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Defence Against The Dark Arts – A Monitor Engineer’s Guide to RF

In my last couple of posts, I talked about the process of getting ready for a new monitor gig, from getting the call, right up to dialing the band’s mixes in. I touched briefly on RF, but it’s a big topic, and one that merits its own post, especially in a monitoring context. In this post, we’ll look at the basic principles which will give you a good foundation for a clean radio platform. As RF is a complex subject, it’s beyond the scope of this article to go into great detail, so I’ll also offer a few links that will give you more in-depth information about the science behind it all – and it is science, as much as you’ll hear it referred to as a dark art! I advise reading up on it as much as you can within an audio context, but there’s no need to get caught up in the math beyond a basic understanding unless it interests you and you plan to specialise. I also recommend attending the training days that are sometimes offered by major manufacturers like Sennheiser and Shure, as they give you a great chance to ask questions face to face. But for the basics that will serve you well, here we are – a monitor engineer’s guide to RF.

Firstly, make sure you have the right tools for the job.

Just because a transmitter and receiver from different manufacturers are in the same frequency range, it doesn’t mean they’re compatible. Compansion (compression > expansion) is the process by which a signal is compressed before transmission, and then re-expanded in the receiver. It’s important for the compansion circuitry in a system to be compatible with its ‘other half’, for optimum performance and signal-to-noise ratio, so make sure your transmitters and receivers are designed to be used together.

Choose the right antennae.

That usually means directional paddles over twigs for radio mics, and if they’re active, have them set on the lower gain. (Higher gain means they pick up over a greater area, but they pick everything up, not just the frequencies you want, and 3dB is ample for most stage applications.) A helical or ‘bubble’ antenna for IEMs offers superior reception to a paddle, but be aware of the polar coverage – typically a 40 degree cone-shape, so keep that in mind when you position it.

Minimise connections.

Every connector in the path of an antenna cable results in some RF signal loss, so avoid extending RF cables and using excessive adaptors and panels.

Maintain direct line-of-sight between transmitters and receivers.

An antenna that’s tucked around a corner and can’t ‘see’ the stage won’t do its job well, and keeping an artist’s IEM pack antenna on the outside of their clothing is good practice where possible. You may have to negotiate with the wardrobe department if you’re doing a costume-heavy show, but it’s very normal for wardrobe to make a little fabric pouch for the pack to sit in.

Use the right cables.

It’s easy to mistake a BNC cable that’s intended for the back of a desk (ie MADI) for an RF cable, as they have the same connectors – but they have different impedance and you need to keep them separate. RF uses a 50-ohm cable, digital data uses 75 ohms. It’s also worth using a specific low-loss cable such as RG-213 with N-type connectors for IEMs – they are thicker than standard cables and BNC connectors and lose a smaller amount of RF signal – especially useful in circumstances where you have no choice but to run longer cables.

Keep those cables short.

An RF signal would always rather travel through air than cable, so keep cable lengths to a functional minimum – never use a 10 metre cable if a 5 metre will reach. If you need more than 10 metres, reassess the positioning of your racks to see if you can get them closer.

Get high.

Height is your friend when it comes to antenna placement, so take stands up to their fullest extension. Diversity receiver paddles for radio mics can be close to each other – a minimum of 1/2 wavelength is good practice – the wavelength for a 700mHz signal is around 40cm, so a T-bar on a single stand is fine. Keep some distance between receiver paddles and your IEM transmitter antenna though – I usually put my IEM antenna nice and high near the downstage edge of my desk, and the receiver paddles at the upstage side.

Set your squelch.

Squelch is a muting mechanism that silences the audio output of your receiver should an erroneous signal cut across it. This is a good thing – that signal can be a lot louder than the desired one (ie your IEM mix) and can give the listener a nasty blast of noise. We want to set the squelch low enough to allow our desired signal through, but high enough to keep out the uninvited. Around 7-11 dB is a good all-rounder – if you set it too high, the desired signal will also be muted more easily when your artist moves further away (because of signal loss).

It’s not enough to simply have clear spectrum

(ie nothing else transmitting) around your frequencies. Not all frequencies play nicely together, and they can intermodulate – a phenomenon whereby they interfere with each other, even though they may not be close by in range. Most manufacturer’s equipment will therefore have preset ‘groups’ of frequencies that are compatible, and there are also charts available, as well as software that can calculate compatible frequencies for you. When everything is set up and tuned, you can check for intermodulation by switching every transmitter and receiver on, then switching one transmitter off at a time, checking to see that the associated receiver has lost all RF signal, and then switching it back on to repeat the process with each transmitter/receiver pair. A little tip here – make sure that your radio mics are not all sitting in a pile – the proximity will make them intermodulate no matter how compatible the frequencies, so spread them out on a work surface with their antenna ends pointing away from each other.

Be aware of the effect that LED screens have on RF

they transmit low-level interference, so you may need to play around with optimum antenna placement. If it’s just a single backdrop screen it shouldn’t be too bad, but if you have an entire stage made from an LED screen, as on one tour I did, you may need to enlist the help of an RF expert who can fix you up with a high-powered booster for your transmission.

Be aware that RF hates metal.

(Not the music, it’s quite a fan of many hard-rock bands I believe…) No, RF hates to touch metal hardware, so keep packs off metal belts or costume parts, and make sure antennas aren’t resting on metal walls or truss. It’s all to do with an interesting phenomenon called the Faraday effect.

Get the right tools 

I highly recommend investing in a hand-held scanner if you tour and use RF regularly. Some places you will switch your receivers on to see a hot mess of RF coming from who-knows-where (TV stations and cellphones have a lot to do with it!), and it saves you a whole heap of trouble to get a visual of what’s going on in the spectrum rather than flying blind. Then you can look for the ‘quiet’ gaps, and plan your frequencies accordingly.

Finally, use your ears!

RF is a science, but the end-user – your artist – is a piece of biology! Test out their experience before you hand them their RF equipment – walk the performance space with their pack (not a PFL pack on engineer mode – that won’t tell you if there’s anything wrong with their hardware) and talk to yourself in their mic the whole time – that way you’ll experience any problems for yourself and have time to fix them before they walk on stage, so they have a happy, peaceful RF time up there. And we know what happy artists make, right? Happy monitor engineers!

SoundGirls.Org Supports City of Terrace Girls Empowerment Initiative with Live Sound Workshop

SoundGirls.Org is honored to support the City of Terrace Library’s Girl Empowerment initiative to inspire girls and young women and ensure that all young people reach their full potential.

SoundGirls.org presents a concert production workshop for teens. Attendants will participate in a variety of roles in concert preparation and even mix music for a live band. CALICO the band has volunteered their time to come help us.

The workshop will take place on

SoundGirls members that would like to volunteer to work the event – please contact us at soundgirls@soundgirls.org

unspecifiedCALICO the band is Kirsten Proffit and Manda Mosher. Kirsten & Manda came from individual singer/songwriter careers until Calico brought them together. As powerful as each is individually, an undeniable magic occurs when their writing and voices come together. It’s at the heart of their debut album, Rancho California, which is replete with singularly strong songwriting chops, rich harmonies, and a pervasive Americana passion. Like the expansive spirit of Laurel Canyon that spawned so many famous bands and artists, now comes this new spirit, rooted in the vast valleys and canyons of L.A.

Calico stands for California country, and also for the cat that appeared at Manda’s door one dark night, and a ghost town about halfway between L.A. and Vegas. It’s in the gentle mystery of that cat, and in that dusty stretch of desert that their music starts, haunted by Western ghosts of the past, but gentle with modern spirits, too, all blown together like tumbleweeds towards the big city. Calico is about that eternal place where the big city meets that lonely desert, where the freeways converge at the ocean. It’s about timeless roots music; it’s about voices singing in harmony.

 

Beckie Campbell – Versatility and Passion

beckie-1Beckie Campbell is the owner of B4MediaProduction, a growing production company, supplying anything from small corporate set-ups and medium to large concert system set-ups. Being versatile, Beckie also works as an independent contractor to several companies around the US. Beckie’s experience  in the audio field is comprehensive, having the ability to work as Production Management, FoH/Monitors, and as a PA/System or monitor tech.

B4MediaProduction works with an impressive list of regular clients including the City of Orlando, PennellChing Development (Corporate events), Hibiscus Festival/New Year’s Eve Bash/Freedom Fest(Florida Festivals) and Next Level Productions and Promotions (Concerts and Festivals).

Raised in McMillan, Michigan, Beckie’s interest in music started when she was a kid. She remembers locking herself in her uncle’s jeep and listening to Three Dog Night on an 8 track as loud as she could. She would close her eyes and visualize being on stage with them. She was just five years old! She would also sit in the living room with her ear up to her dad’s stereo listening to old Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings records until she could pick out every instrument and sound. Her aunt and uncles would go to concerts all the time and bring her back heaps of concert swag. Beckie remembers the feeling of wearing a new REO Speedwagon shirt, and jamming out to Tina Turner on her Walkman, all the while dreaming of being backstage with them.

When Beckie turned 18, she started working at a radio station doing on-air concert announcements and interviews with artists at festivals. This experience showed her another side to the business, and all she could think of was that she couldn’t wait to run sound. Beckie attended every concert event she could between the ages of 18-25. After several years of this, Beckie returned to school with the aim of getting a degree in live sound engineering. Beckie attended Full Sail University graduating in 2001 with a degree in Show Production. After graduation, she interned as a tech in a Mega Church in Orlando, and six months later they asked her if she would be interested in becoming their Technical Director. Beckie took that role on full-time and continued to freelance around Orlando. Eventually, Beckie moved beachside to Florida to run FOH for another church.

Since starting B4MediaProduction, she has worked all over the United States as a Monitor Engineer, FOH Engineer, Stage Manager, and Production Manager. She is in a position now where she is called weekly asking if she can fill in for others on their tours, as well as for festival work and corporate gigs. B4MediaProduction have a mix of systems available from small QSC K systems and JBL Eon systems for the corporate gigs and a D.A.S. Aero 8 line array for middle-of-the-road stuff. The business is continuously building its inventory and has its sights set on either L-Acoustics or a d&b rig for the next purchase. Beckie says these are her favorite PA’s to mix on.

When touring, she loves the fact that she gets to play with many different pieces of gear. She has many favorites depending on the gig and budget. For a console it would have to be Midas Pro series, Microphones: Shure ULXD series for vocals with Neumann KMS105 capsules or SM68, saying her new favorite all-around application mic is Heil Pr 30, & PR 31BW. d&b, L-Acoustics, or Meyer rigs are the favorites for cabs. Beckie still has an old-school Lexicon PCM90 verb and says she loves it so much – it will be with her till she dies!

Beckie is known for her experience and her ability to step into many roles. She has been in the live sound arena for the past 16 years and has an impressive resume that showcases her versatility within the industry. In addition to providing systems and working as both FOH and Monitor Engineer, Beckie works as a production and stage manager. Her list of clients is extensive; from Amy Grant, Nicole Nordeman, Ellie Holcomb, The City of Orlando Parks and Recreation, Blue Mountain Brandon Heath Tour, and numerous local events and festivals.

Her advice if you are looking at becoming a FOH or Monitor Engineer is that it helps to know your microphones, DI’s, and mic techniques. If becoming a Production Manager is your thing, then communication skills go a long, long way in this job. Learning proper ways to communicate with different personalities and learning to actively listen and ask questions is essential.

beckie-3She loves seeing new places and meeting new people, but she says “my favorite thing is about 1 minute before the show when the house lights are going dark and you can feel the anticipation in the air from the crowd and then when the first sound hits and everyone goes nuts. “Nothing in the world like that feeling”!  Her least favorite things are cold showers at festivals and people with bad attitudes saying “Everyone has a bad day now and again, but if this is not in your blood or your passion and it’s just a job to you it will quickly weigh on you and everyone you’re around”.  

When on tour her favorite day off activity is going anywhere there is water (swimming, kayaking, hiking, sitting by a river or ocean, etc.) She likes to visit places she has never been to and have little adventures and try new foods. She also enjoys the occasional peace and quiet once in a place she has never been to before. If a day off is near family one of her favorite things is to visit nieces and nephews.  Or just a day with Netflix, a bag of chips, and an ice-cold beer.

During her career, she has faced her share of obstacles – while just doing her job. She tells me she has run into a few guys (mostly old school ones) that refuse to let her do things based on the fact that she is a woman. Beckie hears the little comments here and there and finds that at times, they have treated her like a clueless child. For example: being on the ramp hearing comments like “hey this is super heavy and you shouldn’t be here”, or, “do you even know how to run sound?” “Is there a manager or someone who knows what they’re doing here?” Over the years Beckie has learned to deal with these issues as they arise with pure grit and determination and when they see that she doesn’t just give up and walk away, they realize that she CAN handle anything just like a guy and accept her into the pack with open arms.

Beckie shares some good advice about gaining respect from your peers saying “I tend to show what I can do and not run my mouth about it. I have run into the occasional jerk that is just old school in the way they think, and there is nothing I can do to change that. I have found more often than not that even the guys who don’t think I can do it to start with, watch and see and notice that I can and then they too come around. Even the guy who asked me “Is there a manager or someone who knows what they’re doing here?” came back to me after the show and apologized profusely for thinking I wasn’t aware of what I was doing and said “I am sorry for not giving you the chance you deserve, you work harder than most guys I have worked with and you really know your stuff”

Being professional and friendly goes a long way. Beckie says that as a female in this industry it can be hard to break into work but by keeping your head in the game, networking and making contacts, and generally being a nice person that you will never lack for work. Being pleasant and communicating properly without being a jerk, or having her defenses up, helps toward being treated as an equal member of the team. There are always exceptions to this rule, but by following her own advice, Beckie is still working and making it in this industry saying your character will take you much further than your mouth.

The majority of the people Beckie has dealt with are at first a little hesitant about a female in charge of their event, but they quickly realize Beckie knows her stuff and does the job with excellence. She then becomes their go-to person for events and has a steadily growing list of returning clients.  

beckie-4Beckie has great advice for other women and young women wishing to enter the field. She says “Stick to your guns, remind yourself that there are others like you who have been doing this a long time and that you too can accomplish anything you set your mind to. Be responsible, if you mess up – you mess up, no one is perfect all the time. Stay humble, not one of us knows it all, and it’s ok to ask someone. Stay close to some seasoned professionals and ask lots of questions and take their advice. Above all never think you have arrived. You’ll always have something to learn. Our business is growing and advancing all the time with new gear and new ways to do things – continue to learn!”

Up until July this year, Beckie also taught part-time at Full Sail University. She remembers having a class of 12 students (both guys and girls) and asked them if they were hoping to tour and be on the road. Beckie says she was excited when 8 of the class raised their hands and 6 of those were women. She left Full Sail on a friendly note and has a great relationship with them which means she can reach out to the teachers to help fill in some intern needs. Beckie hires some of the students for events she does locally so that they can gain more exposure. Beckie is currently training a young woman, taking her on a job to Ohio. Beckie says “We are making a difference in the industry and I am grateful for those who have paved the way in our industry. We SoundGirls ROCK!”

beckie-2Her long-term goals are to continue growing her production company and staff to give the next generation more opportunities to tour and do gigs. She would like to develop successful, affordable training camps/sessions for church production technicians to teach them the proper way to do things. One day Beckie will purchase a beach home, find a hot single sugar daddy and (gasp) retire with a beachside bar/live music venue and bartend in her old age.

Last words from Beckie are that she loves SoundGirls.Org and the opportunity it’s providing for young women to feel accepted and encouraged in this business as well as intern and learn. When Beckie started out, she was not aware of other women working in the industry. She knew there must be other women somewhere, but she never saw any or worked with any.  The first woman she ever met was in the ’80s, and she was the drummer’s girlfriend who happened to tech with the band. When Beckie attended Full Sail, she was the only girl in the class.
Beckie is passionate about encouraging others and helping to be part of a growing community that strives to educate and help each other become better at what we do and says she will see you on the road!

2019 Update from Beckie:

“I am currently out on the road as the FOH engineer for the Indigo Girls, I have been incredibly blessed to be able to tour with such an accomplished team of people and to be welcomed into their camp. They are absolutely amazing and so talented. I love that after all these years they are still so down to earth, but professionals. It’s a great team of people and I am honored to work alongside of them all. I am running a Digico SD10 and Waves server (both new toys for me) so it has been challenging and rewarding at the same time.

I am about to step into a full season of corporate gigs with my company, B4Media Production. We will be all over from Dallas to Manhattan to Naples and Orlando, FL. in September. I am advancing these shows and building them now while out on the road with IG. So it has been a fun summer so far, and busy season is about to start. I am looking forward to what the road holds when busy season in Florida is over and I am currently looking for the next tour I can join when that time comes. I love to tour and be out there, but also love to train and build our business at home, so being able to do both this year successfully has been a super huge deal and very rewarding. I am still training church tech teams and doing SoundGirls expos and meet-ups when I am home. All things I love to do! I even got some beach time with the nieces and nephews this summer, and I am currently sitting by the pool with an ice-cold beverage while writing this, so all in all, life ain’t bad.”

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Profile by: Toni Venditti

Toni Venditti is the director of G.V. Productions that provides PA and Lighting equipment and is based in Sydney, Australia. She also is a senior industry writer for the CX Network and a contributor to SoundGirls.Org. Toni has worked in audio and lighting for over 25 years.

Hello, My Name is Samantha, and I’m Addicted to Work.

addicted-to-work-v2I’m not sure if this is a topic that gets discussed too much, but that doesn’t make it any less important. This is about burning yourself out, stretching yourself too thin, and burning the candle at both ends. If other women in this field are anything like me, you really put forth a lot of effort. I mean a lot of effort. Likely more so than your colleagues to compensate for the fact that “you’re just a woman”. I take great pride in my work ethic, it defines me. I love what I do, so it’s easy for me to accidentally overdo it. I think that some of us should take a deep breath, and ponder if we’re on a path to getting burned out completely.

This has been on my mind for the last week or so, and I can’t let go of it. So here I am, writing it down to see if I can figure it out and possibly help some along the way. Let me paint you a picture of what my typical week looks like:

On Mondays I work for 9 hours, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays I work for 14 hours. On Thursdays I work about 9 and a half hours. That’s 46 hours in 4 days. On Fridays and Saturdays, I have misc. gigs with my band that can range anywhere from 3 hours in the afternoon to a 14 hour blazing double-gig, and sometimes actually having one or both days off. And on Sundays I work church services and freelance consultations for houses of worship. So I’ll be a little shy on the average, but let’s say that’s 15 hours. So now we’re up to 61 hours. On top of that, I have several interns, I’m developing curriculum for graduate students on event technology, and I write here for SoundGirls every month, and I’ve got another writing project in the works. So I’ve got to be somewhere in the neighborhood of 60-70 hours a week. Every week.
Just writing all of this out, honestly, gives me palpitations.

So, in short, I’m busy.
I’m really busy.
Not to mention planning a wedding, and whatever resemblance of a social life I’ve got. Oh, and I’m trying to go back to school in January.

Tired yet?

When I’m in an interview, I often get asked what my greatest weakness is. I hate answering that question, I don’t understand the point of it, and I have to answer it like a jerk. My greatest weakness is that I work too much. From the employer’s point of view, that isn’t really a problem. But for me, it is. I have been known to work when I really should not. Last year I got very sick for an entire month. I almost popped my ear drum because I refused to go to the doctor. I didn’t miss a single day of work, though.
The good news is I’m young. I can get away with working this much because my body and mind can keep up. But for how long?

I recently accepted another job. A colleague needed some help, and it included some fun projects that I’m really looking forward to working on. And in the wake of my formal acceptance of the position, I began feeling something I hadn’t felt in a long time: stretched. At some point, something will have to give. I know that I need to force some time for more relaxation in, we all should.

I think that we are such a work-centric society, that relaxation and family time doesn’t mean much. In fact, I’m sure a lot of people would be impressed that I can juggle so much. But should we have to juggle so much? Why must we work so much harder than our colleagues? Draw a line in the sand, and promise yourself that you won’t work past it. Schedule in relaxation. It’s so important for our mental health, which gets ignored a lot. I’m tired while writing this. Today is my one day off for a while. Don’t work yourself to death if you don’t need to. Enjoy every single day. Our field can be really really fun and it’s easy to let things slip away from us. When you’re just starting out, you’re taught to take every gig and work your tail off to climb the ladder. Don’t get burned out. Don’t become addicted to work. I’m lucky enough to love every single day of work, but I have to start shaving off some of it or I may end up hating it.

So, what do I do?
Well, it may mean giving and taking from some places. I always have my list of most important things in my life. My significant other is at the top, followed closely by my work at the school, and my work at the church, then freelancing. That may mean working faster when possible so that I may get work finished and move on to the next project. It may also mean turning down some projects to keep my availability open. If my S.O. needs something, that absolutely comes first. You have to be able to say “no.” I have a system of support so that when something does happen, I’ve got all my projects covered. I wouldn’t be able to do all this by myself. It actually took a good amount of time to get this system set up, and I’m still building it. There are so many moving parts to each event and every project that you simply just cannot put it all on yourself. I don’t like missing work, but if I need to I know I’ve got 2 or 3 very reliable, trustworthy people to take my place. Your replacements are a part of your reputation. It’s your name on the line, not theirs. My very specific line in the sand is any event on a Sunday. I try my absolute hardest to not do anything on Sunday, as does my S.O., so that we may spend this time together. Sometimes things pop up, and on occasion I will do them, but only after I’ve spoken with my better half. Know that relationships with other people are important. Family means different things to different people, just make sure that you nurture those relationships. They’ll help you up when you’re down.

Be careful. Your life outside of work is just as important as the work itself.

Editors Note: Check out April Tucker’s Blog on avoiding Burn Out. Part Time Mixer – Part Time What?  SoundGirls remember to take care of yourself.

 

img_4983Samantha Potter: Samantha is an IT Media Supervisor and Audio Engineer for the largest Methodist Church in the US and a Production Manager for Funk Syndicate located in Kansas City. Working closely with IT, Producers, Coordinators, and Musicians, Samantha oversees audio and other media technology while mentoring and training women in STEM fields. Additionally, Samantha is the Chapter Head of the SoundGirls KC Chapter.

About Samantha: A lover of coffee and R&B music, Samantha is a classically trained musician with a particular interest in technology. While getting her professional career started in studio work, the calling of Live Sound and Event Production was too great to ignore. She can be found with a mug of coffee, a pair of converse, and listening to Jazmine Sullivan during load-in.

Erin Barra – Educator, Songwriter, Producer, Music Technology Consultant

erinErin Barra has a wide-ranging skill set educator, songwriter, producer, multi-instrumentalist, and music technology consultant. Erin specializes in music technology integration; she works with artists/bands looking to integrate laptops and digital technologies into their writing, production and stage setups. She has developed, taught and executed several music technology curriculums at the open source Coursera, and ROLI, K-12 Beats By Girlz, and collegiate levels Berklee College of Music, Berklee Online.

Erin is an Associate Professor in the Songwriting Department at Boston’s Berklee College of Music and is one of the leading product specialists for Berlin-based music software company, Ableton.  She has worked with an array of artists, from Grammy-winning artists engineers and producers; John Oates, George Massenburg, Kathy Mattea, Elliot Scheiner to those at the front lines of the independent movement Res, Miles Robertson, Ari Raskin.

SoundGirls caught up with Erin for an interview.

What is your specialty in music production?

I specialize in helping people reach their goals, whether it’s through collaboration, education or consultation. I communicate with people really well and have the creative and technical skill set to make most things in the music and technology realms happen.

Are you independent or do you work for a company?

Berklee College of Music is my home base, but I have my own consulting company MAMMA BARRA LLC that I freelance under, and work for private clients and for different brands such as Ableton, ROLI and Beats By Girlz

How long have you worked there?

This is the beginning of my 3rd year at Berklee, and I’ve been working for myself for about ten years

What is your current position?

Associate Professor

Give us a little background on what led you to work in music production?

I was pursuing a career as a singer/songwriter and felt completely out of control of my own content so one day I decided I was going to figure out how to produce myself.

How long have you been working in music production?

I’ve been producing for about ten years

How did you get your start?

In my bedroom studio haha.  No, but seriously, it was the work that I did at home on my own time that led to most of the opportunities I’ve had. I don’t think there’s any one thing that was a beginning for me; it’s just been this one very long and nonlinear journey.

How did you get interested in music production?

My father is an audiophile and places speakers for a living, so I was always interested in how things sounded.

What is your educational or training background?

I was classically trained as a pianist from ages 4-18, got a piano performance and songwriting degree from Berklee right out of high school and then learned all the music tech stuff the hard-knock way by teaching myself and asking a lot of questions.

What are your long-term goals?

Hold on to my sanity – I used to worry more about my career, but now that things in that arena seem to be less of a concern, it’s really more about maintaining my happiness in the midst of all the work. My other main goal is to have children, which affects both my work and happiness. It should be a huge adventure.

What are your current projects?

I always have about five irons in the fire at any given time, but right now I’m focusing the majority of my efforts on developing new curriculum for Berklee and building the Beats By Girlz initiative.

What is the Beats By Girlz Initiative?

Beats By Girlz is a curriculum and initiative designed to empower females to engage with music technology and build communities. We provide young women with the guidance, access, tools, and role-support to develop their interest (and ultimately their ability to pursue career opportunities) in music production, composition, engineering, etc. We are working towards gender equity in a field where women are highly underrepresented and strive help other groups mobilize and create similar change in their own communitie

What if any obstacles or barriers have you faced?

I try to view obstacles as opportunities, so I’ve had many many opportunities. Working in the music industry is full of barriers, but I think the biggest one for me was coming up with my definition of ‘success.’

How have you dealt with them?

Work harder than everyone else – keep learning – be open to change

Advice you have for other women and young women who wish to enter the field?

Find a good support system and communities to be a part of. It has so much to do with who you surround yourself with.

Must have skills?

Communication skills

Favorite gear?

I’m a laptop musician, so I’m more of a software gal – I’d have to say Ableton

You learn more about Erin thru her website – 

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There’s More Than One Way to Peel an Orange

A week of experiences

At the end of July, the sound and broadcast department welcomed Omani staff from other technical departments for a week of experiencing some of our specific skills and processes.

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Table shows examples of a small portion of our regularly used microphone selection.

Led by Bruno Silva for sound and Maxwell White for broadcast the aim of the week was to give an exciting overview of some of the varied techniques that we are required to use throughout the season. Hands-on training combined with foundation-level theory will be recognised at the end of the month with a certificate of achievement.

Day 1 kicked off with an introduction to the infrastructure of the building. From the comms room to the amp room, back down to the control room, front of house mix position, and speaker positions.

As a department, we then took it in turns to give a brief overview of our microphone collection, including radio mics and the Digico SD9 when used as a monitor desk. We agreed that it was important to include as much information about equipment that we regularly use and is often seen by other department members. For example, the stage department often comes into contact with our Crown PCC 160 microphones downstage for many of the operas that we record.

After a tea break, the project for the day was introduced. The visiting staff was able help set and record a piano concert. The following areas would be reproduced as per a regular performance at ROHM:

  1. Audio recording in the control room via the Pro 2
  2. Front of house mix via the SC48
  3. 2 x camera recording
  4. Monitor mix for the performer

The recordings would then be edited in subsequent days in the manner that would normally be required for the archive of a performance.

Feedback from the event was very positive and really helped cement the environment of enthusiasm and passion for the job between departments.

Although a huge array of skills were covered throughout the week, it was impossible to cover all areas that the department deals with. One constant throughout the season is recording performances in order to archive. This is a brief description of how we select microphones for recording via the Midas Pro 2 onto the DN9696 hard disk recorder.

Recording performances at ROHM

We make an archive recording of every performance. This could be a ballet, Arabic music concert, an outdoor event as well as Opera. Over the five seasons that the Opera house has been open a number of techniques have been tried and tested. The joy of working with an international team is that everyone brings their own experiences and ideas to the table. As a department, we are keen on a minimal number of microphones onstage during nonamplified performances. It would be easy for an audience member (or sometimes a performer) to mistake a microphone used solely for recording purposes as extra amplification. In a concert hall that is as audibly refined as ours, that would be a great travesty.

With this in mind, we have developed a system of mic’ing an orchestra in the pit for Operas and ballets that can be quickly and easily rigged and then added to when necessary. The patch sheet below shows examples of mics that we used for the opera ‘Lucia di Lammermoor’ last season.

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As well as mic’ing the orchestra, you will also see we have a small and select number of microphones onstage. In this case, the staging was very much downstage and our trusty Crown PCC 160’s covered most of the vocals. Two Schoeps MK4’s, rigged from the tormentors covered any mid-stage action.

img_2807As I mentioned before, in concert mode the placement of microphones away from the view of the audience is just as crucial. When we have a singer performing alongside an orchestra we often use our Schoeps on table stands downstage. We vary the capsules we use (either MK4’s or MK21’s) depending on the style of the performer. In addition, we also own a Neumann USM 69i. We rig this from bridge two which is front of house, above the first few rows of seating, depending on the format of the staging of that particular performance. By using fishing wire, we can get the perfect placement. Although fiddly when we started using this method, the team is now super-efficient at getting it spot on!

By the time of my next blog, the long-awaited season 6 will have commenced. Of course, our previous experiences will inform the way in which we approach new productions but it is important to bear in mind that there is always more than one way of mic’ing an orchestra, or a singer, or a drum kit! May we continue to be open to ideas and new ways of thinking.

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SoundGirls Invited to LDI2016 – Register for a Free LDI Badge

download-7LDI2016, October 17-23, 2016 in Las Vegas, is North America’s largest trade show for entertainment design & technology, including sound, as well as lighting, projection, staging, rigging, and software for all live events.

This year, new at LDI is LIVE OUTSIDE dedicated to the design, technology, and safety considerations for outdoor events and festivals in a non-permanent concert setting, with three stages including sound systems. LIVE OUTSIDE is open free to all LDI attendees. All SoundGirls.Org members are invited to register for a free LDI badge using promo code PSM16.

In addition LDI is presenting Meyer Sound: Fundamentals of System Design, Implementation, and Optimization, a two-day class on Wednesday-Thursday October 19-20 

Register for the Meyer Sound class or a free LDI badge to attend LDI2016 and LIVE OUTSIDE.

 

Navigating the Build – 100 Days to Show Time.

Being a part of a new building process is quite an adventure. The building will open to the general public in 100 days. It has been approximately 200 days since my last blog about it- check out my first blog on the building process here.

img_3153100 days until the building opens to the public, students wandering through taking a look, dining employees getting to know their new kitchens, and of course, brand new technology running our meeting rooms.
It’s a bit daunting to think about how much is left to be done and how little time is left.

As the project has moved forward, I have continued to learn more and more about how all the pieces of a new building come together. Four years ago I was reading drafts and plans of how things would look and be wired. On the latest walkthrough, it is all starting to come together. Equipment is installed, wired, and starting to work. It’s astounding how long it has taken and yet how quickly all the pieces are coming together.

It is has been eye-opening that even though hundreds of people have read the project books, details are still missed. Budgets get adjusted, and sometimes pieces just don’t come together in time. Many words from my last building update remain valid. In particular, the importance of setting a timeline and sticking with it as well as setting the budget and maintaining it.

The timeline is still as vital today as it was 200 days ago. Just as it is important to schedule start and ends time to an install it is also important to schedule progress checks and walk-throughs frequently; although there is a balance to checking on the work and micro-managing. For instance, in this project’s case, there are so many people and layers that changes need to go through before they can happen sometimes it takes too long to get a change order in and approved before it can no longer be modified. Once the ball is rolling it’s almost impossible to stop without an increased expense.

Checking early and often can combat this, but you also don’t want to get in the way and slow down the timeline. Each step affects the next, so if something needs to be changed get the process started early, so it doesn’t have significant ramifications on the building schedule. There are a few items in this building that if caught earlier could be changed, however, that didn’t occur and for now, it’s too late.

The budget is just as important from start to finish as I wrote the last time around, but as we go, I’m learning just how valuable it is to truly get the budget set for all the needs right away. It’s not worth the stress or the headache of wondering if there will be enough money left afterward to add this or that. Establish the budget from the start to include everything deemed a priority, and then leave room for the price of those items to change. Having the funds set aside from the beginning will help with getting everything done on time and right the first time.

Finally, last time I wrote about balancing persistence and patience, and it remains even truer today. I would also add acceptance and creative problem-solving. Accept the things that cannot be changed, lower your expectations for perfection. The building and technology will not be perfect, recognizing that early on can help you not to get stuck on the small things. Decisions have to be made fast, pick your priorities and stick with them. Focus on significant issues; the little ones won’t matter in the long run.

Get creative. Find different sources to purchase equipment if you can; it might be cheaper or even free. Currently, I am applying for a grant to add the lighting equipment my staff wants and loves. Buy ahead, I am an organized person, so I like to have the right cases and storage capabilities. However, these items could be considered extra when it comes to a budget that is running low. So I purchased ahead and bought cases that are general enough they will be easy to integrate into whatever we end up within the building. Be creative in your problem-solving, look at every possibility, and be prepared to make changes.

Last but not least, don’t forget about your current facility or shows. You may still need to invest in what you have to keep your current shows running. If something is already 15 years old and the project completion is five years away, it’s likely going to fail or have trouble before you are finished with it. If your budget allows, do not plan to move your 15-year-old equipment into the new facilities. You do not want every room and rack to look like the highlight of the daily AV nightmare posts floating around the internet.

 

Vanessa Silberman – Producer, Recording Engineer, Label Owner and Artist

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Vanessa and Benjamin Balcom. Minbal in Chicago

What is your specialty in music production?

I’m a good producer and at leading the ship or taking charge when needed but also that answer depends on the project because I wear a lot of hats. These hats can include co-writing &/or pre-production,  A&R, engineering, producing or mix engineer. Sometimes I’ll do everything for a project, in this day in age, I think all these ‘specialty hats’ are necessary & important to know.

It’s more important to me than to just be an expert at one. But if I can’t do a great job alone at something I’ll definitely bring in ‘specialty’ help with bigger things depending on the project. For example: setting up / getting drum sounds before recording I might bring in another engineer because there needs to be a lot of focus & attention on that so you make the best recording you can.

Ideally if you have a good budget you can fill all these specialty jobs with experts but more than often that is not the case with most projects these days, unless you’re dealing only with big budget projects. I make it point that I can do all of it if needed. Having done and knowing all these jobs gives you an accurate view of things and being a good assistant is one of the most important.

Are you independent or do you work for a company?

I am independent & also do work under my artist development label A Diamond Heart Production.

Give us a little background on what led you to working in music production?

I always wanted to be a producer and especially loved reading the credits in record art when I was younger. I started by first recording downloads of songs using a microphone and a tape recorder in the 90’s when the Internet first started. You could download rare songs through websites that record companies didn’t know about yet (through dial-up that would take about 12 to 24 hours) I’d then play them back through a speaker & record them through my tape player.

After that I moved onto to recording my own music through cassettes tapes and then later used a 4 track. Early on with my band Diamonds Under Fire I worked with some great producers, mixers & engineers but was never quite able to get the right sound that I wanted, and it was hard for me to verbalize that. Overtime I learned how to describe what I wanted and started self producing or collaborating.

I also came to the realization the first few years of being in a band that I had to learn how to do this myself (because there’s this particular sound I’m hearing that I have to achieve & I need to be able to communicate it). So I became pretty interested in the technical aspect and I taught myself (through trying things or researching) how to record over time until I got opportunities to learn from other recording people.

I always wanted to produce and record other bands as well as do A&R (as much as music) but was told by many that I had to pick one thing. I think doing one thing is not conducive to music in this day and age. I always jumped at any learning opportunities and took on several internships. For me internships turned into jobs and those jobs turned into more jobs. The journey ended where I wanted to be in production and continues to grow. You just have to stick to something if you really want to do it.

How did you get your start?

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Photo Credit – Todd Ingalls

I worked in the music business doing various jobs since about 2002 and established my band then. In 2006, I was in between touring, jobs and really wanted to learn more about recording. I went to recording school for about three days and dropped out. I said to myself that I could get a job at a studio. I just felt like the best experience I was going to get was actually from just doing it or being around it.

I got a job at a small studio called Wyman about a month later and worked there for a couple years. It was a small operation and I was doing everything from running websites, art and marketing, to marketing and scouting bands. I was able to assist and of course did food-coffee run. I learned to wear many hats and gained a lot of skills.

After Wyman, I worked at Conway Recording Studio as the front of house, greeting people and answering phone mainly. I thought I’d take a slight demotion for the opportunity to learn things at a big studio with the hopes that I might learn more of the recording process. While at Conway I met Dr. Luke, he offered me a job as his assistant / runner. I worked for him for about 2 1/2 years and learned a lot! He really opened my mind to hip hop & pop production which I love!

About couple years later, I got a very amazing opportunity at a great private studio where a Producer Engineer John Lousteau took me under his wing. John and I were recording some of my bands songs, he knew I had been meeting with different producers and A&Rs for jobs and he asked if I wanted to help him. I became the In-house assistant engineer at Studio 606. He really taught me everything about working on consoles and patching, to understand analog recording, signal flow and routing in big rooms & on large consoles etc. The studio manager and all the artists and bands who recorded there were very supportive and cool to me. I never ever was treated differently of felt disrespected because I was woman.

In 2012, I started recording non-stop and simultaneously booking shows and playing music. I started developing bands and from there started my own artist development label. I do everything from Production, Recording, Indie A&R, Art and booking.

I am so grateful and thankful to all the people who have given me opportunities. I feel very blessed to have had some of the experiences I have.

What are your long term goals?

To Continue building A Diamond Heart. Keep growing it with more recordings and producing more bands. Maybe A Diamond Heart studio or mobile studio.  To continue building A Diamond Heart. Keep growing it with more recordings and producing more bands. I’d love to do some recording projects and partner up with studios and labels in Asia and Europe. Ultimately I really just want to continue to help the world through music & reach as many people as possible. If I inspire one girl  to become a recording engineer I would be so happy!

What are your current projects?

I went to South Africa last year and worked on a collaboration producing and label project with Bop Recording Studio and their old label Tshukudu. I found a Motswako hip hop group there in Mafikeng called Hashone and recorded a single with (we are currently finishing mixing it). I can’t wait until people can hear it! That project is pretty close to my heart.

I have been working with a pop duo Bria & Crissy and we have been collaborating with a Atlanta producer Jon Nguyen. I am also really excited for this young punk rock Chicago band The Magnifers. I produced, recorded and mixed their new EP that’ll be coming out in the near future.

What if any obstacles or barriers have you faced?

I think choices mostly. This career path is like no other, so ‘risky’, unknown, with no guarantee…it’s so particular. If I wanted to do it and really make an impact I knew I would have to make very hard sacrifices. Choices on how and what I spend my time doing or even risking it all to do what your heart says. It can be so hard, but my love of music and the chance for changing the world and people in a positive way. Music saved me growing up. Bands changed my life. So whether I am producing, recording, helping another band or playing a song as an artist myself it doesn’t matter, it’s a vehicle that speaks to people in great volumes. Music helps people and changes the world. I made the right choice.

Advice you have for other women and young women who wish to enter the field?

Go for it and don’t be afraid! Take risks and try stuff that is completely different. My advice in general is that music is the thing that connects us whether young or old. Take the time to make whatever you are working on the best it can be, while staying on deadline. Race or gender doesn’t determine skill. I worked around men for years and still do but sexism never ever really affected me. I have been supported and encouraged by all men I have worked with. I have toured the US (3 times this year) and have run into at least 15 female sound engineers. We’re out there.

Must have skills?

When you are producing or engineering make sure the artist is as comfortable as possible, so they can be completely open and give their best performance. Don’t try and change people but instead embrace what they do and who they are. Learn a few business skills.  It will  help! Trust me

Favorite gear?

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Vanessa at Minbal

Been using RE20’s on a lot of vocals. But if there’s time I’ll test out a few really different vocal mics to see what fits best on someone’s vocals. 1176 on vocals. Love Neumann mics! Satellite Amps, Epiphones and C414.  Any weird old or really nice vintage mics often are cool on vocals.

 

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