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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

 

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?

“In You You Trust”

It’s the beginning of January which means it’s the beginning of a new year. Year-end lists and New Year’s resolutions abound. As corny as it sometimes feels, the end of a year and the beginning of a new one really is an excellent time to take a step back and reflect on yourself.

In this modern capitalist society, we are not taught to trust ourselves. Someone else is the expert on our happiness and success and how to get there, and there is always something missing that we need to purchase to become truly fulfilled.

But instead of thinking about how we can keep changing ourselves, let’s look at what we’ve already accomplished and how we have already grown. First, ask yourself: what is you? We sometimes forget that we are not defined by just our career, or only our relationships, or just our health. We can become so focused on one aspect of ourselves that we fall out of step in other areas. But each piece contributes to the whole. YOU are your current life, your goals (your future life), your relationship with yourself, and your relationships with others.

If you have cultivated a healthy home life with yourself, a partner, a dog, a child, a friend, or a family member, this is something to be proud of.

If you are in a business or creative partnership with people or a person with whom you trust and are inspired by, this is something to be proud of.

If you meet new people who excite you and make you want to get better at what you do, this is something to feel good about.

If you actively engage with your creative process, you should be proud of the love and respect you are showing yourself.

If you actively support someone else’s creative journey, however deep into it they may be, you should be proud of the love and respect you are showing someone else.

If you actively engage in your professional skillset and continually work toward greater mastery and new perspectives, this is something to be proud of.

If you mentor those that can learn from you, in any capacity, this is something to be proud of.

If you have open and honest conversations about money, business practices, gender gaps, race, and the ways you can participate in change for good, this is something to be proud of.

If you have ever wanted to quit, but you didn’t, this is something to be proud of.

We have a lot of work ahead of us. We have songs to write, bands to form, sounds to record, albums to make, stages to mix, setups to design, decisions to make about futures we hope to have. We have girls wanting to learn the ins and outs of an industry we know is uncomfortable for women to work in, and fortunately, they can learn in an environment that is vastly more comfortable for them than it was for us. There are so many more steps forward we will make. But today, please take a moment to acknowledge all of the steps you have already taken to make this industry, this world, your life, and the lives of those around you, a kinder, more loving, and inclusive place. Let’s keep it up!

 

 

Five Ways to Make your Freelance Applications Work for You

Happy 2018 Soundgirls! If you’re self-employed or considering becoming so, then you’re probably preparing for another year of hustling for new work opportunities. As someone who has experienced both sides of the freelance hiring process, I thought it was an appropriate time to offer some words of advice on applying for freelance jobs.

Freelance opportunities aren’t often formally advertised. They’re passed on by word-of-mouth, email, and posted on social media. A casual approach to hiring may seem to encourage a casual response, but don’t be fooled. Even the most laid-back “Hey we’re looking for awesome peeps to join us” company will still be looking for a professional response.

Here are a few tips for increasing your success when responding to opportunities for freelance work:

Read the job description

At the very least a freelance job posting or callout should include something along the lines of “we’re looking for [this kind of] person to join our team to do [this kind of work].” If it’s a useful job advert, it will also include a list of skills and experience required for the position, and any other specific requirements, e.g., location and language. Your very first step should be to thoroughly read the job description and consider if you meet the requirements before applying.

When I’ve posted call-outs for freelancers in the past, it always surprises me how many emails I receive where the applicant either hasn’t thoroughly read the application. Or they’ve forgotten to include any evidence that they have the skills and experience required for the role or they seem to think that working in any area of sound for a few years is enough to be considered for a job that requires specific expertise.

Responding quickly to a job posting may increase your chances of the hirer reading your application, but it shouldn’t be at the expense of the content. Similarly, responding to every freelance job advert even if you’re not qualified, in the hope that someone might give you a chance, is not a winning technique. If a company is looking to expand their pool of freelance dialogue editors and your background is solely in music production, they’re probably not going to be interested. Freelance positions fulfill a professional requirement – the hiring company will want whoever they hire to be able to step in and do the job straight away. Avoid wasted effort on both sides, and make sure you understand what the hirer needs before you apply.

Do your research

Of course, not every freelance job advert has an explicit list of the job requirements, or the description might use more generic terms like “we’re looking for sound engineers” without expanding on the work involved. It pays to do a bit of research before applying. If the job posting is on a company’s website or social media account, it only takes a few clicks to get more information on what kind of work they do and for what they may be looking. And if you can’t find what you’re looking for – ask. I’m always happy to answer people’s queries about jobs I’ve posted, providing the answer isn’t already in the job post itself!

Have your portfolio and CV ready to go

If you’re applying to work for a company for which you’ve never worked, you’ll always be asked for your CV (at a minimum) and either a portfolio or details of your experience. Freelance positions often aren’t often advertised for long, and in the current climate, you can expect any job post to attract a lot of applicants, so it pays to be ready to apply as soon as you can.

Your CV should be a professionally formatted PDF – a maximum of two A4 sides, if you can get it nicely formatted on a single A4 sheet, even better. It also needs to be in the language applicable to the company or job for which you’re applying – worth considering if you’re looking to work in a different country. It can be worth having an online version as well, on a personal website, Linked In, or similar. Have your portfolio samples available both as audio/video files and online links – some companies ask for portfolios to be attached to emails or uploaded, others prefer a link to a website or media sharing site like Soundcloud or Vimeo.

Draft an excellent application email: what to include

Your application email (the modern-day cover letter), should be short (250 words maximum), contain the information requested in the job advert (skills and experience), any additional relevant information, and have the appropriate documents and work examples attached or linked, depending on what’s required. Remember: all a hirer wants to know on a first quick pass of your application is: do you have the professional skills and experience needed for this job? If they can’t see evidence that you could do the job, they’re unlikely to follow up.

From my experience as a hirer, I prefer a friendly, professional tone for application emails – not overly formal, also not quirky. I don’t need you to be creative in a cover letter to help you stand out – your portfolio or CV should do this for you. Plus, depending on the job, I might have upwards of fifty emails to go through, and if it takes me more than a couple of minutes to get the information I need, I’ll be inclined to delete and move on.

Regarding including additional relevant information: if you’ve worked with the hirer or hiring company in the past, met them in person, or have been recommended through personal contact, this is always worth mentioning. I am more interested in working with people who I know to be reliable professionals, or who come recommended by someone I trust.

Draft an excellent application email: what to leave out

Unless a job posting asks for it, the following has no place in a freelance application email (all of these come from real application emails that I’ve received)

You don’t have the exact skills and experience, but you still think you’d be great for the job

A freelancer fills a professional need for a company, and they need to trust that you can do the job straight away. Unless expressly stated, you can assume you’ll be expected to do the work as soon as it comes in, with no training. If you can’t provide evidence that you can do the job, then your application is likely to be discarded.

How much you love sound and want to work in the industry

I see this a lot from graduates and people new to the job market. If you’re a working or trained sound professional, I’ll take it as a given that you enjoy working with sound. You don’t need to spell it out in an application email.

How you can only do the job if certain conditions are met, e.g., you can only do certain days per week

Your application letter is not the place to negotiate the day-to-day details of a job (unless specifically requested). If a hiring company decides to take your application to the next stage, you’ll have the opportunity to ask questions and discuss requirements on both sides. Applications that include a list of unasked-for stipulations can make you seem inflexible, which isn’t a desirable quality in a freelancer.

The best application is always one that’s prepared, relevant, and professionally written. Good luck with all of yours for this coming year.

Check out SoundGirls Resources for Career Development

Giving Back to the Audio Community – Lenise Bent

Producer/engineer LENISE BENT is one of the first women recording engineers and has worked on many iconic records including “Aja” by Steely Dan, “Breakfast in America” by Supertramp and “Tusk” by Fleetwood Mac. She was also the first woman to receive a platinum album for engineering on Blondie’s AutoAmerican.

Lenise is a native of Los Angeles and comes from a musical and technical family. She studied piano and played flute in the Compton Festival Orchestra and at the age of eight was enrolled in the Screen Children’s Guild, working in film and television. This lead to studying film and TV production in college until one day she was invited to a recording studio. With her love of music, she was hooked, dropped out of college and enrolled in a recording school the very next day. Fortunately, her parents were supportive.

After graduating from Sound Masters Recording Institute (this was one of the only schools in Los Angeles at the time), she was hired as an assistant engineer at The Village Studios in Los Angeles, eventually working her way up to engineer. It was at The Village that Lenise furthered her education in audio recording, working with and being mentored by many legendary engineers and producers, most notably Roger “The Immortal” Nichols and Roger Linn. Lenise then became chief engineer for hit producer Mike Chapman, working with several artists including Blondie, Cher, The Knack and Suzi Quatro. Together they recorded in several iconic studios such as The Record Plant Sausalito, Air London and United Western, which is now United Recording and EastWest Studios.

Lenise’s first session as an engineer was April 1977 at the Village Studios (formerly The Village Recorder) Studio A. The equipment was a Harrison 3224 console, Ampex ATR 100 2 Track, Technics ¼ Track, and M-79 2” 24 Track tape machine. The Artist was Americana musician (and uncle) Willie Wilson. The Village encouraged all the assistants to use un-booked studios when they weren’t working on their own projects.

Lenise moved into post-production audio, beginning with creating the foreign music and effects tracks for the entire Disney cartoon catalog, and eventually specializing in recording and editing Foley. She has worked on several films and animated series, such as “Robo Cop,” “Street Sharks,” and “Extreme Ghostbusters.” She has traveled the world for Dreamworks supervising and producing the foreign dialogue and vocals for “Shrek,” “Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron” and “Shrek 2”. This rekindled her love of recording music, and she is now engineering and producing up-and-coming musicians as well as seasoned artists. Currently, one of her projects, a blues/rock band called the Primal Kings, is all-analog, recording and mixing to tape and cutting vinyl.

Lenise believes in giving back to the audio community and is a sought-after lecturer at colleges throughout the country. She holds workshops and consults with singer/songwriters to learn basic recording techniques and is currently creating a workshop for recording and editing analog tape. She taught Production Sound, Post Production Audio and Studio Protocols and Procedures at SAE-LA and conducts “History of Audio Recording” presentations at The Grammy Museum. She also works in audio restoration and repair, including restoring the audio for the photo exhibit “Who Shot Rock n Roll” for the Annenberg Space for Photography.

Lenise is a long-standing voting member of NARAS and the Producers & Engineers Wing of the Recording Academy and is on the advisory board for the TEC Awards at NAMM as well as the executive committee of the Los Angeles chapter of the Audio Engineering Society. She also belongs to SoundGirls, Women in Music, ARSC (Assoc. of Recorded Sound Collectors), the prestigious Hollywood Sapphire Group, The Blues Foundation, and Women’s Audio Mission (WAM).

SoundGirls interviewed Lenise on her long career

What do you like best about your job?

I love working with musical creatives, inspiring and capturing their performances.

What do you like least?

The few times I got stiffed. Valuable lesson: always count your pay in front of the person paying you.

What if any obstacles or barriers have you faced?

Fortunately, very few. I was told once that I wouldn’t be working on a project I really wanted because they preferred to work with a guy but I eventually got the gig, and it was great.

How have you dealt with them?

Honestly and professionally.

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

To me being a recording engineer is a genderless skill, I think the individual who is passionate about recording and producing and does the hard work to learn well will succeed. I learned early on that on a session my required skills were why I was there, not because I was a woman. In the studio, I am an engineer/producer.

Yes, I realized that there might be obstacles when I started out, there were VERY few woman in the recording world at that time, so I made sure I did my job well and brought good energy on the project.

Be versatile. The more you know, the more valuable you are. Have a strong work ethic and be willing to do the jobs others aren’t, you will move up faster.

Value yourself. Working for free is being a volunteer and if that’s what everyone else is doing then okay. Otherwise, have your rate.

Be trustworthy.

Do not say you can do something if you can’t.

Leave gender out of it. You are an audio professional; your gender is secondary. Dress appropriately.

Save your money. There was a time when being a recording engineer was a very lucrative career. Times have drastically changed. Be mindful of your audio opportunities. Join a union, work for a company that provides benefits and a pension. Start saving for retirement NOW. I know it sounds cold and unartistic, but it’s reality.

Don’t sleep with your clients or co-workers. Just don’t.

Have good social skills. You can be a ProTools wizard and know everything audio, but if no one wants to be in the same room with you for more than five minutes, it doesn’t matter. Be an asset to the project and the production team, not a liability.

Must have skills?

ProTools, basic recording techniques, signal flow, knowledge of electronics. Learn your gear and mic placement. I encourage learning what good audio sounds like. Have excellent social skills and hygiene. Remember that you are providing a service.

Favorite gear?

Neve 8068, 80 series consoles, Neumann U67,  LA2A, 1176, DBX160 (Great on female vocals) limiters and compressors, EMT 140 plate reverb, Izotope RX 6, Burl converters, Prism converters, Altiverb. There is so much great gear out there that I love!

Do you ever feel pressure to be more technical or anything else than your male counterparts?

No, I don’t think more, but I better be at least as good. I prefer to be better. : ) When I started, I knew if I was more technical and did my job really well I’d have more credibility and work.

Is there anything about paying your dues you wish you would have paid more attention to that came back to haunt you later in your career?

Yes, I wish I had better electronic knowledge. When I started out studios had maintenance departments, and assistants and engineers weren’t required to know how to solder or build mic cables, etc. Good stuff to know.

When the DAW came along were you an immediate adopter?  Or did it take you a long time to convert?

I was already doing post when it came along (SoundTool!), and it was a welcome tool for fixing audio right away. I was working on Foreign M, and E’s (Music and Effects) tracks so if there was any English it was so easy to remove it. Also editing foley was a breeze, everything could be synced so easily. The foley artist still had to have good sync though, still, do.

What part of analog engineering practices have you maintained?  

I still record to tape. The main thing I apply to digital recording is the style of recording, making commitments to performances and moving forward, like recording to tape. I like to work quickly and in the moment while the emotion is still high and not wait until later when I can’t remember what nuance I liked. I record and comp, boom.

What are your favorite plugins?

I like the UAD bundle and Altiverb. I try a new plug-in on every project so I can learn it. I admit that I don’t use many plug-ins as I am usually in a studio with the outboard gear that I’m used to. The most important thing about plug-ins is to understand how to use them and why you are using them. I’ve received tracks that I’m hired to mix, and there will be five or six plug-ins on one track!

Do you have a few stories you can tell that have taught you valuable skills? Whether industry people skills or tech skills?

Here’s a good one…do not get stoned, high, drunk, etc. during a session. I was working with the group The Band, and we were recording basic tracks to 2” tape. I’m not a pot smoker but their keyboardist Garth Hudson kept insisting that I take a hit of his pot, that it was different and would help me really focus. After several refusals, I finally took that hit just to get him off my back. We had done three takes of a song, and now it was time to comp the track.  Robbie Robertson and the others decided they wanted the first verse from take 2, the first chorus from take 3, the bridge from take one, and well you get it. Remember this is 24-track tape, folks, totally destructive audio, razor blades and splicing tape, requiring focused experience and skill in the finest of times. Thankfully, the group took a long dinner break, allowing me to spend all that time juggling take-up reels, going back and forth, as I put the track together. Yes, there was major panic. When they returned from dinner, I had just finished. We played it back, and it was all good except the bridge was upside down. They all laughed like crazy except for Robbie who was not amused. I was amazed I got it as right as I did. Ugh.

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