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The Studio Side – Ariel Rechtshaid – Feat Grammy Award Winning Producer/ Engineer/ Songwriter

 

Join us for a moderated discussion, Q&A, and Ariel Rechtshaid will be breaking down his production process with a surprise mix.

Ariel Rechtshaid is a record producer, audio engineer, mixing engineer, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter. His production, songwriting, and mixing credits include Adele, Solange Knowles, Brandon Flowers, HAIM, Vampire Weekend, Madonna, and more.

 

 

 

The Songwriter’s Secret: The Circle of Fifths

The skills involved in producing and engineering music are different to the ones required to write and play it, but that does not say there is no overlap.  Even the simplest recording job requires you to be able to capture the feel of the music, and the vision of the musicians, on record.  All of the technical know-how in the world won’t matter if you have a tin-ear for the music, and so it’s helpful to make sure your knowledge of producing and engineering is backed up by an understanding of musical theory.

One of the most common examples of musical theory that is crucial to the creation of music is the circle of fifths.  You may have read, or heard, someone say of a song: ‘It uses the classic I-IV-V-I progression.’ Unless you are already familiar with intermediate musical theory, this may well have baffled you; after all, you know that the scale runs from ‘A’ to ‘G’, and you know that between the notes are ‘sharps’ and ‘flats’, but that’s it.  The answer to this is that ‘I-IV-V-I’ is a progression, not from one specific note or chord to another, but a pattern that repeats in terms of spacing, whatever the ‘root’ note or chord of the sequence. This progression can be explained by the concept of the circle of fifths, and in a recording situation, this could be vital knowledge.  The reason is that music is written to evoke or elicit certain feelings and emotions, and there are methods for doing so, compositionally speaking; an engineer’s job is to ensure that the recording matches the vision, and an understanding of how the music works makes that job easier.

I-IV-V-I

Music is basically maths- that’s the first thing to remember.  Notes sound pleasant, or consonant, together because of the mathematical ratios between them.  A ‘fifth’ is the term for a specific interval between notes.  To stay with the example of ‘I-IV-V-I’- mainly because it is the most common progression in popular western music, with literally thousands of songs based up in it- imagine that the starting chord of your song is a C-major; that is ‘I,’ your ‘root’ chord.  ‘IV,’ your next chord, is F-major and ‘V’ is G-major.  If however, the key of ‘C’ is not right for your voice, be it either too low or too high for you to sing comfortably, the ‘I-IV-V-I’ pattern can be easily transposed.  If you want to sing in the key of E-major (I), then the next chord will be A-major (IV), followed by B-major (V).  The progression will sound the same, only in a higher or lower key; this is because the intervals between the notes are the same.  The same goes for other common progressions, such as I-V-VI-IV; if it is denoted by Roman numerals, then it is all about the intervals and can be transposed into any key.

 

The circle of fifths is so called because the nature of the musical scale, running from A to G, means that you can start on one note and run through a sequence of ‘perfect fifths’ which will take you through each note and back to the beginning, in a circular motion, without experiencing any dissonance.  It is also because this relationship can place, visually, on a circle; this diagram makes it easy to locate both the relative minor chords as well as the ‘IV’ and ‘V’ of any root note or chord. A simple trick to remember is that, on the circle of fifths diagram, the ‘IV’ of any root note is one step anti-clockwise, and the ‘V’ is one step clockwise.

There’s a great deal more theory behind this, and it becomes increasingly complex and esoteric, but if you want to understand how songs have been put together,- an important part of the recording process- then a basic understanding of the circle of fifths will be beneficial.  The diagram, in particular, will show you consonant choices about chord progression, whilst also showing you the relative minor chord, which is always a favorite option for a middle-8 or B-section.  As you better understand how the music works, your abilities to successfully capture its spirit will also increase.

By Sally Perkins

Ableton Show Control

For a show not so long ago in RADA (Scuttlers, written by Rona Munro), it was my intention to use Ableton Live for the playback of a variety of songs, beats, and rhythms which the cast would create and interact with throughout the show.

As I have mentioned in my blog Choosing Software, I had decided to use Ableton Live in shows because it allows me the diversity to create my own sound palettes, add in effects, and take them away again easily. Crucially, I can control all of this via MIDI in Qlab, which adds important stability for the show, but still, retains a wide dynamic range of filters and features that can be blended and mixed.

*I’m using a Mac for all of the following features, coupled with Ableton Live 9 Suite, and Qlab 3 with a Pro Audio licence.

First things first, you’ll need to go into your computer’s Audio MIDI Setup, you’ll want to go to Window in the Finder bar, and select Show MIDI Studio.

Show MIDI Studio in the Audio MIDI Setup Window in the Mac Mini

 

Qlab Live will pop up as an IAC Driver, and you’ll need to double-click the Qlab Driver to show the Qlab Live Properties.

Qlab IAC Driver in the MIDI Studio

 

In this new window, you’ll need to add a second Port such as below:

Creating a second bus under the Ports pane

 

These buses will be used to trigger Ableton from Qlab, and Ableton to trigger itself internally.

This then brings us to setting up Ableton MIDI. You’ll need to open a new Ableton file and open up the Preferences pane, from here you’ll need to set up the internal MIDI ports to transmit and receive MIDI via the buses to Qlab that we previously set up in the Mac Mini’s own Audio MIDI Setup. It should look something like below:

Ableton’s MIDI Preferences

You can then open up Qlab and check the MIDI Port Routing in the MIDI preferences and ensure that MIDI is being sent to Ableton via one of the ports like so:

You’re probably going to want to leave at least one MIDI port before the Ableton bus free for a MIDI send to your sound desk, or even to Lighting or Video.

Once you’ve set up these initial steps, this is when it gets slightly more complicated. You’ll need to keep a strict record of the MIDI triggers that you’re sending, and indeed all of the values and channel numbers. These will eventually each do different commands so getting one value crossed with another could end up with not only a lot of confusion, but you could end up triggering cues before they’re supposed to Go!

In your Ableton session, look to the top right-hand corner, and you will see a small MIDI toggle button. This is your MIDI view button, and when clicked you’ll also be able to track your MIDI across your session and throughout the show. It will be generic Ableton colour until you click it, when it will become pale blue:

 

A portion of the rest of your Ableton session will also be highlighted in blue, and the highlighted sections are all of the features available for MIDI control. This can range from volume control on Ableton channels, changing the tempo, fading in/out effects, and starting ‘scenes’ on the Master channel bank.

So I’m now dragging in a sample to the first Audio channel in Ableton

This is the first Audio track that I’d like to MIDI, so I set up a new MIDI cue in Qlab, and make sure that it’s a simple Note On MIDI command – Qlab will always default to Channel 1, Note Number 60, Velocity 64, but this can be changed depending on how you plan on tracking your commands. I’ll set this to Channel 4 (leaving the first 3 Channels free for desk MIDI, LX and maybe Video or spare in case something needs re-working during tech). I’ve then set it to Note 1, with a Velocity of 104 (104 is a key number here, this roughly works out at 0db within Ableton, so is handy to remember if MIDI’ing any level changes). Because all I’ve done here is send a simple ‘Go’ command to the Audio track, however, the Velocity number is sort of irrelevant – because the track is at 0db anyway, it will simply play at 0db.

I’ll then ensure that MIDI output is enabled in Qlab, and open the MIDI window in Ableton, again, from the top right-hand corner, and select my track with my mouse (this might not necessarily be highlighted any more, but it will be selected). I’ll then jump back to Qlab, and fire off the MIDI cue. Ableton will recognise this, and not only will the programmed MIDI show up in the MIDI Mappings side of the session, but it will show up directly on top of the Audio cue, like thus:

So now that we have an audio track playing and the action is happening on stage, you might have even fired through several other generic Qlab cues, but you want to stop the music and start the scene. There is no escape in Qlab for Ableton, so Ableton is going to keep going until we programme some more MIDI cues; So I’m simply going to programme a fade down of the music, and then a stop.

What I’ve done it programme a MIDI fade, which as you can see in the picture, it starts at the 0db value of 104, and then fades down over 5 seconds to 0, or infinity. You can also control the curve shape of the fade as usual in Qlab, and of course, the fade time is completely adjustable.

Once I’ve programmed the fade and added in the stop, my MIDI window looks a bit like this:

Ableton has accepted what ‘notes,’ or for Qlab, what values I’ve added in that complete different commands, and also given me a description of what these are doing. Something to note here is that the value to change the volume, whether you’re adding in fades up or down, will always be the same – it is the volume value in Qlab that will see the change.

So now that I’ve stopped the music, I might want to start it again in a separate scene if it was a motif for a character, for example. This programming can be part of the same cue:

Again, you’ll notice that the Ableton fader is resetting back to 0db. Of course, this is just one channel, and just one track within Ableton, and the more you add, the more complicated the programming can get. I’ve also added in a channel stop to make sure that should we want to play something off a separate scene in Ableton; nothing else gets fired off with it (just in case).

In terms of MIDI’ing within Ableton, when in your MIDI pane, as a general rule, anything that shows up in blue is viable to receive and be altered by MIDI. This means that you can add in reverbs over a certain amount of time, take them away again, and alter any of the highlighted parameters completely to taste. You’ll then just need to go back and make sure that any fade ins have outs again and a reset.

This is a brief intro to having more control over Ableton during a show within Qlab, and of course the more effects and cues might get added, the more complicated the MIDI mapping becomes.

The great thing about using Ableton in a show is that there are certain parameters (also with MIDI control) that can be changed such as how long after receiving a stop should the track last (one bar, or half a bar, or a beat for example) to always ensure that music ends on beat and makes sense to the listeners. For me, Ableton allows you enough control over what it does, but enough flexibility.

Tour Manager Cheat Sheet

Cheat Sheet for Tour Managers

Feel Free to Post Your Tips and Advice and we will add them.

Venues:

Call or text the Production Manager and let them know when you’re 10min away. If you don’t get a response, no big deal. Load-in details should be advanced.

When you arrive, run in and tell them you’ve arrived. Ask them for some hands to help you unload. After getting all the gear in and locating the dressing rooms have them direct you to your parking spot.

Introduce yourself to everyone inside – find your key people – PM, house FOH, house MON, house LD, promoter rep, head of security, merch person and whoever is responsible for stocking the dressing rooms. Make best friends with this person! Merch person and promoter rep sometimes arrive at the venue later than everyone else. Attend the security meeting (if applicable.)

Once the band has a minute to get settled in the dressing room, have them get their gear pre-set off stage (ask the PM where to do this). This way they’ll be almost ready when (the headliner) finishes their check, and they can just move their gear into place. Otherwise, you’ll waste all your soundcheck time doing

Setup.

Ask them if soundcheck is running on time, and what time you should have your band ready to move onto the stage.

Check that the rider is in the dressing room, or on its way (everything you agreed during the advance). If you are an opener, you probably won’t get your full rider, but you should at least have what was agreed during the advance. At a bare minimum, make sure you have:

Show Schedule:

Make sure there is a schedule for the day printed and hung on the wall by the door in the dressing room. The venue or headlining act usually handles this, but in case they don’t – do it yourself. Just the basics: day, date, venue name, address, doors, set times and length, changeover times and length, curfew and wifi info. In big type that’s easy to read. If your band has a logo, include it at the top and keep a template going.

Set List:

Try to get a jump on the setlist right after soundcheck. Keep all setlists in an accessible and sharable place (Dropbox for example) saved under their dates. You will often get asked for them after-the-fact for press, and sometimes the band will say ‘we want to do the same setlist we did in Portland.’ Once you have it, type it up as big as possible on one page, and print needed copies. Possible positions that need setlists will be: (modify as needed)

Next up is the guest list:

Check with everyone (band, crew, press, management) and type it up, then give to contact that is handling the guest list (per advance.) If you need more than your allotted spots, charm the promoter. Make sure this is done before doors.

Merch:

Count-in, the merch with the merch person. Merch %s should be listed in the deal memos. If touring with a headline act see if their merch person is willing to take your remaining merch at the end of the night and bring it to the next city. (For example – If you are going to do this, get a large Tupperware container or something easy for them to travel with.)

Always give the band a heads up when:

Before you head to FOH or MON:

Make sure the stage is all ready, (lead vocals) knows where their mic is, and that each person has the following at their station on stage: (modify as needed)

After the show:

Help get the gear off the stage, packed up, and loaded out – the next band or headliner’s people will want you off their stage

Check in with the band backstage right after the gear is handled. See if they need anything, then tell them you’re going to settle, and what time they should be ready to leave. Only leave early if you have to leave to the next city. Otherwise, stick around to deal with merch.

Find the promoter rep and settle. Make sure they have the W9, and that you get a copy of the settlement.

Check in on merch:

When it’s getting time to leave:

Give the band a 15 min heads up before departure time.

Load any dressing room hospitality into the van/sprinter/bus (typically unopened only). Ask the venue for a box or bags for this.

Hotels

When you arrive:

Go to the front desk and give them your group name (or everyone’s names if it’s not registered as a group).

Offer to take band’s credit cards for incidentals (if required), so they can get their bags out of the vehicle while you get their keys.

Make sure there is a copy of your rooming list and hotel information sheet in each envelope. This can be advanced with the hotel, so it is ready on arrival.

On checkout:

Leave extra time to deal with the front desk. It always takes longer than you think. Make sure everyone has paid their incidentals and has a copy of their ‘zero balance receipt.’

Ask for a copy of the master folio, and make sure that nothing except Rooms, Tax, and Internet has been charged to the tour cc.

If for some reason it’s taking too long at the desk, and it’s going to make you late, just leave. It can be sorted it out later.

Helpful Resources

GeniusScan – A PDF scanner app

Square – Accept credit card payments:

Waze GPS app –

Master Tour is the premier software solution for tour management and logistics. With Master Tour, you can organize your itinerary, travel, production, accounting and more in one application. Work on or offline and share critical information with your crew in real-time. Master Tour will help keep your entire organization in sync.

Cudasign app – E-sign electronic documents

Foursquare – Find local businesses and attractions:

Yelp – Find businesses with reviews everywhere

Another TM with more experience on speed dial

Global Access – Visa and Immigration:  Global Access Immigration Services, Inc. has been providing worldwide entertainment visa services, consulate assistance and coordination for the Live Touring Industry for travel both inside and outside the United States.

Tour Supply  Tour Supply Inc is THE One Stop Shop for Touring Professionals Worldwide.

Smart and Savvy Travel Agency – Owner/Operator Molly Brickson Williams:

Lock Travel Management – Owner/Operator Amber Lock:

Plaza Travel – Production travel agents

Cube Passes – Laminates, wristbands, luggage tags:

Dropbox – Cloud-based file storage and management:

 

A SoundGirls Guide to the Middle East

In recent years a number of new performance venues have opened across the Middle East. This is paving the way for productions across the world to bring their performances to new audiences. Some of the top venues in the region include iconic Dubai Opera, the New York University Abu Dhabi Arts Centre, the Sheikh Jaber Al Ahmad Cultural Centre in Kuwait, the King Abdulaziz Centre for World Culture in Saudi Arabia, and of course our Royal Opera House in Muscat, Oman.

Each venue attracts a variety of different productions, including a rich mixture of Western ballet, opera, and concerts, and more traditional and modern Arabic music. Interestingly, staff are also often an eclectic mixture of talent from around the world.

With this rapid expansion, production companies are starting to include these venues more and more on international touring circuits. Recently, discussions on the SoundGirls social media platforms have included members asking for advice on their upcoming tour dates. My advice is as follows!

Passports and visas

Most countries in the GCC will require at least six months on your passport when you enter the country. You are also likely to need a visa. This might be a work visa or a tourist visa for short term work. Depending on the country this will be organised when arrive. You may need to hand your documents over to a PRO (Public Relations Officer) for a few days. This is totally normal here as the process can be rather complicated.

Dress code

Contrary to popular belief in the West this does not just apply to women. Think modest! Shorts and vest tops are not acceptable work dress for anyone (male or female). Long sleeve t-shirts (not tight or low cut) are comfy, but a shirt is more appropriate for most situations. Smart jeans (not skinny fit) are OK, but a smart pair of chinos is better. Aircon is normally at a steady 21 degrees Celsius so if you indoors bring a cardi! Venues will advise you on any particular rules.

If you are working outside, the heat can be rather overwhelming. It sounds like common sense, but you will need lots of changes of clothes- including socks. A hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, and copious amounts of water and all essential. Excellent rehydration drinks are available in supermarkets and chemists. It’s worth having a few sachets in your tool case.

Remember that during Ramadan drinking and eating in public is prohibited. There is often a room put aside for those not fasting so again… please do not panic! Be respectful to those around you who are fasting and try not to announce what you’ve got for lunch!

Culture

Respect is the keyword here. A friendly face speaks a thousand words when language barriers get in the way. It is useful to learn a few phrases to greet your hosts. ‘As-Salamu Alaykum’ means ‘peace be upon you and is used to say hello. This always gets things off to a good start. Even if you can’t speak any other Arabic, this will be greatly appreciated.

Raising your voice is not taken well in any circumstance, even if you are feeling extremely put out. Stay calm and if you keep talking you will often find a way to compromise.

Many of the discussions on SoundGirls platforms talk about safety for women. Generally speaking, the region is very safe. Obviously, take normal precautions as you would at home. Women may get ‘starred at’ whilst doing physical work. This is because it is unusual to see women in these roles. Do not take offence. Understanding different cultures is a two-way learning curve. Men may try and take heavy cases away from women. Firmly, politely and confidently say that you are fine. Don’t let go and SMILE! After a few attempts, the person will give up and leave you to it.

Food and drink

Fast food is extremely popular here. You will find most of the chains that you would at home. Of course, it is always fun to try the local delicacies. Try a Shwarma or Shuwa for a local-style lunch. Lemon and mint juice is also an absolute must-try! Increasingly more outlets are catering for vegetarian and gluten-free options.

Alcohol (in countries that are not totally dry) is available in some hotels or bars. It is more complicated to buy off the shelf unless you have a licence so if you are only passing through it is much easier to buy duty-free at the airport.

I hope that this clears up some of the misconceptions that make the rounds on social media. Sometimes it is better to take the risk and see for yourself. There are some incredible places to visit in the Middle East, and if someone is paying you for the privilege, it is an opportunity not to be missed.

I AM THAT GIRL Seeks Volunteer Sound Engineers for Los Angeles Event July 17 – 19

I AM THAT GIRL, is a 501(c)3 organization helping girls to transform self-doubt in to self-love by providing a safe space to connect and have honest conversations about things that matter. Every day, girls are bombarded with messages that attack what she is NOT and we work every day to help her love who SHE IS; to see that in herself and inspire that in others. They are shifting girl culture.

Raising the standards for how girls treat themselves, each other, and the world. By building a community for girls to be seen, be heard, and belong, we are giving them something bigger than themselves to stand for and creating a healthier, more powerful world.

The Los Angeles Chapter is holding a three day leadership summit on July 17 – 19th at Loyola Marymount University. They are seeking volunteers to run sound for three different portions of their event.

Musical performance (Rachel Platten) on 7/17 from 6:00pm – 9:00pm

Live Podcast recording (That’s So Retrograde) on 7/18 from 2:30pm – 4:30pm

Musical performance (The Sledge Grits) on 7/18 from 6:00pm – 9:00pm

If you are interested in volunteering please email soundgirls@soundgirls.org a cover letter and resume and indicate which portions you are able to assist.

Intern at MidWay Music Festival – Sept. 9

SoundGirls is proud to sponsor the MidWay Music Festival –

SoundGirls Members Can Volunteer to Intern. This is a great opportunity to earn work experience and be part of a great community.

MidWay Music Festival celebrates & connects female-identifying musicians and artists. Local and state-wide female-fronted acts come together in Bloomington, Indiana for one entire day to celebrate their achievements and inspire other female musicians to pursue their goals.

If you are interested in volunteering email soundgirls@soundgirls.org the following information.

Building Business Relationships

Building relationships within our industry are important. Networking is vital to finding support among our peers that can help with problem-solving tips, career progression, and, sometimes, just venting about various situations. However, building business relationships in our field is vitally important, such as the relationship between a vendor and a customer. We buy our gear from someone, and we sell our skills to someone else; we are regularly both vendors and customers. With that lens, it is important for us to remember strong relationships are vital to our success, as well as our reputations.

In a customer-vendor relationship, it is important to have clear and transparent communication. For the customer, it is important to be able to communicate their expectations and wants in an understandable way that allows the vendor to meet their needs. At a minimum, the customer must be able to communicate a starting point for the project or event that includes the theme of the event, along with a general idea of the budget, priorities, and a timeline. It is important for the vendor to help the customer understand what can be provided, as well as what not to expect. The vendor should be careful not to overwhelm the customer with excessive jargon, which can cause disconnects, as well as to not take advantage of a customer who is new to the business. They should keep in mind that the customer may have difficulty articulating what they want and shouldn’t expect or use terms that may be used among employees.

One of the key tools for facilitating this communication is for the vendor to keep their bids easy to read and make sure they are supplying enough information so the customer knows what to expect, while not offering excessive information that a customer couldn’t care less about. This is an important communication step that places both parties on the same page. The bid can often be the best tool in developing the customer’s ability to understand their event in more detail. What it takes to meet their expectations (both in equipment and costs), and discuss the ability to meet the customer’s needs within the restrictions of the customer’s resources – everyone wants the Rolex for the price of a Timex. In a customer-vendor relationship, it is important to work together and be transparent; it doesn’t help anyone to play games. Clear information can make a transaction between the two so much simpler.

It is also important in a customer-vendor relationship for both parties to remain timely, as well as working towards limiting any surprises. These two items also stem from providing clear information and communication. As projects, such as installs, move forward, it is important for both parties to communicate timelines and changes. Another example is an event load-in: If the space is contracted to be ready for setup at 8 am, make sure it truly is ready at 8 am. If the rental delivery time is 8:30 am, be there at 8:30 am.

In addition to maintaining a timeline, we need to be prepared for that situation we all know when everything doesn’t go according to plan and often times is due to some sort of surprise. So, as a customer, if you learn information that may affect the vendor, let them know; such as unplanned construction in front of the loading dock, or resource availability changes like a broken equipment lift. The same goes for a vendor; if the customer has asked for a specific monitor model and two nights ago someone cleaned it with beer, let them know and provide information about the replacement that will be provided.  Communicating in advance those things that many of us can’t control, but have happened, can help everyone to begin troubleshooting as soon as possible and adjust accordingly.

Another aspect of the customer-vendor relationship is to maintain integrity, as well as to remain grateful for the services each role offers the other. Both parties need to follow through on the commitments that have been made; complete projects well, provide an environment where the projects can be completed to meet expectations, provide invoices on time, as well as paying invoices in a timely manner, etc. Also, ‘thanks you’s, and ‘good job’ statements go a long way. If a vendor does a remarkable job, let them know. If a customer offers the vendor great hospitality, let them know. That way both parties know they have upheld their end of the bargain and can maintain that in the future. It’s a win-win for everyone involved and will continue to be as the business relationship continues.

Don’t get too comfortable in the customer-vendor relationship. This partnership is for business, not best friends hanging around the bonfire. Becoming laissez-faire about this relationship could end up in costly mistakes, lost profits, lost customers, and loss of business. Both parties need to continue to communicate, set clear expectations, hold up their end of the bargain, and follow-through. Shared experiences involving good communication, transparency, and satisfying outcomes are what establish trust and demonstrate integrity, honesty, and reliability. All are critical elements to a great customer-vendor relationship.

From “Girl Engineer” to Re-Recording Mixer – Sherry Klein

Sherry Klein is an Emmy-nominated re-recording mixer and a pioneer of women in audio in both music and television. Sherry became a recording engineer at Larrabee Studios in the late 1970s – one of a handful of female engineers in Los Angeles at the time and possibly one of the only female re-recording mixers in town when she moved into post in the early 1980s.

Sherry’s television credits include Bull, Queen of the South, Burn Notice, Sons of Anarchy, Falling Water, The Shield, and Arrested Development.  She mixes dialogue and music with her partner Scott Weber, who handles sound effects and Foley.

What’s your music background?

I took all my music classes in Manhattan. Growing up all I ever wanted to do was study music and play guitar. I would travel to the city to learn blues fingerpicking style at the Folklore Center in Greenwich Village. And on weekends played small clubs and coffeehouses in the NY and Jersey area. After High school I went to College in St Louis, Missouri to major in music composition.. 6 months into mornings filled with classical counterpoint and fugue, I decided I would rather study jazz. There was only one school for me, and that was Berklee College of Music, in Boston. I got accepted and then spent the next six months hitchhiking cross-country before moving to Boston.

While attending Berklee, I was pretty much a monk to music and composition, and after a few semesters, I found that I was having difficulty writing and composing. I could analyze a Charlie Parker solo on the subway, Ace my exams .. but I just couldn’t innovate anymore. Learning the nuts and bolts of music theory seemed to limit my creativity. I went on to study independently at Boston School of Electronic Music and took various classes all over town… basically whatever interested me in the areas of sound and music. Even audited (snuck into) an acoustics class at MIT… I did crazy stuff to get a little bit of everything in.

What I realize in hindsight is that I have a very technical and organized mind. While in college I memorized all my scales and theory exercises using mathematical formulas, but in reality, I sucked at math and practically flunked it in high school … it just wasn’t presented to me in a way that I saw any use for it in my life, but as soon as I was able to make sense of it in my life, i.e., in music… math and I got along much better!

How did you get into sound?

I started hanging out downstairs at the 2-track studio at Berklee and became fascinated with sound. Soon after leaving Berklee, I got a job working for Hub Recording Studios. I was the girl in the front who handled phone calls and stuff. Eventually and begrudgingly, the boss ” allowed” me to become an assistant engineer. I also began working live sound in clubs around Boston and working for a few local bands. One night a couple of guys came over to the studio to do some wiring work. We talked for a while, and they said they were building a 16-track recording studio. They asked me if I would be interested in joining them … that was a no-brainer. I said “Hell yeah! It proved to be some of the best times I ever spent during those early years.

We wired everything in that studio. We built a shell within a shell that sank within the first year. Physically I was the smallest one, so I ended up doing much of the wiring between the ceiling and the shell. I could wire and solder anything at that point. We had to make many compromises because our funds were very limited.

For a DDL: we used our concrete basement and would put a Neumann U-87 in bidirectional mode catching the bounces off the wall and feeding it back upstairs. That was our DDL because we couldn’t afford to buy a real one.

Our reverb unit was a bastardized set of Hammond springs that sat under our little homemade console; we would change the reverb time by putting small pieces of fiberglass on the springs. (Above examples of Hammond Springs, not exactly the ones used by Sherry.)

Hub Studios Rate Card

There were so many crazy things we did to emulate the real stuff that we couldn’t afford. When we positioned amps and mics just right, in that basement, we could get some great sounds! It was an amazing learning experience because we had to create sounds in the most uncanny, but organic ways! After a few years, a new partner joined us and with him came a “real” console and that helped to prepare me for the next step I was about to take.

I left Boston in 1976 to move to Los Angeles and only knew a few people in town. The record business was a big and lucrative industry at that time. There were many recording studios, and I think I circumnavigated all Hollywood looking for a job as an assistant engineer. Larrabee Studios called me back first. I also got lucky because I had a client from Boston that gotten signed and was coming to LA to do an album. They contacted me and asked if I could do their demos for the album. When Larrabee called me, I said, “I’ve got this client from Boston, they’ve got a couple thousand dollars for a demo – can I do it here?” One of Larrabee’s engineers assisted me and right after that .. I got the job as an assistant engineer. As time went on, I was given some engineering work. I did a lot of the publishing demos and got some great clients and album work from that.

Leslie Ann Jones, Sherry Klein, & Lenise Bent AES

As far as I knew there was me, and three other women engineering in Los Angeles at that time (the mid-late 70s ) – The late Terry Becker at the Record Plant, Lenise Bent at Village Recorders, Leslie Ann Jones at Capital Records.

Did people treat you differently for being a female assistant or engineer back then?

There are lots of stories I could tell, but mostly I had good experiences once the client got to know my abilities and me. Sometimes, the studio wouldn’t use my name when assigning me to a client. One time, in particular, there was a very major British engineer that I was going to work on, it was on a set of music festival recordings, Larabee’s owner, Jackie Mills, said “We’re not going to tell him your name or anything. When you come in to meet him be ready to spout every four-letter word you know” When I walked in for the meeting the engineer looked at me and said, “Oh Fu… crap, Give me a break (and a few other choice words) !” Jackie gave me his look, and I just rapped off a whole paragraph of 4 letter words… the engineer just looked at me, smiled, and said, “Ok, we can do this! Ready?”

I assisted on an album for Michelle Phillips; Jack Nitzsche was producing. I was working with an engineer who had to go do another gig out of town for a week, and he told Jack “Sherry can record the vocals and do some of the overdubs.” In the end, I got my first credit. Jack listed us as “Girl Engineer” and “Boy Engineer.”

It was Kim Fowley who gave me my first solo album gig., an all-girl group “The Orchids” for MCA Records. He taught me rock and roll history, and he was my mentor. He gave me my first, second, third albums – quite a lot of projects actually. I also credit him with helping to give me my backbone in the industry, and anyone who knew him would know what I’m talking about…. he was truly an amazing person, and he remained a friend until he passed away.

Kim Fowley playback party

Why did you leave the music industry?

Those were incredible days to be working in the music business, the late 70’s, early 80’s. The years before the bottom fell out of the record industry. That’s when I moved into post-production. A bunch of record labels went under, and I was only doing a few albums here and there. A mixer I had worked with on an album was working at KTTV. He called and said needed a sub while he went on vacation he said, “You know all this stuff – you know the consoles the machines, you’re familiar with gear, and you’ve got the ears. You just need to learn about the CMX and timecode synchronization, what do you think?” I said ok, and that’s when I moved to post-production… I went over there for four weeks and stayed for the next year.

I started mixing tv shows over there as a single mixer; it was basically “audio sweetening.” From there I took a lot of little freelance jobs here wherever I could find them. I met with EFX Systems, an independent facility transitioning from music to post, and was hired as their first postproduction mixer. That’s where I started honing the postproduction side of myself. When we picked up the show  “30 Something” we went to a three-person crew, and I mixed dialogue. That was a big deal for me because it was a very high-profile show. I think that’s when people started knowing about me, even though I was still fairly isolated and didn’t know many post people in town.

Were there other women re-recording mixers in post at that point?

Not that I was aware of, at least in LA. I learned of Melissa Hoffman, who I believe was at Ryder Sound a few years later. I stayed with EFX for nine years until they closed their doors. After EFX, I began looking for another post facility I knew that I wanted to be on a team and not just work as a single mixer. Strangely, I found that the doors were open, but many studio managers who were ok with having a woman mixer said they just hadn’t found one with the experience and credits. Luckily.. I had some of both!

Sony was the first to call. They needed someone to replace a popular mixer (who was retiring) on a team with three mixers, he was mixing a show called “The Young Riders, ” and they needed someone who could take over for him. They offered me the dx chair. When I first came on, I asked the head of post-production, “Do you think the guys are going to be cool about this?” He said, “If they’re not ..screw em,” you have the qualifications.” As it turned out, I had a great fx mixer, who took to me immediately. The music mixer not so much. Since I wasn’t embedded in the “studio lot” culture and was the first and only woman on a dubbing stage at Sony, I didn’t want to make waves, I kind of rode it out and took some words and (shall we say) disrespect?. Unbeknownst to me, some of the clients weren’t happy with what they were seeing and started going to management.

One day management came to me asking how long this attitude had been going on? I said pretty much since a few months after I came on (about a year). He said, “Why didn’t you say anything?” I said, “I didn’t want to be a problem, I’m hard-headed and can take a lot,..” He said, “You’re the lead mixer and the reason that clients are coming into that room. This is done!” He fired that mixer. I was really quite taken aback. I had no idea that was going to happen, but the decision had been made before he even talked to me. When my original fx mixer retired I had to put together a new crew, we were together for almost nine years and still remain close friends.

Where did you go after Sony?

One of the reasons I left Sony was because I wanted to get into Protools mixing and at that time, they weren’t ready to use it on the dubbing stage. Prior to leaving Sony, I had been working on three shows, and two got canceled in the same week. My last remaining show was the final season of Dawson’s Creek, and I wanted to see it through..  I had lots of free time, and I started looking around for Protools classes. I found Chilitos Valenzuela and his company “Audiograph Intl” in Santa Monica. It was the best thing I could have done for myself, I signed up and took his class, it was three weeks and paid for by me … Chilitos and I became fast friends, and he truly helped me to learn Pro Tools. I moved over to Larson Studios the following season. They were one of the first full Protools studios in town, and that was a great place for me to begin what I call the 2nd phase of my career. Currently, I’m with Smart Post Sound– and they’ve been my home base for the last ten years.

In my choices for leaving one facility for another, I can honestly say that I’ve only moved when I felt was the right move for my career; I never moved just to get a few extra bucks. Just wasn’t where my priorities were set.

Can you explain your role working on a two-person mix team?

The dialog mixer is the lead mixer on the team. Usually, we’re the ones who get all the shit if something goes wrong. Rarely is there a situation where I’ve had to throw (lead mixer) weight around? It’s just not in my nature. I feel that we’re both equally important to the team and therefore equal in our mixing partnership.

How much time do you get for a mix?

An hour show is typically a two or three-day mix. We work from 9 am to 7 pm with a lunch break. On day one we get through the show. By the late afternoon, we’ll do a pass playing back together.  Since we work separately, this is the first time we hear everything together so we can start to fine-tune it all. By the end of the day, we’ve done one pass on the main speakers. (Many of the execs still prefer their playbacks on small speakers… it drives us crazy..but that’s what they want, and so that’s what we do:-) So, the next morning we do playback on the small speakers and a pass with our co-producer. We all take notes and do our tweaks. Then if we have another chance, we can play it down again and take more notes. Usually, after lunch is when we get the execs. If we have three days, not much changes with the schedule except there’s more time for playbacks, tweaking, and just making it more presentable.

What happens when execs love something that you hate? How do you deal with creative differences?

The executive producers are the final word. If asked my opinion? I’m very honest. I’ve been known to say “I hate it.” Sometimes they will ask, “Are you happy with it? ”my answer can be as simple as, “It sounds better than it has any right to.” and it’s true!  There are times when we’ve all worked on something and mixed in circles because of getting directions from so many people in the backfield that at the end of the day we walk out saying to each other we liked our version better. But that wasn’t the way the powers that be wanted it.  There are days where I’ve been pulling my hair in frustration because the dialog was so noisy – bad locations, mumbly actors, or whatever. The truth is… I’m too close to it, and I just have to take a step back to hear that it does sound fine, and better than I thought. But always, it’s the execs that have the final say!!

Does it ever bother you to work on something where the dialog is terrible, to begin with, and then your name is in the credits for it?

Sometimes what we do as dialog mixers is to make shit shine. Sometimes dialog is good, to begin with, so we can work to make it richer and fuller and just enhance it. The question for me is that when I walk out at the end of the day, do I feel creatively fulfilled? That answer would be yes, or I would have stopped doing this years ago.

What do you enjoy about being a TV dialog mixer?

I like the hustle of tv and the fact that it’s like a new mini-movie every week. Having multiple years on a show is always a treat because you have the opportunity to grow with your crew and the show, it becomes kind of a family thing!!

What skills/traits should someone have who wants to be a dialog/music mixer?

Patience – of which I have none! (I have the attention span of a 12-year-old) which is why I’m better working in television than features.

You need people skills – especially when you need to let everyone in your backfield argue (discuss) and do their thing while you wait till they’ve come to a consensus.

You need stamina and the ability to multitask. You have to be able to filter out what’s going on behind you and just do what you need to do up front. Sometimes it’s stopping and listening to what the people behind you are saying, and other times it’s continuing to work and then turning around and saying, “did I miss something?” It’s an intense balancing act. You have to move fast and move with preciseness and detail. You need to learn to gauge time and your activities within the time allotted to get something you’re happy with, and they’ll be happy with.

Favorite plugins?

Izotope RX 6 – I got hip to RX a couple of years ago, and it’s fantastic. It’s saved my ass tremendously in a lot of things. If you get to know Spectral Repair, there’s a great number of things you can do.

Cedar (noise reduction) – I like to use it gently, and these days if I want to go in deeper, I can go to the RX.

Audio Ease Speakerphone – I use it on a lot of my ADR, not with the futzes but utilizing the rooms and other parts of the plugin. From my record engineer days, I know how to use the various mics to change the characteristics of the sound. There are also lots of other features within the plugin I like – it’s sort of my audio suite channel strip.

LO-FI – I’ve always been a fan of this one. Sometimes we just have to shmutz things up

Avid ProLimiter, Fab FilterDS, SA2 – we’re always fighting sibilance, and we have to keep our levels within network specs.

Those are some of my go-to plugins.

What advice would you give to women in the field or trying to get into the field?

I think there are a lot more opportunities than ever before for women moving into mixing positions. The field is open to it. I don’t believe it’s even a question of being a woman mixer – it’s a qualified mixer. Years ago people would say “she’s one of the best chick mixers etc.…”  and I would say, ‘” Umm … I’m a mixer” I just happen to be a chick. We are mixers. Nuff said!!

As far as getting into it and coming up through the channels – it’s a long road. It’s a very satisfying road. Ultimately, you do have to learn how to have your life, while still devoting the time needed to have the gig. I don’t buy tickets for anything unless it’s a Saturday night or Sunday … and even then I don’t know for sure; travel plans are always meant to be changed. You have to be willing to sacrifice the aspects of “normalcy” that most people are accustomed to. I tend to believe that it can be a bit more difficult for women…speaking personally, in my past experiences sometimes the men in my life have not always understood that I just can’t get up and leave a session that’s going into OT because we had planned together that night. Oh Well. That’s why those are in my past!

How do you find work-life balance?

What balances me is being able to go and spend a couple of weeks at my home in Mexico – or as I call it “in my other world.” I will always try to get out of town when I’m not working. When I’m in town and have time off, I try and catch up with my friends, more time with my man and then there’s my other passion which is baking bread. I was informed almost nine years ago that I had to get off gluten. After asking wtf that was, I started researching on the internet and experimenting with baking. Now, I grind all my own flours and bake whenever I have the time. It’s just all mixing! Be it flours or eq’s or levels..it’s mixing to get what you want. It’s sort of like my out of the dub stage Zen place!

Cinema Audio Society Board

Final thoughts?

I think a mixer can only mix for what they hear, and that doesn’t always please everybody all the time. I’ve left shows because I’ve felt I wasn’t the right person for the job anymore.. and sometimes it’s the clients that want to make a change… shit happens, I’ve learned that you have to just roll with it.

At this point in my career I want to continue to work with people I respect and enjoy, and with people who allow me the freedom to be creative and fulfilled in my work. As far back as I can remember I’ve always tried to be as honest as possible and give 150% of myself to all my projects. I truly don’t know how to do it half-assed! My best explanation of what I tell people I do for a living is “I get to play in a big sandbox with a bunch of crazy people, and paint pictures with sound.” Gotta love that.

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