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March 01, 2006
Career Shadowing
On Monday, February 27th, I welcomed four high school juniors in to my studio as part of the Brevard County Schools Career Shadowing Program.
This program provides the students with the chance to spend the day at a place of business in line with their interests, and observe and ask questions. I’ve been a participating business for the last several years.
Normally the schools will send me one or two students, but this time they asked me to host four.
My students were Meg Spivey, Shain Honkanen, Ember Everett, and Wesley Anderson.
Meg wanted to learn more about music production. She’s a musician, having studied cello, bass and guitar.
Shain is already a working musician, as guitarist in a band called Vintage. They recently played at the Cocoa Village Mardi Gras.
Ember plays the French Horn and is a singer. She wants to someday work as a wedding planner, but is also interested in music production.
Wesley is also a guitarist, and also wants to find out more about music production.
I began by telling them about the history of S.O.L.O. Creative Media, and then giving them a picture of what a “typical” day in the studio was like.
If you are a regular reader, you know that there are no “typical days!”
I gave a demonstration on mixing, showing them how to process a vocal. Several of them already had experience with soundboards and running sound.
Sheryl came in for a while to record a song demo, and the students were able to observe and ask questions about the recording process. They watched and listened to Sheryl record an acoustic guitar part. I then showed them how I added drums, bass, and piano. We then had Sheryl record a scratch vocal.
After lunch, we gave them a chance to record something themselves. They elected to perform the song “Sweet Home Alabama.”
Shain took the lead guitar part (it was obviously a song he had practiced before!), Wesley handled rhythm acoustic guitar, Meg played the bass, and Ember provided a partly ad-libbed vocal, which included the line, “Mr. Olguin is so cool.” It’s not often that someone literally sings my praises!
These were the kind of students that restore your faith in “young people.” They were all bright, well mannered (Meg even called me “sir!”), and very attentive. My time with them was over before I knew it.
I should mention that they were all from Edgewood Junior / Senior High in Brevard County, FL.
Hey guys, if you’re reading this, thanks for coming over!
Meg, Shain, Wesley, Ember
Shain, Ember, Wesley and Meg with the PSG
Shain, Ember and Wesley
Wesley and Meg play "Sweet Home Alabama"
Posted by leon at March 1, 2006 08:54 PM
Comments
Leon, that is a wonderful thing to do for those students...something they will always remember fondly. There is a special "magic" that takes place in the studio when the creative muse starts to flow! "Mr Olguin & Ms. Paige, you are both so cool". Rock on!
Posted by: Sandyi at March 2, 2006 07:54 AM
Hey Mr Olguin and Ms. Paige,
This is one of those crazy edgewood kids that you see in those pics up there.. yea the blonde one lol. I just wanted to let you know that I still remember doing that and the experience was unforgetable! I wanted to invite you to Cocoa Village playhouses version of "Thoroughly Modern Millie". Considering I'm in it I hope you wouldn't mind coming. And this past weekend I almost got a broadway contract but I decided to finish my high school years before accepting, so maybe one day you might see me on an album cover or yo just might see me in your studio. Ihope you guys have a wonderful Christmas or any other holiday you might celebrate!
Thank you again!
Ember Everett
SJuliet102@aol.com
Posted by: Ember Everett at December 20, 2006 08:41 PM