Women’s Audio Mission (WAM), a nonprofit dedicated to the advancement of women in music production and the recording arts, moved into a new recording studio, the former SF Soundworks Studio, earlier this year and has since attracted major donations from audio manufacturers Audient, Avid, Meyer Sound, Belden, Blue, Line 6, AKG, Ableton and XQP.
SF Soundworks Studio was home to many high-profile recording projects with artists such as Alanis Morissette, R.E.M., Timbaland and Radiohead. The new recording studio is triple the size of WAM’s previous facility, and will allow the nonprofit to serve over 300 additional women and girls a year (1,200 women and girls total) with free and low-cost recording arts training.
"We welcome the innovative Women's Audio Mission to the Central Market neighborhood, adding to the emerging creativity and vibrancy of this neighborhood,” says Mayor Ed Lee. “We will continue to support and strengthen important nonprofits like Women's Audio Mission who are inspiring young minority girls to work and succeed in technology and arts."
Industry supporters are generously outfitting the new studio with the latest gear, including a new 48 channel, ASP8024 console from Audient, a Pro Tools HDX system with 32 channels of I/O from Avid, a pair of HD-1 High Definition monitors from Meyer Sound, a Bottle microphone from Blue Microphones, over 2,500 feet of cable from Belden, a pair of C414 microphones from AKG, a 531 optical de-esser from XQP, a DT 25 Tube Modeling Amp and JVX-69 Modeling Guitar from Line 6 and Ableton Live licenses with a new Ableton Push controller.
“The outpouring of support for our new studio has been incredible,” says Terri Winston, WAM Founder and Executive Director. “WAM wouldn’t have been able to create this world-class recording and training environment without our industry supporters. It’s so meaningful for the women and girls we serve to be trained on the best gear in the business and gain critical work experience that prepares them for jobs in the industry. Our clients are so excited we started booking up way before we were even open. We have already had David Harrington of Kronos Quartet, Sean Dorsey Dance, the San Francisco Zoo and Lia Rose in the studio before we even opened. It’s a big step up for WAM and the 1,200 women and girls we serve each year.”
In June, WAM resumed their adult class schedule and client recording sessions at their new studio. For more information about Women’s Audio Mission, visit womensaudiomission.org.
