Hi again, Richard! This is a continuation of my previous message to you:

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

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

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

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

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




--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
* Origin: Wits' End, Vancouver CANADA (1:153/716)

Replying to a message of Richard Webb to Ardith Hinton:

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.

Heh. A couple of decades ago a bunch of amateur actors & friends
converted an old barn into a theater. Their productions were quite
popular, even though the barn was located (just off Nebraska Highway
1) about five miles from the nearest town (which is Manley, followed
by Weeping Water, the place is a good 50 miles south of Omaha - which
IMO is not nearly far enough). They called themselves the "Born in a
Barn Players" and got fairly good reviews. Note that all of the carpentry/ renovations and stage sets and everything else was done with volunteer
labor and donated supplies and equipment. After about ten years the farm
was sold and the theater ceased operations a couple of years after that; the new owners didn't really cotton to all those visitors in their yard. AFAIK it's back to being a barn now.

---
* Origin: Bob's Boneyard, Emerson, Iowa (1:300/3)

Hi Bob,

On Thu 2038-May-20 04:52, Bob Ackley (1:300/3) wrote to Richard Webb:

<snip>

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.

Heh. A couple of decades ago a bunch of amateur actors & friends
converted an old barn into a theater. Their productions were quite popular, even though the barn was located (just off Nebraska Highway
1) about five miles from the nearest town (which is Manley, followed
by Weeping Water, the place is a good 50 miles south of Omaha -
which IMO is not nearly far enough). They called themselves the
"Born in a Barn Players" and got fairly good reviews. Note that all
of the carpentry/ renovations and stage sets and everything else was
done with volunteer labor and donated supplies and equipment. After
about ten years the farm was sold and the theater ceased operations
a couple of years after that; the new owners didn't really cotton to
all those visitors in their yard. AFAIK it's back to being a barn
now.

YEp, had heard of them. Like that group we did renovations, building of a stage, etc. with volunteer labor. SOund
reinforcement system was provided by a local bandleader in
exchange for allowing his band practice space pretty much
whenever they wanted it. Iirc it was one of the models its
founder used.

THe place had already been a commercial business
establishment of varying types over the years, a nightclub
when it first was converted from a barn, then a day care
center for kids, etc.

It was a fun year. I'd donated my recording equipment and a lot of labor. I was lured into the project by our church
pastor with the carrot of a salary as administrator once
they got all the work done and were able to put their own
equipment in there. To be quite honest, I was rather burned out from all my years volunteering in the advocacy and
public education realm, and when it comes to audio
production and music my interests are strictly pecuniary. I was serving on the
church board, Kathy my lady was working
as church secretary. We were making bug out for NEw ORleans noises though at the time, because our economic situation
wasn't that great in Iowa. Pastor did a real good sell job
on me to get me involved in this one <g>.

It lasted a good year. I was just getting a grip on
cleaning out its loft, which would have provided more
rehearsal and workspace. We'd built a decent stage
downstairs, had a fairly good audio control room built in
the former kitchen area of this place, some electrical
system renovations done. FOr some labor I"d use folks who'd been sentenced to community service hours as well.

By the time it was over I ended up rubbing against some of
the worst aspects of local politics, and organizational
politics as well. Was sure a good idea.

Regards,
Richard
--- timEd 1.10.y2k+
* Origin: (1:116/901)

Hi Ardith,

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

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

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

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

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

I see why you enjoy your work! It must be quite a
challenge to get a good recording of a band playing in a warehouse.
But I reckon part of the fun is that every gig is different & you
have to make creative use of whatever you can bring along and/or
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 <grin>. 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+
* Origin: (1:116/901)