Gender Participation in Audio Engineering in Nigeria: A Case Study of Street Recording Studios in Anambra State, Nigeria

Abstract

In studio recording, sound engineers are, along with producers and musicians, a vital part of the creative process. The sound engineers exercise powers from the control room, where the sound from the studio is recorded and manipulated. They operate either professional audio mixing consoles or computers with specialized software suites to manipulate and voice the sound for analogue or digital. Many women are seen playing instruments and singing, and women have broken into many careers, but audio engineering is a field still very much dominated by men. This paper focuses on gender issues in audio music recording to find reasons behind the rareness of female sound engineers in Nigeria, especially in Anambra State. The study made use of the descriptive survey method to collect data. Articles and books were selected and studied to find a consensus on the existing problems of prejudice and inequities women face in the industry. Information was elicited through oral interviews with some studio engineers from 26 street recording studios in Anambra state. This paper argues that women sound engineers face entry-level and on-the-job gender discrimination- the technological tools in use are seen as being at odds with femininity. The power exercised within music production is not equally accessible to women; this factor, among many, upholds gender inequality in the music industry. Therefore, it recommends combating the prejudices and inequities women face in the industry. There is a need for more women to enroll in formal schooling on how to become a recording engineer and to acquire technical ability, interpersonal skills, and musical understanding and creativity.