My last post here was in July. To keep with the theme, you could say I’m hibernating, but that’s not the case. Life, work, projects, recording: all these things compete for my time, which unfortunately leaves time for a volunteer position I love (as a contributing editor at designsound.org). Unlike our wild mammal brothers and sisters, hibernation is sometimes an involuntary act.
Considering this is our last month, I can’t let another month go by thinking, “Oops, I don’t have time, I have something to prepare for next month.” Whether it’s a job or a volunteer position, there’s no way of knowing Is there still next month.
What do we do as creative professionals if jobs suddenly dry up, or we’re still chasing that first job? Do we go into hibernation and think “I’ll try again later”. Doing so might amount to career suicide, not to mention a defeatist mentality that would be better served by some honest self-reflection. So while this site may go into an uncertain period of dormancy, I want to rant, beg, or plead that no one else follows suit.
Luckily, as Jack mentioned in this month’s introduction, while the site may be on hiatus, it’s not going anywhere, so it’s still possible to access all the great content here for inspiration, research, and to pass the time to decide who created this website. As I leave this site, I would like to offer a final reflection on some of the key aspects that have inspired and employed me over the past few decades. Most of these questions are topics I’ve written about here before, and I hope they serve as a fitting farewell to designsound.org and maybe help inspire the wonderful audio community.
never stop learning
Perhaps the most important mantra we must remember every day is to never become complacent and rely on what you know or what you have done in the past. We exist in the fascinating duality of the creative and tech industries, which forces us to continually evolve our practice, learn new tools, and continually hone our craft. If we don’t challenge ourselves every day, we will fail ourselves and inevitably fall behind the changing times. If someone told you 10 years ago that an old technology like stereo reverb would suddenly become important, would you believe them? Who knows what new invention or discovery is coming that will push us further or open up an idea for someone to explore something completely new. Whether you decide to finally learn a scripting language, study the laws of panning, try to build a DSP like never before, or delve into the regional fauna for your next project, every dose of information we consume affects our work, whether consciously or unconsciously. Knowledge and experience are cumulative, and the more you gain, the stronger your foundation for trying new things.
Go at your own pace
One of the many reasons I love designsound.org is the different editorial explanations of each month’s theme. There was never a box around what we should write about. Each of us is given carte blanche to interpret the topic as we see fit: write an article, interview a person, whatever you feel about it, just fit it into the topic.
This is an outstanding thing to take away and apply professionally. While it’s a key part of any creative endeavor, one of our core strengths (and often the first thing we give up on when a deadline approaches) is experimenting; and more importantly, not being afraid of failure. Many great creative moments come from experimenting or trying something different. When performing tasks over and over again, it’s easy to fall into a routine (even if the sounds are new, we often follow similar patterns when designing). Taking a step back, thinking outside your own personal box, and trying to break out of your normal workflow can often have the benefit of opening new doors, teaching you new techniques, and creating new, exciting sounds and workflows.
do what you like
I’ve talked before about how lucky those of us in good jobs professionally are to be able to do what we love as our profession. Even people who don’t yet have a professional career can follow their passion and find joy in this creative pipeline. But another key factor in keeping yourself fresh and finding new perspectives is to not only enjoy your professional work, but also do things you love outside of work. A September 2017 article makes some good points about this, in which countless able-bodied people reflect on what they do outside of work to keep them inspired, energized, and relaxed. From cooking to running to gardening, from working out to photography, and yes, maybe even doing some field recording in your spare time, keeping your brain active and learning in areas outside of audio will also translate into the inspiration and inspiration you pour into your sound work. enthusiasm.
embrace community
When I talk to colleagues in other disciplines, they often lament that there aren’t many outside friendships and connections in their fields outside of work. As audio people, we are extremely lucky to have an amazing, strong, and inclusive community that provides many services to many people. As I mentioned before, learning is vital to our work, and what better way to learn than through colleagues and people who have faced the challenges you face? There may be one or two conferences a year where people get together to share tips and techniques, but only within the audio community does this seem to be a year-round ongoing practice. With the popularity of social media, people from all over the world connect with each other and share their passion and skills. There are Facebook pages dedicated to audio, Twitter feeds, and seemingly countless Slack channels devoted to everything from sound design to field recording to programming to being a woman in audio. Our community is strong and something each of us can rely on, a comfort we must cherish and protect. The key to cultivating community is giving back. Everyone who writes for designsound.org, volunteers for interviews, or comments on articles helps cultivate this community—both DS.org and the larger audio community. You can too! Whether it’s speaking at a conference, writing a blog about the cool stuff you do, sharing something on social media, or engaging in the community in a whole new way, what we have as audio professionals is special Yes, it’s up to us to keep it that way.
Let me conclude with a call to action. This site, this community, and the larger audio community exist and thrive because people like you and I open up to their friends and colleagues, sharing stories, techniques, ideas, and support. Whether or not the Design Voice website one day returns, other avenues will be open and thriving to provide this important part of our daily and professional lives for all of us. We all have a responsibility to continue this spirit of giving and sharing for the greater good. We all want to be better at what we do, and the best course of action for success is to share your wealth of knowledge and pass it on.
