Debbie Smith is a renowned sound engineer and this month's Pulse College student success story. She has worked with many high profile artists and diverse projects from Carly Smithson and the Hot House Flowers to the Dublin Philharmonic Orchestra. Her depth of experience ranges from live theatre and studio sound as well as post production sound as well. In this month's student success story she will tell us how she managed to carve out a hugely successful career.
Q1. You hail from Galway, a county known for producing some great musicians. Did you always have a passion and understanding for music?
Absolutely, from an early age I loved music. I grew up in a house where on any given day you could hear anything from country, trad, rock and a bit of punk thrown in for good measure. Also in the early 90's there was a very vibrant music scene in Galway. There was such a buzz and live music of all genres pretty much everywhere you went. I was really immersed in this scene and probably didn't realise how much so until I joined the Pulse course which really confirmed my passion for music.
Q2. You finished school and went on to study architecture but you decided to follow your passion for music and studied sound engineering. What made you change direction?
Form an early age I always knew I wanted to work in music or at least music would play a major role in my life. Being 17 and living in Galway there were few courses if any available and only a couple of small studios. I went and got some work experience and loved it but there weren't any real career prospects there at the time so my second choice was architecture. During my second year I knew it wasn't for me and decided that I really wouldn't be happy working in any area other than music or sound. I took a year off, did some travelling and when I came home did some research and found out about Pulse. I started the course in 1995 and haven't looked back since. Funnily enough music and architecture seem a little like chalk and cheese. However in the past few years I have worked on some sound design/installations for theatre and I've been 'informed' that Goethe once said that "architecture was frozen music!"
Q3. What aspect of the course did you find the most useful in the real world work environment?
I think equal emphasis being placed on academic and practical learning are key. Applying what you learn as you go is crucial. During the course I was fortunate enough to receive an internship which meant working in the engine room before I'd actually finished college. This was fantastic as what you were learning in class in the morning you were seeing it actually happening in the studio the same day. The theory is there to inform the practical, unfortunately the practical is never predictable and that's where experience comes in.
Q4. How important was having a sound engineering diploma to you when applying for work in the industry?
At the time, there was a crossover phase from the traditional apprenticeship style training and actually having a third level qualification. I think it was important but possibly not crucial. However today it is vital. Technology has evolved so much, without a qualification and good working knowledge of technology and techniques used you simply would not get a look in the door.
Q5. You went on to work with Keystone which resulted in an internship in LA. What was that experience like?
It was amazing. During my time in the engine room I worked with Derek Gleeson who subsequently took over Keystone studios and approached me to be part of the team there. During my time in Keystone I had started to work with small orchestral ensembles and with Screen Training Ireland who in association with UCLA ran a film scoring programme for upcoming TV and film composers. This led to me working with Hollywood veterans Don Ray and Bob Drasnin and in turn led to the internship. Once I got to LA I was hooked. I got the opportunity to visit all the major sound stages and observe numerous sessions. The scale and the quality of these sessions were mind-blowing on every level.
Q6. You worked with some high profile clients from Carly Smithson (American Idol) as well as multi award winning scoring mixer Dennis Sands. It must have been an amazing learning experience, tell us about it.
After my initial internship in LA I returned to Ireland for a brief period. At the time I was working with Carly and she signed a record deal with MCA records in the States. I then went back to LA to work on the album. That really was a great experience as I got to meet and work with some fantastic songwriters and producers including Steve Dorff (Barbara Streisand, Celine Dion) and Rick Nowels (Madonna, Dido). I also got to work with some of the best session musicians in LA. Being in this environment and working with such talent proved to be a huge learning curve and source of inspiration.
Working with Dennis Sands was a great experience. He is such a wonderful and generous man and his credits are legendary. Spending time with Dennis, reaffirmed to me why I became a sound engineer and why clarity, passion, dedication, attention to detail and also an emphasis on interpersonal relationship are so important.
I feel that the time spent in LA has been invaluable to me. The standards and level of professionalism there are second to none and this is something I try to bring to every project regardless of budget or genre.
Q7. You have a lot of experience in post production from Anton (Fox Glove Films), Dvorak - New World Symphony DVD (Dublin Philharmonic), and Winter's End. Is there a completely different skill set needed?
The majority of my experience in post production comes from working on soundtracks including the projects mentioned above. I would say it's an extension of the same skill set rather than a completely different one. However, rather than the complete focus being on the music there are other elements to be taken into consideration e.g. within the soundscape the dialogue must always come first and depending on who is doing the final mix the battle between music and SFX continues! You must understand the relevance of each of these elements to the overall project. You're also dealing with different personalities including directors, producers and composers - so all these opinions have to be incorporated. Ultimately the director's vision prevails, but the input from all other members of the creative team must be taken into account and can sometimes benefit from a bit of mediation! It is important to keep focused on the bigger picture and not get caught up in smaller details or one particular view point.
Having also worked in post production on and off over the years on various TV series for RTE and TG4, I've found the discipline of working in this sector has made me more conscious of efficiency and productivity. The role here is much more technical as opposed to creative, with specific requirements to be met in a given time-frame. There are time restrictions and projects have to be delivered efficiently and to a high standard. You really learn to be disciplined in order to maximise productivity. I certainly know all my Protools shortcuts now!
Q8. What has been the most influential project that you have worked on to date, in terms of career and learning curve?
Each project varies so much and they all have their own challenges and their own unique opportunities. One experience that stands out was my first trip to Bulgaria. I was there recording Don Ray's Piano Concerto and also a new film soundtrack for American composer John Califra at the National Radio Centre in Sofia.
Whilst I had lots of experience at that point, it was the first time I'd taken on projects of this scale... in another country and in another language! Not only was I responsible for the audio recording, I also played a major role in the production. It really instilled in me the importance of being calm and collected: there is so much pressure and money on the line in these sessions and people can get tense and nervous. You really have to be prepared for anything and everything. It's really important to remain focused and confident. The language and cultural differences were also a challenge and certainly brought home to me the importance of having a strong team around you and the necessity for good people skills.
Q9. You do a lot of orchestral and trad work, for example you work with the Dublin Philharmonic Orchestra. Tell us a bit more about this.
My role with the DPO is twofold. First and foremost I am their main recording engineer and mixer.
These projects include recording standard classical repertoire, new works by contemporary composers and recording soundtracks. The approach for the classical repertoire is quite different to soundtracks. The balance should be there in the music and the conductor will control the dynamics and balance within the room so really your job is to capture this in the best way possible.
For soundtracks or dance shows the approach is very different, you are generally dealing with prerecorded synths and samples and sections of the orchestra are overdubbed. You are looking for a much cleaner tighter sound, which ultimately gives you much more control and scope for manipulation when you get to your final mix.
My other role with the DPO is overseeing and managing all their tech requirements while on tour. Last year we did a 10 week tour of the States which incorporated 49 venues, all of which had very different equipment and therefore every performance was like the first performance. In July of this year we were in China for 10 days. 2 of the concerts in Beijing were broadcast to approximately 400 million people I believe! My role here was sound supervisor and ensuring that what went live on air maintained the integrity of the performance.
While I really enjoyed this and had a great experience I don't think life on the road or on tour is really for me. I am happiest in the studio, for me it's more creative and rewarding...and sane!
So who knows, the DPO could be looking for a sound engineer to take on the road any time soon and I'm pretty sure the first port of call in that search will be Pulse.
Q10. Has the emphasis on orchestra and trad been a natural progression?
Definitely. Over the years, I have built some great relationships with different composers and artists I've worked with. These relationships are really important, a trust and respect develops and indeed in some cases I would say that we have grown together as these collaborations grow in scale and expectation. When such relationships evolve, our separate roles become more of a shared and larger experience and this has led to me taking on the role of producer.
The use of orchestral colours, textures and traditional instruments in new contexts is something that I have been engaged with particularly in recent years. While there are always challenges, the innovation that is required is exciting and leads to the development of new techniques and approaches.
Due to the nature of this business and budget limitations in recent times, you need to be versatile now more than ever.
Q11. What is the most useful tool that has helped you in your successful career to date?
Having started out on analogue tape and having worked through the crossover into all things digital I feel the training and discipline of those early days has proved vital. Due to the restrictions of the technology back then you were forced to be decisive, creative and resourceful. You did not have the option to hold multiple takes and decide later on the take or "leave it and we'll sort it in the mix".
Whilst the versatility of new technology is amazing it is only as powerful and creative as the person operating it.
Q12. What are the top tips you can give students who are about to embark on a career in the music industry?
I really feel you have to be passionate about working in this industry. Also people skills and diplomacy are extremely important.
Be adaptable, flexible and open to learning. The day you think you know it all is probably the day to call it a day.
Oh and don't forget - keep your sense of humour, there are times when it is really is your best friend!
