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Empowering the Next Generation of Women in Audio

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What I Know Now

As a non-male* songwriter, performer, and producer, I am always grappling with the concept of ability and credibility. In press on artists that I admire and follow, I see unconscious sexism. Figures like Grimes base their entire brand and music around “doing it all” themselves, while powerhouses like Kendrick Lamar call their producer-artist relationships “collaborations” in spite of the fact that Lamar is decidedly unfamiliar with music technology, i.e., while he never touches a computer making a record.

Where is the line? When can non-male take ownership of what they have created? When can a non-male artist become a figure like Kendrick Lamar without being criticized for not doing everything, from writing to engineering to playing to producing to performing? It makes me angry. It makes me feel like I have a lot of teaching and showing to do. In an effort to do that, I have given some thought to what I know that I didn’t know before I was producing. Here are some of the most important things I have learned thus far that I would like to pass on to anyone who is just starting or needs a pick me up.

Your ears have to practice too

When I first started recording and producing myself, I thought that what I was making was sounding pretty good. I was always reading up on engineering and different production techniques. I even went against the wishes of my pride and would show other producers my sessions so they could give me feedback. Since I was aware of how to make something sound pretty good, I thought that I was already doing it. But there is no substitute for time and practice. Your ears will get better at their job the more that you use them. Engage with the sounds and arrangements you are working with. Ask other producers how they are hearing something. Get a perspective. Make decisions. Play. Wear earplugs for loud shows! You will find that your ears get better with practice.

Vocal production is extremely critical.

This point is related to the first one in some ways. I think that when I first started, I was so enamored with my voice just being recorded and effected that I didn’t think about all the ways to produce it even further. Eventually, I will do a whole post about vocal production, but beyond your chain (mic, preamp, compressor, etc.) being as good as your budget can afford, there is the physicality of vocal production as well. You have to ask yourself, what kind of record are we making? What kind of performance are we aiming to capture here from this vocalist? What are they capable of? Now how can I get that to come out of them and into the mic? Are they excited or turned off by the idea of being in a vocal booth?

Once the performance is done, then you get to work comping—the best bits of each take in a composite—though there are exceptions. Beyond the main vocal comp, you can also make use of doubles, harmonies, ad libs to create the perfect vocal for your record. The possibilities are endless. But it’s your job to make the decisions about how to get the best vocal audio into your DAW so you can continue to make it into an incredible record.

Silverlake kitchen studio – one of my many makeshift home studios

The more you make stuff, the more stuff you will make.

This one is pretty self-explanatory. If you haven’t experienced this firsthand, it may seem like an oxymoron. But it’s not. Trust me.

Working in groups can make you better, but isn’t the end all be all.

If you have the opportunity to write with other writers/producers, especially if they are more experienced than you, take it. If you don’t have that opportunity, seek it out. You will learn something, even if it doesn’t feel like it at the moment. Sometimes co-writing sessions can be tedious. Sometimes they feel like all you are learning is what you don’t like. But that’s very good to know! On the flip side, sometimes you make great new friends that blossom into much bigger relationships.

Co-writes are big in the music business right now. It’s an easy way for publishers, labels, and managers to make their clients feel like they are doing something for them, with minimal commitment and cost. At a certain point, it can start to feel like if you don’t do it a lot, then you’re doing something wrong. But that’s just the status quo that the big businesses created to have more control over their creative people. At the end of the day, YOU are the creator of the music, and it’s up to YOU to figure out how YOU make the best music YOU can make. If that means lots of co-writes and co-productions, then that’s awesome! If that means producing your friend’s bands out of your bedroom studio, alone, then that’s awesome! If that means making beats all day long in your friend’s studio that they let you use, then awesome! Your talent is your business, and you need to constantly be thinking about the things that affect your talent and business.

You are strongly affected by the company you keep.

This statement is made so often I think we have stopped listening. But try listening to yourself say this out loud: You are strongly affected by the company you keep. If you are not genuinely challenged—creatively and professionally and personally—by the people around you, then go somewhere else.

I was surrounded by lifelong friends and some great musicians when I lived in New York City a few years ago. But when I wanted to take my music to the next level, I felt like there was nowhere for me to go. My immediate circle was too comfortable for me to feel like I could take chances, and as a result, I wasn’t meeting new people or trying new things. Eventually, I met ONE professional songwriter, and I decided to move to Los Angeles when they moved out there. I left all of my closest friends and collaborators on the east coast and hoped for the best out west. I almost immediately found myself surrounded by people who were similar to me, but 10, 20, 30 years into their careers. I had found the challenge I had been missing. This new perspective motivated me to try new things and start putting together my skillset in ways I’d never imagined. I also started to take better care of my mind and body, another essential habit to have.

Everything happens for a reason.

No matter where you are on your path, there are always going to be ups and downs. Always. And sometimes your path can feel especially winding and long. But if you keep your heart and your mind open, you will see that everything happens for a reason. Every dumb day job, every bad partnership, every mistake, every ditch you dig for yourself, every delay—there is something to be learned and built upon from each of these, and that is a beautiful thing. You will never stop having ups and downs. Ever. Get used to it. Learn from it. Build on it. See the beauty in it.

Don’t stop doing what got you started in the first place.

Unless you are extremely lucky, are going to be points in your career where you are limited on time and resources. During these times you might find yourself compromising and eliminating things that you maybe shouldn’t. For me, those things were producing and guitar playing.

When I first moved to Los Angeles to pursue music professionally, at some point along the way I stopped producing and playing guitar. Mostly it was because the settings I was in just didn’t call for it. I’d go into a session with a producer and another writer, and I would be the person to write and sing the demo. I had a day job as well, so with everything going on I wasn’t playing or producing much when I got home at night. I felt like maybe I was never really going to be that good anyway, and this negativity toward things I had previously loved made me feel very disconnected from myself. At the same time, I was gaining writing and singing chops. By putting down my guitar and taking a break from the computer, I was definitely opening my mind up to new techniques and genres that I had not previously delved into.

But boy did it feel good to pick them back up again!

Beatz By Girlz – some students in a Beats by Girlz class I subbed last year

I encourage you to find a way to keep in touch with yourself and the things that inspire you, no matter what seems to get in the way.

In conclusion: as my good friend Rob Caldwell always says to his guitar students when they ask him how much they should practice: you get good at what you do.

So let’s go and do it.

*I use the term “non-male” to include anyone that does not identify as male.  Gender is a social construct, and supported by science, and backed up in legal rulings. I believe sexism frequently oppresses people who identify as non-male, especially in tech-oriented industries.

 Gender Laws Are at Odds With Science

What’s the Difference Between Sex and Gender?

Too Queer for Your Binary: Everything You Need to Know and More About Non-Binary Identities

The “Game” of Finding Work in Los Angeles

When I moved to Los Angeles, I knew three people including a friend from home named Dustin. On my first night in town, I went for dinner with him and a few of his friends. One asked the waiter about something on the menu. The waiter replied, “Well, as long as I’ve been here – which is five years now – this has been the most popular item on the menu. But the only reason I’ve been here five years is because I’m still trying to get my screenplay published.”  The waiter then took our order as nothing had happened.

After he left, I asked if the waiter’s comment struck anyone as odd. “Nah,” Dustin said, “you get used to it after a while. Everyone wants to be doing something else in this town.” His friend shared a story about a colleague who recently landed a job. The colleague was at Starbucks venting about how she couldn’t find work. The guy at the next table overheard her and said he needed to hire someone to do exactly what she was talking about. They exchanged information and she was hired a few days later.

Since I didn’t move to LA with a job, my first couple months were spent taking “meetings” (aka lunch, coffee, or a drink) with “connections” (aka friends of friends or people I met through an ad on Craigslist). I tried the regular job channels like applying to job listings or sending my resume to studios but got no response. It was so bizarre that all of this was the reality of starting a career. It felt more like a game making friends using code words versus job seeking.

Instead of seeking work, I started seeking information. I wanted to know how others got their start or what their career paths were like. How did they get interviews or job offers? What could I do to find more opportunities? What path should I be taking? It was those questions that lead to more meetings and more connections and eventually to work and more opportunities. The more I got to know people the more they offered to help.

I also met up with a college friend (one of the three I knew when I moved out). She worked at a post-production studio. She said the studio received at least 30 resumes a week and if they have an opening (even for receptionist) the owner would give an interview to someone an employee knew over a no-name resume from the pile. She showed me the cabinet full of resumes – all people who never got an interview.

I got a great piece of advice during one of those first meetings: “It’ll take six months just to make the connections to start looking for work in Los Angeles.” Once you start seeing the web of connections and how it works you realize opportunity could be anywhere – even from a stranger at Starbucks or a friend from college. The hard part is getting used to selling yourself in unexpected situations. There’s a balance, though, in knowing when it’s appropriate to talk about your skills or work. The waiter, for example, may have been too forward bringing up his screenplay while he was working another job. It takes some practice but if you’re comfortable sharing about yourself (and knowing how much or when to share) a stranger can turn into a connection or even lead to a great job.

 

Navigating the New Building

Keeping up with tradition, but changing with the new space

I regularly encounter reoccurring events on campus; yearly activities that different departments host to raise funds, celebrate their achievements, or to just have fun. Working with a variety of people, trying to meet the needs of their event, can offer up quite the challenge sometimes. Several of these organizations have, in their own ways, established traditions for their events: how the room is set up, the position of the lighting, the stage setup, methods of projection, staging options, or other fine details. With a new building, many of these traditions need alterations due to the many changes within the new space and its different technology – this throws both customers and staff into a new learning curve.

In my time in this position, many of these recurring events have become familiar and normal. In the past, all that’s been required is a quick check-in to see if there are any changes, confirm the date, and move on. This semester has been extremely different. It has been important to not take the norms of the past for granted. As a service provider with a new facility, it has been important to take a moment to consider all the events and the changes the venue’s offering and then adjust accordingly to all the changes. It has become important to slow down, to reconnect with everyone, both staff and customers, to make sure they understand the changes that have occurred and how they might affect their events.

For instance, the new facility has improved customer-controlled projection, which accommodates most customers’ desire to be able to run individual PowerPoints without the added cost of having staff there to help. However, there is no professional video switching at the moment so some groups have to rethink their presentation to have seamless viewing of PowerPoints and DVDs. To work through these changes it has been important to provide customer training on the newly installed technology, taking into consideration how this challenges any of their long-standing practices. The more of these challenges you can identify and work in advance, the better; customers need time to learn all the new stuff and to make adjustments.

Another example is the lighting in the venue. Previously, we had over thirty lights, now we have eight (at least until we have worked through some budgeting and contracting issues). Eight lights by no means produce the coverage needed for the stage, let alone the traditional look dance groups strive for. Connecting with each dance group is important to explain the limitations of the space, including offering them the best options possible to support their event, so they can plan accordingly.

The biggest hurdle within the venue at the moment is the size and shape of the room. It is such a change from the old space that everyone that uses the venue has to take the time to really learn the space and hear the differences. Even with the assistance of technology and some acoustical treatment, there is still a significant slap-back off the back wall which reaches the front of the stage just in time to muddle in with the monitor sound. There is some acoustic treatment but it’s not enough, and it is going to take time to purchase and install more. In the meantime, we have to strategically plan to assist groups, warning them about the slap-back, and trying new setups to alleviate some of the effects until improvements are possible.

Overall, the venue is still a work in progress, and it will take time to meet all of our customers’ desires. There seems to be an idea that this change was going to make everything perfect, solving all the problems of the past, but that has not been the case so it is important to connect with everyone to work together to create some amazing events.

In my case, the new building brought the need to look at old practices and make new ones. It has highlighted how easy it is to get caught in the norms or traditions of regular events. Sometimes it is important to reconnect and truly talk through details, explaining the new opportunities a venue or equipment has to offer. This way, as service providers, we can meet the resources and skills to create even more spectacular events.

Erika Earl – Always be yes-sing! (say it out loud)

Someone once said about Erika Earl, “the building could be on fire, and no one would know because all nine sessions would keep going.” She has made more than a few musicians, engineers, and producers feel good about broken gear or a tough situation.

Earl has been working in the professional audio industry for 15 years. She is currently the Director of Hardware Engineering at Slate Digital. She has worked in key positions in the audio industry, from being the Chief Tech at The Village Studios to running live sound at Coachella, to performing quality control and repair for leading audio manufacturers including Drawmer, Focusrite, Tube-Tech, and Daking. Her passion for audio was ignited at the age of 12 when she was introduced to the recording studio. Her mother booked time for her older sister to record a few American standards in Spanish and brought her along. Earl was captivated by the studio environment and the recording process: “Anyone who has ever walked into a professional recording session with talented artists knows she never wants to leave that room. It’s fucking cool to experience the moment of capture!” Earl knew she wanted to be a part of that process and her technical skills came from realizing she needed a reason to be in the control room beyond a simple desire to be there.

Earl’s education has been non-conventional. While she attended public school, her greatest influence came from observing her immigrant mother who in addition to having five kids, established, owned, and operated several sewing factories: “I think growing up in a factory environment informed my understanding of what ‘work’ is: long hours and sometimes under grueling conditions. I thought I better choose a job I like doing if it’s always going to be that hard.” Her audio engineering education has come from mentorships and a willingness to fail. “I have learned the most from just doing it. I have audited audio production and engineering classes at various institutions over the years. I studied math in college. I volunteer a lot, write and record as much as possible, make giant mistakes, and frequently spend late nights studying up and teaching myself. Many of my friends and mentors are serious musicians, engineers, and sound people. They encourage me to be still and listen, which I have discovered is the best way to learn more. I try and make it a point to be the dumbest and least talented person in my friend circle.”

Erika started as a studio intern working for free. Producer and engineer David Nichols gave her a key to his studio and allowed her to observe and participate as much as she was able during sessions. At night she produced live shows with friends. “My cousin and I had a club night series called Lipgloss and Cigarettes. I would book the bands and arrange the sound production while she was in charge of the venue and creative art direction.

Earl finally got a chance to mix live and get paid for it from Randy Lopez who would hire her to run FOH at a venue in Tucson, Arizona called Plush. Erika says, “I was a pest and just started showing up all the time until one day the sound guy didn’t show up, and there I was foaming at the mouth ready to go. I think Randy appreciated my enthusiasm and mentored me until I could fly on my own.” She also interned with Craig Schumacher at Wavelab, while attempting to fix guitar pedals and cables at Bevins Guitar shop.  At the same time, she worked at Epic Cafe serving coffee and vegan scones before sunrise. “Sometimes I would work at every place in town on the same day. A band would be touring and buy a cup of coffee from me in the morning, visit the studio in the afternoon, and then I would run their live sound at night. It was a trip.”

Earl says that at every trade show and conference she made a point of introducing herself to as many manufacturers as possible. “I met Jonathan Little of Little Labs at a TapeOp conference, and he hired me after a working interview. I worked there during the day and then recorded at The Distillery at night. If I wasn’t recording, I was running live sound, or stalking rehearsal spaces in LA looking for bands to work with me.”

After a few years working in LA, she got pregnant and quit everything to go home to Arizona and be closer to her family. She knew she wanted to go back to work, but studio hours and a baby seemed like a miserable combination. “I just didn’t think I was ready to commit to that lifestyle again, so I cold called Tony Marra at Thermal Relief Design on a recommendation from Jay Fitzgibbons (DSPdoctor, LLC) and asked Tony for a job. Thermal Relief was the only authorized service center for many brands I respected at the time. Tony did not have a position available, but I somehow managed to impress him into meeting with me. I moved to Las Vegas and started at Thermal Relief as a tech, receptionist, shipping & receiving person and was eventually promoted to Technical Service Manager.”

Village Techs and Ed Cherney

During her time at Thermal Relief, Earl was invited by Brad Lunde (Trans Audio Group) to work as a tech for his Audio Underground Roadshow which is a traveling high-end audio showcase. At one showcase hosted at The Village Studios Earl was introduced to Studio Manager, Tina Morris. One of Earl’s goals was to work in a large classic commercial studio, and The Village was a perfect opportunity to do just that. About a year after their first meeting, Morris was interviewing Earl for the Chief Tech position. Earl accepted the job and moved back to LA. Earl was in charge of the technical staff and all of the electronics in the building at The Village, including the phone system and internet. “The place is three stories and has four commercial recording studios, eight or nine private studios, two NEVE 88Rs, one NEVE 8048, a NEVE 8068, a Digidesign Icon which we upgraded to an AVID S6, an auditorium, a ballroom, and loads and loads of gear. At one point we had an all female tech staff which was pretty radical. Outside of servicing and maintaining the gear, I was responsible for assisting engineers with any technical support they required, training, and developing new processes and systems. I also helped create the forensic archiving department, design a cam lock and distro for live concerts, build two new rooms, and completely re-wire another”.

Erika is now at Slate Digital and is the Director of Hardware Engineering, where she directs teams and engineers in the technical development of hardware products from concept to launch. She also manages manufacturing and supervises logistics and hardware support. “I sort of perform double duty as Product Manager / Director of Hardware Engineering. Prototyping is one of my favorite things to do. I also really enjoy standards testing. I find radiated emissions fascinating. Working at Slate Companies and keeping up with Steven Slate, Fabrice Gabriel (Slate Digital), Alex Simicev, and Sergey Danilov (Slate Media Technology / Steven Slate Drums) is insanely rewarding. Their ideas and skills are what I imagine X-Men are made of. Our teams are working at the edge of technology using critical, complex, and creative strategies to come up with innovative solutions and tools for everyone. Every role at our company is held by a high-level high-output individual, and that makes it so thrilling to be a part of. I love being surrounded by so many gifted and talented people.”

Erika’s long term goals are:

What do you like best about your job?

You know what people say “behind every great man is a great woman?” For me, that woman is, Jesse Honig. He’s my right-hand man. In fact, he answered this question for me. After having kids, I have become very selective about work. Anyone who knows me understands how much I enjoy motherhood and contributing to my community. If I am going to spend any time away from my kids, then the work better be worth it. And if I am going to spend more time with any other people than my children, they better be worth it. I feel so lucky to be working with some of the most incredible and inspiring human beings on work I believe in. They are what I like best about my job.

What do you like least?

Working across three different time zones is my least favorite thing about work. I thought after my son turned two I would get to sleep through the night. NOPE. We have engineering teams and clients all over the world.

What if any obstacles or barriers have you faced?

You’ve seen American Ninja Warrior right? You know the moment in the show where they unveil an obstacle and once the athlete gets through it they are awarded a new obstacle…yeah, I think in many ways, and very much by my own design, I have chosen paths which have led to bigger and badder goals which are inescapably riddled with bigger and harder obstacles.

How have you dealt with them?

Practice, patience, and a relentless desire to succeed. A good sense of humor has saved me on more than one occasion. I think it’s extremely important to acknowledge my feelings and then do my best to let anything that doesn’t serve me or the project go. I try and focus on the next logical move and take small steps until I have overcome or maneuvered past the barrier. I rely heavily on my support team of friends and colleagues. Therapy helps a lot. Meditation helps a lot. Exercise and diet help a lot. At the end of each day, my kids remind me of what really matters.

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

Oh dear, this will be cheesy and probably echo every inspirational calendar you have ever read, but I mean it: take care of yourself. Don’t believe everything you think. Especially when that inner voice is telling you “you suck!”. Define your boundaries. Stand up for yourself even if that means you might lose the job. There will be others. Be honest. Listen more than you speak. Be thoughtful in everything you do, no matter how big or small the job or task is treat it with the same care. Look to your right, look to your left, and make friends. These are your peers and your future community. I am a big believer in you get what you give, and a goal without a plan is just a dream. Never make excuses.

What side of the glass do you prefer? The creative side or the recording side or tech side?

I feel like this is somewhat of a trick question because that’s assuming that being an artist is non-technical and being an engineer is non-artistic which is not often the case. I am a results oriented person by nature. If that means making everyone in the room feel okay about broken gear to continue the creative process, I am happy to bring relief. If that means staying up all night to fix said broken gear, I will do it. Setting up and getting tones are just as thrilling to me. Want to write a song? Come over! I also think creating intuitive interfaces which expose engaging parameters of more complex systems remains one of the most interesting types of work as far as bridging STEM to humanities and the arts. I believe artists and engineers are more alike than different.

Must have skills?

Attention to detail. A “can do” attitude. Must be kind and willing to listen. Admit your mistakes promptly and without emotion (cry later, problem solve first!)

Favorite gear? APx515, Coles 4038, Hakko 888, Flickinger console, ATR 102, Slate MTi2, VMS One, Snap-on anything, Ampex MM1200, Scully 280, RCA BA-6A, M49, Slate Control, I could go on forever!

How do you juggle being such a bad ass in the industry and being a mom?

Wow, thank you! First thing is maintaining that illusion; kids are a lot of work! I have also worked for some incredibly understanding and flexible employers. I sort of feel like kids are on a suicide mission until they are like ten. They see an outlet as a perfect target for a fork! Being a mother is my favorite job. I don’t know, we all have our lives and responsibilities. I just find ways to do the things I want to do, and I start by believing I am capable of it.

 

Dedication and Perseverance – Meegan Holmes

Meegan Holmes has worked in live sound for over 25 years doing everything from system teching to mixing monitors and FOH. She is now in Global Sales for one of the largest sound system providers in the world, 8th Day Sound – Los Angeles. At 8th Day Sound Meegan can utilize her years of experience in sales and account/project management, as she held a similar position at Delicate Productions for over 18 years.

With a mother who is an artist and a father who is a musician, chances were high that Meegan would end up working in the arts. Meegan says her parents “were always supportive of whatever I wanted to do and they never discouraged me from pursuing my goals. In many ways, it made me both fearless and a bit stubborn.” At age 13, Meegan was exposed to live sound and event production when she volunteered at a summer stock theater. She would spend many evenings through several summers, painting sets, hanging lights and speakers. It was there Meegan learned all about theatrical mic technique and live mixing from the FOH engineer. From there Meegan would go on to attend California Institute of The Arts, where she studied Sound Design and Music Composition.

After about 18 months at CalArts, Meegan realized that she was not going to make it as a musician and started to think about how she could still be involved in music and not have to perform. It was evident to her that bands would always need crew and if she chose a path on the tech side, she would always have a job. ”I loved the experience that I had with the technical aspect of live production when I was younger, so it was an easy transition for me to make and one that I do not regret.” During her junior year, she started working as a stagehand with LA Stagecall. While working for Stagecall, she would make friends with the guys at Delicate Productions, which eventually led to Delicate hiring her as a stage tech for a tour.

While Meegan does not believe that attending an audio program or obtaining a degree is necessary, it will most likely benefit you. “CalArts gave me a chance to try varying aspects of audio, not just live production. I tried designing and mixing for film, television, and animation. I spent time in the recording studio on campus; I used the first version of Protools. None of that excited me, but a live rock show did. I don’t think a four-year private university is mandatory. Where I grew up in Connecticut, we weren’t given an option to ‘not go to college. I had to apply to at least four and pick one. I chose an art school. Honestly, going to college gave me the hunger to learn, the networking skills to get a job and the discipline to keep it. Keep in mind; there are many successful people in our industry that do not have any continuing education at all. If you already know someone that can help you get involved in the industry, great but if you don’t, attending some education program might be the only way to get some contacts to help launch your career.”

Meegan’s first tour was Lollapalooza 1997, (back when it was still a tour), as the stage/patch tech. “The tour was a lot of hard work; I started my day with flying/ground stacking PA. Once the band risers were up, I would start mic’ing up the seven bands. I’d re-patch between each and only get sporadic breaks to eat lunch and dinner. After the show was over, I took down the PA I had installed in the morning. My trouble-shooting skills improved by 100%. I learned how to be a strong member of a team (not only the audio crew but the other departments as well), we all worked together to execute the show.”

From there she would go on to mix FOH and monitors for various smaller acts, such as Soul Coughing, Tenacious D, The Melvins and God Lives Underwater. The majority of her road experience has been as a monitor or system tech on tours with Natalie Merchant, Natalie Cole, TOOL, Queens Of The Stone Age, Linkin Park, Basia, and Gorillaz. She even had a brief stint working as a production assistant on Limp Bizkit “I just wanted to try something different, I loved working with the PM on that tour, but I missed being on the audio crew.” Her favorite thing about touring was being paid to see the world, but the disconnect from her life at home was taxing.

Touring would no longer become an option prompting Meegan to seek local full-time work with Delicate. Over time she would start to assist in crewing shows, eventually leading to working as an onsite Project Manager for the more complex shows. Meegan says she “developed a knack for dealing with some of their more challenging clients. After learning the onsite leadership skills and all about dealing with personnel, I just had one last piece to learn, the money. I was promoted to account management in 2013 where I learned pricing and client management on an entirely different level. It was not a difficult transition to make. I spent a lot of time on-site with Delicate’s clients, building relationships with them. Also being on-site, I developed stronger relationships with the crew, bands and event producers. Creating these relationships gave me the opportunity to represent the company beyond email and phone calls. I learned a valuable lesson about how relationships drive our industry. Clients liked dealing with me; they did not care where the equipment came from, they wanted the service, attention, and dedication that I had to offer.”

After 18 years, Meegan felt it was time to move on as she says “Account Management showed me a lot. It also showed me the limitations at Delicate as well. I knew I needed to move on to take my career to the next level. I needed something slightly different and challenging. I interviewed with several different companies. Initially, I was interviewing with 8th Day to take on some of the 30+ festivals they do in the U.S. each year. After my interview, the plan changed, and I was asked if I was interested in starting the west coast operation of the company.

So start she did, with a small pile of gear stored in a warehouse owned by one of 8th Day’s clients. Meegan worked alone with the support of the Cleveland office and freelancers that she knew in Los Angeles. “At the time, I did much of everything, sales, crew, trucking, prep, loading and unloading the gear. I don’t think anyone (including myself) knew how quickly we’d grow here. We hired more full-time personnel and moved into our own warehouse last August. I spend most of my days, now that we have more personnel, doing quotes for shows and tours, conference calls and attending site visits and meetings, hiring crew for our shows here in LA and keeping up with the warehouse maintenance and needs. I spend time on show site, I still feel like nurturing personal relationships is a crucial part of my job.”

When hiring crew Meegan says she looks for “someone that is willing to do any aspect of audio, patching the stage, FOH/monitor tech, RF tech, and mixing. This versatility is beneficial if you plan to work for sound companies. If someone specializes in something, we have less work for them of course but sometimes being the best RF technician brings you more work. Keeping a positive attitude, being reliable, honest and having a good sense of humor are all necessary traits. We can teach you the technical side of the things you don’t know, but we cannot teach you to have integrity. Spending time as a stagehand, working in a warehouse or working in a venue learning how everything goes together is beneficial, especially if you are starting out.”

Meegan’s long-term goals are to help build the 8th Day’s business here in Los Angeles and to use her position to help others achieve their goals in the industry.

What if any obstacles or barriers have you faced?

I contacted two audio companies when I graduated from college; the first told me “we don’t hire women for touring positions.” The second told me “we don’t hire women because we find we have to pick up their slack.” These were literally the only two tangible barriers I experienced, and both happened in 1993.

How have you dealt with them?

I never stopped wanting to work in the industry and have always worked hard. I never made a big deal out of gender or my education; I let my work speak for itself. Either people wanted to work with me, or they didn’t. I kept a positive attitude and tried to have fun regardless of what I was doing. I never said ‘no’ when I was asked to do something like pull feeder or load or unload a truck.

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

Get ready to work and prove yourself. Nothing comes easily to anyone, and there will always be someone smarter, stronger, and more experienced than you. Stay humble and open to learning from anyone and everyone you are around regardless of age, gender, race, or experience level. This applies to both technical and interpersonal skills.

Must have skills?

Patience. Drive. The willingness to learn. A strong knowledge of signal flow and troubleshooting.

Favorite gear?

Equipment that can handle the wear and tear of road life.

Parting Advice.

Don’t limit yourself! If you tell someone that you only mix FOH, then you’ve just limited yourself, and you’ve made it harder for someone like myself, to hire you or recommend you for a tour. Do not be afraid to fail; it means you tried. If you are not happy with your job, do everything you can to change that. We spend much of our lives working, and if you don’t love your job 90% of the time, it will affect your entire life. Have fun, be safe and do not give up on your goals, sometimes they might take a little longer to achieve than you want but the wait will be worth it.

More on Meegan

The SoundGirls Podcast Interview Meegan Holmes

Getting What You Give: Inside The Career Of Veteran Audio Professional Meegan Holmes

NAMM – Meegan Holmes

Meegan Holmes on Roadie Free Radio

Wrong End of the Snake – Meegan Holmes

The Pandemic Series THE ROLE OF AUDIO COMPANIES IN TOURING — PT.6 — 4/21/20

Showmakers – Meegan Holmes

Find More Profiles on The Five Percent

Profiles of Women in Audio

The Modern Working Parent

the boysI recently spoke with someone who piped my interest in a concept, mother’s who work. Seems there is always someone with an opinion about that subject. However, it’s not something that is much discussed in the audio engineering world. There simply aren’t too many of us. I thought I could give some insight into how I’ve seen myself in this mother/audio engineer role and how that relates to society and how you can form your feelings and thoughts on the matter.

I have two children under ten, I graduated college with a bachelor’s and now I’ve been working as a freelancing audio engineer for over eight years. With these experiences, I think you can look on the subject of motherhood in this industry in a couple of different lights. One thing I hear from folks who have children, “how can it be done?” I like to respond with the question, “how do nurses and ER doctors function and have kids?” I was also a single mother for five years of my audio career. Can you have kids and be in this industry? Absolutely. Can you be single and have kids in this industry? Absolutely.

I hear folks say, aren’t you away from home too much? There is a yes and no answer here. This can vary in how you feel as a parent and how you’ve conditioned your kids to function. I grew up respecting that my father had to work, I respected that was his duty. When I was younger he was in the military, there was duty. He got out and that idea stuck. In the same way, if I am off work for a week I can’t just keep my kids home from school. It’s their duty to go to school. It’s my responsibility to let them go. Just as it’s a child’s responsibility to grow with an understanding and respect that you are not “leaving” them.

Something I want to really stick with fellow parents in this industry is, yes, you will miss events. You aren’t alone. If you left this industry, you will still miss events. There is no magic wand where if you wave it you won’t miss things. You’re job as a parent is to lead your children to understand they are important regardless of events or activities in their life.

Recently I gave a parent advice that if they couldn’t find support within our industry that they could try to find it outside of it. This business tends to lend itself to the idea that we are rare and so unique a regular person couldn’t relate to us. I disagree, there are working parents in all sorts of fields who are gone frequently (IT, Medical, PR, Service Industry, etc.).

“But, how do you do it?” I like to agree with what several other mother audio engineers say, “you just do.” How do you get chaotic festival stage going? By doing it. There is no magic answer. It’s like freelancing. I get asked a lot “how do you find your gigs?” I don’t know, I just do.    

Another light I like to look at this in is, entrepreneurship. We are our own business. There are small business owners out there who also face all of the same problems we as audio engineers do. You have to learn how to adapt and how to plan. Maybe one day they have to close up because their kids are sick and they have no one able to come in. Maybe one day you have to stop doing your gig because your kid is sick, disabled, in trouble. Maybe that happens. But maybe you don’t have any kids and you one day get disabled, in trouble, or sick? These variables exist already in our life. The difference is once you have children you plan, you think through the day, the week, your year. You think through as many what-ifs as you can.

I had someone else recently who also said to me, “young people in the music business aren’t planning to have kids.” What they thought that meant was, you can’t have kids and be motivated, career-oriented, and successful in audio engineering. Statistically more and more young professionals are waiting to have children. This isn’t only in our industry. This is throughout society. A parent’s life in this industry may follow a different curve than a single person’s. But, as is said, “a gig is a gig.” If you’re spending too much time worrying about what you won’t have as a parent, you won’t be as successful as a parent or an audio engineer. We are all unique, but as a parent you bring an edge that no none person can. You learn how to be professional on a show and still continue to juggle all the balls.

When the show is over and a happy attendee comes up to you, “Wow! How did you get all those complex things to happen?!” You will stand there and think of all the crazy complex interpersonal and technical things you just made happen. Then you’ll just say, “It’s my job, I just did it. I made it happen with hard work.” That is exactly how motherhood is.

Aubrey Caudill

Aubrey Caudill lives in the Dallas Fort Worth area and works as a freelance audio engineer. She currently works for several area wedding bands and runs monitors at The Potter’s House North Dallas. She is also a mother to two boys.

   

Madame Gandhi – On Women in the Industry

As we enter 2017 women’s issues, seem to be at the forefront of the countries mind and I encourage everyone to stand up and support women-led organizations and stand in solidarity with women worldwide. I was lucky to have met Madame Gandhi at Girl Power! Women Working in the Music Industry Conference: Blending Careers in Entertainment and Technology in San Francisco last April. It was a great way to start off the year. She was so amazing to listen to because she has worked at all levels of the industry. Working for Interscope Records as a data analyst and MIA as their drummer in an all-female lineup. She has an MBA from Harvard University. Listening to her explain algorithms just amazed me and taught me so much about boosting yourself on social media.

Aside from being an accomplished musician and music industry thinker, Madame Gandhi is also a feminist activist. I thought about all of her experience, and it made sense to interview her to find out more about women in the industry from someone who has been on all ends of the music spectrum. I was very excited when she agreed to the interview. I think the most exciting thing for me was the way she answered my questions. I received audio answers. It made the experience so much more intimate. Here is what Madame Gandhi had to say.

What is your experience working with women on a sound crew? Has it been good? How does having women on your sound crew affect your show experience?

OMG, It’s like a game-changer. It’s totally night and day. It’s extremely important for me to work with an all-female team especially when it comes to sound. I think women are really talented at doing live sound and sound design on the actual records for two reasons; one is that women are more emotionally sensitive and aware of what’s going on, so they respect both the needs of the artist, but also the needs of the audience at the time. I think that when I have worked with men, they’re kinda more rudimentary about it, and also a lot of them are really burned out from being treated badly on the road. Because I as a drummer have experienced that sort of “subtle sexism,” I know how to work against it and prevent it, in the way I treat my fellow women. So, those are some of the reasons I think it’s really important and actually quite exceptional to have a female sound team.

The other thing too is when giving feedback when I’m like “ooh no this doesn’t feel good, or I want this louder, I want this softer” a lot of times men are condescending. They think you don’t know what it is that you need or want, which is really frustrating and women are like, dude my job is to make you feel good on the stage and feel what you feel. What you feel isn’t right or wrong it just is and so, therefore, how can I augment the sound or make subtle changes so that you feel really good doing your show and you’re not thinking about the sound. That’s how you build trust, and that’s how you build mutual respect. I really do prefer to work with women. If any men are reading this too, I would say that they should learn how to be more trustworthy and respectful of the artist on their stage and just give them what they want, so long as the artist is respectful and kind in return.

What is your advice for a woman who wants to pursue sound engineering as a profession?

Just keep doing it. No one is gonna sit there and teach you. It really is that you have to go and kinda just hang around at the clubs and the bars. Start watching someone else do it, usually a guy, and be like “oh, hey you need someone to plug that mic in, sure I got you”. You have to fill in where they wouldn’t even ask for help they just could use it. Most sound people are so frustrated that they don’t ask for help because they think that you’ll make a mistake so why would they want to do it twice like you’ll make a mistake and then they’ll have to undo your work. If you spend time watching, then you start assisting with the really basic tasks, then they’ll start mentoring you and giving you more stuff because you’ve made their life better.

MADAME GANDHI - MIAThe dream scenario is: you wanna get to be a person who’s super helpful in the beginning and like reading stuff on the side not asking the sound person too much but more just watching. You’ve become so helpful that if you left and you didn’t help them out at each of their shows, they would really miss you, you know, the person who is mentoring you. So, you wanna get to a place where you’re making their life less stressful and therefore, in turn, they’ll wanna show you more and then you get to learn. All the female sound engineers that I know learned from men and learned by being humble and helpful instead of being annoying and asking too many questions. I want to give some love right now; My FOH sound engineer right now is Jess Jacobs, and my sound designer who performs live on the stage with me is Alexia Ryner.

How do you see yourself assisting in the advancement of feminism in music this year?

It’s all about taking my ideas about the world that I wish we lived in and what the future is females means and what women’s contributions bring to the table and then expressing it through my voice, which could either be musically or through speaking and writing. That’s what I think about daily. Every time I have ideas, I write them down. Then if I’m asked to give a talk or a show, I try to take the recent learnings or ideas that I’ve had from that month from my notes and then put them into that show or talk so that everything that I do is fresh and inspired.

What obstacles do women in the music industry face today? Are there still obstacles? What work needs to be done to provide women in the industry more opportunities?

I think one of the biggest ones is people underestimating them. I think it’s really frustrating to walk into a situation where someone already thinks you’re gonna be bad at what you do. I think another obstacle is that some of the old-school constructs still exist. Where you bond over going to maybe a strip club or you bond over commenting on how hot one of the artists is, you sort of bond over misogyny. It’s not cool.

I think a lot of time women are the only ones in a situation with a bunch of men saying sexists things; it’s weird that we don’t live in a world where the fact that the woman is right there is not enough of a check to make you not want to say sexist things. A lot of us have been in situations where just because we want the job or we want to be able to hang with that crowd, we sort of bite the bullet and take in that sexism and allow it to slide. I think those are some of the biggest barriers on an emotional end on a very practical level.

I think another barrier is the fact that we haven’t seen many female CEOs of record labels and big companies. The best female-run companies I’ve seen are those who leave their old company and go and start their own thing. For example, my management team that I’m assigned to is called Friends at Work which was started by Ty Stiklorius, who’s a badass billboard 100 in music woman. She manages John Legend and Alicia Keys and now is the head of my management company. So that’s pretty extraordinary. I think a lot of times women have to just self-select out and just start their own thing, once they’ve reached a certain level of prestige because if we depend on men to give us the positions that we want, we may be waiting for a long time. Even at my booking agency, my booking agent is this badass woman, Amy Davidman. She’s one of the top people at Windish. She has a really incredible wife. They understand very much, my mission and so then both on an emotional and very practical level Amy is perfect for the job. So, I think those are some of the things. You have to kill it, and then you probably have to start your own thing and then set norms within your own company that actually make a difference in the world.

How did your experience drumming for MIA influence your ideas about women in music

MADAME GANDHI- DRUMMING MIAI mean, MIA used to only put women on her stage. It was so badass. I’ll never forget one day, I came across a tweet that I was tagged in that said “OMG, it is so incredible that MIA has only women on her stage right now. These girls are killing it”.

I think that when you get to be as big as she is you have the ability to put women on and really paint the picture that you wanna see in the world. And I think just by doing that and showing how sick the show can be with only women changes a lot of people’s perspectives and stereotypes about what’s possible and about the capabilities of women in music. So, I think that was one of the biggest things.

I also learned about some of the stresses through her. I think she definitely keeps space from a lot of people. I think she continually changes her line up and the people who are working for her and in her show because with women, people tend to push women around more. They tend to expect more; they tend to give their input when they weren’t asked, and so, I think she rotates her line up a lot so that she can keep performing freely without the pressures of others. I think people give men the space they need to create and the respect they need as an artist, but I think with women people think that their opinions are open and welcome even though they’re really not.

You are booked to play GIRLSCHOOL in January. How did you get involved with their festival? Do you think we need more festivals that have women-fronted artists?

Obviously, I do. I think it’s a kind of push and pull. It’s like you wanna have a lot of female-focused and fronted festivals so that we as women can kind of bond with each other and show that there’s power in solidarity and not in competition. And also just to be with those that have a really similar walk of life as you and who can teach you something and who can uplift you so that when you do go into the more co-ed environment, you are equipped with the tools and some of the emotional strength to deal with it.

Anything else you would like to share?

Yeah, I love that you’re doing this blog. I think that being able to share the experiences of other women is really empowering. I think that each of us as women who are doing well owes it to each other to give each other the tools we’ve learned along the way. I think that successful people are not threatened by the success of others, which is the notion of the Future is Female and the notion that Gloria Steinem talks about all the time called “we are linked and not ranked”. You know, the male energy in the capitalist system is that it’s a zero-sum game. For one person to win someone has to lose. But in a Future that is Female, the idea is instead that each of us has something very unique and special to contribute. So by giving each other the space and the respect to be our best selves then we actually live in a far better world than one where we’re trying to dominate and control each other.

Madame Gandhi - FUTURE IS FEMALE

I completely agree with Madame Gandhi about the need for less competition and more solidarity among women in the industry. Interviewing Madame Gandhi was so enlightening, and I thank you so much for your voice and support for women in the industry. I look forward to her playing the California Women’s Music Festival.

You can read more about Madame Gandhi and check out her page to learn more about her activism, show dates, and more.

Baby Microphones and Self Production

Staying motivated and inspired as a female in a male-dominated industry can become incredibly daunting. Usually “I want to work with you” gets misconstrued as a dinner date or even worse, “I like you” might get taken as “I want to work with you.” Welcome to my world, where “little girl” usually precedes “what are you doing behind the console” and where my body of work is usually thought to be written and produced for me. I am a producer/engineer, that happens to be a woman.

Since I was very young, I always had an ear for sound, harmonies and things that made sense in my head as an arrangement. Not only one melody, but many contrasting melodies painted vivid colors and gave me different feelings. I started playing multiple instruments by applying the theory of piano to guitar, and that to violin, viola, etc. Before I knew it I was able to compose my own symphonic works and like a mini anvil falling from the sky… I realized I was a producer. When I started making music, I had one of those little tape recorders with the face and the microphone. I would tape over cassettes and hold the mic to my keyboard and put a split sound and a beat to it, essentially a live recording (JK, but in theory, I guess). I think that was my first take as an audio engineer — making the recording not clip and adjusting everything accordingly so that I could hear both sides through one incredibly unfortunate baby microphone. I think most of the time now, I keep that same sweat ethic with different gear. It took me so long to develop my crafts but I never lost an ounce of enthusiasm, that’s what keeps me mostly motivated. I live for production and writing.

13606623_10206842016993288_1134111027423738312_nI write daily, sometimes 4-5 songs in one day- depending on my level of inspiration/caffeine. There are certain beats or songs that have fermented in my head throughout the day or over a period of time that by the time I’m ready to give them life, they’re more or less done. Sometimes it’s a lyric, or a piano lick, or a melody in my head, or a feeling that feels like a color that feels like a certain emotion that will sound a certain way in my head and I paint that sonically, and develop from there. I think most music has an organic way of flowing from one point to the next. I don’t really stress about making music unless I’m producing for someone else and I’m on a crazy deadline and have other ideas in my head. (I get incredibly cranky and strange when I don’t make music o.0 ) Sometimes I have to throw the ideas for my own stuff on the side and concentrate on other things, or tying up loose ends and finishing touches on beats/lyrics that are for another person. Either way, there is no lack of inspiration or hard work on my end. I think since I love what I do, I’m able to do it 24 hours a day and it doesn’t feel like work or a chore. It’s just like breathing for me, it’s natural, and that’s what really helps my workflow, as does being my own producer.

Don’t get me wrong, I do have so many producers I love and would love to work with but self-production can sometimes be the best approach to a record if you can take yourself objectively out of your own head and not get married to certain sounds that may not complement that work or arrangement (easier said than done, I know that). There’s no better way to get your vision across than by producing yourself, it feels more real to me that way and I can connect with the music more and have a better vocal and musical performance and overall experience with a song or record. I have so many ideas and many times people want to play things safe, and I just don’t have time for that. I’m a risk-taker; life’s too short to play it safe. By producing and mixing things myself, I’m able to get every idea out of my head and not have to describe it or go through trial and error until it sounds how I thought it would sound. It’s a lot more work while composing a record, but I think it’s more rewarding and fulfilling. I’ll throw in a lot of hidden things sonically or musically that enhance my art, which had I not been so involved with my own material, I probably wouldn’t be able to do. I think most of all it’s empowering. I started off as a musician and writer to a producer from my natural curiosity, and studied audio out of a love for sonic art, then realized the ultimate perk; it was the best way to avoid the ever creepy “What are you going to do for me?” engineer. (I can feel the silent nods) I will leave it at that; be your own boss, be your own idol, be your own producer/engineer/writer and most importantly be yourself.

1380290_10202060927029027_2965347870082939655_nEve Minor is an up-and-coming artist based in New York, with origins in Southern California. While she formerly spent time as part of Universal Music Group’s songwriting team, the talented singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist is ready to break out on her own in 2016.

Minor has faced a multitude of trials and tribulations throughout her life, including a difficult childhood in foster care, toxic relationships, and a battle with cancer, all while never letting go of her ambitions within the music world. With all that she’s learned in her young life, she aims to inspire other artists with her writing and uses her personal struggles to inspire young women everywhere.

Her latest music endeavors feature the flavor of New York’s hip-hop scene with splashes of her own California roots. The production, largely developed by herself through her use of Reason, Logic, and Pro-tools, is inspired by late-night adventures and new friends, while also telling the story of making the most out of being dealt a tough hand in life. Minor cites that she was influenced by Miguel, Nina Simone, Amy Winehouse, as well as Alice In Chains, Phantogram, and Citizen Cope as major inspirations for her sound, and credits Mobb Deeps’ “Quiet Storm” as the song which made her enamored with hip hop. With various influences that range from pop to soul to hip hop, Minor has crafted an unique style and sound that is all of her own.

 

Bella Blasko – Creating a Safe & Supportive Environment in the Recording Studio

photo4Bella Blasko has only been working in professional audio for six years, yet she is making her mark working with artists such as The National and Natalie Merchant, and working at Dreamland Studios and The Clubhouse in New York. She works as an independent sound engineer and depending on the session demands, works as an assistant engineer, engineer, producer, and musician. Being flexible in the roles she takes on has given her valuable experience. Her passion is to work with female artists to help them make their art, get their voices heard, and offer an alternative to the male-dominated studio culture.

photo3Bella graduated from Bennington College with a degree in music, with a focus on Classical Piano Performance. While at Bennington she explored music production, signing up for recording classes with sound engineer Julie Last, who was a huge inspiration to Bella. Bella says, “Having an amazing female engineer as one of my first teachers and role models made it seem like a viable option to go into music production, and she helped me to get my first internship. She has such a careful and delicate way in the studio, it gave me an example from the beginning of what a feminine approach to audio could look like. I’ve adapted my own way of working in the studio since then, and I definitely find myself in a predominantly male environment most of the time, but having had Julie as an early role model helped me to feel comfortable and confident that I could become an engineer and exist in the studio world.” Julie was instrumental in Bella’s decision to pursue a career as a sound engineer.

While at Bennington College, Bella started an internship at Clubhouse Studio which eventually led to her working as an assistant engineer and gaining more contacts in the Hudson Valley. She was also experimenting with writing and recording her own songs and found it extremely fulfilling. Bella loves the whole recording process and enjoys helping other artists to produce and record their music. She says “at first I was intimidated by all of the gear, but now I’m so comfortable in the studio, and I want to help the musicians I work with to feel at ease in that environment as well.”

photo1Bella recently started the female-run independent record label Spirit House Records. She explains their mission is to “elevate female voices in a male-dominated industry and to empower each other to make and distribute art on our own terms”. Spirit House Records is based in Portland, OR, and is run collectively by Bella, Johanna Warren, and Monica Metzler. Bella and Johanna began collaborating in 2013 and Bella has engineered, mixed, and co-produced three albums for Johanna. Bella says they had many conversations about the role of women in the music industry, “how female artists are often overshadowed by the male producers, engineers, and musicians around them, and how completely different it can feel to work on an all-female team. We talked about how almost all music that we hear has at some point passed through a male lens, and how we know so many talented female musicians who don’t seem to be getting the recognition we think they deserve. We had thrown around different ideas about how we could contribute to empowering independent and upcoming female voices in the industry, and when Johanna came to me with the fully formed concept of Spirit House, I was immediately on board. We decided to start a label that would focus on releasing the work of female and non-binary artists. Our goal is to empower artists that we believe in and whose music we love by creating a safe and supportive network and dismantling self-doubt”. Spirit House is also a full resource for independent artists, providing expertise with music releases from start to finish; including recording, mixing, production, PR, album art, video editing, radio campaigns, booking a tour, etc.

Spirit House currently has four female artists on its roster who have written and produced their own albums. They have plans to expand to include at least four new artists in 2017. You can hear the Spirit House Sampler with a track from each of their current artists.

What if any obstacles or barriers have you faced?

One of the first obstacles that I quickly realized was needing to be strong enough to move a lot of heavy gear around in the studio! I started working out more and trying to build up my strength so that if someone asked me to move a heavy guitar amp, I could do it. I’m not saying I don’t need to ask for help sometimes, I definitely do. The other main obstacle I’ve faced is the combination of being a woman and looking young. I’ve often had bands or producers come into the studio and start talking to a male intern as if he were the assistant or engineer. I’m still working on this one, but I’ve found that introducing and identifying myself right away helps. The proof is once we start working or setting up a session, then people can see that I really know what I’m doing.

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

Be determined – it’s not always easy, but if you’re passionate, stick with it. It takes a lot of hard work. Be open to learning something new from every session or situation you find yourself in. Every engineer/producer/musician/band can have subtly (or drastically) different ways of making a record. I think it’s important to be able to adapt and to realize what you can learn from each one. Be yourself. Some situations seem to require a more neutral presence, but don’t lose sight of your own voice.

Be prepared to work long hours.

Must have skills?

The ability to work fast and anticipate people’s needs or what’s coming next. For me, I find that has to do with being sensitive and intuitive (which are often thought of as feminine traits), and knowing the process. Also, patience. Genuine patience.

Favorite gear?

LA3A, on so many things. Especially female vocals.

What do you like best about working in the studio?

I like being able to get sounds, to sculpt them and work with them. My favorite part is being there when a band does an incredible take of a song or someone lays down an amazing overdub. It can be a magical moment, and I feel lucky to be in the room to witness those moments that will be documented in the recording forever. What I also love about working in the studio is that no two sessions are ever the same. It changes so much depending on the music and all of the people involved. It keeps it interesting and constantly changing. Each session is a unique experience, and I think the vibe of that comes through in the music.

What do you like least?

Sometimes working long hours for days or weeks on end can be kind of brutal. It can be hard to keep up with normal life stuff like doing your laundry or going grocery shopping. But it’s worth it.

What is your favorite day off activity?

Going for a hike or just getting outside. After being in a control room all the time, I’m always craving some fresh air.

Spirit House goals for 2017:

We are working to promote independent and upcoming female artists to get their music out and their voices heard. We have had 4 releases so far this fall – Johanna Warren’s LP Gemini I, Lola Kirke’s debut EP, Forest Veil’s LP Zoolights, and Indira Valey’s LP Recordar. My own debut album (under the moniker Vellum) is the next release scheduled to come out on Spirit House, so I’m currently working on gearing up for that release in February. I wrote all the songs, played and sang all the parts, recorded and mixed the whole album on my own in the studio after hours, or when it wasn’t booked, so creating it was a very internal and isolated process, and I’m really looking forward to releasing it with Spirit House to share the music that came out of that experience.

I’m glad to have the support of Spirit House in this release, and it gives me a glimpse into the experience of being a new artist on the label. In a way, I can get to experience the label from both sides, which can help me to figure out what to work on in terms of the kind of support artists want from the label, what support we can provide, and just generally how to tailor the experience for each artist. It makes me think of a similar experience that I’ve had existing on both sides of the glass in the studio – from recording my own music or being hired as a vocalist, to being the engineer on a session. Both can be totally different experiences but they completely inform one another. My work as a musician has greatly helped my engineering skills – being able to communicate with musicians, knowing where to punch in, what kind of edits they want or how to do the edits so they sound natural and musical, being able to follow along on a score or a chart – have all really helped me.

photo2We are already working on exciting new plans for Spirit House Records in 2017. As I mentioned before, my debut album Vellum Not So Far will be released on Spirit House in February. We are also in negotiations and expecting to add 4 new artists to our roster with upcoming releases in 2017. The artists we’ve been talking to are all incredible female musicians and songwriters who we really believe in and are looking forward to working with. I’m particularly looking forward to these new additions to the Spirit House team because several of the artists are in the phase of getting ready to record their new albums, which I’ve been talking with them about engineering and starting to plan when and where we will record these new bodies of work. I think it will be great to be able to work with an artist all the way from recording to mixing to promoting and releasing an album. At Spirit House, we aim to be a full-service label for independent artists, able to facilitate every step of the process in creating and releasing an album.

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