Thinking in Sound: Alice Haine on Her Time at Abbey Road Institute
Meet Alice Haine - Pitch & Sync’s new starter. She was previously at Dummy Mag on publishing, sync, and A&R - she’ll be bringing her expertise and youth to our music team as a supervisor. We’re beyond excited to have her join us and want everyone to get to know her well!
LBB> When you’re working on a new brief or project, what’s your typical starting point? How do you break it down and how do you like to generate your ideas or response?
Alice> It really depends what I’m working on. From a production/creative perspective I like to discuss in as much detail as possible with the artist/songwriter I’m working with. To understand from the get go is, of course, important but also making sure you’re both on the same page throughout the process is vital.
This can also be said from a pitching point of view. Once the brief has come in I like to map out bullet points, highlighting key areas and words that they have expressed. I’m a visual worker so I need to have everything written down. I find that having these set out before I begin the task allows me to focus on what the client is asking for so I can make the best, suitable suggestions. With sync it’s important to be able to set the scene, I usually take some time to do this to fully understand what’s being asked for.
LBB> Music and sound are in some ways the most collaborative and interactive forms of creativity - what are your thoughts on this? Do you prefer to work solo or with a gang - and what are some of your most memorable professional collaborations?
Alice> I like to work both solo and collaboratively, depending on the project but also what stage the music is at. I will often start projects alone and later down the line I’ll have people come in to collaborate. As I’m not typically a singer, I will get to a certain point and then send it round to different vocalists to see what suits. I do sometimes crave working with a bunch of people in a studio, in these cases I’ll set up sessions and we’ll start something from scratch.
When I was at Abbey Road Institute studying sound engineering and music production we often found ourselves using the studios to write, in our time away from teaching. Some would choose their instrument of choice but others would be in the control room, working the outboard gear and DAW, for me this a way of collaborating. The engineers who were altering the gear were changing what we were creating in the live room. It’s not just the musicians in these moments that are making the music, it’s everyone in the studio who plays a part.
LBB> What’s the most satisfying part of your job and why?
Alice> Being able to have a 9-to-5 whilst being creative is hugely satisfying. Combining the creative side with the business side of the industry is rare and I feel lucky that my role enables me to do so. Also completing a project and seeing & hearing it on TV is an amazing feeling!
LBB> As the advertising industry changes, how do you think the role of music and sound is changing with it?
Alice> Advertising is ever-growing and although technology threatens to take over I do believe people want authentic engagement. So much of this comes down to the role of music and sound, the more advertising grows, so will music. It’s an essential part of the industry.
LBB> Who are your musical or audio heroes and why?
Alice> The drummer from The Specials, Brad Bradbury moved next door to me when I was 10. He taught me how to play the drums and shared with me his experiences which inspired me a lot. I often think back to that time, the start of my journey in music. He was a great teacher and mentor.
More recently I would say the producer and musician Inflo. He has produced and co-written some of my favourite albums: Love & Hate by Michael Kiwanuka, Grey Area by Little Simz, 5 by Sault, and Mother by Cleo Sol to name a few.
LBB> And when it comes to your particular field, whether sound design or composing, are there any particular ideas or pioneers that you go back to frequently or who really influence your thinking about the work you do?
Alice> I often think back to my lecturers at Abbey Road. They all brought a wealth of experience and expertise. In particular Carlos Lellis, Jason O’Bryan, John Dunkerley and Marta Salogni. I learnt a lot from them, not just in terms of skills and knowledge but also etiquette and the unwritten rules of a studio.
LBB> When you’re working on something that isn’t directly sound design or music (let’s say going through client briefs or answering emails) - are you the sort of person who needs music and noise in the background or is that completely distracting to you? What are your thoughts on ‘background’ sound and music as you work?
Alice> I don’t mind background noise as long as it’s not too loud, otherwise I find it distracting. Sometimes I listen to a music or a podcast if I’m doing admin tasks that don’t take much concentration. If I really need to concentrate a quiet room is necessary but otherwise it does me good!
LBB> I guess the quality of the listening experience and the context that audiences listen to music/sound in has changed over the years. There’s the switch from analogue to digital and now we seem to be divided between bad-ass surround sound immersive experiences and on-the-go, low quality sound (often the audio is competing with a million other distractions) - how does that factor into how you approach your work?
Alice> Due to social media and the advancements in technology people generally are getting a lot more distracted. This is evident in all areas of our day to day lives but I think it’s very true in music. Listening to albums from start to finish for example is not as common as it used to be, one reason being the distractions that surround us but also the low quality sound that has to compete with interruptions.
In terms of my work I have to accept that the majority of people won’t be listening to my music on big, expensive speakers rather they are listening on their earphones or out their laptop speakers, which are good but not comparable to good quality speakers. I think as long as you can achieve a good mix on reliable speakers it will sounds good enough everywhere.
LBB> On a typical day, what does your ‘listening diet’ look like?
Alice> If I’ve been making music that day I’ll typically listen to a podcast just to change it up a bit. Otherwise I’m listening to my playlists on Spotify, recommendations or the artists I’m interested in working with/signing etc.
LBB> Do you have a collection of music/sounds and what shape does it take (are you a vinyl nerd, do you have hard drives full of random bird sounds, are you a hyper organised spotify-er...)?
Alice> I do have some vinyl but I’m waiting for the right moment in my life where I can invest in a nice turntable and collect properly. Otherwise I have a few hard drives full of samples, mainly drums and percussion which I use often when making music. I do love to organise my playlists, I’m forever creating new ones and sharing them about with friends/family.
LBB> Outside of the music and sound world, what sort of art or topics really excite you and do you ever relate that back to music (e.g. history buffs who love music that can help you travel through time, gamers who love interactive sound design... I mean it really could be anything!!)
Alice> Hard to relate them really but I play and watch a lot of sport; I’m especially big on football. I love going to Emirates Stadium for a game and hearing the different tunes that we have for the club and players and of course there’s always hype around certain songs like ‘Three Lions’, ‘You'll Never Walk Alone’ etc. at other grounds and around big tournaments.
LBB> Let’s talk travel! It’s often cited as one of the most creatively inspiring things you can do - I’d love to know what are the most exciting or inspiring experiences you’ve had when it comes to sound and music on your travels.
Alice> I don’t have many experiences with this to be honest. I do love to make music when I go on holiday, on a long train journey etc. So many of my ideas are unintentionally based on the environment around me, so if that’s altered I imagine my creative patterns will too. I hope to be able to travel and experience new cities and countries at some point where I can make music and meet like minded people.
LBB> As we age, our ears change physically and our tastes evolve too, and life changes mean we don’t get to engage in our passions in the same intensity as in our youth - how has your relationship with sound and music changed over the years?
Alice> My taste in music like most peoples has evolved over the years, I think this has enabled me to be more experimental with my own music. Due to life changes, doing music for fun is harder to find the time for so I’m always very grateful for the moments where I can do it.
For me, it's not to have to meet demands or deadlines. I try to enjoy it for what it is in the moment because I know it’s going to continue to change as time goes on.
