Hey Hey!
EARS meets this month at Stereophonic Studios, our own Marshall Terry’s new place. This very well may be the largest tracking room in Chicago. Marshall’s going to show off his new rooms, along with some work he’s done toward mapping out the different sounds achievable around the tracking room. He’s all about capitalizing on the actual sound of this very nice space. Also, this place is a work in progress, and we’re hoping to really encourage all the constructive criticism only an EARS meeting can bring. Mr. Terry might be looked upon as very much from the Tape Op generation. He definitely leans toward old school, simple, tried-and-true approaches, but if we get him to tell a bit of his story, you’ll find some nice surprises regarding how he got into all this. This is no recording school recent grad. Another thing to look at while we’re there is his penchant for DIY mods. Few things in his place are off the shelf. From the mics to the op-amps in his console, he just can’t seem to leave well enough alone.
We’ll begin with our usual food and drink at 7:30, so get there on time and join in the interesting evening we’re planning for you. You won’t be disappointed, and you’ll probably want to come back soon to take advantage of this new space.
From 90/94 Eastbound: Take exit 45b, then a Left on Belmont followed by a Right on Western Ave and the second Right, Barry Ave. Pull through the big gate on your left, and park anywhere in the back. It’s back behind American Heritage Fireplace.
From 90/94 Westbound: Take exit 45c (Belmont), and take a Right. From there, follow the same as above.
Or from local streets: If you're not doing either of the above, it's notable that you can only turn on Barry Ave going *South* on Western Ave. If you're heading North on Western, be sure to not go over the big bridge (stay on the 'Local' street on your Right), and make a U-turn under the bridge. Barry Ave (and the American Heritage sign) is then right there on your right."
-KJH
Recap/Appreciation File
Thanks to all who turned out at Twisted Spoke last month. What a great time! We really had quite a nice night, with good food, great drink, a nice (and large!) cross-section of our membership and a few new faces. I enjoyed so many interesting conversations and it really seemed as though this casual night of just hanging out over a drink and a bite was just the thing EARS needed. More than we anticipated turned out and those that weren’t able to were not forgotten in conversation! It’s always a pleasure to hang out with EARS members and doubly so when I can buy them a drink! Thanks so much to the staff of Twisted Spoke, Michael Kolar for suggesting it, and especially Sean Nunan for making the arrangements.
-KJH
Next Month
Nothing to announce yet, but it seems worth noting that, in general, if I or any of the other officers mention something we’re working on, or if you just hear second hand, don’t count on it until you see it here in the EARdrum. It seems last month an idea we’ve been working on for a future meeting somehow turned into some of our members counting on it happening that month! I’m happy to serve EARS in any capacity necessary, but it’s unfortunate to have to spend time fielding questions about why I didn’t notify everyone about the cancellation of a meeting that was never announced in the first place. Stay tuned for next month and keep that last Tuesday, the 24th, open! - KJH
Suggestions Welcome!
There are endless good reasons to band together here as EARS. It can be whatever we want it to be. If you have any ideas for the EARdrum, our website, or future meetings, please email me. We still have a lot of great meeting plans lining up for the year, some website plans, and a lot of good fresh energy and hopes for a more vibrant, participatory EARS, so of course we're very interested in your input on everything EARS. Please! :) - KJH
Archives
Our Archives are again up to date. Check out the website for that and more EARS info. Also, I'd like to complete our files with the pre-2001 EARdrums. By my calculations we're missing the first 16 years! (Now minus that first one.) I know Timothy Powell has a year or so on his Metro-Mobile website but that still leaves a lot missing. If you happen to have your old paper copies or files you could get to me, I would love to get them online for posterity. Let me know. - KJH
A note about our Website
I've noticed that it doesn't automatically update in some web browsers. If you're looking for something (such as the latest EARdrum) and it looks like old info, try reloading the page. I'll see what I can do about it, but it seems it would take a full redo to get it in a format that did this automatically for us.
Dues!
Thanks to all who support EARS through paying their dues. Just as a reminder, they're due yearly by the October meeting and this is a prerequisite for voting and joining us for the Holiday Party and BBQ in August (and occasionally things like the Grammy Party), but they're always welcome. Dues checks (or cash, but no credit cards) for $25.00 can be made out to EARS and given to any of our officers or sent to the following address:
Engineering and Recording Society of Chicago, C/O Eric Roth, Treasurer, PO Box 98, Highland Park, IL 60035-0098 - KJH
A (few) (more) word(s) from the Prez...
or “Chicago Jones and the Kingdom of the Golden EARS”
So as I was saying earlier (up a page or two), last month’s low-key hangout was quite a lot of fun. And for a few of us, it wasn’t quite over when we’d left Twisted Spoke. (By the way, additional special thanks to our own Sam Rodgers, for turning me on to Chicago’s own Goose Island Brewery’s Pere Jacques brew. To know Sam, my favorite Sweetwater rep, is to know who to turn to for a tip on good taste in a number of things in and out of audio.) After wrapping things up, a quick stop at V.P. Michael Kolar’s amazing bachelor pad to help move a very nice piece of antique furniture led to him and me dropping in on Stereophonic Studios to have a look at this new place we’d been hearing so much about. What a great room. What a coup Marshall’s pulled off to get this space and convert it into a studio. Kolar and I walked in and, after picking our lower jaws off the floor, went quickly into suggestion mode, offering our welcomed opinions about this work in progress. That’s when the idea was born to have a meeting there where we could all do our thing of second guessing every wall, mic, pre, and placement choice.
Anyone going to PotLuckCon (Formerly TapeOpCon)? I’m not going to be able to make it this year, but I can tell you I really regret it as last year was just a great experience. Perhaps it’s not too late to make plans?
One thing I AM going to make time for is the new Indiana Jones movie. Here’s a bit of random trivia about El Presidente… I went to see Raiders of the Lost Ark in the theater, with my late Grandma Sweetheart, every Friday night for a year. Imagine!
Ah! And another thing I’m making time for this week… My Stepson, Fyodor Sakhnovski is graduating from UIC and completing his second internship at Chicago Public Radio for Worldview and this week a series he’s produced entitled Life After Bush is airing. Last week, by the way, Jerome McDonnell interviewed my wife, Jenya, about her work with Russian orphans for the Global Activism series. He concluded by pointing out that when he asked Fyodor if he had any good story ideas for Worldview, he quickly replied, “Yeh! My mom”.
And that reminds me, from time to time I’ll get an email from a young recent or soon-to-be grad looking to get into the business. After the initial temptation to reply simply with this very important link I usually tell them that the best advice I can offer is to plug in and plug in. That is, get connected with the local recording community (through EARS, forums, etc) and get some experience actually recording (no matter at what level, consumer/pro, Garage Band/2” tape). If ever you’re looking to fill a position, be it an internship or higher-level position like someone to get coffee, let me know and I’ll see if I can make a connection for you.
Well, that's it for now. Back to arranging a few more details for this month's meeting of your EARS and onward to future plans for this little organization we've fought so hard for. We have top men working on it now. Who? Top... men.
At your service,
Kerry J Haps
