Accepting Applications for SoundGirls Bloggers 2024
Blog for SoundGirls
Are you passionate about the industry, do you want to share your experience and knowledge with the SoundGirls Community? Then you may want to become a blogger for SoundGirls in 2024. Our bloggers volunteer for a year of blogging and choose how often to submit blogs (once a month, every two months, or four blogs for the 2024 year)
Although we are mainly looking for people who can write well, are organized, and are passionate. All areas of audio & music are welcome to apply. We look forward to welcoming you to our community.
Industry Knowledge
Not only is understanding the industry from a concept/fundamental standpoint important but having real-life experiences is essential for any great blogger. Having real-life experiences allows you to share those experiences, learn from those experiences, build relationships, and learn things that are not taught by reading a book.
Passionate
Great bloggers must be passionate about what they are writing about. We believe if you are writing about things you are not interested or knowledgeable in, it will show in your writing and to your readers. People who are passionate about a topic or industry find it much easier to write about things that others with similar interests would enjoy. Long-term, you have to LOVE what you do.
Writing Background/Experience
Of course, if you have a writing background or you have acquired good writing skills through years of experience, it will help keep your blogs engaging and more enjoyable. Using proper grammar, descriptive verbiage, and compelling headlines can keep readers engaged in your content longer. We think overall if you are naturally a good writer, it will allow you to create high-quality content much easier and more efficiently.
Organized
A great blogger should be very well organized. It will be important to plan and manage your writing schedules. Like running your own business or planning your week for your full-time job, blogging should be no different. Brainstorming blog ideas and creating a writing schedule all need to be organized to maximize your work schedule.
If you fly by the seat of your pants (as many people do) and are disorganized, it will most likely lead to inefficiencies in your blogging. You can also find yourself so consumed with daily tasks, that your content quality suffers because you are just trying to rush through the writing process to get something out.
Strong Work Ethic
Having a strong work ethic turns good bloggers into great bloggers. Someone who is able to stick to a schedule, exceed personal goals and expectations, and push themselves, will stand out from the crowd. Many bloggers are writing for their blog so it is not exactly a situation where they are getting paid for each post they write. So it takes a person with a strong work ethic to see the long-term benefits and keep pushing themselves to consistently produce great content.
Network/Industry Reach
A blogger that has a large network and is known in the industry will make it much easier to promote their content. As we all know, even if you write great content, you still need to promote it. If you have built personal relationships with industry veterans, it can help earn credibility personally and for your blog. If you can shoot a few messages and e-mails to key people in the industry who you know will promote your content to their networks, that can be extremely powerful. Essentially you are leveraging your network and industry reach to promote content, gain feedback, and even help contribute to your blog.
SEO Knowledge
Having basic SEO knowledge is a plus for any blogger. Bloggers who understand the benefits of good keyword research, how to promote content, and maximizing the potential of each post, will gain a larger readership in a shorter amount of time.
Goes Against the Grain
To be a great blogger, you need to sometimes go against what everyone else is doing and do something that is away from “the norm”. Coming up with unique ways to stand out from the crowd is a way that great bloggers get found. It could be a post, design-related, new way of promotion, unique content delivery, or something that has never been done before in the industry.
Social Media
Generally, bloggers spend a good amount of time on social networks like Twitter, Facebook, and Linkedin. Being active on various social networks and engaging with people regularly will help bloggers get noticed. If you are consistently promoting other users’ content, those users will begin to notice and return the favor. If you read other industry blogs and leave thoughtful comments or even personally contact the blog owner, this is all-important for building your network and getting noticed.
A plus for a great blogger would be being a power user on social bookmarking sites like Digg, StumbleUpon, and Reddit. If you can promote content and others in the community, notice and promote it as well.
Enjoys Sharing and Helping
Great bloggers genuinely enjoy helping others. Many bloggers blog because they want to showcase their knowledge in the industry. Of course, that is part of why people blog, but it should not be the only reason. Gaining satisfaction from helping others in your industry is a trait that all great bloggers have. Taking the time to personally reach out to someone ask a question or thanking someone who leaves an intelligent comment on your blog is going above and beyond. It shows that you do care about what others are saying.
Emily Pearce – From the Marines to Live Sound Engineer
Emily Pearce is the Monitor Engineer and RF Tech for independent artist Blue October. Emily is a longtime musician, learning to play piano at age seven, and would play throughout high school. She also learned to play clarinet and taught herself the oboe in middle school, while playing with percussion ensembles and the drumline during high school and college. Emily learned to play the bass guitar while attending The Los Angeles Recording School.
Emily would enroll at Grand Valley State University in the music education program, yet after two semesters Emily joined the Marines and auditioned for the Marine Corps band. Emily didn’t make the cut which Emily believes was a blessing in disguise after learning about her friend’s poor experience with the Marine Corps Band. Emily would serve a four-year term working in Marine Corps aviation with Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron-13 and VMX-1 both out of Yuma Arizona. She received an honorable discharge as a Sergeant.
After being discharged Emily became interested in the technical side of music production and reached out to a few engineers to get a feel for what that might be like. Emily loved the idea of touring and working live events and used her military benefits to enroll in The Los Angeles Recording School, graduating with an Associate Degree of Science in Recording Arts.
Emily believes the seeds to work in the music industry were planted long before she realized these jobs existed, growing up Emily says she has vivid memories “of Michael Jacksons Thriller, Journey, and Metallica playing in our living room. Alongside artists like Ella Fitzgerald, Dean Martin, Led Zeppelin, and The Beatles. I was always borrowing (with or without permission) my older brother’s mp3 player and my older sister’s CD player so I could jam some MCR, Atreyu, and Death Cab for Cutie. I developed a love for metal and went to my first show at 15 and fell in love.”
Career Start
How did you get your start?
I moved to Los Angeles to attend The Los Angeles Recording School in 2017 to take the opportunity to dip my toes into a major market. Since the program I attended was primarily studio focused, I took a lot of volunteer opportunities around town and was the person that showed up to a gig to just ask questions. I shadowed a few people at White Oak Music and Arts in the valley and The Viper Room on the strip in Hollywood. I attended a SoundGirls class on live sound at the Ventura Theater and was linked up with a summer internship at Schubert Systems. I worked my butt off and showed I could learn and be a part of a team. I was hired full-time and worked there up until the pandemic. During that time I learned so much and was afforded a lot of opportunities to network and grow. None of us were hired as just one specific role which gave me experience in many positions like being a Systems/PA tech, RF tech, stage tech, and mix engineer for notable artists. I also met people who hired me for my current gig, which may be the best part.
I also worked at a few clubs/theaters around town including The Whiskey, The Federal NOHO, and The Satellite in Silver Lake to name a few.
What did you learn interning or on your early gigs?
Understanding your place in a team is just as important as being the leader of it. Being teachable and asking questions when you don’t know something will make people trust you more than if you think you know better than everyone else. And if you are mixing monitors, don’t take it personally.
Career Now:
What is a typical day like?
I am primarily a touring engineer as of right now. We usually start loading in at 11 am and with a lunch break, we are usually ready for line check with techs at about 2:30-3 pm. The guys come to the stage to check a few songs and will sometimes use that time to work on adding new songs to the setlist. Depending on how long they want the stage, we are usually done and have a small break from 4-5 pm before the meet and greet.
During our meet and greet, the band plays one song and while the band takes pictures, the techs get the stage peeled for the opener and cover the set. Dinner break is 6-8 pm. I use this time to hang out and make sure I’m ready for the set by putting fresh batteries in all my wireless, checking my scenes/setlist for correct order, making sure I’ve saved my file, etc. We do another line check right before the set starts at 9 pm. Our show I almost 2 hours so we are usually loaded out and lock the trailer at midnight. Then we shower and get to the bus before call usually around 2-3 am.
How do you stay organized and focused?
I like to make sure everything goes back in the same place and in the same order just as a general rule. This applies to our trailer pack and how gear is packed in the cases and how it’s set up/torn down. Things like mics and labeled looms/cables are all inventoried by me before they go into cases. I always pack up my personal things like laptops, adapters and my in ears first followed by the band’s molds and wireless. Making sure you have a routine helps you not misplace gear especially when load out is moving fast.
I have a photographic memory so I’m pretty good at seeing when something is missing, but having a physical list of gear or order of operations for yourself could be a good way to do the same thing.
What do you enjoy the most about your job?
I love the problem-solving and technical aspects of my job. It’s always fun to figure out a new way to do something or an easier way to get the job done. I love live events because of the finality of a show and how fast things move.
What do you like least?
RF anxiety on a daily basis. Our space is shrinking rapidly.
If you tour what do you like best?
I love traveling and working with amazing people while doing what I love. Sometimes I have to pinch myself to make sure I’m really awake.
What do you like least?
I don’t love paying for an apartment back home when I’m hardly in it.
What is your favorite day off activity?
I love going to get a good meal on days off. Usually something local or what that place may be famous for. Second to that would be hiking and mall walking.
What are your long-term goals?
I would love to work on bigger festivals and shows than what I am doing right now, although I’m pretty content with the level of touring I’m at. I am spoiled and skipped van tours. I just want to always come to the gig excited to work the show and excited to see the people I work with. Right now I’m so blessed that I have both of those things.
My long-term goals are probably more knowledge/skill oriented than working for a huge artist. I just want to be the best I can be at my job.
What obstacles or barriers have you faced?
I am lucky that I haven’t faced too many obstacles along the way. I know that working in a vastly male-dominated world can be daunting to some, but that is something I was used to since I am a former Marine where the numbers are almost identical to live audio. I have been turned down from gigs because a touring camp didn’t want a woman on the bus, but that is their loss and I wouldn’t want to work with people who don’t want me around for something so trivial.
How have you dealt with them?
I find that walking into a gig or venue with the right attitude makes those around you respect you. I tend to show up to the gig with a level of confidence that shows I should be respected, not to be confused with arrogance or false confidence. I’d like to think that’s working for me because I rarely encounter anyone who gives me a hard time. Plus I know I have 11 brothers with me on the bus that always have my back.
Advice you have for other women and young women who wish to enter the field?
Have confidence. In my experience, the industry is changing, especially after the pandemic. A lot of the people who had old ways of thinking have been weeded out. Trust yourself and know that you belong.
Must have skills?
Wrapping cable and a good attitude will take you a very long way. Signal flow and having a good grasp of digital gear are a must as well.
Favorite gear?
I love having a Q box with me. I was generously gifted with one and it’s one of my favorite things to have with me if I need to troubleshoot. I’m also very grateful for Shure’s wireless workbench software. It’s essential for coordinating wireless and I use it daily while on tour.
Anything else you want to add or contribute
Never stop asking questions and learning your craft.
And a huge shout out to Mike G from Schubert Systems for giving me an amazing start, to Josh Sarraulte for teaching me and continuing to teach me everything I know, and to Mckenzee Morley for hooking me up with my current gig.
The people you meet and form friendships with along the way are one of the most important things you do!
Boosting Women’s Voices: Cutting Through The Noise
When it comes to editing voices, it’s a job filled with variety, constantly reacting to what hits the ears. While an initial setup of EQ templates might be a starting point for some, every voice is unique. Women’s voices tend to have wildly different tones and timbres that vary from person to person, and editing seems to be an area that’s often hit-and-miss across music and the spoken word. The NCBI Library of Medicine states that the male speaking voice averages around 60 – 180Hz, while the female voice generally sits around 160 – 300Hz, with roughly an octave’s difference in pitch. Despite this, there seems to be a wild disparity in how women’s voices are treated in general. Perhaps the most common problem can be summarised as cutting too much in the lower areas, and boosting too much in the higher areas when women’s voices are in the mix.
Spoken word
With the podcast industry booming, it’s interesting to observe the difference in the editing of women’s voices compared to men’s. The lack of De-esser treatment, and the copious boosting of high-end frequencies often lead to distraction with every ‘t’ and ‘s’ sound that occurs. Sibilance and harshness can abound, and pull us away from what women are actually saying.
Diagram of the Fletcher-Munson Curve
The Fletcher-Munson Curve measures how our bodies perceive loudness. It is also often referred to as the “equal loudness contour”. Created by Harvey Fletcher and Milden A. Munson in the 1930s, the pair demonstrated how loudness affects the human ear at different frequencies, and where we would perceive (or feel) these pitches and volumes as unpleasant. The most sensitive of these frequency areas that offends the ears lies between 3 – 5kHz, which is the danger zone for sibilance.
Business titan Barbara Corcoran is a fantastic speaker and all-around inspirational career woman. Her voice naturally leans to the high end in pitch and tone and has a propensity for sibilance. When I’d previously watched her on the television show Shark Tank, it was clear that this was her vocal sound, yet when I recently listened to her as a guest on a podcast, I was saddened to hear the edit of Barbara’s voice was jarring in the high-end, and desperately needed a De-esser. I was curious to see how closely my perception of the sound was aligned with what was measurably coming out, so I decided to analyse the podcast in contrast with another recording. I used a Spectral Analysis tool, capturing a snapshot of a word with an ‘s’ sound to compare the two different recordings as fairly as possible, and listened through the same speaker.
Barbara speaking at a TEDx Talk
I first measured Barbara speaking at a TEDx Talk. There was definitely a slight peak in the range of 3-5kHz when measuring Barbara’s talk, however, the peak was only a little above the others, notably its neighbour around 2kHz, and again a little above the 500Hz peak. Audibly, the voice still sounds high and naturally sibilant, however, there is a softness to the ‘s’ sound that does not detract from the talk.
In the bottom graph, the peak is marked around the 3 – 5kHz range and stands alone above the peaks in lower ranges, which demonstrates that this problem area is in fact considerably louder than the other frequencies, and not just perceived to be louder and distracting by the ear.
Diagram Barbara Corcoran’s voice in the TEDx Talk (top image) versus as a podcast guest (bottom image).
Music
In music, the same problems surround women singers. Often, in striving to add ‘air’ or ‘brightness’ or ‘clarity’ to a vocal, women’s voices succumb to the harshness in the 3 – 5kHz range. In boosting above 2kHz a little too liberally, and adding reverb or other effects that can further highlight the high-end, women’s voices can end up sounding thin, jarring, and full of squeaky ‘s’ sounds. So how do the experts celebrate the richness and full tonal spectrum of strong women’s vocals, and do it so well?
In a 2011 interview talking about the making of Adele’s album 21, producer Paul Epworth and mix engineer Tom Elmhirst gave a run-down of their process. The pair have worked with some formidable women’s voices, from Florence + The Machine and Amy Winehouse to Adele. On the song Rolling In The Deep, Elmhirst used the Waves Q6 EQ on the chorus vocal, pulling out certain frequencies “very, very heavily”:
“I had the Q6 on the chorus vocal, notching out 930, 1634, and 3175 Hz very, very heavily: -18dB, -18dB, and -12.1dB respectively, with very narrow Q. I also had the EQIII on the lead-vocal sub, notching something out again. Something obviously needed to be taken out. The vocal is the most important thing in the track, and taking those frequencies out allowed me to keep it upfront in the mix, particularly in the chorus. Regarding the outboard, I had the Pultec EQ, Urei 1176, and the Tube-Tech CL1B on the lead vocal sub-insert. The Pultec boosted around 100Hz and 12k. It’s colourful, but not drastic. There was not a lot of gain.”
Diagram of Adele Vocal EQ
When it came to De-essers, Elmhirst likes to add several for precision – on Rolling In The Deep, Elmhirst explained:
“I did use two Waves De-essers, one taking out at 5449Hz and the other at 11004Hz. Rather than use one to try to cover all the sibilance I used two. I do that quite often.”
While on Someone Like You, he went even further, summarising his EQ and De-esser decisions on the piano-vocal track:
“I had three de-essers on the lead vocal in this case, working at 4185, 7413 and 7712 Hz, and I did some notching on the Waves Q10, taking out 537, 2973, and 10899 Hz, with maximum Q in all cases. The Sonnox Oxford EQ simply takes out everything below 100Hz, and it adds a little around 8k.”
Boosting women’s voices
It’s interesting to compare and contrast the rich tapestry of content that is available to us these days, as well as the amount of guidance that is out there. Considering women’s speaking voices sit around 160 – 300 Hz it’s staggering how many guides and training materials generally recommend using a low pass filter cutting up to 200 Hz – where the voice actually is – and boosting from 4 kHz and up – where madness lies. Every voice needs something different, whether softly spoken, cutting through in an arrangement, or leading a band at a show.
Accepting Applications for SoundGirls Bloggers 2023
Blog for SoundGirls
Are you passionate about the industry, do you want to share your experience and knowledge with the SoundGirls Community? Then you may want to become a blogger for SoundGirls in 2023. Our bloggers volunteer for a year of blogging and choose how often to submit blogs (once a month, every two months, or four blogs for the 2023 year)
Although we are mainly looking for people who can write well, are organized, and are passionate. All areas of audio & music are welcome to apply. We look forward to welcoming you to our community.
Industry Knowledge
Not only is understanding the industry from a concept/fundamental standpoint important, but having real-life experiences is essential for any great blogger. Having real-life experiences allows you to share those experiences, learn from those experiences, build relationships, and learn things that are not taught from reading a book.
Passionate
Great bloggers must be passionate about what they are writing about. We believe if you are writing about things you are not interested or knowledgeable in, it will show in your writing and to your readers. People who are passionate about a topic or industry find it much easier to write about things that others with similar interests would enjoy. Long-term, you have to LOVE what you do.
Writing Background/Experience
Of course, if you have a writing background or you have acquired good writing skills through years of experience, it will help keep your blogs to be engaging and more enjoyable. Using proper grammar, descriptive verbiage, and compelling headlines can keep readers engaged in your content longer. We think overall if you are naturally a good writer, it will allow you to create high-quality content much easier and more efficiently.
Organized
A great blogger should be very well organized. It will be important to plan and manage your writing schedules. Like running your own business or planning your week for your full-time job, blogging should be no different. Brainstorming blog ideas and creating a writing schedule all need to be organized to maximize your work schedule.
If you fly by the seat of your pants (as many people do) and are disorganized, it will most likely lead to inefficiencies in your blogging. You can also find yourself so consumed with daily tasks, that your content quality suffers because you are just trying to rush through the writing process to get something out.
Strong Work Ethic
Having a strong work ethic turns good bloggers into great bloggers. Someone that is able to stick to a schedule, exceed personal goals and expectations, and push themselves, will stand out from the crowd. Many bloggers are writing for their own blog so it is not exactly a situation where they are getting paid for each post they write. So it takes a person with a strong work ethic to see the long-term benefits and keep pushing themselves to consistently produce great content.
Network/Industry Reach
A blogger that has a large network and is known in the industry will make it much easier to promote their content. As we all know, even if you write great content, you still need to promote it. If you have built personal relationships with industry veterans, it can help earn credibility personally and for your blog. If you can shoot a few messages and e-mails to key people in the industry who you know will promote your content to their networks, that can be extremely powerful. Essentially you are leveraging your network and industry reach to promote content, gain feedback, and even help contribute to your blog.
SEO Knowledge
Having basic SEO knowledge is a plus for any blogger. Bloggers who understand the benefits of good keyword research, how to promote content, and maximizing the potential of each post, will gain a larger readership in a shorter amount of time.
Goes Against the Grain
To be a great blogger, you need to sometimes go against what everyone else is doing and do something that is away from “the norm”. Coming up with unique ways to stand out from the crowd is a way that great bloggers get found. It could be a post, design-related, new way of promotion, unique content delivery, or something that has never been done before in the industry.
Social Media
Generally, bloggers spend a good amount of time on social networks like Twitter, Facebook, and Linkedin. Being active on various social networks and engaging with people on a regular basis will help bloggers get noticed. If you are consistently promoting other users’ content, those users will begin to notice and return the favor. If you read other industry blogs and leave thoughtful comments or even personally contact the blog owner, this is all-important for building your network and getting noticed.
A plus for a great blogger would be being a power user on social bookmarking sites like Digg, StumbleUpon, and Reddit. If you have the ability to promote content and others in the community, notice and promote it as well.
Enjoys Sharing and Helping
Great bloggers genuinely enjoy helping others. Many bloggers blog because they want to showcase their knowledge in the industry. Of course, that is part of why people blog, but it should not be the only reason. Gaining satisfaction from helping others in your industry is a trait that all great bloggers have. Taking the time to personally reach out to someone asking a question or thanking someone who leaves an intelligent comment on your blog is going above and beyond. It shows that you do care about what others are saying.
Andrea Arenas – Live Sound & Studio Engineer
Andrea Arenas is a Live and Studio Engineer working in the industry for over 17 years. Andrea is currently working as a sound technician for La Perle by Dragone in Dubai. Andrea discovered audio when she was in her teens and overheard some of her friends from orchestra discussing audio engineering. Andrea wanted to pursue music as she had been learning percussion since she was ten years old. She was deterred by her family who said that music was not an option, so audio engineering opened another career path for her. At the time in Venezuela, there were no official institutions offering audio as a career path, so Andrea enrolled in electronic engineering at Simon Bolivar University in Venezuela, with the understanding that it was somehow related to audio and music. Andrea is currently enrolled at Iberoamerican University, Puebla working on a Master’s Degree in Cultural Management.
Career Start
How did you get your start?
I approached a recording studio in my university, part of the communications department, open-minded and willing to find a person who could take me in to teach me all about it. The person in charge of it, fortunately, took me in and taught me most of the things I know about sound today.
How did your early internships or jobs help build a foundation for where you are now?
That first job in the university studio was the door to starting my career in audio, it let me understand what the field was about and if it was something I would enjoy. So it was one of the most important decisions I’ve made in my audio career
What did you learn interning or on your early gigs?
I learned about types of gear, signal flow, working processes, and critical listening. I learned about which parts of the sound career I liked and whatnot.
Did you have a mentor or someone that really helped you?
Yes, Francisco ‘Coco’ Diaz was the person who took me in at the university studio and mentored me for almost 3 years. Even after all these years, I still go to him when I need some perspective or advice. You can follow his Instagram account in Spanish for musical production tips @serproductordemusica.
Career Now
What is a typical day like?
I wake up around 8 to 9 am and take care of any home and personal activities like cleaning, cooking, yoga, etc. Then I check emails and work on any out-of-work projects like my personal music, podcasts, mixing, university classes, volunteering work, etc. Then, my work hours for the show usually start after 2 pm. When I arrive at the theater, I check the schedule for the day. We usually have some training, rehearsals or validations with artists. Soundcheck happens every day a couple of hours before the show starts, depending on my track for the day (because I rotate 4 tracks, foh, monitors, RF, and musical director) I’ll do presets for microphones, consoles, computers, etc. Then I run two shows and go home at midnight.
How do you stay organized and focused?
Discipline is part of the daily routine in every aspect of my life, I think mainly because of my musical training, I try to plan short-term goals and keep track of schedules I plan in my mind. I say “in my mind” because following a routine is not my way of doing it. Depending on the day’s mood I organize my activities trying to follow those short-term goals, let’s say I try to keep a weekly schedule rather than a daily tight schedule.
What do you enjoy the most about your job?
Feeling that I’m part of a show that, for at least two hours, takes people’s imagination to new places, to enjoy and be happy for a moment. It makes me feel rewarded.
What do you like least?
Having shows on days you want to see your favorite artist show.
If you tour, what do you like best?
Before the pandemic, I was touring with Cirque and my favorite part was always during the first soundcheck at every new city. I usually felt very tired at that moment because of the transfer work, but as soon as the first notes sounded, I could remember why I was doing it, kept going, and enjoyed the moment.
What do you like least?
Working many days in a row, one time I worked 22 days in a row, live sound can be physically very demanding sometimes
What is your favorite day off activity?
I still work on my personal projects during the days I don’t have shows. I consider everyday activities as a choice and I disagree with thinking that on days off I’m “free”. Of course, I also enjoy doing nature or art activities, but I consider them as part of my schedule to achieve the mental state I need to be efficient, enjoy my creative process and enjoy life.
What are your long-term goals?
Keep learning and be open to new opportunities. The pandemic changed my perspective about two things: making plans and depending on a single paycheck. So I’m willing to expand my horizons as much as possible, always open to new experiences related to sound, music, art, culture, and a sense of community.
What if any obstacles or barriers have you faced?
It has probably been to leave my country and be able to be recognized as a professional again despite having to practically start from scratch. It’s common to find people don’t trust your skills and even doubt your CV when you are from a different latitude and speak different languages. Fortunately, not everyone thinks the same way, and some others gave me the opportunity to prove myself and let my work speak for myself
How have you dealt with them?
I always try to mention that despite anything that I’ve dealt with (consciously or not) I’m true to myself, and my ideas and keep working as hard and passionately as possible.
Advice you have for other women and young women who wish to enter the field?
Follow your instincts, speak up, despite feeling intimidated by others, and don’t let these feelings rule the way you behave or think. There will always be people more experienced and less experienced than you anywhere, just be aware that your opinion is also important and can be considered as others.
Must have skills?
Problem-solving, active listening, and patience
Favorite gear?
I always say that because I haven’t tried them all, I can’t choose a favorite. I think the idea is to feel comfortable with the gear you use, and learning the most about it and practicing will be the only way to get there. So I usually try to feel comfy with the gear I use, sometimes I wish I could have the trendy ones or the ones that a super famous artist or studio owns, but sometimes it is not possible. So I embrace reality and get the best out of the gear I have in front.
Dana Jae: Studio, Film, & Live Sound Engineer
In the audio landscape of Northern California and beyond, Dana Jae has done it all these past 30 years: live sound, film sound (production and post), purchasing, studio recording, mixing, mastering, and education. She began as a purchasing agent for Leo’s Audio in the late 80s, acquiring extensive knowledge of audio equipment through brochures and spec sheets as she researched manufacturers and their offerings. From that time onward, she became proficient in live sound, serving as a house sound engineer at the San Francisco nightclub Bottom of the Hill beginning in 1991, touring the US and Europe with the band Medicine as their sound mixer from 1994 to 1995. From 1999 to 2004, she also partnered in and presided over the record label and commercial recording studio called APG Records/APG Studios, which has evolved into Portero Post. She then explored film audio through the creative visual media production company Films on 45 in 2007. She also runs her own sound company called dcj Productions, though that has since taken something of a backseat to her work as an audio educator — she is currently Broadcast Electronic Media Arts Department Chair at City College of San Francisco.
I met Dana Jae in April of 2022 while she was lending her experience to a tri-annual event called Bushwick Book Club Oakland and simultaneously providing her students with real-world experience mixing live sound. After a thrilling in-person conversation about audio education, Dana Jae and I corresponded via email and she answered the following questions. Her responses have been lightly edited for clarity.
What was your first piece of gear and what did you create with it?
I bought a Tascam PortaOne 4-track cassette recorder in 1983 when I was 20 and started recording bits and pieces of my electric guitar with some pedal effects. I played around with running the cassette backward to make some strange loops with my voice recorded (through the same pedals) to create some good noise that eventually turned into a song with more melodic parts added later. I learned to bounce tracks to get more than 4 in order to play with more overdubs. Thus began my official songwriting beyond writing lyrics, which I had done since around age 11 or so.
Describe your most memorable learning experience as a novice engineer. Was it fun? Difficult? A bit of both?
The first time I had to run FOH sound at a local festival was a huge learning curve for me. I had done sound for about a year or so at a lot of smaller clubs and outdoor events, but nothing the size of a festival in the Castro for Pride. I was supposed to be the (learning) second engineer and not the lead mixer. I think this was sometime in the late 80s. The guy mixing told me, after the first song of the headliner, to take over as he had to go find an outhouse. I was shocked as I knew it would take him the entire rest of the set to get there, stand in line, and then get back. I was so nervous! “What if something went wrong? Would I know how to fix it? What if there is feedback? What if…?” He just split, and I had to find a way to calm myself down quickly, center myself, and stop my hand from shaking on the faders. Deep breathing.
I just focused on the band on stage and opened my ears to the whole sound. I kept asking myself, “What’s missing in the mix? How does the bass sound? Should I EQ it a bit more? Maybe I should add some delay at the end of a couple of the vocal lines in the chorus.” I got into the zen of mixing live at that moment and was transported. I think I lost 5-lbs that day from my heart racing. The best part about it was the soaring feeling of having dialed up a pretty good mix, that I was actively mixing throughout their set, and some kudos I received after. Was it fun? Shoot. Not back then. But it became so much fun the more I mixed and learned as I went. Events like this one and every gig thereafter started the word-of-mouth trajectory that made my live sound career flourish. By the time I started mixing at Bottom of the Hill in 1991, I felt ready to take on any mix and be able to deliver.
How did your time as a purchasing agent shape your relationship with gear and sound in general?
The best part about purchasing was being paid to research manufacturers and model numbers as well as important specification differences between different model numbers. It was like having an audio education with all the brochures and spec sheets (this was pre-everything available on the web), so I would shuffle through hundreds of brochures, make phone calls, and receive FAXES! of current pricing. Those jobs enabled my ability to “talk audio” with anyone. I have so many manufacturer names and model numbers stored in my wee noggin. And I also was able to buy the gear I wanted for myself at cost plus 5% (employee deal) = SCORE! I became a gear geek early on. The Shure brochures were (and are) so full of excellent audio education.
You teach audio at CCSF. What first motivated you to begin teaching and what inspires you to keep teaching?
City College of San Francisco (CCSF) is where I teach and have been since 2001. At the time, I was working/owning/promoting a record label and recording studio I had, partnered with another audio engineer, in 1998 — APG Records/APG Studios. We had 6 or 7 artists on our label. My friend who was teaching at CCSF was applying for tenure and she asked me for a letter of recommendation to add to her tenure portfolio, as we had known each other since the 1990s and I was one of a few of our colleagues who had my own letterhead! (ha!) Alas, I wrote the letter and when we checked in some months later, she told me she had received tenure and was looking to hire a lab instructor in the department. I had never thought about teaching as a profession, but when she had me come in to shadow her one afternoon to see what it was like, I thought: “Oh, yeah! I can certainly do this!” She knew that I trained some of our interns at the studio and also for my own live sound company (dcj Productions) and said it was a lot like that, except I had to be organized to complete grading, paperwork, etc.
What is one of your favorite ways you’ve found community in the Audio field?
Most definitely through organizations like SoundGirls, Women’s Audio Mission, and Audio Engineering Society. I have also been attending numerous audio conferences over the past 20 years like NAMM and these are where you can meet a lot of audio professionals. Also, being the purchasing agent for several local pro audio firms had me seeing the names of all the local top audio folks and I was able to meet many of them through these pro audio companies via events we would host on occasion or chat with them when they came in to pick up gear.
You own your own sound company, dcj Productions. What do you feel is the most unique personal quality you offer your clients?
All of my live sound work has been through word of mouth. I never had a website for dcj Productions because I didn’t have to. I had a business card with a phone number and email address. I provide a personalized service that attends to the needs of the local community (mostly the not-for-profit sector) and am someone who communicates clearly and in a focused manner. Since I am able to do many different sound tasks from live sound to recording to editing and mixing, I have found that one job usually has led to another that way. Once I started teaching full-time at CCSF in 2011 (was part-time for 9 years), I had to slow way down on the gigs to focus more fully on the college and my students.
You have worked across so many settings. Is there any area you would still love to explore?
I absolutely love composing and mixing other artists’ music. I’m a plugin freak and really enjoy tweaking a mix with the myriad plugins I own. This includes composing using soft synths. There are so many VI plugins out there! I’ve also been developing my skills in the area of immersive audio and developed a class at the college teaching surround sound mixing. We received some grants to purchase the latest for two different surround mix rooms that I’m very proud of. They are excellent learning environments for students to work in a solo fashion in a smaller mix room to develop their mixing skills on the latest technology.
What advice do you most often give to people just beginning to pursue audio?
It is important to learn everything. These days there are so many aspects to audio: AES67, Audio over IP, Immersive Audio, live sound event production, wireless… it’s endless! My advice is to stay focused and be sure to learn something every day. Join audio groups such as SoundGirls, AES, SMPTE, and WAM. Read up on gear, new developments, and the people in audio via online magazines such as Sound on Sound, TapeOp, Mix, ProSoundWeb, and FOH. Learn to wrap a cable well, and you’ll have doors open to you.
Mix With the Masters Scholarship Available- Craig Silvey
SoundGirls Members have the chance to receive a 2,000€ scholarship provided to SoundGirls members from Mix With The Masters.
There is one scholarship available for the week-long session with Grammy and Multi-platinum Producer/Mixer Craig Silvey. (Travel and remaining tuition balance not included)
This is a week-long seminar valued approximately at 4,000€ and includes lectures and workshops, accommodation within the mansion, catering (breakfast, lunch, dinner) the fitness room, swimming pool, and shuttles from Avignon to the studio. (Travel and remaining tuition balance Not Included)
You must have an advanced understanding of audio and work as producer/mixer/engineer to attend Mix with the Masters.
Craig Silvey is a London-based record producer and mix engineer from the Bay Area of northern California.
He first set foot in a recording studio as the keyboard player of a high school band. The facility was owned by his bandmate’s father, who allowed the use of his equipment but wouldn’t go as far as operating it for the group. Silvey was keen to accept the challenge.
He soon became an apprentice engineer at Russian Hill Recording in San Francisco, taken under the wing of George Massenburg. In the early ‘90s, Silvey progressed to working at Skywalker Sound for Lucasfilm, where he got involved on records and movie projects for Mariah Carey, Linda Ronstadt, Jennifer 8, and Rising Sun.
In 1994, he co-founded Toast Studios in San Francisco, where he worked with a diversity of artists including R.E.M., Money Mark, and Suzanne Ciani. In 1998, Silvey moved to London, basing himself initially at Konk Studios and then The Garden. His reputation as a top-flight mixer began to grow as he completed landmark projects such as Portishead’s ‘Third’ and Arcade Fire’s ‘The Suburbs’.
He has since mixed records by Arctic Monkeys, Bryan Ferry, Florence + The Machine, The National, and Noel Gallagher. As a producer, he has worked with Baxter Dury, Bear’s Den, and John Grant.
Program
The process of greatness fostering greatness has long been recognized and is the reason why masterclasses are organized. The Mix With The Master’s seminars is part of this tradition, offering an exchange of in-depth first-hand studio experience and knowledge that is unparalleled and not available anywhere else. Each seminar is conducted by one of the world’s top music mixers and producers, ready to share their professional secrets with a select group of a maximum of 14 carefully-screened, professional-level participants, who come from all over the world.
One factor that contributes to the enormous success of the seminars is that all tutors support the general MWTM ethos, which is about the love of music, music technology, and want to help others. Participants also are in part selected on displaying similar, positive attitudes. The fact that the seminars last a full week is another major contributory factor because it offers tutors the time and space to go into real depth, and the participants the opportunity to spend a prolonged time watching a master at his peak, and to ask any question they can think of.
The tutors share exclusive, insider information on any subject: detailed technical knowledge, how to run sessions, how to handle artists, how to manage a career, the right attitude, how to remain successful, and more. The tutors also assess the work of the participants, by listening to their mixes and mixing recording sessions that they bring, and providing extensive feedback to each participant on where they are at, and how they can get to where they want to be. This is invaluable and offers participants wanting to become world-class professionals in their own right a unique advantage.
Another primary factor in making the MWTM seminars exceptional is that they take place at La Fabrique, a large, comfortable, high-end recording studio located in a picturesque historic building, surrounded by huge, lush grounds, and set in the south-east of France in one of the world’s most beautiful environments. The secluded and idyllic location offers the participants and tutors a lot of space to relax and recharge, far away from the hustle and bustle of daily life and the all-demanding intensity of their regular professional environments.
Because the courses are residential, the participants and tutors work, eat, socialize, and sleep in the same environment. While tutors, and participants, will at times opt to retire to their private quarters, there is ample opportunity for social interaction outside of the studio environment. Participants interact extensively with each other and the tutor, making it easier to assimilate the intangible qualities necessary to be successful at the highest level—presence, focus, social skills, intelligence, creativity, the right attitude, and so on.
In short, for seven days participants can experience mixing with a master in both senses of the phrase, mixing and interacting with them. Get more information about Studio La Fabrique
Zoe Thrall – Love of Gear, Recording, and Music Makers
Zoe Thrall is a groundbreaker and a legend with 40+ years working in the music industry. She spent years working as an engineer and studio manager for Power Station Studios and Hit Factory Studios in NYC, then touring with Steven Van Zandt and his band, The Disciples of Soul. In 2005, she relocated to Las Vegas taking over the reins at The Palms Studio until it was shuttered due to COVID. Zoe has moved to The Hideout as the Director of Studio Operations, where artists from Carlos Santana to Kendrick Lamar have recorded. Zoe is an artist, engineer, and is well versed in studio management.
Zoe was introduced to audio as a career path while a freshman in college, (State University of New York at Fredonia) where she had a friend who was majoring in audio engineering. She applied to the music department and then transferred to audio. While she attended all four years, she was offered a job in her fourth year and never finished her last eight credits.
Zoe was always interested in audio, she remembers as a kid “tinkering with my cassette machines and my records taking two tape machines and recording from one to the other.” Her parents loved music and she was exposed to all kinds of music growing up from pop standards to Broadway. At age eight Zoe says “I tried to learn any instrument I could get my hands on. Turns out I was best on woodwind instruments and pursued learning them more seriously.” As we will learn woodwind instruments led her to record with Steven Van Zandt.
Working with Steven Van Zandt
Zoe was working at a studio as an assistant engineer that Steven was working on several albums he was producing, as well as his first solo album. Zoe remembers that he was looking for a specific sound, and his guitar tech mentioned that she played oboe and she ended up on the record. After the record was finished Steven asked her to go on the road. She was 22 years old and says “that was not something I ever considered.” Zoe would continue to work with Steven for eleven years, playing on and engineering several albums. Zoe says “I learned everything about the business from Steven, about music production and contracts and publishing. Steven was extremely politically active and so I also got involved in a number of social and political organizations, mostly in human rights. I got to see that side of the world and meet Nelson Mandela. It was a whirlwind of 11 years and something I never dreamed of doing in terms of touring and being a member of a band.”
“Having a mentor like Steven was absolutely critical in my professional growth. He would push me to do things that I would never thought I could do, but he trusted I could and that gave me the confidence to try. There were so many invaluable lessons. He would push me as a musician (playing keyboards on a Peter Gabriel track), as an engineer (building a home studio and recording his projects there), as a manager (rehearsing, hiring/firing band members), and even in the political arena where I was least comfortable. One time he sent me to meet with Archbishop Desmond Tutu as the representative of our foundation, The Solidarity Foundation. I was scared to death. But I was able to discuss some of the programs we had instituted in the anti-apartheid movement. These are just a few examples of what could get thrown at me at any given time”.
Zoe has been recognized for both her work and her humanitarian efforts including planning and co-organizing a fundraiser for Nelson Mandela, receiving a commendation from the United Nations for work done in the anti-apartheid movement, and serving 3 times as co-chair of 2005, 2006, and 2021 Conventions of the Audio Engineering Society.
Career Start
How did your early internships or jobs help build a foundation for where you are now?
The internship was essential to my growth and my future. It introduced me to some extremely talented engineers and producers who were my early mentors. That specific internship led to every other door that opened for me. 11 years later I was back as that studio’s manager.
What did you learn interning or on your early gigs?
Keep your mouth shut and your ears open. Let a helping hand anywhere you can. Put in as much time as you can and someone will notice. Be honest, don’t try and do something you don’t know how to do (then learn how to do it later). Be willing to do everything and anything asked of you (to a degree). Don’t count the hours.
Did you have a mentor or someone that really helped you?
Initially, as I stated above I was fortunate to have been around some pretty talented (and tolerant) people from day one like Bob Clearmountain, Neil Dorfsman, James Farber, Tony Bongiovi. But really my main mentor is Steven Van Zandt and then eventually worked with him for 11 years. Everything I know about the music/recording industry I learned from him.
Career Now
What is a typical day like?
You have to wear a lot of hats managing a commercial recording studio. I’m the first one to come in the morning because I like to check the rooms and the rest of the facility before anyone gets here. Then I make sure we have everything we need for the sessions coming in. I keep an eye on when the staff is arriving to make sure they get here on time for their sessions. I book studio time and negotiate the deals with the clients. I review the sessions from the previous day and do the billing. As the day goes on I will check with the clients to see how their sessions are running. Then mid-day I will look to see what the next few days are bringing us to be sure we are prepared for them. There are many phone calls, overseeing staff, vendors, etc.
How do you stay organized and focused?
I write everything down. People make fun of me for it but if I write it down I won’t forget something. There are so many details that come at you during the day I couldn’t possibly remember everything.
What do you enjoy the most about your job?
Even though I no longer engineer I still love gear and the recording process. I love music makers. I love creativity.
What do you like least?
Clients that expect to sound like Drake in three hours. Their expectations are not realistic. Also, the 24 hours, 7-days-a-week aspect of it.
If you tour, what do you like best?
I did tour when I was younger. It’s really hard but exhilarating at the same time. It’s an easy way to see the world. I loved learning about different cultures. The feeling you get just before you step on the stage is something I’ve never felt doing anything else, whether it was to an audience of 200 or 100,000.
Twi McCallum works on sound design for theater, post-production, audiobooks, and commercials. She has been freelancing since 2018 for Broadway, off-Broadway, and for regional theatres. Twi recently started working full-time at Skywalker Sound in sound editorial, and she will be relocating from NYC to the Bay Area.
Twi grew up in Baltimore and worked throughout high school at the National Aquarium, where she learned ocean conservation and marine biology. During the summers they created a play that was performed at local libraries. They would write the script, create costumes, backdrops, props, and music. This was Twi’s introduction to theater. She would go on to attend Howard University, where she found a class called TECH, where she became a crew member working behind the scenes for student productions. Twi remembers her first production, “my first tech assignment was a dresser for the musical Anything Goes, and there was a moment during invited dress when I was standing in the wings waiting for my actor to come offstage for a quick change. And I must have been standing in front of a speaker because I suddenly felt a wash of sound effects and music cascade over my body, and although I knew nothing about speakers, mics, or engineering at that time, I knew that’s what I wanted to jump into.”
Twi was working towards a Theater Administration major, studying things like stage management, producing, and technical theater. “At the time, my focus was costume design, which is laughable now, but there were no sound design professors and I failed my lighting and scenic design classes which is why I dropped out of school and moved to New York.” Twi would eventually graduate from Yale School of Drama’s one-year sound program in May 2021, which was virtual due to covid.
Her first job in NYC was a technical apprenticeship at a dance company called New York Live Arts, which was the first time Twi learned the fundamentals of audio such as how to stand on a ladder to hang a speaker, using a c-wrench, dropping a file into QLab, what an XLR cable is, and the basics of a mixing console which was the Yamaha DM1000. Twi says she knew she wanted to be a sound designer “because I was more moved by watching the dance performances than I was mixing them, and of course, getting yelled at as a mixer because nobody talks to the sound person unless they need to scold.”
When the apprenticeship ended, Twi worked as a stagehand at the Manhattan School of Music while sending her resume to a bunch of theaters that Twi said: “I was grossly underqualified for.” Her first design gigs were for Cape May Stage, TheatreSquared, and Kansas City Reps– all regional theaters that took a chance on her.
During covid, Twi took a post-production internship at a foley studio called Alchemy, and because of that opportunity, she was immediately hired as an apprentice sound editor on two scripted television shows for NBC and STARZ which allowed me to join Motion Picture Editors Guild Local 700. Those jobs qualified her to be hired at Skywalker Sound.
What did you learn interning or on your early gigs?
My one quirk is that I write everything down… when I’m at work I’m constantly scribbling in a notepad. My first job in New York was a technical theater internship (although criminally underpaid and abusive) at a dance company called New York Live Arts. It was my first time learning the basics of audio, and I still have my notebook from 3 years ago. I wrote down everything I learned…what does this button on the Yamaha DM1000 do, this is how many pins an XLR cable has, this is what a cluster is vs what a line array is. There is nothing embarrassing about needing to take notes, and there were times that it saved me because someone on the staff would ask me a question about the system that nobody else could answer but there it was in my trusty notebook! Even when I transitioned into post-production last year, I began keeping a typed journal of things I learned every day. My first professional television gig was as a sound apprentice on STARZ’s The Girlfriend Experience season 3, and the first thing my sound supervisor taught me was the importance of making region groups in ProTools for every episode. A year later, I still refer to those instructions whether I’m working on a professional tv show or an indie film.
Did you have a mentor or someone that really helped you?
My first mentor in theater sound was Megumi Katayama. There was a time in my life 2-3 years ago when I didn’t know any sound designers and I was emailing as many of them as I could find to inquire about their process. Megumi was a recent Yale MFA graduate when we met, already making strides with sold-out productions. I told her that I wanted to apply to Yale, so she invited me to assist her on production at Long Wharf Theater, which allowed me to tour and interview at Yale for my application. To this day she is still the only designer I’ve ever assisted.
My other theater sound design mentor is Nevin Steinberg, a legend, known for mega Broadway shows like Hamilton, Hadestown, and Dear Evan Hanson. When I emailed him as a fan with no major work experience, he called me on the phone the next day to my surprise, and since then he and I have talked at least every few weeks the past 2 years, sometimes just to make sure I’m emotionally okay.
In post-production, my biggest mentors are Bobbi Banks (ADR supervisor), Dann Fink, (loop group coordinator), and Bryan Parker who is a Supervising Sound Editor at Formosa Group and spent 6 months training me in sound effects and dialogue editorial. As I begin a new journey at Skywalker Sound, I admire Katy Wood, who I plan to work closely with over the next year.
I would be remiss if I did not mention that mentors also show up outside of my craft as a sound designer. The folks who always recommend me for big jobs, introduce me to directors, and take care of me in the workplace are costume, scenic, and lighting designers like Dede Ayite, Adam Honore, David Zinn, Clint Ramos, and Paul Tazwell. I advise any sound girl to reach out to other artists outside of audio to build a robust community.
Career Now
What is a typical day like?
In theater, I typically spend two weeks prior to tech being hands-on preparing for a production. This includes chats with the director, conceptual meetings with the scenic & lighting designers, group production meetings, and visiting rehearsals as often as possible. I also do a lot of paperwork such as cue sheets, console files, gear lists, and ground plans. Tech is typically 1-2 weeks long, and thankfully the theater industry is progressing away from the brutal 10 out of 12-hour workdays and six-day work weeks. Tech means stepping through every page of the script with all of the actors fully encompassed in the design elements. Then, there are usually 1-2 weeks of previews, which means a short rehearsal during the day to fix notes and a public audience performance in the evening.
How do you stay organized and focused?
My calendar is the key to me staying organized, Google calendar works miracles. As lame as it sounds, I maintain a daily, weekly, monthly, and annual to-do list. Annual to-do lists may feel overboard, but you’ll feel rewarded when the holiday season arrives and you realize you accomplished a long-term goal that you visualized 10 months prior. I am still learning to stay focused while acknowledging focusing doesn’t need to look the same for everyone. When I’m working from home, I like sitting on my couch with my laptop and listening to my tv in the background so I don’t feel alone. The best advice about focus that I’ve gotten from artists: spend 15 minutes every day in complete silence (from a costume designer), and try spending the first 1-2 hours every day that you wake up without any technology (from a playwright). Reducing social media usage has become critical for me, especially the drama of Instagram and Facebook.
What do you enjoy the most about your job?
What I love the most about theater sound design is sitting in the audience watching my show and being swarmed with the real-time reactions of the audience. The laughter, claps, cries, and yells, especially if it’s a result of a perfectly timed sound effect, assure me that I’ve done a great job. In theater, you will hear lots of designers say this theory, “The design is good when you don’t notice it.” But I disagree with that because there’s a line between noticing when your design is bad versus noticing when your design is compelling the storytelling. I like to believe we go to the theater to not only notice the actors but to enjoy the physical world of the play (scenic and costumes) and visceral world of the play (lighting and sound). I want the audience to notice my gunshots, earthquakes, music transition, spaceship takeoff, alarm clock, etc because they’re small yet inspiring parts of the bigger puzzle. For example, I designed a production of STEEL MAGNOLIAS at Everyman Theater and my director was adamant about the big gunshot moment, so I drove the point home and made it terrifying. I loved reading the performance reports via email from the stage manager every night that noted the audience jumping and holding each other at the surprise of the gunshot.
What do you like least?
In theater, I dislike the lack of budgeting of time and money from producers, production managers, directors, and other folks in power. Money is always used as an excuse for why designers, including sound designers, cannot be given the resources, staffing, and pay to properly do our jobs. There’s also a disregard for equitable scheduling of pre-production, rehearsal, and tech that impacts our personal lives.
What is your favorite day off activity?
I play a lot of zombie video games (team PlayStation), plus I spend time with my Goldendoodle and pet snails as my happy places in my personal life. I’ve been watching some television shows, which are new to me because I’m more of a film lover. It took me a month to finish The Walking Dead but it was worth it, and I love Money Heist, You, Pose, Judge Judy, Top Chef, and Squid Game.
What are your long-term goals?
In 5-10 years, my heart is gazed upon being a re-recording mixer and supervising sound editor for big-budget film, television, and video games. I’m leaving behind theater sound design to transition into theatrical producing, so I can focus more on my post-production career. Eventually, I would love to teach sound design at an HBCU.
What if any obstacles or barriers have you faced? How have you dealt with them?
“Making it” is hard. However, I like to believe many of us make it over that hump eventually. What I wished someone talked to me about 2-3 years ago is what happens AFTER “making it”. For me, the insecurities have not stopped. At 25 years old and well-accomplished for my age according to other people… I am still comparing myself to others, taking it really hard when I don’t get hired for a particular show, and constantly wondering if I will maintain a career of longevity. And as a woman of color, surrounded by men as well as white women who have consistent streaks of accomplishments, I feel this sense of failure more often than people imagine. There are days that I cry, I wonder if I should change careers, I question if I will ever outdo myself and my peers. It’s important that I’m real and honest about these things because I know I’m not the only woman of sound in the world to experience these growing pains. This is where making a self-care plan kicks in, often we discuss self-care regarding busy schedules and needing time off from work. But self-care is also needed as a reminder to love ourselves and balance the highs and lows of our careers, even the lows that we are embarrassed to talk to other people about.
Advice you have for other women and young women who wish to enter the field?
Try your hardest not to take underpaid jobs. Even when you are first starting, do not take a gig that does not pay at least the legal minimum wage. Money is important, despite being in a craft where we’re supposed to love what we do unconditionally. Women are already underpaid and under-hired in sound, which makes us even more valuable. Companies that thrive on underpaid labor should not exist. The only places you should “volunteer” your time are schools, mentorship programs, and community theaters, all with a grain of salt of course. If you ever need to weigh the tradeoffs of taking a certain gig, do not be ashamed to reach out to someone with experience to ask for advice.
Must have skills?
The most important skill, in theater and post-production, is being able to quickly learn software. This includes drafting software like Vectorworks and DAWS like ProTools. Once you learn the basics of the software you need for work, the next challenge is learning how to use them efficiently. “Shortcuts” become important in the workplace, especially in post-production when it saves you 60 seconds of labor if you know a keyboard hotkey compared to needing to navigate a menu for the same function. These skills are not simple to learn, so be gentle with yourself on this learning journey. There are manuals and flashcards for all software, even ProTools keyboard covers to purchase!
Favorite gear?
In theater, I love Meyer’s SpaceMapGo. I implemented the software on my Broadway play CHICKEN & BISCUITS, to help move music and atmospheric cues around the theater in a 3D motion. In post-production, a similar asset is a plug-in called Waves Brauer Motion.
Summary of accomplishments
Sound designer for Chicken & Biscuits on Broadway, running September 2021-January 2022, as the first woman of color sound designer on Broadway and woman #9 overall.
Co-Vice Chair of Theatrical Sound Designers & Composers Association.
Highlighted off-Broadway theater credits include: A Commercial Jingle for Regina Comet (musical), A Turtle on a Fence Post (musical), and Little Girl Blue-Nina Simone (musical).
Highlighted post-production credits include: SULWE audiobook by Lupita Nyong’o (dialogue editor), Amazon commercial (sound editor), In Love & Struggle audiobook by Audible (sound designer), and radio plays for The Kennedy Center, Atlantic Theater Company, and The Public Theater.
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