This last year, because of the pandemic, has been one of the most important times for learning how to pivot our skills, and to say yes to jobs that might have previously seemed outside our wheelhouse, or felt challenging and different when first confronted.
For me, it began by doing online mix reviews. (See my End Rant in issue #140 for how that started.) Those were interesting. They helped me build up a stronger skillset in order to quickly examine a song and determine what was working, or not. After this experience, I now believe it is something every recordist and mixer should take the time to do. (I recently decided to stop offering this service, as I prefer to be asking questions and doing follow up on this type of work. But I still maintain that it's an important task to investigate, and one that I'm glad I embarked upon.)
That led to the Virtual Recording Workshop idea. Although I'd never heard of the platform before 2020, I've now watched and been involved in numerous Zoom events (panels, comedy shows, meetings, visits with friends and family), and my wife helped me imagine a way to use Zoom to discuss recording and mixing with clients, helping them improve their skills. These have been really fun to do, and finding out
more about people's processes helps me determine what changes will benefit them the most.