Push up the fader...

I've been in withdrawal. I used to write on the regular and I've found myself exploding with blogs but having no outlet apart from Facebook status and Twitter's stupid 140 character tweet space. :bitter: I used to blog on Myspace (rest in peace), and after that died it's slow painful death (still dying btw), I've yet to find a suitable space. I tried Facebook, but it wasn't the same. :0/ Partly because people can't subscribe to Facebook "notes" (yes I have an ego) so it felt kinda pointless to me. Is anyone even reading this. :chirp:

I was inspired once again after reading a really...bad...blog on church sound which to my shock, was referenced by a notable audio website (which shall remain nameless.) After reading a horrific entry on "sound ladies" I'd just about had it. The compulsive need to write all my meaningless banters and random ramblings had climaxed. "I need to start a blog. A real one."

Which brings me to Blogger. I have to tell you, I almost didn't create this blog because I had to come up with a stupid name. I sat there looking at my screen for a good 15 minutes thinking of a witty yet appropriate name for the blog I'd spill my guts on.  "Sound girl? Corny...and while I wouldn't mind having a post or two about career, sound and all that, on the grand scale of things, I don't want to focus on that....PianoFrk? No...I think it's time to retire the AOL screen name you've had since you were 14, Elaine. hmm....." Then it came to me. "Push up the fader."

Funny story about that. Get to it in a second...

There are three audio engineers whom I really admire and whom I'd consider career mentors. The first being Bruce Bowles, who was the first audio tech I came in contact with when I started working at Disney. If there's one person I could attribute the foundation of my digital audio knowledge to, it would be him without question. (Sorry Berklee. You sucked at that.) Al Oestreich, one of the best live audio/system engineers I know and a master at his craft. And Carl Beatty. Carl was one of my mix professors at Berklee and hands down has the best ears I've come across. But apart from learning how to listen critically, the most valuable thing I took away from his class was how he approached the console. Just by the way he pushed up the fader told you this joker knew what he was doing. He...ATTACKED the console. And not in a careless way -- rather every fader he pushed, every knob turned, had a purpose. He'd mix with all ten fingers. Every move was made in conviction, and it was always musical. I learned more about dynamics, swells, and musicality from Carl's class than I did in several of the music courses I took at Berklee. Watching him mix was like watching someone conduct a symphony. I remember thinking "Wow. I want to be that." Until I know what I'm doing, I want it to at least look like I know what I'm doing.

Carl Beatty...



Before taking Carl's class, mixing scared the living daylights outta me. I'd take a good minute just to get a fader up. What I was afraid of? I'm still trying to figure that out. You have to try real hard to get feedback in a studio setting, yet fear would completely overwhelm me. I wasn't the only timid one when approaching the console. I remember sitting in Carl's class and one of my classmates was behind the console attempting to throw up a mix and his mix was completely bass-less for a good 5 minutes. After patiently waiting, Carl finally says to him "The bass. Push up the fader."

So fast forward to Disney World. I'm working in one of the larger venues, running cable, minding my business when I hear the lead audio engineer standing in the audience's listening area, barking direction to another A2 who's off to the side at the console. "Send me more CD please...more CD....more.......more....more please....PUSH UP THE FADER YOU (expletive)!!!" The A2 scrambles and suddenly ear deafening CD audio comes blasting through the PA. hahahahaha. It was hilarious.

So why'd I name my blog this. You can't be afraid to "push up the fader." There's no room for fear in audio engineering, just like there's no room for fear in life. (Oh man, I'm being so deep right now...whaaat thaaaa...) So in short, "Push up the fader" is an aspect that I feel like I've been able to apply to more areas than audio.

My hope is that this blog is real, and encouraging, helpful, honest, and hopefully...funny. If God has a sense of humor (which I KNOW He does because there's no way I'd be engaged to a Mexican Texan, crazy Longhorn, country music lovin, Cowboy's football fan named Kaleb Jiminez, if He didn't! lol! roflroflrofl), then maybe I should have a good sense of humor too. lol....oh man...God loves me...He really does.

And there you have it...the name of my blog..Push up the fader...I'm so outta practice....bear with me...the next one will be more entertaining...and hopefully make more sense.