During this time of crisis, Women’s Audio Mission are offering their collection of online learning resources and training materials free to everyone.
What is Women’s Audio Mission?
Women’s Audio Mission (WAM) are a non-profit organisation dedicated to advancing women, girls and gender non-conforming individuals in music production and the recording arts. Women’s Audio Mission aim to make high-quality educational materials that focus on music and audio technology, and ensure these are available to everyone.
“WAM are changing the face of sound by providing hands-on training, work experience, career counselling, and job placement to over 2,000 women and girls every year in creative technology for music, radio, film, television and the internet.”
WAM SoundChannel
SoundChannel is a collection of on-demand, interactive e-textbooks that are currently available anytime, anywhere and for everyone. This collection gives learners key information about career paths in professional audio, the science of sound, how to use all of the equipment in professional studios, and how to train your ears with audio comparisons. During the Covid-19 crisis, Women’s Audio Mission have made these resources completely free and available to everyone.
There is a plethora of useful materials on SoundChannel whether you are a beginner, a teacher, or a pro brushing up your knowledge of the latest gear and industry news.
The WAM SoundChannel materials can be found here.
WAM Everywhere Live Classes
Not only are WAM sharing their SoundChannel, but they are also giving access to WAM Everywhere Live Classes. These online learning events provide essential audio and technology training online to “keep our community connected, supported, and learning during this time of crisis and beyond.”
You can join WAM Everywhere online for interactive classes, workshops, discussions and panels. It is also possible to access past class recordings if you missed out on live events as they happened.
#WAMeverywhere
More resources from Women’s Audio Mission
Another brilliant resource is the WAM YouTube channel – a fantastically varied and interesting place, packed full of interviews with industry professionals, learning tutorials, industry panels, more detailed information on the programmes offered at WAM, career advice, DAWs, instruments and repair.
“Women’s Audio Mission focuses on increasing the gender balance in audio production and technology sectors since less than 5% of the population employed in these sectors are women and gender non-conforming individuals.”
What else do WAM do?
In addition to the online training WAM provide, they also run regular courses including “Girls on the Mic” for school children, adult training courses, and studio-based internships and residencies.
WAM’s world-class recording studio and training facility is the only professional recording studio in the world run entirely by women. The studio has a vast collection of amazing audio gear and microphones, and has previously hosted projects by Alanis Morissette, R.E.M, Timbaland, and Radiohead.
As well as cultivating women recording engineers and producers, WAM’s studio is also offered as a low-cost, high-quality recording environment for Independent Artists. In 2019, WAM’s studio was chosen as SF Weekly’s Best of SF in the category “Best Hope For Future Of Music”.
WAM have worked on many award-winning projects such as GRAMMY winners Kronos Quartet, a GRAMMY winning album by Angelique Kidjo, and an Academy Award-nominated soundtrack to the film “Dirty Wars”.
If you’re looking for a way to level-up your audio and music technology resources and knowledge while you’re staying at home, Women’s Audio Mission might be just the place for you.
Find out even more about the ways you can get involved with WAM on their website.
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