let us try both and take tender care
but when you need help I will be there (from "Colour Green" by Sibylle Baier)
Hello, dear Omni!
It’s May now, and this month always makes me think of motherhood, of lineage, which brings me back to my perennial favorite theme of discourse: community. In fact, I can’t help but ask any musician I speak to, casually or in an interview context, about their creative circle, those who formed/mommied them into being the artist they are, who made them believe in themselves, lent them gear or studio space, or taught them a technique they use to this day.
The first time I joined an Omni virtual event, I summoned the courage to turn my camera on and share about my own humble projects. I’m positive one or both kids popped up in the background, and my space was chaotic to say the least: a list of tracks to demo visible on the white board behind me, art supplies on the floor (from said children), and my trusty SM7B standing at attention by my side. I felt like I had no business being there, but the community of devoted audio professionals and newbies alike swept me up in love and affirmation, and my skills and confidence continued to grow with its careful tending.
I have to admit, too, Omni isn’t the only organization through which I’ve found audio companions. Women’s Audio Mission brought me my pal Greta Stromquist, a dialogue editor who has come on board to edit episodes of Wilco Will Love You, the fan podcast I host with Mary MacLane Mellas, when my day job and parenting responsibilities have boxed me all the way in. I’ve also met some incredible collaborators through my old Instagram Live series Single Song Shows, which led me to be involved with Bushwick Book Club Oakland, a space that was flush with generous, talented teachers.
All this to say, investing in the community you’ve fostered, or getting out there and meeting people, is a solid way to continue to grow your skills and enrich your spirit. At the very least, if you know who your people are and the gifts they’ve contributed to your life, you’ll be all the more prepared when some enthusiastic interviewer asks you about them someday.
Take care, Omni! Call a friend (or your mom)!
Love, Meredith
p.s. Don’t forget to check out this month’s Four Track Challenge and put some of these tips to the test!
Recommended Resources
You can learn a lot from folks in the broader, big tent audio community, too, you know. Some good reads and listens include:
SoundGirls and
Mirror Sound (this one’s a book!)
Call and Response
Who has influenced your creative process? Who would you list among your audio mentors?
Let us know in the comments and be sure to interact with other folks who comment, you never know where you’ll meet your next collaborator!
I love this, Meredith! Cool insights and resources. And also, the cigarette inches from a kid's face is very 70's, take it from one who inhaled a lot of second hand smoke in that decade!