I formed the band "Everything" at James Madison University in 1989. It became my life for well over a decade. My entire being was dedicated to building a career in the music industry through sheer force of will and effort. Along the way, I played over 2000 shows around the world (200+ shows for over a decade), released records, built an independent music business, and had a massive hit song.
My star was rising fast (after eight years of hard work) until......it wasn't.
Like many who swing for the fences, there comes a time when you have to find a different plate to swing from.
Fast-forward many years, I found myself starting the music and audio business for a multimedia company in Los Angeles that specialized in graphics for major broadcasts.
Two weeks into my new position, my boss came to me and said, "We are pitching ABC Sports right now. Can you develop a sound design package for our pitch in the next few days?"
My answer was, "Yes, of course."
I then asked myself, "How do you do sound design?"
You see, I had never done sound design. And my first job was to pitch to one of the largest sports broadcasters in the world.
Yes, it was an "OH CRAP"moment. Thankfully, Mother Necessity kicked in, and I started to uncover and activate some skill sets to repurpose:
- Audio Production: I had been producing music since I was a teenager and working in DAW's (Digital Audio Workstations) since the late 90's. This involved working with audio wave files. The platform I was using was the same for Sound Design.
- Audio Editing: I learned a high level of vocal editing from Jim Ebert, who produced our huge hit song "Hooch." Jim came from the R&B world, which utilized massive vocals and painstaking editing. This skill translated DIRECTLY into creating sound design elements, which is audio Editing.
- The Show Must Go On: Once you commit to a show, it MUST happen. Once you step onstage, there is no turning back. You have to make it happen. That mentality was perfect for this situation. It HAD to happen. Figure it out!
- Learning Quickly: Over time, I discovered my innate ability to learn the core of how something works and how to push variables toward that outcome. Giant leaps come from pressurized moments.
- Network Curiosity: I always love learning about people and listening to what makes them FLOW. I had a friend in the post-production game in Hollywood, and he gave me a crash course on how it all worked. One thing was sound design libraries. An entire industry of people created libraries of incredible sounds for this very purpose. Being curious about my friend and his world gave me this crucial nugget.
I delivered the package for the pitch, but we didn't get the gig. However, over the next few years, I used my new found sound design skills to make a successful living in Hollywood.
Some highlights from this chapter:
- A sound design package for CBS Sports, which was used during the Super Bowl
- An installation in The Soarin' Hall at Epcot Center in Orlando.
- The Tusher Africa Hall Exhibit at the Museum for The California Academy of Applied Sciences.
The point here is that you have many skills that can be repurposed in ways you may not even know.
If you want to figure out your hidden skill sets, you can set up a conversation HERE.
