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NAMM 2017 Badges for SoundGirls.Org Members

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SoundGirls.Org has a limited number of NAMM Badges for Members. Passes are on a first come – first served basis. Please do not ask for a badge unless you 100% sure you will be attending.

The NAMM Show is a TRADE-ONLY event and not open to the general public.  SoundGirls.Org has been generously granted several badges from our friends and supporters in the industry.  If you attend you will be attending as an invited guest of one of these companies and representing SoundGirls.Org. Please review the SHOW POLICIES and make sure you agree to the terms before accepting the badge.

In addition – SoundGirls.Org will be hosting events throughout the week and hope our members can join us for some or all of the events. Stay Tuned.

Badges will be given on a first come first served basis.  If you would like one please email soundgirls@soundgirls.org and enter NAMM in the subject heading.  Include your full name as it is on your photo ID and your email address. You must be a member of SoundGirls.Org.  SoundGirls.Org is not responsible for any travel, lodging, or other expenses.  All expenses related to attendance of the NAMM show are the individual’s.

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Their Rightful Place in History

As a woman in tech, it can sometimes feel like we are fighting for recognition and it is troubling when those who write history choose to ignore women and the tremendous achievements they made. Women were instrumental in both sound engineering and computing from the beginning. Here are just a few.

Ada Lovelace Computer Coder – 1815 – 1852

adaMost people who code have heard of Ada Lovelace. Ada was the daughter of Lord Byron. Lord Byron was considered mad, bad, and dangerous to know. Byron left England for good when Ada was four months old. Ada’s mother, Lady Wentworth wanted to ensure that Ada was nothing like her wayward father, so Ada received an education in Mathematics and Logic, very unusual for a woman at that time.

Ada was introduced to Charles Babbage by her tutor Mary Somerville. While Babbage may have built the first computer,  Ada wrote the programs for it. Ada and Babbage collaborated on the Analytical Engine. In 1843 Ada translated an article by Luigi Menabrea on the Analytical Engine and added her own extensive notes which included the first published description of a stepwise sequence of operations for solving certain mathematical problems. Ada is often referred to as ‘the first programmer.’

Ada speculated that the Engine ‘might act upon other things besides numbers, the Engine might compose elaborate and scientific pieces of music of any degree of complexity or extent’. The idea of a machine that could manipulate symbols by rules and that number could represent entities other than quantity mark the first transition from calculation to computation. Largely forgotten by the world until 1953 when her notes were published in Faster Than Thought: A Symposium on Digital Computing Machines. Ada has received many posthumous honors for her work. The US Department of Defense named a computer language after her in the 1980s.

Cordell Jackson Record Producer – 1923 – 2004

cordell-jacksonCordell started her own record label in 1956, Moon Records. It’s still trading today and is the oldest continually running label in Memphis. In 1956 she was a sound engineer recording her songs in her home studio. A real pioneer of sound engineering she found it hard to break into the male-dominated studio industry although she did record demos at Sun records.  Cordell bought a cutting lathe in 1947 and started recording demos with local bands.

“I have done everything I have ever thought of as long as it wasn’t immoral, fattening, or illegal,” Jackson says. “That expresses what my life’s been. It’s got to be right-can’t be anything wrong with it. That follows me all the way through. A long time ago, I was told little girls don’t play guitars. And yet I would steal the show wherever I played. In the Bible, God says to conform not, and he doesn’t want you to conform but to one thing, and that’s his love. That’s it. I don’t conform to the world about anything.”

 

 

 

“Steve Shirley” Software start-up entrepreneur – 1933 –

young-dame-stephanie-300-x-400In 1939 at the age of five, Stephanie was a lone child refugee to Britain from Germany. Part of the Kinder Transport Child Rescue Program.  Although she attended a girls’ school in England she received permission to study Mathematics at the local Boys School, as Mathematics was still not something routinely taught to girls.

After School, Shirley chose not to study the limited range of degrees available to women, instead deciding to study mathematics for six years at night school. In the ’50s Stephanie worked for the Post Office Research Station, where the world’s first programmable electronic computer was built, The Colossus Mark 1.

In 1962, Stephanie founded the software company Freelance Programmers. She was ridiculed, as no one bought software as it was given away with hardware. Stephanie structured her business around working wives and mothers and recruited professional women who had quit working to care for the needs of the home. These women worked from home, job shared and had flexible working hours. To understand just how pioneering this was you need to appreciate the restrictions put on women just 50 years ago. A woman did not return to the workplace after having children, she did not have access to equal opportunities and pay and couldn’t even have a bank account without the permission of her husband.

Stephanie, who addressed herself as Steve in business letters to get her foot in the door, owned the company that wrote the code for Concord’s black box flight recorder. Code is written, “by a bunch of women, working in their homes”. The company also developed software standards that were later adopted by NATO.

You can see Stephanie Shirley’s Ted Talk here and here the history of her company from its start to becoming a multi-billion dollar company.

 

If women have been around in tech from the start, why is it still a mainly male-dominated field? Are women’s achievements always diluted when seen through the lens of their gender? How do we address this imbalance and give the women who fought just to have careers outside the home, let alone made tremendous achievements claim their proper place in history?

Rachael Sage – Singer-Songwriter – Producer – Label Owner

bernstein_0851_rs_webRachael Sage is a singer-songwriter and producer, visual artist, and founded her own record label.  She has shared stages with A Great Big World,Semi Precious Weapons,] Sarah McLachlan, Judy Collins, Marc Cohn, The Animals, Jamie Cullum, and Ani DiFranco. She has released eleven solo albums on her own label, MPress Records, and regularly tours both North America and Europe.

Rachael shared her experiences as an independent artist and producer with us. Rachael is an inspiration and shows that you can do it on your own.

 

How did you get involved in music?

I started playing piano by ear when I was 2 & 1/2 years old, after my mom sent me to a pre-ballet class. I came home and played all the melodies I’d heard on the piano, and they knew something was up! So really, I’ve been playing music since as long as I can remember; it’s been the primary way I’ve oriented to most things in my life – often more than reading, or talking!

How did you get started?

Although as mentioned above I became aware of my ear for music very early on, I didn’t become hyper-focused on it until I was about 5. I went away to sleep-away camp in Maine, and one day the musical accompanist was sick, so they needed someone to play piano at the weekly talent show. All of a sudden I realized I was “qualified” to do this. I knew all the songs already, and it was a very pivotal moment where I recognized that this skill I’d developed was something “mature” and “useful”, socially. The head of the camp had heard me play many times so he basically volunteered me to take the accompanists’ place, leading everyone in the camp song. I heard the power of everyone singing along to what I was doing with my fingers, no one laughed, everyone clapped, I knew I was onto something and later all the kids asked me if I could play songs from the radio and it was good to be able to say yes! I suppose that was the beginning of my identity as a professional musician.

Give us a little background on your career as a musician.

I started writing my own songs when I was 5, and recording them on a 4-track when I was 12. I won the ASCAP Pop Songwriting Contest in my teens, and Tony Visconti came to my house and offered to make demos with me but sadly, my parents were nervous about it all and told me a music career would have to wait until after college. Needless to say, college was pretty long for me! But every summer I’d continue writing, demo’ing new songs, refining my production skills and I basically completed my 1st album my senior year, so once I moved back to NYC, I was ready to put something out I felt confident about, and get some gigs.

My second album, I included a song I’d written for Ani DiFranco which lead to her inviting me to tour with her which was an incredible, trial-by-fire type of experience. I went from playing for 50 people at The Bitter End to 6000k+ die-hard folk fans, and I learned an enormous amount in a very short period of time. Gigs at Lilith Fair and supporting Eric Burdon followed in the US and Europe, and by a few albums in I had distribution for my record label, MPress, and a Label Manager named Walter Parks who really helped me organize my touring and promotional efforts. Eventually we began playing together, and then he went on to tour with the great Ritchie Havens for many years. Since I started the label I’ve released 12 albums and several EP’s, signed four other artists and released 5 volumes of our charity compilation series, “New Arrivals”. But really, my proudest achievement is simply that I haven’t stopped writing songs.

Have you toured and if so what do you like best about touring?

I’ve toured for many years, and I love it! My favorite thing about touring is that it’s a chance to basically fall in love everyday…Every venue, every town, every audience you meet new people, see new places and can recover very quickly from a prior misstep and grow from your mistakes in a way that’s essentially “on speed”. The pacing of artist development – and personal development in general – seems to be quicker, in my experience, than if you’re just staying home, in one place; it’s an intense, extremely dynamic and adventurous lifestyle that’s not for everyone, but I can’t imagine not touring. It’s the thing that permits me to feel most human, because of all the types of people we meet, and places we see. Universality becomes less abstract – you see with your own eyes and experience daily how very much people across the country and around the world want the same things.

What do you like least?

I dislike the long drives. I have bad knees from years of ballet, and it can be a drag sitting in a car for many hours, and feeling creaky and stuff when you emerge. Stretching becomes crucial!

rsage_photo_gal_58942_photo_1190523360_lrWhat is your favorite day off activity?

Going to the movies! I saw Brooklyn in Dublin last summer. I went by myself. It was so damn good I sat through it twice, by myself, weeping (of course).

What is your educational or training background

I attended The School Of American Ballet in High School, and graduated from Stanford University with a degree in Drama. I also trained at The Shakespeare Lab at The New York Public Theater and The Actors Studio MFA Program, in NYC.

What are your long term goals

To become a great songwriter with as much command over my craft as possible; to become a more dynamic performer and to merge more multi-media elements i.e. Dance and Visual Art and more ambitious musical/sonic technology into my show; to resume a career in Acting and work in TV, Film and Theater. Basically I want to tell stories through art, in whatever medium, and just get better and better at it.

What if any obstacles or barriers have you faced?

I think playing the piano and a singer-songwriter in general is an obstacle, for a physical person such as myself. An audience comes to expect you to play your own instrument which of course is a passion, but likewise it becomes constraining. I saw PJ Harvey tonight and it reminded me how early on when I could not play guitar, I hired a guitarist to accompany me. I danced around, I was free with my body and the mic in a totally different way; sometimes it’s a mixed-blessing being self-contained. I’d like to get back to orchestrating more of my music so I’m not tethered to my instrument. I think I have a lot more to give and project with my full range as a physical being, but it will take the right musical “casting” to let go of always playing everything myself…

I also think it’s been an obstacle to feel so reliant on other people for the technological aspects of creating music. In my teens I was a midi-whiz, I ran my own home studio, recorded to analog and didn’t really need anyone to get my ideas down. Then the programs changed, everything shifted to Protools and I was in college, sort of out of that loop so lost the thread a bit. I began hiring engineers and recording in proper studios as a once-a-year rarified endeavor rather than having an ongoing, consistent process of writing and recording like I had prior. My orientation to “the studio” shifted, for better and worse.

How have you dealt with them?

I don’t think I’ve really “dealt” with these issues head-on yet. I’ve been too busy putting out records and touring – but I am aware of the challenges and ways in which I’d like to shift these paradigms to feel more empowered as an artist, so I’m gearing up to refine my home studio so it’s more efficient and easier for me to use on my own without an engineer, and I have lots of new musical ideas brewing already for my next project, that hopefully this winter I’ll have the opportunity to develop. I think I’m at the point where my next album needs to be radically different than anything I’ve ever done before. It’s an exciting prospect!! Perhaps no piano, and something more edgy/rock than people expect from me…we’ll see.

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

I always suggest to young musicians that they get a regular, steady local gig where they can shed, make mistakes, not have a lot of pressure on them and just figure out who they are as an artist. I did that in college at my coffeehouse, and later in NYC at The Bitter End. I think it’s as important to learn how to play a room as to play an instrument…even if that means you barely say anything as your “persona”; but it should be intentional, and committed. It’s hard to refine all that in the privacy of one’s bedroom!

Must have skills?

Politeness (yes this is a skill!), a serious work ethic, organization, an ability to lead and inspire other musicians, writing thoughtful emails that show consideration for (and where applicable, research on) the party on the other end!

You started your own record label – please explain and walk us thru running a label?

Yes I founded MPress Records in 1996, to release my first album “Morbid Romantic”. I was just out of college and it was basically a collection of my best demos, so far. My first album I distributed nationally was “Smashing The Serene”. Basically, I always pretended to have a staff, even when I didn’t. I got a fax machine, signed fancy press kits and packages with a fake manager’s name when I sent them to radio, and was somehow able to chart very quickly alongside artists like Jewel, Ani DiFranco and Sarah McLachlan on the College Radio Charts which launched my label in earnest. I learned the ropes of every facet of running a label by being very hands-on in those early years, from overseeing an intern, to applying to festivals, to sending promos to indie record stores, to working with a publicist. I did all my own album art and somehow had the energy to do all of this by day and play shows by night, without much help, until eventually MPress grew into a small staff and signed other artists. That was a big shift, but by the time it happened, I was “ready” and had a pretty clear vision of what types of artists I wanted to release.

Artists you represent?

rachael2We represent Seth Glier, A Fragile Tomorrow, K’s Choice and also have several Melissa Ferrick releases in our catalog. You can learn more about my label at MPress records, and about my upcoming shows and news at RachaelSage.com.

 

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.

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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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.

 

Professional Social Media

I like to read a lot of articles via sites like AV Nation, Inc. , Pro Sound Web, Forbes, etc. I read each platform for different reasons. Inspiration, motivation, to learn about new products, business storylines, and all in all to stay in the know. One key factor that is consistent across each of these platforms is the topic of millennials. 10 mistakes millennials need to stop making, what millennials want from the workplace, millennials, and how we use social media trends.

All kinds of titles leaving all generations kind of divided. We have a handful of industry leaders voicing their opinions, “they (millennials) feel entitled to things. They’re lazy.” On another hand, you have a group of industry leaders embracing us millennials and all the different aspects we have to bring to the workspace. They’re willing to teach us what we have yet to learn and guide us through situations we haven’t to fully experienced. Both of these groups are a blessing to all of us millennials. We might not like or agree with the boxes they try to fit us all into. But this group of wise industry leaders keep us sharp and on our toes if you take a minute to listen to what they’re really saying.

How does any of this tell you how to create an awesome portfolio on social media? It doesn’t, not yet anyway. But the point is, I want all of us to reap the benefits of utilizing social media outlets to build awesome portfolios no matter what generation. No matter what age, whether you’re a freelancer, entrepreneur, employee. Personal branding online is important in each circumstance and when your passion is reflected throughout your social media properly, it can create one beautiful portfolio and great opportunities to push you forward within your career. On social media not only do you need to remain professional, but you need to showcase your personality across all platforms.

Most millennials love social media and most of our elders are not fans of too many social sites. But in this day in age employers and clients are looking for you online before they even ask you to come in for an interview or to discuss a project. Here are some social platforms we all can utilize to create an awesome portfolio on social media.

Instagram 

Instagram is a great place to showcase your work for one reason that is pretty obvious. You can display visuals. Pictures and videos are one the best ways to show prospective clients and employers the gear you’ve worked with, the types of training you’ve participated in or even the school you’ve attended.  It’s living proof of you working with a particular console or at a specific gig. When utilized correctly, Instagram can be a visual resume of what you can do, how you do it, with a hint of personality to give a little sense of who you are. As a freelancer or entrepreneur, you will possibly have more freedom in posting what you want from the gig. But always be sure to have social media postings cleared in a contract or have final approval from the overall facilitator of the event. Do not overdo the picture-taking. Remember, you’re working so you will have other important things taking place. Find the right time and prioritize accordingly. Maybe before soundcheck, or after the show get a few pictures of the board and some behind-the-scenes footage of the band showing their gratitude toward all your hard work that night. Get creative but do it within the right time frame.

Twitter 

My favorite platform of them all. There is so much you can do with Twitter to showcase your passions and interests. The best thing you can do on Twitter is engaged in a Twitter chat. Twitter chats allow you to connect with like-minded individuals in the industry. It also allows you to become a part of a community where you can share your knowledge, collaborate and learn from others. This will show you know at least minimum information about audio or production. Or it will show that you are beyond proficient in the subject matter. If you don’t give a lot of feedback or information, still participate. Ask questions to show you want to grow, have a strong passion and are willing to learn. Another great way to take advantage of Twitter is to post about your work. Share tips on how you EQ a particular instrument or share a blog post about a console and incorporate a known hashtag to correspond with the post. For example, below I share an article. I tag the company or person it is in relation to. I then use hashtags to connect my post to the community.

You can also use Twitter to post pictures and videos. When you post pictures and videos on Twitter it will create more engagement. This is exactly what you want, you want to be active so people have a reason to follow and connect with you. If you’re not active why would anyone want to follow you? Of course, you must continue to be professional on this platform as well. Don’t tweet about how unorganized a client is or how difficult a band was during a show. Your public timeline is not the place. Your professionalism and personality have to equally shine and reflect you in the same light across every social media outlet.

LinkedIn 

LinkedIn is the social platform created for professionals. This is the place where you always want to remain professional no matter what, this is not the place to post too many pictures or add videos. It’s very direct and straight to the point. On your profile you create a resume, make sure you keep your profile up to date, and keep any gaps in your work history to a minimum. After you have created your profile make sure you fill out every section in its entirety. Especially the skills section. This will allow people within your network to endorse your skillset.

For example, as a sound engineer, you would list skills like audio engineer, audio, sound, pro tools, music, etc. Over time as you build your network people will begin to endorse you and vouch for you in your particular skill sets. The skills listed on your profile will also lead you into groups that represent your skillset. There you will meet possible employers and other engineers looking to connect and build genuine relations that can lead to greater opportunities in a community of your peers.

Now, this platform is professional, but you still have to find a way to incorporate a hint of personality. You can do this but publishing articles on LinkedIn. Here you can write about audio and anything else you have a passion for. This way anyone looking at your profile for the first time gets your work history, schooling and a little taste of who you are as a person. You must stay active on LinkedIn so you don’t miss any job opportunities or a chance to connect with influencers and shot callers. LinkedIn is not the place to down-talk your previous employer or talk about any other personal business. Your colleagues within your network will become very annoyed if you do this and it will turn off any future leads.

Website 

This is the place where you bring it all together. Yes, websites can be expensive but there are a lot of ways to get a nice presentation of yourself up and running. Here are a few free sites where you can have a bio, a display of your work history, showcase your mixed content, and have the links to all your social media outlets in one place. Utilizing anyone of these free website developers will give you a specific online address and help people connect with you. There are many more free builders I’m sure, but find which one displays you and your work best and create your online address.

Some of the industry leaders that have paved the way for us say there is no place for social media in the workplace. But there is and it can possibly help advance your career if done in a proper way. Social media can generate clients and a variety of different gigs. Creating more revenue, more experience, and greater opportunities. Social platforms allow us to connect with community more than anything, the SoundGirls platform is living proof of that. If it was not for the SoundGirls Facebook group and website, I wouldn’t have connected with all you awesome people. We wouldn’t be learning from each other and sharing experiences and how to handle situations in the moment. If you are using any of these social platforms to create an awesome portfolio, please share below so we can all follow you and see how you’re building your portfolio.  

 

Alesia Hendley is an AV professional that found her passion at a young age as a sound engineer with her Father’s church. In the early stages of the church’s foundation, they couldn’t afford musicians. By utilizing audio and technology she and her Father found creative ways to go higher both musically and spiritually, taking the congregation with them. Now you can find her operating/installing audiovisual systems or executing creative ventures. As a young professional she’s finding ways to bring AV, creatives, and creative visions together in the effort to leave her mark by making an impact and not just an impression.

 

Relocation Adventures

I recently took a huge risk. I took everything I had, packed as much as I could into my little white Volkswagen Beetle, and drove across three states from California to Texas. I had no job prospects, small savings (most of which went to fixing up my car), and no one with me except for Siri on my GPS. I did it because I knew that I couldn’t afford San Francisco, I didn’t want to be in Los Angeles or New York, and because I was eager to be a part of a music community again. As of the broadcast date of this blog, I will have been in Austin for three weeks, have been networking my tushy off, and have found a day job.

For me, this is the way I prefer to do things when it comes to relocation. I find somewhere I want to go, and then jump in headfirst. There’s nothing like fear as a motivator, and if you’re not willing to risk everything, then what’s the point, right?

Since so many of us will most likely relocate at least once or twice in our lives, I thought I’d share my process for moving to a new town.Relocating-for-Job

Step 1: Find a Place.

    There are several ways this can happen. You may get a job offer in a new town, or like me, you may just want to go somewhere new where the music is happening. Or hell, even just throw a dart on a map!

Step 2: Budget.

    If you’re not moving for a job offer, once you determine where you want to move, figure out how much your monthly expenses are going to be (rent, utilities, groceries, monthly record collection updates and gear buying, etc.), then start saving up enough for at least 4-6 months of “rainy weather” in that location. Now, this is just what I prefer (I like having a decent nest egg to start with, plus, if something like massive car repairs come up on the road, you have enough to cover it), but usually, 2-3 months of a nest egg is just fine.

Step 3: Reach Out.

    The super-cool advantage to being a part of SoundGirls… They’re EVERYWHERE! Reach out on the Facebook page, let them know where you’re going, and connect with some new friends! If you’re on LinkedIn, reach out on there, too! You never know who you’re gonna meet.

Step 4: Find a Place to Live.

    Go on Craigslist, Zillow, local listing websites, or reach out to friends and family you may have in the area. A lot of the time, larger cities will have a Facebook group dedicated to finding roommates or people to sublet.

Step 5: Breathe.

    In, out… It’s going to be great, it’s going to be fantastic, and if it’s not… well, nothing’s forever (repeat steps 1-3).

Step 6: Go.

    You’re gonna kill it.

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