Seattle SoundGirls

IMG_3793

Seattle SoundGirls was started by Natalie Bayne and Brittany Cohen. Natalie taught at the California Recording Institute in the early 2000’s and considers it the best job she ever had. She loved teaching but sadly she never had any female students. Natalie remembers what it was like being the only woman in her audio courses, she found it to be very isolating. So, Natalie decided to start a program specifically geared toward teaching audio skills to girls. Believing that she could help them get started at a young age, get them comfortable with the gear, with running a stage or a studio production, and talking with women who do this kind of work, then it might not feel like such a boys’ club from the outset. That they might feel more comfortable walking into an audio program somewhere and saying, “I belong here.”

Brittany and Natalie met at a co-op preschool program, both new moms and found that their lives had changed so much. They both were both musicians and realized they needed a creative outlet. With backgrounds in audio and performing arts, they found they made a great team and worked to develop a camp for girls.

Seattle SoundGirls offer a full day, week-long program during the summer and run an eight-week, after-school program usually during fall and spring. The girls attending the camp learn a broad a set of skills They touch on the physics of sound, talk PA’s and signal routing and mic selection and placement. They cover basic music production and recording. At the end of the program, they girls can walk into a studio or live venue and recognize some of the gear, what it does, and not be intimidated by it. Natalie says “we want them to be confident enough to jump in and experiment instead of standing back and letting someone else do it”.

They have recently started to offer adult classes as a way to fund more classes for girls. We’re hoping to eventually offer one per month. They are also hoping to work with a local public school. Natalie says they “ultimately, would love to have a permanent, year-round after-school program in a dedicated location”. They are also accepting equipment donations, Natalie believes that every piece of equipment they get is another opportunity to teach the girls about something they’ve probably never seen. They accept equipment donations and have some some fundraising ideas in the works. They would also like to have a bigger team, all volunteers are welcome.Natalie says they “have so much fun in the past year and a half. The girls we’ve gotten to know are just so smart and talented. I’m always so impressed by them. It gives me hope for the future of the industry. I also feel so fortunate to have met so many amazing women in audio since moving to Seattle. Everyone has been incredibly supportive and really excited about our program.img_3795-768x768

SoundGirls.Org wishes Seattle SoundGirls great success and is happy to help support their endeavors. Check them outSeattle SoundGirls.