Inspiring the Next Generation of Audio Engineers

March is Music In Our Schools Month. This definitely has all of us here at SoundGirls reflecting on the musical foundations that brought us to a career in audio and music production. More specifically, the theme of Music in Our Schools Month 2018 is “Music Connects Us.” What better way to celebrate our mission to connect girls and women in our field to opportunities through shared resources and knowledge than to celebrate MIOSM!

One of the easiest ways to get involved in MIOSM is to share your own story. What inspired you to pursue a career in the music industry? What lessons have you learned along the way? Highlight your successes (and your failures) so that aspiring young women can learn from your experiences.

We interviewed Karrie Keyes, our Executive Director and Co-Founder, about her career trajectory. Hopefully the questions we asked will inspire you to share your own story!

What first got you interested in music?

I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t interested in music. I have always gravitated towards it. I was in orchestras and bands throughout school and knew that I wanted to make sure music was always a part of my life.

Why did you choose a career in music? Was your path straight or jagged?

I think all our paths are jagged or should be – That is where you learn, gain experience, and can truly find your passion. My path was jagged. I wanted to work in music, but was not sure how. So when opportunities were presented I jumped on them, not always sure where it they would lead.

I was never afraid to get my hands dirty. Starting at the bottom of the totem pole at Rat Sound, I signed up to load and unload our equipment trucks for every show I could! The hands-on time I got with the equipment was invaluable. It taught me all about the gear, how it works, and how to troubleshoot issues. You can’t become an expert in the field without putting in your time.

Is there someone you’ve been inspired by throughout your career?

I’m really inspired by artists that are also social justice advocates. I respect artists like Patti Smith, Jackson Browne, and Pearl Jam. It’s important to me that those who have a platform or a large audience use it to inspire change.

If you could choose the most important lesson you’ve learned as a woman in the music industry, what would it be?

Well, these are genderless lessons: Always listen and try to understand what my artists are really saying. This is a service industry, and the artists are my clients. I need to be in tune with what they want and anticipate what they need.

With regards to being a woman… Ignore the chatter!

but remember that

Women, espcially women of color, people of color, non-binary people. LGBTQ and other marginalized groups face unconscious bias (from both men and women) and are not given the same opportunities as men and white men. When given opportunities, they are not given the same opportunity to fail as men are, so we need to work twice as hard and be twice as good.

Inspired to share your own story, or interested in other ways you can get involved this month? Check out #MIOSM and #MusicConnectsUs on Twitter and Instagram to see how others are celebrating, or use our list below for some more ideas!

Hold an instrument & equipment drive for a local school. School music programs are often underfunded and providing extra instruments may mean that more students have the opportunity to participate!

Organize an open mic night in your neighborhood coffee shop and encourage student musicians to perform. Use a simple online event registration platform to promote your event and sell tickets.

Encourage an aspiring female audio engineer to register for a membership to SoundGirls. They’ll get full access to all of the resources on our site, will be able to participate in local meet-ups and tours organized or sponsored by SoundGirls and will receive exclusive discounts and perks from our friends in the industry. Our community of women in audio and sound are here to support and inspire each other. And best of all, it’s free!

Host a sound and music production career panel event at a local school. Tap your coworkers and industry connections and ask them to join you. Students will get the opportunity to learn from your experiences, ask questions, and start to make connections with people who work the jobs they aspire to hold one day!

We hope that Music In Our Schools Month will encourage you to share your stories and successes to empower future music professionals. Please comment below to let us know how you’re celebrating MIOSM, and share your stories on social using the hashtags #breakingtheglassfader and #MIOSM!

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