Hi Ardith,

On Fri 2038-May-14 16:20, Ardith Hinton (1:153/716) wrote to Richard Webb:

RW>  there are those moments at times in my career in audio
RW>  or as a musician when I wonder why I was really getting
RW>  paid to do something so pleasurable.  ACcepting the
RW>  money in those situations feels like cheating someone.


AH>          Once again, I can relate.  I may not be quite as unwordly
AH> as you are. If somebody offers to pay me to do what I'd have been
AH> doing anyway I'll accept with thanks & without feelings of guilt. 
AH> But as long as I have a roof over my head & food on the table I can
AH> get by without a lot of other things.  I didn't get involved in this
AH> crazy business because I expected to become a virtuoso or to make a
AH> lot of money.  I loved teaching... I loved studying music... I loved
AH> playing the clarinet.  As time went by, the pieces fell into place. 

Can understand that.  THere are times when it just sounds so good and feels
so good I"m amazed that I can actually get
paid >  But, I figure it makes up for those occasions
when I come close to rolling around on the floor making
stupid noises because I feel as if I"m beating my head
against a wall .

AH>          I'm reminded here of a guy who dropped out of another echo
AH> some years ago because he thought I'd bill him for tutoring after
AH> awhile.  I was about to comment further last weekend... then we went
AH> to a social gathering where I met a woman who had recently opened
AH> her home to visitors from the same part of the world.  She said
AH> volunteerism was a completely new idea to them, and they went home
AH> with the intention of spreading the word about it.  Now I understand
AH> this guy's cynicism much better.  Thanks for your contribution to
AH> the insight.  :-) 

Folks who don't come from a culture that values volunteerism sometimes
don't understand, but when they discover the
rewards they're easy to convert.  Most of mine happens these days from my
radio room instead of in music or sound
reinforcement.  Remind me someday to tell you about a
performing arts education center we were endeavoring to get
off the ground in an old barn which had been a variety of
other things over the years.  It took a good year or better
out of my life, and I was really disappointed when the board decided to
throw in the towel.


RW>  We did the foundation tracks at the guitaristt's family's
RW>  business, a tent and awning fabrication plant.  Big three
RW>  story warehouse building made of brick.  I used bales of
RW>  canvas to isolate the drums, was able to just use a nice
RW>  stereo pair in xy over the kit, with a mic on the kick
RW>  drum to help out.  WAs able to pull them back to where the
RW>  true sound of the drums develops.  ISolated one guitar amp
RW>  in an office, another in a stairwell.


AH>          I see why you enjoy your work!  It must be quite a
AH> challenge to get a good recording of a band playing in a warehouse. 
AH> But I reckon part of the fun is that every gig is different & you
AH> have to make creative use of whatever you can bring along and/or
AH> find on site.  I enjoy that kind of challenge too.  ;-) 

I thought at the time my biggest hassle was going to be the
proximity to the railroad tracks, BUrlington NOrthern
railroad, and lots of coal trains passing by.  The room
where we tracked drums was a large open space, high
ceilings, I knew if I could make a bit of a microclimate for the drums we'd
be golden.  The bales of canvas were just
perfect for that, mass absorption and isolation in one man
movable units .  LIstening to that young man talk
happily about how much he liked the drum sound was sure
satisfying to me.

I admire folks with the patience to teach btw, just don't do that well with
it.  FOr me it's the frustration I feel when
I"m not reaching the student, and that frustration is with
myself for not presenting in such a way that the student is
able to grasp what is to be learned.  That frustration is
perceived by the student to be frustration with them,
instead of myself.

MEanwhile, our emergency management boss at University
hospital NEw ORleans told me that he thought I did quite
well teaching him and a few others.  That was diferent
though, I was teaching radio techniques, and a bit of
electronic theory to these folks.

AFter a few weeks of giving bass lessons at a music store I
haven't ventured into the world of teaching music however.

WHen I do take on interns for audio I always remind them
that during the sessions what I"m asking them to do is take
copious notes, because part of their job is to document the
session so we have good notes to reference later.  IN
documenting the settings on pieces of equipment, signal flow at patch
panels etc. they learn.  But, the other rule that
goes along with documenting the session is to not interrupt
me with their questions, because sometimes during the
session the question will be answered just in the course of
getting the job done.  IF not, I'd rather sit down after
all's done and spend more time answering questions, not
something which can easily be done while we're on the clock.


Regards,
           Richard
--- timEd 1.10.y2k+