Carolyn Slothour is a freelance live sound engineer, specializing in front of house, monitors, and systems engineering. She is also the chapter head of the SoundGirls New York City chapter and will be one of the hosts of the SoundGirls Meetup at LDI on Tuesday, December 9 from 1:00pm 2:00pm in Pro Audio Pavillion
SoundGirls' mission is to create a supportive community for women in audio and music production, providing the tools, knowledge and support to further their careers. Get involved and learn more at www.soundgirls.org.
At this year’s LDI she is teaching these audio courses:
Modern Mixing Techniques for Live Sound Engineers
Live Design: Please describe yourself.
Carolyn Slothour: I am a freelance live sound engineer and educator based in New York with a specialization in FOH, monitors and systems engineering. I have recently worked with artists including Matchbox Twenty, Michael Bublé and Meet Me @ The Altar and mixed at festivals including Download, When We Were Young, Corona Capital ,and Lollapalooza. Additionally, I develop curriculum and teach live sound engineering with various production companies and organizations, with a focus on making education more accessible. When not working, I enjoy making music and spinning fire.
LD: Please describe your most recent projects.
CS: My most recent projects have been in music production and DJing - Halloween marks the release of a new original single and a DJ mix. Additionally, I have several workshops, classes and events planned in the NYC area to help provide accessible education and resources for all, with a focus on supporting historically marginalized folks in the industry.
LD What are you teaching at LDI and who is your target audience?
CS: My courses at LDI this year are focused on creating a solid foundation of audio knowledge for music production, live sound engineering and mixing. These courses will each break off into different sectors of the industry, helping to fill in knowledge gaps, find resources and provide hands-on experience for beginner to intermediate audio engineers. No experience required!
LD: What has been the biggest challenge of your career to date?
CS: The biggest challenge of my career to date has been work-life balance. Finding the right combination of work and personal time is difficult when you are passionate about your job. But finding other outlets and prioritizing health and self-care are an important part of making sure you are showing up to work as the best version of yourself.
LD: What is your advice for people just getting into the industry?
CS: My advice for people just getting into the industry is to stay curious and not be afraid to try new things and ask questions. The number most important trait in someone new is drive - if you genuinely care about doing your best work, making sure the show goes well, and being a useful team member, that will be more important than super deep technical knowledge.