As a sound technician (sound engineer, mixer, editor), there’s generally two types of gigs:
Over the last four years, I have been a part of the planning and designing committee for a new student union. Over this journey, I have learned many things when it comes to building a new structure and that the process can be very complicated and messy. If you ever get the opportunity to be a part of the planning process for a new venue, do it. It will be an experience you may hate at times, but it is rewarding. It has been a great learning experience. (more…)
Personal growth and professional growth work hand in hand for me. The more I expand my mindset, the greater the possibilities. Julia Child said it best “You’ll never know everything about anything, especially something you love.” So why should we stop learning, right?
I started my journey in media at a young age within a place of worship. Audio has always been my focus point. But I noticed as an in-house engineer once communication was set and audio was brought up to a standard of excellence there was still more work to be done. Which led me to expand my reach as a freelance technician.
Once I set up a multimedia platform for one worship center I continued to research equipment that could take the worshiping experience to the next level. From audio consoles to projectors, from lights to CD duplication. From live broadcasting to DVD production, they all played a significant role in creating this great experience. The leaders loved the thought of having all these outlets to help spread the gospel. Not only did it help the leaders and the congregation. It helped me gain experience, which births excellent technicians.
After working in places of worship for over eight years and graduating from a Media Tech Institute with a diploma in audio engineering and multimedia. I choose to see what other routes I could go with this passion and experience. I then found the wonderful world of AV (Audio and Visuals). A place where being proficient in all areas of event technology is golden. I had been in AV for years and didn’t even know it. I just specialized in worship centers; now I’m branching out even more. Seeing what all the world has to offer a young audio engineer willing to learn and grow.
Being an audio engineer can take you in many different directions, but no matter which route you take, the more you know, the more you grow. You can start as a monitor engineer and then move to mixing at FOH. You can be a boom microphone operator and develop into recording and mixing Foley. I started in AV as a stagehand just doing load in and load-outs. You never know, continue to keep an open mind. Never stop learning. The possibilities are endless, so is the amount of growth within the industry. Once you feel you know everything there is to know, you put a cap on yourself and opportunities. Don’t be a know it all, be willing to learn it all.
By Toni Venditti
Norah Seed is an audio engineer who has worked in Live Sound for over 25 years. She has worked in theatre, television, and AV. She currently heads the audio department for the Shell Theatre in Alberta, Canada.
Finding your day rate isn’t easy for anyone at first. It’s a math problem that includes, working with some of the most complicated and random variables. You have to ask other professionals in the area, do the research, and worst of all – assign a number to your worth as a professional. Let’s walk through it together. (more…)
“Murphy’s Law” is when something bad happens unexpectedly at the worst possible time. (more…)
I often forget that my job is pretty unique. It’s just what I do, just like everyone else sometimes it is hard to get up and go to work. I find it especially hard right now in the dead of winter and in my quiet season. But then every once in a while I am reminded my job is pretty awesome. (more…)
In Part 1 of this 2-part blog, I introduced my challenge of creating a modern sound design to fit a baroque opera staged in a 19th-century music hall, including my initial approach to the space and decisions about amplification. This part will cover creating the soundscape for the pre-show and prologue, speaker positions and the issue of levels. (more…)
Cynthia Daniels is a two-time Grammy award-winning (‘02 & ‘11) recording engineer most known for her extensive work in Broadway musicals (The Producers, Flower Drum Song, etc.) and TV/Film (World News Tonight, 20/20, MTV). Besides engineering, she has garnered a ‘07 Emmy Award for her work as a composer and music supervisor for the daytime series “Guiding Light.” Cynthia has worked with many renowned artists such as Julie Andrews, Alec Baldwin, Paul McCartney, Chaka Khan, Sarah Jessica Parker, just to name a few. Her Easthampton recording space MonkMusic Studios, designed by John Storyk, has been nominated for a TEC Award and is home to renowned productions such as Beyonce’s “God Made You Beautiful” and Randy Brecker’s “Randypop.” Aside from her thriving career in music engineering and production, she devotes her time to supporting emerging artists through the fledging independent label MonkMusic Records. (more…)