking more risks than the average business owner. This course was terrific for learning how to look for problems that need solutions, and how to turn those solutions into a business.

Accounting – An accounting course will teach skills like how to track spending, make and manage invoices, and business budgeting. The vital skill from a standard accounting course is learning how to make and read financial statements.  A “profit and loss” statement and a “balance sheet” will give you an overview of how healthy your business is financially.

In retrospect, I would have looked for an accounting class specifically geared towards small business, not for accountants in training.

Sales – This class was learning how to sell but not in a “door-to-door salesman pressuring you into something you don’t want” kind of way. Sales is about recognizing your strengths and what you have to offer and learning how to present that to people who may need it. It’s been a helpful skill to have when meeting potential clients or pitching/bidding on a project.

Helpful takeaways

In our field, the odds are that you will be a freelancer/contractor at some point in your career. Business knowledge and skills are necessary for survival. If you have taken a freelance or contract gig, you are already a business owner.

Before taking business classes, I assumed if my business grew I could hire someone to run it (or teach me how). That mindset is harmful to a business. A lot of business decisions revolve around money, so it’s crucial to understand your financials. A good accountant can help you get so far, but he/she probably won’t help you set rates or know the going rate of an assistant. A lot of this can be learned on the job – but ultimately the learning curve (and any mistakes made) cost you money. When you’re first getting started freelance every dollar counts

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