Join Us

Empowering the Next Generation of Women in Audio

Join Us

Drama School, Darling

Knock, knock.

(Who’s there?)

The sound designer because the practical doorbell doesn’t work.

(and that is the most wholesome joke that I could come up with – don’t let anyone tell you that people who work in Sound aren’t funny)

So anyway…

My name is Candice Weaver and I am student at RADA studying towards a postgraduate degree in Sound Design for Theatre.

Prior to my current degree, I also completed an Undergraduate Bachelors in Commercial Music at the University of Westminster, where I really discovered sound design and started working in theatre. Since then I have been fortunate enough to work with the English National Opera, Secret Cinema, and casual at the Royal Opera House among others (Sleep? Never heard of it).

Having realised that I definitely didn’t possess the skills to really get into theatre yet, naturally I thought ‘Well hey! Drama school sounds good!’, but little did I know that it was this exhausting, this time-consuming, and often just a little bit ridiculous.

It is also, however, ridiculously rewarding and without a doubt the best thing I have ever done.

At RADA (or, the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art as we are sometimes known), we really run as a mini-rep production house and we have three theatres:

– the Jerwood Vanbrugh Theatre

– the George Bernard Shaw Theatre (The GBS for short)

– and, the John Gielgud Theatre

They each vary in size and can have stagings in any variation. For instance the Vanbrugh Theatre is traditionally a proscenium arch, however we have a musical opening this February which will be staged in-the-round.

Every six weeks we turn around three new shows in each of our theatres (excepting twice a year when we do a Film/Radio production block), and we can easily get through hundreds of shows/productions and events/film screenings/galas throughout the academic year. Every student coming into RADA has the opportunity to work on these shows, which are all staffed by students in every role – from third year actors to sound/LX designers, scenic artists, construction, flymen/women, technical management and stage management). They’re also directed by external directors, and for the majority are Designed (costume/set) by external professionals, too. What’s better is that the public can actively come and see our productions (which each run for a couple of weeks after opening, after which we tear them down and start all over again).

 

I’ve now worked in all three of our theatres as both Production Sound Engineer and Sound Designer, and the next project is the musical A Little Night Music staged in-the-round, in our Vanbrugh Theatre. I will be the Associate Sound Designer for this production – for a musical, which we only stage once a year, we tend to get in industry Sound/Lighting Designers simply because the musical is usually quite a momentous task; this naturally still means that I’ll be dealing with the rig plans, budget, organising system diagrams, attending rehearsals, and passing on any relevant information to my PSE’s and Sound No. 1/Sound No. 2’s/Operators.

The show roles are generally given out based on what our next step of learning might be, as well as what our personal goals are – for instance in my first year of RADA, I only did a couple of sound designs because I needed to focus on my Production Sound and practical skills.

 

I’ve also just finished a Film block where I was the Sound Assistant/Boom Operator – we filmed three films across a few weeks, all on locations found by my fellow students. In my first year I completed a Radio block which also involved studio recordings of three plays in RADA’s main studio in the Sound Department, editing them together, adding sound design, and eventually taking them to be mastered in a professional studio.

I’ve certainly had plenty to keep me busy since starting RADA in September 2015, from production roles to projects, and I really am looking forward to getting our next shows up and running. It’s incredibly rewarding to be able to have something for audiences to come and see, and be able to understand where sound design sits in the larger scale of productions.

I’ll also look forward to sharing some of the things that I’ve been up to with you, and my experiences as I complete my final year of drama school (darling).

(I’ll definitely be bringing more jokes with me)

*Photo credits for 1/2/3/4/5/6/7 belong to Linda Carter for RADA

 

She Rocks Awards Tickets Available to Members

sra17-logoThe Women’s International Music Network, She Rocks Awards and Laura Whitmore have graciously donated silver tickets to SoundGirls.Org.  These tickets are available to SoundGirls.Org members and available on a first come first serve basis. We ask that members who are able to purchase tickets do so, it is a great event and organization.

Please request your ticket by emailing us at soundgirls@soundgirls.org.

Check out all the Women being honored at the She Rocks Awards 2017

You can read interviews with the Honorees on Front and Center, every week leading up to the event.

She Rocks Awards  – at the NAMM Show

FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2017

7:00 P.M. – 9:00 P.M.

Anaheim Hilton Hotel, Anaheim, CA

777 W Convention Way, Anaheim, CA 92802

SoundGirls Presents – Sennheiser Wireless Workshop

Join us for a two day Wireless Workshop with Gussie Miller and Brian Walker of Sennheiser.  Gussie and Brian will lead a two day workshop on wireless and will cover topics from RF Best Practices, to the shrinking of the RF spectrum. Get hands on experience with the newest Sennheiser wireless technology, and gain an understanding of the differences between Sennheiser wireless systems.

This two day workshop will be held at Schubert Systems in North Hollywood.

Jan. 24 – 9:00 am to 5:00 pm – with an hour lunch break

This day will include Lectures and Power Points on Understanding RF and RF Coordination. There will be hands on training with the equipment.

Jan. 25 – 9:00 am to 5:00 pm – with an hour lunch break

This day will focus on lecture in the morning, after lunch we will set up and work with a live band.

This is an all-star band featuring

Herman Matthews: Tower of Power, Kenny Loggins, Tom Jones and more

Jay Gore: Lauryn Hill, The Pointer Sisters, Keb’ Mo and more

Ewin Livingston: Justin Timberlake, Will.I.Am, Aretha Franklin and more

Noriko Olling: Chaka Khan, P!nk, Gladys Knight and more

This promises to be a amazing Hands on Learning Experience. Please RSVP to soundgirls@soundgirls.org to secure your spot. This event is free for members of SoundGirls. A big thanks to Sennheiser and Schubert Systems for their support of SoundGirls.Org.

Brian Walker is a Sennheiser RF expert and has many years of RF experience as a broadcast engineer. He has an extensive background in wireless system, RF troublshooting and frequency coordination.

Gussie Miller is a Sennheiser Customer Development and Applications Engineer. Gussie Miller has run the gamut of audio experiences,having engineered worldwide broadcasts for NASA TV, and having been the technical supervisor for ABC TV’s “The Glass House”. Mr. Miller was also one of the music mix engineers for KCET’s “Artbound” and UFC broadcasts. Miller has also been on the rental staff of Location Sound and ATK/Audiotek and has years of experience as a Camera Technician and Indie Film Producer.

sennheiser-title-cover-logo-gamoha-1

 

 

Riding the Roller Coaster of Live Sound – Rena Kozak

Rena Kozak is a FOH engineer and tour manager based out of Calgary, Canada. She has always had an interest in arts and has played in numerous Calgary bands as well as studied painting and drawing at University before becoming a sound engineer.  

A talented dancer, Rena was studying ballet at the University of Calgary in 2002 when she injured her foot. Unsure if she would be able to dance again, she considered alternate career paths. A friend of hers, Josh Gwilliam (current chief engineer at OCL Studios in Alberta) suggested she look into the audio recording course at the Academy of Production and Recording Arts in Calgary. By a stroke of luck, Rena’s father had just given her $5,000, a bonus from his job as assistant coach of the Canadian women’s hockey team after they won the 2002 Olympic gold. The audio engineering program cost exactly that amount, and Rena enrolled. After graduating, she began working at a recording studio but found the work of recording commercials to be monotonous.

Instead of pursuing more studio work, Rena interned with an electrical engineer and learned to fix analog equipment.  In 2005, this electrical engineer recommended her as FOH for the musical Guys and Dolls. She recounts: “it was an insane opportunity in retrospect, a 24 person cast with a full orchestra… people work for decades to break into that kind of work. It was a crazy stroke of luck. I never thought I would like live sound, it seemed so intimidating, but it was exhilarating to take my knowledge and apply it in the moment to tell a story to an audience.”

After the musical had ended, Rena got a job with a local production company Sound Art, working on shows and maintaining gear in their shop. In 2007, she did a national tour as a monitor engineer for a dance show that featured a live band. Rena felt the road wasn’t for her and found that touring took away her ability to create music or art. She took a house gig in 2008, as house engineer for Mac Ewan Hall.  child_actress

In 2012, her boyfriend passed away suddenly. After grieving, Rena found that she was in a different place mentally: “I wanted fewer physical attachments. I didn’t know where I wanted to live, I didn’t want possessions, I didn’t want to attempt to have a lifestyle that resembled anything permanent for a while so I approached the boys in Preoccupations  – who were called Viet Cong at the time and are long time friends – about using me as their touring FOH.”

Preoccupations agreed to hire her, and Rena found herself thriving as a touring FOH. She has worked as FOH for Operators (Montreal), did a run of festival dates with Holy Ghost! (Brooklyn) and even had the chance to fill in on monitors for Beirut for a couple of shows, which she describes as a career highlight.

Operators

Operators

Although she enjoys being on stage, she has realized she likes touring as an engineer more than as a musician. She thrives on mixing the same show every day and enjoys the challenge of having to work in different rooms.  Rena notes that touring can be a psychological roller coaster: it is hard to get to know new people and sharing tight spaces like a van or bus can be taxing. To offset the stress, she tries to eat well and do as much hotel room yoga as possible.

Her favourite piece of gear is her old TAC Scorpion recording console, which she is slowly re-soldering and fixing. In a live setting, Rena likes using guitar pedals as live mix effects – on the fall Preoccupations tour, she was running a couple of FX chains for vocals and drums, in the hopes of recreating the album’s sound. She hopes to get other gigs that allow her to be as creative with equipment.

Regarding must-have skills, Rena believes a willingness to do whatever it takes to get the show done is crucial.  “This job is mostly problem-solving – whether it’s solving the actual technical problems with the sounds themselves or repairing broken equipment or figuring out how to safely get the gear through a mud puddle into the venue. There is no problem that cannot be solved; you just haven’t found the solution yet.”

It’s also important to have a solid technical understanding. Knowing how the physics of sound works, knowing how your gear functions and why, understanding the equipment and systems in detail – these things are so important to achieving a good product. The more you know about your tools the better you will be at manipulating them. It can be easy to get by without knowing details – a lot of people work for a long time with very little knowledge, but reading up and building a foundation of knowledge is what will set you apart.”

rena_bass-with-shematomas

Rena’s long-term goals are to keep touring as a FOH, and to work on her own artistic projects. She has recently finished recording and mixing her first solo record (under the name Child Actress) and is looking forward to writing more music.  You can find her on the road with Preoccupations in 2017.

Rena shares some words of advice on the barriers she has faced as a woman in the audio industry, and how to overcome them.

“I’ve been tremendously lucky to have had an exceptional amount of support from so many people I’ve worked with. Of course I’ve faced the obvious challenge of being a girl. While it’s never prevented me from landing good jobs or enjoying my work, more often than not it has absolutely been a factor.

Fortunately, I had a lot of very real support. A lot of dudes who were well respected in the business saw my passion for it and believed I knew what I was doing gave me work and helped me learn and progress. I don’t think most people are as lucky to have as much support as I received.

That being said, it’s been a constant issue. It feels funny answering this question right now because of how I’ve continued to struggle with being female at work even in these last two months. From the guy who wants to carry my case for me (fine, you want to help but it’s my case, it isn’t even heavy, I don’t need you to look after me we are peers here) to the old house sound guy who tries to tell me how to EQ my wedges until I demonstrate to him how my EQ curve was actually cleaner than his, to the TM who makes side comments about not liking “having to listen to a woman”. It isn’t gone. I’ve been at this for nearly 15 years and it’s still there. But, it’s better. There are more of us, and things are changing.

I have always been great at handling the old-school sound guy personality type. I’m great with a quick joke and talking to them like I am their equal. I’m rarely intimidated, and I’m quick to win most of them over with my personality.

I’ve also recently found I’ve needed to deal with my own internalization of systemic sexism. Trying to remain calm and remind myself why I love this work and that I deserve to be here doing it, and trying my best not to react with anger as much as possible. I am very actively working on this right now, trying to be Zen and maintain confidence at all times. I find the best way of thinking about it is to remind myself that I have to COMMAND respect and not DEMAND respect. Don’t get angry, just be confident and execute your work as perfectly as you know-how and this will generate respect from your peers.

Do you have advice for women and other young people who wish to enter the field?

“Do not be intimidated by anyone. You have as much or more right to be there as anyone else.

And for those who are just beginning and feeling intimidated by the equipment or the technical side of it, shake that off and remember that you are capable of comprehending anything technical – and remind yourself of some of the sound guys you’ve met along the way.They aren’t all geniuses, are they? If they can do it even just a little, you can do it epically well. 

And call me up! I love to teach; I’m happy to take on any ladies who want to apprentice or just ask questions.”

You can contact Rena and find out more about her upcoming projects through her website

Women’s March on Washington Seeks FOH and ME

download-45The Women’s March on Washington will take place in D.C. on January 21st. Hundreds of thousands of women will arrive in D.C., all standing together in solidarity around the idea that Women’s Rights are Human Rights. The Women’s March on Washington stands for all issues that affect all marginalized people: immigrants of all statuses, Muslims and those of diverse religious faiths, people who identify as LGBTQIA, Native people, Black and Brown people, people with disabilities, and survivors of sexual assault. Please see the website for a more comprehensive explanation of the mission: 

The Women’s March on Washington currently expects 300,000 to 500,000 people, with numbers rising every day.

Ginny Suss is heading up the production team for the event. Ginny was a tour manager for many years and was routinely the only woman on the crew or anywhere backstage. Ginny hopes one story we can build from this amazing march and movement is of a primarily women-led production crew. She is currently seeking two women to join the production crew, one to mix FOH sound and one for monitors.

Applicants ideally would be available for rehearsals in NYC  the week of the 16th and  then travel down to DC on the 20th for the rally on the 21st. The Women’s March on Washington  can help with travel and accommodations. Your services would be pro-bono — as the entire effort from the national organizers to our legal team to our PR to tech and web development is entirely volunteer based.

If interested in taking part in this historical event please send cover letter and resume asap to soundgirls@soundgirls.org. Please only apply if you have experience mixing large-scale events.

Some recent press:

Protest like your basic rights depend on it – because power is taken, never given

 

Why Thousands of Women are Marching in Washington on Jan. 21st

 

 

 

 

Australia SoundGirls – First Meet Up

sound-girls-2k16-v-2We are excited to welcome Toni Venditti as SoundGirls Chapter Head for Sydney Australia. We know Australia is a large country and hope to expand to other regions.

SoundGirls.Org’s vision is to inspire and empower young women and girls to enter the world of professional audio and music production while expanding opportunities for girls and women in these fields, and to share resources and knowledge through cooperation, collaboration, and diversity. SoundGirls supports women working in professional audio and music production by highlighting their success and providing a place for them to connect, network, and share advice. SoundGirls.Org provides support, career development, and tools to help those working in the field advance in their career.

We invite you to join Toni for the first meet up in Australia in Jan.16th. Members will get to meet each other and determine the direction and needs of the chapter. Please RSVP to soundgirls@soundgirls.org.

SoundGirls meet ups welcome all members regardless of age, gender, race, etc. to attend.

 

SoundGirls.Org NAMM Events

download-13We are excited to welcome members from around the globe that will be attending NAMM.

We have put together several events for our members to attend and we look forward to meeting everyone.

 

January 18 –  What are Sound Companies Looking for in a Technician – the skills you need to know.

Rat Sound Systems – 6:00 to 8:30 pm. You must register for this workshop. This seminar will cover Seminar will include: Listening/Mixing, Technical, Wearing Many Hats, People Skills, Communication, Understanding your Place in the Overall Production,Working with Stage Crew.

January 19  – NAMM Mentoring Session

NAMM Mentoring Session with Women Leaders in Professional Audio      

6:30 – 9:30 pm Anaheim. Industry Leaders include Leslie Ann Jones, Karrie Keyes, Grace Royse, Jett Galindo, Sara Elliott, Dawn Birr, Fela Davis, Tiffany Hendren, Jessica Berg, Catharine Wood, and Claire Murphy. Space is limited you must RSVP.

Jan. 20 – She Rocks Awards

We have a limited amount of tickets for members that wish to attend. Join us to celebrate the Women’s International Music Network’s 5th Anniversary of the She Rocks Awards. The She Rocks Awards pay tribute to women who display leadership and stand out within the music industry. SoundGirls.Org Co-Founder Karrie Keyes will be honored. With featured performances, hors d’oeuvres and beverages, giveaways, a silent auction, networking opportunities and more, the She Rocks Awards brings together industry professionals, music icons, artists, fans and media for a one-of-a-kind event that celebrates women in music. If you are planning on attending – let us know – so we can try and get a table together.

Jan. 21 – Women’s March on Los Angeles – Some of our members will taking a break from NAMM and be joining this March in Solidarity with The Women’s March on Washington. SoundGirls Meeting Place 8:00 am at The Last Bookstore.  9:00 AM – 4:00 PM PST – Downtown L.A. –Pershing Square to City Hall. The march is open to everyone who stands for human rights, civil liberties, tolerance of diversity, and compassion for our shared humanity.

Jan. 21 – SoundGirls Dinner – 7:00 PM – The Gypsy Den –  Please join us for dinner and get to meet other women in audio. Please RSVP to soundgirls@soundgirls.org 

Jan. 22 – SoundGirls Breakfast – 9 AM – La Brea Bakery  – Downtown Disney

Jan. 24 and 25th – SoundGirls and Sennheiser present a workshop on Wireless and RF.  RSVP – Two Day Workshop to take place at Schubert Systems in North Hollywood. Free

Jan 27, 28 and 29th – Join us at GIRLSCHOOL Music Festival.  We will be hosting a panel and workshop during the festival and some of our members will be volunteering their time to work this awesome Women’s Music Festival.

We will also be available through-out the show to meet privately with members. If you wish to volunteer, rsvp or just have a question – please email us at soundgirls@soundgirls.org.

We would like to thank all our sponsors that made it possible for SoundGirls Members to attend NAMM.

befunky-collage

NAMM Mentoring Session

SoundGirls.Org Presents NAMM Mentoring Session – Hosted by Heather Rafter

Join us for a Mentoring Session with Women Leaders in Professional Audio

You must be a member of SoundGirls.Org. You Must RSVP for this Event as Space is Extremely Limited. You will receive venue address with your confirmation. RSVP to soundgirls@soundgirls.org

This event will be a casual mentoring session – where you can get advice and answers to your questions. Groups will rotate between leaders specializing in Live Sound, Recording and Mastering, Broadcast Engineering and Professional Audio Sales.

Industry Leaders Include

working-tara2LESLIE ANN JONES

Leslie Ann Jones has been a recording and mixing engineer for over 30 years. Starting her career at ABC Recording Studios in Los Angeles in 1975, she moved to San Francisco in 1978 to accept a staff position at the legendary Automatt Recording Studios. From 1987 to 1997 she was a staff engineer at Capitol Studios located in the historic Capitol Records Tower in Hollywood. In February of 1997 she returned to Northern California to accept a position as Director of Music Recording and Scoring with Skywalker Sound, where she continues her engineering career mixing music for records, films, video games, television, and commercials.

She is a past Chair of The Recording Academy’s Board of Trustees and is the recipient of 4 Grammy Awards, including 2 for Best Engineered Album-Classical. She serves on the Advisory Boards of Institute for Musical Arts, Ex’pression College for Digital Arts, and is an Artistic Advisor to the new Technology and Applied Composition degree program at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

20160717_113247-1Karrie Keyes – Monitor Engineer for Pearl Jam and Eddie Vedder – Executive Director and Co-Founder of SoundGirls.Org

Karrie has spent the last 25 plus years as the monitor engineer for Pearl Jam. Karrie started out doing sound for punk bands in Los Angeles in 1986 under the tutelage of Dave Rat of Rat Sound, where she spent twenty years helping to establish the company. She was able to gain an immense amount of hands-on experience and technical knowledge at Rat, which eventually led to her becoming the monitor engineer for The Red Hot Chili Peppers from 1990-2000. She first met and started working with Pearl Jam who opened for RHCP on their 1991-1992 Blood Sugar Sex Magic Tour. She has worked with Sonic Youth, Fugazi, and Neil Young.

10329981_10202734866705629_3189953941176639467_oErika Earl – Director of Hardware Engineering for Slate Digital and Slate Media Technology

From pulling out the soldering iron to setting up microphones around a drum kit, Erika Earl brings experience from all sides of the professional audio business. Her understanding of audio electronics was earned through more than a decade of experience repairing, servicing, and performing quality control for a wide range of top manufacturers, including Tube-Tech, Drawmer, Focusrite, Daking, Bock Audio, Avid, Little Labs, and many others.

She has also engineered for studios and run FOH throughout Arizona and California. Erika served as Head of Technology and Chief Technician for LA’s landmark studio The Village. When she’s not thinking through a schematic or evaluating the subtleties of a tube compressor, you’re likely to find her sifting through her collection of vintage records and rare books.

imageLeslie Gaston-Bird Vice President for the Audio Engineering Society’s Western Region  & Associate Professor of Recording Arts at the University of Colorado Denver

Lesie has over 25 years of experience in audio for film and video, music recording, and radio. She graduated from the Audio Technology program at Indiana University in 1989. She also holds a BA in telecommunications and an MS in recording arts. She has worked for National Public Radio in Washington, D.C., Colorado Public Radio in Denver, as recording engineer for the Colorado Symphony and as a sound editor for Post Modern Company in Denver. She has performed soundtrack restoration on films from the Sony/Columbia Pictures archives and is one of the pioneers of a music video production style she calls “Music Video Vérité”. She runs her own freelance audio post production company, Mix Messiah Productions, LLC. She is also a Fulbright Scholar.

fullsizerender-1Grace Royse – Live Sound Engineer and Production Manager

Grace Royse is a Live Sound Engineer and Production Manager with 11 years of experience in world touring.Clients include Sublime with Rome, Fitz and the Tantrums,  Maintaining a background in studio productions, business management and artist development, she has mentored several young men and women over the years, all successfully working within the industry today.”

 

jett-lab

Jett Galindo Audio and Vinyl Mastering Engineer at The Bakery

Jett Galindo is an audio & vinyl mastering engineer from The Bakery, located on the Sony Pictures Lot in Culver City. With credits spanning different genres and legendary artists (Bette Midler, Nile Rodgers, Colbie Caillat, to name a few), Jett carries on the legacy left behind by her late mentor, mastering legend Doug Sax of The Mastering Lab.

A GRAMMY Voting Member (P&E Wing) & Latin GRAMMY nominee, Jett is also an accomplished soprano who specializes in choral ensemble music. Jett also ​devotes part of her time writing for Soundgirls and volunteering for Berklee College of Music as an Alumni Ambassador.

sara-coversdolliesimg_1024Sara Elliot VP of Operations and CoFounder of VUE Audiotechnik

With more than 20 years of experience in professional audio, Sara has held strategic marketing and operational positions with numerous sound production companies including Burns Audio, A-1 Audio, and PRG. Sara also served as Director of Marketing and Sales for Live Sound International Magazine and ProSoundweb.com, two of the industry’s most respected news and technical information sources. Sara brings to VUE Audiotechnik a wealth of industry relationships and a deep understanding of business operations.

dawn-birrDawn Birr – Global Commercial Manager Sennheiser and Neumann

Dawn Birr is the Global Commercial Manager, Audio Recording with Sennheiser & Neumann.  Dawn started out as temporary receptionist and with strong mentors and a nurturing culture has been able to work her way to the top.  During the 16 years she has been with Sennheiser she has held these positions, Neumann Product Manager, RF Product Manager the Sennheiser 3/5K series, Channel Manager for Installed Sound, Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Installed Sound in the U.S.

download-40Fela Davis Sound Engineer and Owner of 23db Productions

Fela Davis is a co owner at 23db Productions based out of New York City. She’s a graduate of Full Sail University and has over a decade of experience in audio engineering. Her past experiences includes working for industry power houses Clair Broadcast and House of Blues. When she’s not mixing or mastering songs for 23db Productions, she’s mixing front of house engineer for the 5-time Grammy award winning jazz artist Christian McBride and Grammy nominated Ottmar Liebert.

img_5006Claire Murphy Guitar and Backline Tech

Claire holds a Bachelors degree in Music Technology from Hertfordshire University in the UK. She has 7 years of professional touring experience as both guitar/backline tech and as Tour Manager. She recently moved from London to California (Los Angeles). She has a business in the UK providing storage for bands in London, and previously provided rental sprinter vans but sold these when she moved.

1_catharinewood

Catharine Wood Recording – Mix Engineer – Owner Planetwood Studios

Catharine Wood is a Los Angeles-based composer/producer with a recording studio in Eagle Rock. With a background in audio post-production for commercials, Catharine engineered on the first iPhone commercial among hundreds of national and international campaigns – including the Geico Caveman and Priceline Negotiator spots. As a mix and mastering engineer, she has engineered on over 200 commercially released songs – including her own custom compositions which have aired on NBC, ABC, BBC, ESPN and more – both nationally and abroad. She is a GRAMMY® Voting Member and Producers & Engineers Wing member.

Catharine currently holds a position on the LA Recording School’s Recording Arts Program Advisory Committee and is the former Director of Southern California for the West Coast Songwriters organization. She is a proud Professional Member of the Society of Composers & Lyricists and in 2016, Catharine was elected to the California Copyright Conference board of directors. Her company, Planetwood Productions, specializes in producing singer-songwriters and providing engineering and composition services to the TV and Film industries.

unnamed-6

Tiffany Hendren Live Sound FOH and Monitor Engineer

Tiffany Hendren is a monitor engineer at The Pageant in St. Louis and the House Engineer for the Del Mar.  She tours as the FOH Engineer for “A Silent Film”. She has been involved in sound professionally for around seven years, full-time about five. Tiffany is the Co-Director of SoundGirls.Org.

 

loanneLoanne Wullaert Venue Manager and Owner of the Phoenix a Stagehand Labor Staffing Company

Loanne is not a sound engineer. She does not know the difference between a NL4 and a Noitrix.  She cannot spell that either. However, she is a venue manager, and performer and runs The Phoenix a successful stagehand labor company. She has worked in the industry since 1986 and knows what good sound is. She also knows flattening the EQ and turning it up to 11 does not solve anything.

About Loanne:  In her spare time she sings and plays piano, works on restoring her 1850’s house and has helped to save hundreds of dogs in the last year from being euthanized at Los Angeles shelters.

love-my-job-sasquatch-2016

Jessica Berg – Tour Manager and Live Sound Engineer

Jessica is a freelance TM/FOH/MON engineer and is currently touring as the TM for Phoebe Ryan. Jessica is SoundGirls.Org’s Director of Development. She is honored and excited to be volunteering with a growing organization and community that is achieving its mission – to help empower the next generation of women in audio, expanding opportunities for girls and women in the audio and music production fields, and sharing resources and knowledge through cooperation, collaboration, and diversity.

dan_profilepicDaniella Peters – Head of Sales and Management Team at Rat Sound Systems

Daniella has been with Rat Sound for over 15 years building their sales dept from a concept to a multi million dollar part of their business. She started off her career working for an international cosmetics company doing their live event production. She then transitioned to HHB Audio and Ashdown Music, Emap Performance (Kerrang and Q magazines) in London and now with Rat Sound.

She is passionate about women’s issues and spends a good portion of her spare time using her production skills to produce and host music and fashion fundraising events for various women’s non-profits.

m-holmes-photo

Meegan Holmes – Global Sales Manager Eighth Day Sound Los Angeles

Meegan graduated from California Institute of The Arts from their Technical Theater program in 1993; she entered the live production industry before graduation as a local stage hand with LA Stagecall in Los Angeles. In 1997, she began her 18-year audio career with Delicate Productions where she worked as a touring technician and engineer. Meegan wore many hats simultaneously during her time with Delicate Productions including Labor Coordinator, Project Manager and Account Manager.

This past March she joined the international touring audio company Eighth Day Sound to open and manage their new Los Angeles operation. Throughout her 24 years in the industry, she has worked hard to elevate others through hiring and mentoring. Her new position as a Global Sales Manager with Eighth Day Sound is no exception, hiring a full-time staff and expanding the company’s west coast-based freelancer pool as well as building the company’s touring and west coast based clientele.

Broadcast Engineer Jeri Palumbo, Production Manager and StageHand Hire Loanne  Wullaert, Touring Production for Rat Sound Systems Kim Sawaya Levine. Stay tuned for more announcements.

 

 

 

Baby Microphones and Self Production

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

X