Pay Attention in all the right moments.
My career in the audio world has been short compared to my colleagues; however, I like to think that I have a good grasp of things. When you are around the best in the business, you absorb all kinds of information. Whether it’s technical or social cues, sometimes it’s the seemingly insignificant details that make all the difference.
My first assisting gig at Blackbird was working on this small Jewel project back in 2007. At the time, I felt like a fish out of water. Luckily, Vance Powell was the engineer on the project. He coached me through setting up the microphones, outboard gear, patching the trident console, and configuring Pro Tools, all the while building my confidence as an assistant engineer. Jewel walked into the studio, picked up the J200 guitar, and the rest felt like magic. I spent the rest of the time taking notes, making any patching changes needed, and just trying to emulate a sponge.
My stomach was in a knot, and my heart probably pounded a little extra that day with nervous energy and excitement, but that was my foundation. My peers trusted me to get the job done, and I don’t have the words to thank them for that. My advice for the incoming class is to “pay attention in all the right moments.” This is especially true when you look back on those moments later on.