Interview with Steve Milner
Audio Professional and Creator of DCSoundOp
Meet Steve Milner, an audio professional and creator of the popular DCSoundOp YouTube channel that focuses on pro audio content and is a great resource for when you’re looking for pro-audio videos, reviews and more! We got a chance to interview him and learn what inspired him to start his channel and how the pandemic has impacted him as well as others in the industry.
Click here to check out his channel
What inspired you to start your YouTube channel?
Growing up in the 90’s, magazines were always a huge resource for learning. There was a magazine back then for anything you could think of and though most were not strictly educational, you’d see details in photos and get to hear from people behind the scenes. When DcSoundOp was started five years ago, there was not a ton of pro audio content out there in video format. After watching all of Dave Rat’s videos a few times, it always left me looking for more. Musicians, photographers, and other creative professionals were finding each other on YouTube, but pro audio content was hard to find. Outside of the studio content, what you would find typically only focused on the top of the industry and the biggest acts. There wasn’t anyone talking about the everyday work, the smaller gigs, or how to start from zero and get a foot in the door. That seemed worth trying to change.
Where did the name DCSoundOp come from?
The DcSoundOp name came from working in Washington, D.C. for the past twenty years, and trying to find a simple name to use online. It was my email for years before YouTube and just made sense at the time to keep using it. I am not in D.C. anymore, we moved away a year ago for a number of reasons, all of which were going great for the six months leading up to the pandemic.
You get the chance to interview and talk to a lot of the different people in the industry before and during the pandemic. What kind of companies or people in the industry do you feel are struggling the most right now?
It’s hard to know how everyone is really doing, even talking to so many people. The variety of things industry friends and crew have done to get by and keep businesses afloat in any way possible has been inspiring. I heard from a lot of people who had very few options, resources, or opportunities to get by on. They have been doing anything they can to keep a roof over their family's head, but with a real concern they’ll be left out of the industry when work comes back, if they’re not available to jump at it. It’s tough to hear so many people going through the same thing.
How has the pandemic impacted you?
Instead of traveling to gigs and events, I’ve been fortunate to do a little bit of consulting with some of the same clients. Everyone was forced to take their whole world online with little notice, helping with that effort has kept me somewhat busy thankfully. Producing and editing videos for other people in the industry has been a nice experience too. It’s something I’d like to keep growing and hopefully work on bigger projects in the future.
What kind of hobbies have kept you busy during?
The DcSoundOp videos each week are as close to a hobby as it gets this year. Rearranging the workspace and desks way too often to make it feel more like a gig has been a bit of a hobby, helpful too if you’re not used to a desk job.
What's the best tip you've received or best tip you would give another Sound Human?
The best tip I’ve received from another Sound Human? Don’t mistake the gear you own for your value as an audio professional. Gear can be rented or bought when needed and sold to make ends meet when it’s not. You don’t have to feel much about doing either. Your experience as a technician and value as a creative or professional voice should be why your phone rings.
When you focus on being valuable instead of owning valuable stuff, surprisingly you get asked to operate the more valuable stuff way more often.
Want to be a featured Sound Human?
Submit Here
