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A Sound Education

Last week the GCSE results were published in England. These qualifications mark the end of key stage 4 and are increasingly feeling like a relic left behind from old-style O-levels which, in the past, marked the end of formal secondary education. In the future, England is looking to working towards a ‘Baccalaureate’ system that aims to draw together three features:

What should assessment look like in 2025’ AQA 2015?

By including ‘personal development’ it is recognised that this is a key element in the needs of future employment.

Why is this important to those of us working in the sound industry?

A hot topic on the SoundGirls Facebook page is the need (or not) for formal qualifications in our industry. Putting student debt aside, a large majority of those against formal qualifications would cite on-the-job training as a far more effective means of achievement. In fact, this is a well-researched area. Carr (1999) says,

‘It is possible for someone to have a mental grasp of procedural knowledge, but no ability to perform the given task’.

I’m sure many of us can recall a course or training programme we’ve attended whereby at the end of the day we have understood all of the procedures being demonstrated but have very little idea of how to apply it in a real-life situation.

The issue that we recognise here is that we are being assessed on one topic and being expected to perform another. Therefore the assessment needs to reflect the practical nature of our industry.

When looking for a course it goes without saying that you need to be as thorough as possible when checking out the credentials. Importantly, check that the assessment opportunities being offered are intrinsically linked to the teaching.

Choose a course where the outcomes fit with your future plans. Even if these plans change, a good course will allow you to develop the skills to continue lifelong learning.

Student Debt

Going back to the issue of student debt, if you speak to any teacher about their students they will without fail at some point speak of inclusion.

Affordability of undergraduate courses in the UK ( and elsewhere) has shot through the roof in recent years. This has naturally increased the doubt surrounding if a course in sound is actually needed or not.

There is no straightforward answer to this other than to say that you need to seriously consider the opportunities that you will be afforded. Would you have the same networking opportunities if you didn’t do the course? Will you receive a rich and rounded mentorship away from the structure of an institution? You are quite likely to find that there are as many professional sound engineers that followed an academic route as followed an amazing mentor or mentors within the industry. The decision of which route to take can only be decided by you.

Community Support

Living in a country that has seen an enormous leap in the availability of public education, highlights the importance of grassroots support and encouragement for young people joining the workplace. Music is one area where traditionally, Oman is rich in heritage.

Whichever path you decide to take, ensure that you have taken every opportunity around you. The number one piece of advice I’ve always given to students wanting to get into sound is… get into sound! Find your local amateur dramatic society/ a band/ music venue/ recording studio and get involved as much as possible. If a group doesn’t exist then create one.

In Muscat, there is a huge variety of musicians from different backgrounds and cultures. They are often brought together on my ‘open mic’ nights. This is a fantastic opportunity for young people to showcase their skills but also to learn new insights. Look hard enough and there will always be a way forward and it doesn’t have to involve spending any money.

Huddleston, Prue. “Http://Www.aqa.org.uk/about-Us/What-We-Do/Policy/the-Future-of-Assessment-2025-and-beyond/How-Should-We-Assess-Vocational-and-Practical-Learning.” Http://Www.aqa.org.uk/, filestore.aqa.org.uk/content/about-us/AQA-THE-FUTURE-OF-ASSESSMENT.PDF.

The Future of Assessment

U.K. Intern at Loud Women Fest – Sept. 2

LOUD WOMEN FEST 2017

SoundGirls that need work experience this is a great opportunity to work at the Loud Women Fest 2017. This is an unpaid internship, but you will gain valuable hands on experience and be fed. We have spots for three interns to assist across two stages. Please send your CV and Cover Letter to soundgirls@soundgirls.org. Please indicate which stage you wish to work.

You must apply by Thursday 6PM GMT time.  We will notify you Thursday evening or Friday morning.

Bar Stage 12:00 to 9:00 pm

Main Stage two shifts 12 pm to 6 pm and 6 pm to 2 am

“LOUD WOMEN will undoubtedly be the beacon for all the best new female talent” – The Morning Star

 

“championing women in music through putting on great gigs with great people” – Parallel Magazine

 

“Fans of women-centric punk, rock and riot grrrl will heart this UK-based promoter.” – DIVA magazine

 

Some Great Gear

Over the last year, with a brand-new facility, I’ve been able to purchase a lot. Here are some of what I would consider being the best small to medium-sized purchases of the year.

First, the most lifesaving (ok, more time and ease saving) items would be road cases! Going from a building where everything was within 30ft to a building where everything is two floors away is a change. I purchased road cases and created packs to go to each area. This made everything much simpler, and likely shaves off more setup time then when everything was stored closer. There are hundreds of case companies out there. My recommendation is to check out the case companies closest to you. This can save you time and money in shipping, plus you are also supporting a local or regional business. Just make sure the cases will hold up to abuse and fit your need for size and height.

Second, functional clothing, which is needed all the time but worth highlighting here. For me, there are two key items for functional clothing: pants with pockets and well-supporting shoes. Another SoundGirl posted some leggings with pockets a while back. Now, I’m not a legging person myself but it shows that someone is finally getting it: Pockets are needed! I usually get jeans that are a little cheaper and have well-built pockets. This way I can carry essential tools and then, if something happens to the jeans, they aren’t expensive to replace. For shoes, I prefer closed-toed with good support. Generally, I pick a hiking shoe for long days and keep some steel-toed shoes around for load-ins/outs. I find that hiking shoes provide support for longer than a general tennis shoe.

Third, a fun piece of equipment to get to know: a Shure ULXD wireless mic setup. (Just in time for the bandwidth chaos too!) We went the digital route and I couldn’t be happier with them for our meeting rooms. They work great with a lot of the other wireless mic setups throughout the campus and building. Batteries seem to last long enough and the pickup is awesome, even for those who don’t hold the mic properly. I’m hoping to add more of these to the inventory soon.

Finally, fourth, a hand-held little tool that is easy to take everywhere: The Gerber Shard keychain. This tool has been great to keep attached to my keys as I have encountered different power panels and boxes that needed opening. It’s lightweight and sturdy making it much nicer to carry all the time than a full multi-tool. It will never replace a good multi-tool, but it’s great to always have around.

What are some of the best purchases you’ve made this year?

 

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.

 

Time for a Change

Recently I decided to make a significant change to my business. From the end of this year, I have decided to limit my voice-over demo production services to character voice demo production only. I’ve worked hard to grow the voice demo side of my business for the past six years, so it wasn’t an easy decision.

When I decided to start offering voice demo services, it seemed perfect for a freelance sound designer/voice actor. Actors, broadcasters, and anyone else who wants to work professionally as a voice-over artist or voice actor need professional voice-over demos to showcase their voice-over work. I wrote scripts, directed and recorded the actors in my studio, and mixed their demos. As my voice-over career grew, I also offered advice about the industry.

For a few years, producing voice demos felt like a way I could creatively combine voice-over, sound engineering, and sound design skills. And because I managed all my bookings through my personal studio, it was also flexible enough to allow me to do other sound design and voice-over work. After a few years it made up 60% of my income and bookings were steady enough for me to fill all the available slots I had every month, without almost any marketing.

As I write this, I am booked up for voice demos until the end of October, with people on the waiting list for when I open bookings again for November/December. This is the closest I have come to a guaranteed income since I went freelance for the second time. Once I stop producing commercial and narrative demos, I don’t have work readily lined up to replace this. Until I do, I’ll be losing around 50% of my monthly income. So, yeah – not an easy decision.

So why do it? Over the past year, I’ve felt it was time for a change for a number of reasons. Here are a few signs that you might recognise if you’re considering a similar change:

It stopped being challenging

Producing voice-over demos has taught me a lot. I learned how to write effective commercial, narrative and animation and gaming character scripts. My voice-over editing skills improved, and I discovered how to mix demo radio and TV commercials to sound like the real thing. I developed directing skills and eventually, an individual style and technique. But about 18 months ago, I realised I wasn’t learning anything new. I’d reached a point where I had all the skills and experience I needed to keep producing quality commercial and narrative voice demos, and I had no real drive to add to these. Which was compounded by….

I achieved all my goals

Once I was satisfied that producing voice demos would be commercially viable, I set goals for myself. Earlier this year, I ticked off the last of those goals. While there are other directions I could take this side of my business – expanding into commercial premises, hiring staff, offering different packages – none of these are appealing. I still want to produce character voice demos (for performers who want to showcase their voice acting skills for animation and gaming), but  I’ve reached my upper limit of what I want to do with commercial and narrative reels.

I wasn’t doing the work I really wanted to do

I am drowning in admin. Responding to emails, writing scripts, creating downloadable resources for clients, is overwhelming, and it’s taking time away from the sound design projects I want to do. One solution I considered was hiring an assistant or virtual assistant, but I’m uncomfortable with the idea of hiring staff. It’s time to do less of the work I currently do, to make time for the work I want to do.

I lost motivation

For almost my entire freelance career, earning money has been a pretty big motivator – if I don’t work, I don’t get paid. So I knew it was a big sign that I needed to make a change when even the thought of maybe not getting paid wasn’t enough to keep me on consistently on track and focused on my work.

I stopped looking forward to the work

You don’t have to love your job every single day. You do have to want to be there most days – otherwise, you’re doing the wrong job.

I’ll still be producing character voice demos for people who want to showcase their voice acting skills for cartoons and video games, so I haven’t cut the cord completely. And I admit I’m a tad nervous about what comes next when I don’t have a solid calendar of bookings on which to rely. Equally, I’m looking forward to what comes next – hopefully, more of the work I want to do and even, some time off! Here’s to new challenges.

 

Intern at AES with Sennheiser

 

 

Sennheiser & Neumann is looking for one member of SoundGirls.Org to intern with the company during the 2017 AES Convention in New York.  Please send cover letter and resume to soundgirls@soundgirls.org

Dates and Times

Responsibilities

Booth # – 724 (directly in front of the entrance)

Demo Room # – 1E04

Sennheiser will offer monitoring headphones and dinner with Sennheiser each evening. You will also receive a letter of recommendation upon successful completion.

Cancelled – Houston – Allen & Heath dLive Training

Due to Hurricane Harvey we have had to cancel this event.  Stay Tuned for rescheduled dates.

 

d&b audiotechnik – System Reality Workshop – Germany

 

The real world of the d&b audiotechnik System reality. Join us for two days of training that will provide in-depth product information as well as hands on sessions, enabling the attendee to have a basic understanding of d&b systems. In addition attendees will learn the theory and its practicality in achieving superior sound in the real world, and is focused on optimising the designed sound system by using the on-board tools in the amplifiers.

This workshop has been designed for SoundGirls and includes

Basic Electro Acoustics

A review of the principles of acoustics. Important questions are answered such as; how does sound propagate and how do sound waves combine?

The d&b workflow: ArrayCalc prediction and R1 remote control software

Become familiar and comfortable with the design, deployment and operation of a d&b sound system using the d&b Workflow. Learn the basics of acoustics, loudspeaker characteristics and design. Learn the configuration of a d&b sound system using the ArrayCalc system simulation software as well as the R1 Remote control software for configuring d&b amplifiers and controlling d&b sound systems. Set up, listen and tune the system with the d&b on-board tools at the amplifiers.

NoizCalc – Far field noise immission software.The d&b NoizCalc software uses international standards to model the far field noise immission from one or more d&b loudspeaker systems. NoizCalc takes data from the ArrayCalc simulation software and calculates snapshots showing the sound propagation and relative attenuation values towards the far field for a certain scenario with particular meteorological conditions. With these tools, the optimal sonic experience is delivered reliably and faithfully to the right ears, and not the wrong ones.

Hotels

d&b has graciously offered to organise hotel bookings. They have a special d&b room rate with a local hotel. Room prices are 69 euros per night and include breakfast.

You can indicate your if you wish for d&b to book hotel and your room preference upon registration

d&b will also be inviting SoundGirls attending to a dinner during the workshop.

 

Austin – Allen & Heath dLive Training

SoundGirls – Allen & Heath – Music Lab Presents dLive Training

We invite you to attend our training event on the dLive digital mixing system from Allen & Heath. The design goal for dLive was to create the ultimate mixing system, with plenty of processing and flexibility to handle the most demanding live scenarios.

The training is built around an immersive combination of presentation and hands-on training designed to showcase the dLive’s power and flexibility across multiple applications.

Training is free but space is limited. You must register.

Register for 12:00 to 3:00 pm

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