So, what is it with Dana Jae and her world of audio?
Well, I thought I wanted to be a lawyer and a politician when I graduated from high school in 1980. So I headed up to UC Berkeley with the noble thought of 4-years there and an eventual goal to obtain a law degree from Georgetown. But sometime around my junior year…
It’s now 30-years since I started writing songs on my Tascam PortaStudio and emoting via music and lyrics. I’m still writing and that creative outlet led me far and away from my first goal after high school. I thank the universe every morning for that. I can’t imagine being in politics now. Oy, the headache, the pain, the sale of your soul to the devil.
For 30-years I’ve been serving sound to the Bay Area in myriad ways: via my sound company, dcj Productions – providing live sound, recording services, and film sound (both production and post) to the not-for-profit sector (and sometimes for-profit folks too) in this amazing northern Cali. I’ve been a house sound engineer for the powerhouse SF nightclub Bottom Of The Hill since 1991. In 1994/95, I toured the U.S. and Europe several times as sound mixer for the band, Medicine (on American Recordings). I presided over and was partner in a record label and commercial recording studio from 1999 – 2004 called APG Records/APG Studios which grew into Potrero Post and started some new magic in 2007 with Films on 45 – a creative visual media production company assembled to build upon my adventures in screenwriting. I’ve also spent some great times and gathered some deep knowledge of manufacturers of audio devices as purchasing agent for Leo’s Audio (in the late 80’s), Audio Images (in the early 90’s), The Media Room, and Cutting Edge Audio & Video Group (mid-90’s).
Since 2001, I’ve been teaching courses in audio production at the esteemed City College of San Francisco in the Broadcast Electronic Media Arts department. I was part-time for the first 8-years while also teaching a few courses at AiCA-SF (a corporate, for-profit, behemoth – blech!), Globe Recording Institute, and Laney College. I subbed for a colleague at CCSF with a full class load from 2009 – 2011 when I finally became a full-time educator with my own office and continue to be a dutiful agent of sound, engaging people in the wonders of audio.
So, what does Dana Jae know about audio? A few things…and I LOVE IT!
Confession: I spent several years in the mid-80’s as the lead singer of a top-40 band. “Do you wanna ride in my Mercedes boy?” “I think I’m goin’ to Katmandu, that’s really, really where I’m goin’ to.” “I met a gin-soaked barroom queen in Memphis.” “I just want to be your lovergrrr-rrr-rrr-rrrrl. I just want to rock your world.” (yup, from Pebbles to Bob Seger, from the Rolling Stones to Teena Marie) Why do you think I became an audio engineer instead? All of the control of the sound with zero embarrassing flaunts on stage. Never mind the man behind the curtain…Woof.
Here’s a sound tip