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I researched The Mash House, looking into its location, accessibility, and overall reputation for hosting live music performances. I checked how easy it is to get there via public transport and parking availability. I also reviewed past events held at the venue and the types of acts they typically host, especially in the indie, pop, and alternative genres. I explored their website, social media pages, and reviews on platforms like Google and Yelp to get a sense of their sound system, stage size, and technical requirements for performances.

Source: https://themashhouse.co.uk

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I researched how to create a balanced setlist by mixing well-known covers (Super Trouper, Airplanes, Black Sheep) with original tracks (Nevermind, Tek It). I considered how the pacing and flow of songs could affect the energy of the performance, balancing fast and slow songs, as well as the different moods. I looked into advice from other musicians about how to keep transitions smooth between different genres and types of songs, and how to keep the audience engaged throughout the set. I learned a lot from an article on view maniac about what makes a good setlist.

Source: https://blog.viewmaniac.com/crafting-the-perfect-cover-band-setlist-a-guide-to-rocking-the-stage/#:~:text=A%20great%20setlist%20has%20a,tempo%20tracks%2C%20and%20dance%20anthems.

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1. Super Trouper by ABBA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BshxCIjNEjY
Released in 1980, Super Trouper is a classic pop anthem from Swedish group ABBA. With its catchy melody and heartfelt lyrics about the highs and lows of performing, the song became a global hit and remains one of their most iconic tracks.

2. Black Sheep by Metric

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2w608EMt9mU

Featured in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (2010), "Black Sheep" by Metric is an upbeat indie rock anthem about rebellion and individuality. Its resonating guitar riffs and Emily Haines’ iconic vocals helped make it one of the band’s most recognizable songs.

3. Tek It by Cafuné

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Kcoia22hdg

"Tek It" (2020) blends indie pop and lo-fi R&B, with smooth beats and introspective lyrics. American indie pop duo Cafuné captures a laid-back yet emotional vibe, making it a standout track for fans of calm yet deeply personal music.

4. Airplanes by Bob

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_dJAI_1veM

Released in 2019, Bob’s Airplanes mixes hip-hop with deep lyrics about escape and freedom. With a mellow, catchy beat, it captures the longing for something more, resonating with listeners who appreciate deep, soulful rap.

5. Nevermind (Original Song)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Zzz2ocBZ0A

Nevermind was written by me and my band it draws inspiration from the indie pop genre with meaningful lyrics yet a light and enjoyable sound.

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Genre Conventions - Pop and Alternative Music

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Genre Conventions - Pop and Alternative Music

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I explored the typical performance expectations for pop music (Super Trouper, Airplanes) and indie/alternative music (Black Sheep, Tek It, Nevermind). I researched common arrangements, vocal techniques, and performance styles for each genre, focusing on how these differ between pop and alternative music. I looked into how musicians in these genres structure their rehearsals and performances, and what elements they often emphasize, such as audience interaction, stage presence, and visuals.

This is a great article where i found out most of my information: https://unlocktheguitar.net/blog/band-rehearsal-how-the-pros-rehearse-for-a-show/#:~:text=Most%20amateur%20bands%20and%20musicians,is%20designed%20to%20reduce%20risk.

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Many of us are at a loss when it comes to guitar or any kind of music practice and just how to execute it. That extends to the concept of rehearsal and how we're to prepare for a live performance in the context of a band. This can be any type of performance, whether solo, simple gigging, larger venues, or even something like a church music group.

Taking music lessons or guitar lessons is one thing. It's structured and easy to follow. Yet your own rehearsal is often a different story.

There's little concrete guidance for rehearsing and practicing. It's a very open-ended part of being a musician and everyone has their own interpretation of how they feel best to approach it.

In this article I'm going to talk about how I believe we should rehearse and how guitar practice should look, particularly when performing songs and playing live.
How Amateur Rehearsal Looks
Most amateur bands and musicians rehearse by practicing segments of songs and getting through difficult parts of a set list. For example, you might play through a certain percentage of what you already know, then spend more time on what you're less familiar with.

Ultimately, this is designed to reduce risk. We don't have enough time to cover everything, so we're going to make sure we've minimized risk by covering the areas where we're most statistically likely to make a mistake.

Thus, you end up having a practice that looks something like this:

Spend 20 percent of your time talking through the material

50 percent ironing out weak areas

30 percent covering what you're "more or less" comfortable with

This segments your rehearsal and - I would argue - makes it harder to actually learn songs in a more holistic sense.

Professional bands don't do this. Their rehearsals tend to look very different.
How Professional Musicians Practice and Rehearse
From what I've seen of professional bands rehearsing, and professional bands I've rehearsed with, they don't do a lot of starting and stopping or working on obscure segments of songs. Instead, they rehearse their show where each song is its own component. Here's what I mean:

Songs are played through in their entirety just as they'll be played live

Vocals are not necessarily needed for instrument rehearsal

Repetition is emphasized and familiar songs get very boring

To help illustrate my point, watch this video of Disturbed rehearsing ("warming up") before a show. They're playing a song called "Immortalized" with just their guitar and bass player.

Keep in mind, this is their warm up, yet they're not skipping any part of the song and are playing it all the way through following the same structure they would if they were on stage.

Another great example of this is the Smashing Pumpkins rehearsal for their Saturday Night Live performance, way back in 1993. There's a lot of sitting around, but if you click through you can see that they perform "Cherub Rock" three times total, all the way through, exactly like the live performance.

They even have the guy with the headphones introducing them like the host does on the live show.

Nirvana's rehearsal (also in 1993) goes exactly the same way:

Lest we assume this is just an SNL rehearsal thing, we can see Skillet going through the same full-song process for an acoustic set rehearsal back in 2017.

From these videos we get an inside look into what it means to practice and rehearse as a professional musician. From them, I think we can draw some safe conclusions about our own band rehearsals and practice sessions.
Practice and Rehearsal Should be About Uniformity and Repetition
It doesn't sound fun or particularly artistic to put it this way, but rehearsal and practice should - particularly when it comes to songs - be uniform and structured. It should mirror your live performance or recording session as much as possible.

Even if you know certain portions of a song really well, you do yourself (and your band) a disservice by leaving them out of a rehearsal. Here are a few takeaways from these videos that further emphasize and explain my point.

Takeaway #1: Play Songs Exactly How They'll Be Played Live (all the way through)

When you're preparing for a live performance, every individual song should be a structural dress rehearsal. Because memorizing structure and information is aided by music. If your rehearsal takes the music out of that structure, you've then removed the best tool you have to get that information into your brain. This has its own implication for establishing structure:

ESTABLISH A SONG STRUCTURE AND STICK WITH IT FOREVER

A song structure should be set in stone and extremely difficult to change. When you learn a song, you take the time to establish the structure and talk through it. However, after that structure has been established, you memorize it by playing the entire song through, every time. Of course, if you play with a blues band or a jam band, this is very much not the case. Certain songs and styles will require a little artistic merit in more improv-based sections.

Takeaway #2: Rely on Repetition

Repetition is the single most effective way we can move systems from being a conscious process to a sub-conscious or "automatic" process. This is why you don't see Kurt Cobain or John Cooper performing with a music stand. They've relied on repetition to make sure that chords, lyrics, and riffs have all become second-nature.

This is easily seen in neurological development in children, where repetition - in a variety of forms - is the most straightforward method of retaining and recalling information.

SPACED REPETITION IN BAND PRACTICE

In an academic environment, spaced repetition usually speaks to longer periods of time between tests and quizzes (days and weeks). But we can apply the same logic to a band's rehearsal where playing a song should be viewed as a form of a test.

There are no do-overs, no stopping and starting. If you're ready to rehearse a song, you should have to go through all of it, then take the time to tweak, learn, or fine-tune in the space between each repetitive step.

Takeaway #3: Know Full Songs, Not Chord Sheets

I'm not saying don't use chord sheets. But, knowing a song in its full form should alleviate you from having to rely on a chord sheet. Because again, I've yet to see a music stand in any of the rehearsal videos I've watched. Professional musicians (excluding classical and formal performers) don't need to follow chords and lyrics. They know each song as a single, autonomous object, which makes following the variety within that object a lot easier.

Takeaway #4: At no point should you be wondering, "What do we play next?"

If we know the structure of the song and we've repeated it enough, there should be no doubt in anyone's mind, at any point while playing that song, about what is going to be played next.

Do we repeat the chorus?

Do we end on the root?

Are we going straight into the bridge or playing a third verse?

Play a song all the way through, enough times so that no one in your group doubts what they're about to play at any point in that song.
When band members second guess themselves, these kinds of questions will bring a song to a screeching halt during rehearsal. If this happens during a performance, you get a weird amalgamation of chords and notes that you can only hope resolves itself without having to stop.

If someone in your group is asking these questions, then one of the following things are true:

1. You (or whoever is leading the music) haven't communicated a clear structure for the song.

2. There hasn't been enough repetition to fully memorize or absorb the structure and subsequent path of the song

In most cases, it's the latter of the two that is causing the problem. Musicians simply don't have enough time to repeat songs or haven't been exposed to the structure enough to internalize it. Besides, you can talk through the structure of the song a lot, but band members won't really remember it until they play it. Again, putting something to music is one of the most effective ways to build memory.

It stands to reason that most of the time, when someone is unsure of where to go in a song, they just haven't been exposed to it enough and need to play it more. More repetition is needed.

Play a song all the way through, enough times so that no one in your group doubts what they're about to play at any point in that song.

In Conclusion
I understand that it's not always easy to rehearse like this. For one thing, time constraints mean that repetition isn't always possible, much less exhaustive. This isn't a problem for professional musicians like we saw in the earlier videos, because they do this stuff all the time. It's their job.

For those of us who don't have an unlimited amount of time to spend on rehearsal, we can still optimize that time by taking some of these best practices and applying them as much and as often as possible.

When you play a song, play it through and then run it back a second time, even if it "went well" in that first run. Because we don't just want to get lucky during a performance by miraculously not screwing up. We want to know the material so well that it would be out of the ordinary for a miscue or a mistake to occur.

If we perform like that, we can give more attention to enjoying the music and being better overall entertainers.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Leigh Fuge is a UK based guitarist and music journalist. He writes for several high profile publications both in print format and online including Guitar Chalk. When he's not writing about guitar you can find him playing on stage or making YouTube videos about his passion.

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Band Rehearsal: How the Pros Rehearse for a Show - Unlock the Guitar

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In this article, professional guitarist Leigh Fuge gives us a great insight into how the pros carry out a rehearsal and how you can apply this to your band.

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Audience Research - Target Market for Your Music

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Audience Research - Target Market for Your Music

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I researched the type of audience that would be interested in my music, taking into account the mix of pop and alternative genres in my setlist. I looked into the demographics of the typical Mash House audience and other similar venues, focusing on factors like age, musical preferences, and how my chosen genres might appeal to them. I achieved this by going onto the mash house instagram page and looking at posts that they are tagged in. I also reviewed data on streaming platforms like Spotify and YouTube to get an idea of where my potential audience might be and how to target them more effectively.

source:https://www.instagram.com/mashhouse/

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Vocal/Instrumental Techniques for Your Set

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Vocal/Instrumental Techniques for Your Set

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I researched vocal techniques suitable for performing pop (Airplanes) and alternative music (Tek It, Nevermind). I looked into specific techniques that would help me match the vocal styles of Hayley Williams in Airplanes and replicate the indie-rock feel of Black Sheep. I also researched instrumental techniques, focusing on how to achieve the distinctive sounds in each track. I watched tutorials and breakdowns of these songs to better understand the technicalities behind their performances. This video showed me a good understanding of tek it by cafune: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiIA-9eOc44

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Tek It by Cafuné Guitar Tutorial - Guitar Lessons with Stuart!

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Roles and Responsibilities - Planning and Delivery

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Roles and Responsibilities - Planning and Delivery

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I researched the different roles involved in organizing a live music performance. I explored how responsibilities are typically divided among the band members, event coordinators, sound technicians, and other support staff. I looked into the planning and coordination required for rehearsals, soundchecks, and the overall event. By understanding how tasks are split and how each role contributes to a successful performance, I can ensure smooth collaboration and efficiency leading up to the event.

This article by the ICMP goes into a good amount of detail about this subject:https://www.icmp.ac.uk/blog/how-organise-and-promote-live-music-events

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How to Organise and Promote Live Music Events

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As a music student in London, you might have considered the prospect of organising and promoting live music events. It’s an exciting opportunity to showcase talent, build a community, and gain practical experience in today’s music industry. In our latest blog, we will walk you through the process, from the initial planning stages to promotion, selling tickets, and ensuring safety at your upcoming events here. Let’s get started! To further your knowledge on organising live events, check out our Live Event and Festival Management Course here at ICMP.

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I researched effective time management strategies for rehearsals and preparations for my live performance. I looked into how to balance individual practice time with group rehearsals, making sure we have time for each song as well as for general coordination. I found advice on how to efficiently structure rehearsal sessions, prioritize tasks, and ensure that everyone stays on track with their responsibilities, leading up to the event. The website linked below gave us a good understanding of which techniques are useful to ensure that our rehearsals were efficient and frequent.

https://onthestage.com/blog/8-tips-for-managing-rehearsals-efficiently/#:~:text=Create%20a%20Detailed%20Schedule,each%20minute%20is%20used%20effectively.

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8 Tips for Managing Rehearsals Efficiently - On The Stage

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On The Stage presents eight important ways performing artists can manage their rehearsals efficiently and produce their show successfully.

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Post-Event Work - Evaluating Your Performance

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Post-Event Work - Evaluating Your Performance

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I researched methods of gathering feedback after a live performance. I explored how musicians typically evaluate their shows through audience surveys, social media interactions, and informal conversations. I looked into how to use this feedback to improve future performances, focusing on key areas like audience engagement, song choice, and overall stage presence. I also found examples of how other musicians analyze their live shows to gauge their success.

Source:https://meetings.skift.com/2023/07/01/15-ideas-to-collect-feedback-at-events/

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Understanding how your attendees are feeling about your brand or event is essential. It helps in improving user experience for the future. The more constructive feedback, the better. No feedback is bad feedback. It allows you to understand the areas you need to work harder on next time. Even if it is negative, it serves as valuable input for improvement. The problem is, getting feedback from attendees can be difficult, particularly if you are looking for something more in depth because it can be time consuming and no one wants to interrupt their event experience. However, there are plenty of ways to incorporate quick and easy satisfaction surveys at your event, as well as longer term feedback, which you can incentivise. Here's some ideas for all event types to get you started.

Types of Event Feedback

Instant - This involves getting live or real-time answers that are quick and easy for the attendee as well as yourselves when it comes to compiling the data and tends to be the favoured or most likely to get answers with minimal effort. Generally instant feedback are yes or no/good or bad questions that are one way or the other.

Delayed - More valuable for the event organisers but time consuming for the attendee. Incentives can help increase feedback rates. These are the opportunity to involve in depth and more complex questions.

Gain some snapshot feedback via a simple and no-tech show of hands to gauge the mindset of your attendees immediately. Don't ask pointless questions such as "raise your hand if you have enjoyed the event". Instead pick the questions well and ask quick fire questions such as "raise your hand if you have met at least one new contact today?". Also ask "raise your hand if you have learnt something today which will change your way of working in the short or long term?".

Ensure that these do not run on too long. You can make them less obvious by adding some fun or alternative questions to keep attendees engaged.

Alternatively you could share red and green cards in the delegate bags for a visual photo opportunity or use meeting design techniques such as body voting .

Social media is where your attendees are likely to talk about your brand or event. Monitor your major accounts to see if you have been mentioned or tagged. Respond accordingly to engage with your audience and manage your online presence. You can also ensure people can "check-in" at your event. This way, you know which attendees are there and what they are saying. A social wall at the event can be a fun and interactive way for attendees to provide feedback.

You can also create polls on Twitter. Use the Facebook emoticons (Like, Love, Wow) for people to feedback their answer or preference.

The technology exists to track the feelings of your attendees via facial recognition . Data from cameras placed around the event can recognize attendees. The system can report back on how they are feeling based on what their face is telling. Neat!

Have stations around your events near specific areas you want feedback on or simply the exit. These stations should have buttons to click, answering a question.

Alternatively, you can opt for emotion buttons signalling happy or sad which can be attached to a question board or relate to the event overall.

These are quick, easy and efficient (and people love pressing buttons!). However, the only downside is there is generally no way to change your answer. So if people make a mistake it can sometimes get lost in translation.

Remember to have a place or member of staff to collect them and be sure to read every one.

Particularly if you are looking for feedback on your processes pre or post event, an email follow-up can be a useful tool. You might just want to encourage free-flowing and unprompted feedback. Replying to an email request is a quick and efficient way for most people to do this.

Alternatively, incorporate a simple feedback question and response buttons at the bottom of a confirmation email. The question could be asking, "how did we do?".

If you're using a survey within the email, make sure you ask the first (and most important) question directly in the email. A recent study from Survey Monkey found that surveys had a 22% increase in opens when this was the case.

As wearable tech becomes more refined and commonplace, forward-thinking event organizers are increasingly experimenting with it. They use it as a way to enhance the experience of their attendees.

One notable example was the #FeelWinbledon campaign from Jaguar and Wimbledon. They created a unique opportunity to sense the mood of fans in real-time thanks to biometric sensors, which could then be experienced in VR. More recently, Involve employed wearable tech to increase attendee engagement, with smartwatches used to notify users which stall they needed to be at, among other things.

Gauging how involved your attendees are or their feelings towards a partner or sponsor can be easily measured by creating competitions on social media and merely seeing how many enter and how fast it spreads.

Competitions that offer an incentive (for example, an iPad) tend to garner greater feedback and participation. Promise and promote a live giveaway at the end of the event, with reminders throughout to keep attendees invested. Not only does this encourage participation, but it also provides a form of corporate events entertainment.

Creating campaigns that require shares on social media can boost branding and marketing. It also helps in gauging how much reach your attendees have. Additionally, it measures how passionate they are about certain brands, products, or your event.

At exhibitions or trade shows, have feedback staff that "float" and engage with attendees. They can ask them about their experiences and how they are finding the event so far.

It is important to get engaging staff that won't feel fake or forced. These staff members should have genuine conversations and be helpful while also gathering information.

Double up your chances of getting good feedback by placing staff at information points, catering areas, and charging points.

Incorporating a feedback option into an event app can be an easy, seamless option. It requires minimal collection planning as automatic push notifications can be sent via the app. The results can be displayed in real-time at your conference or event. They show bar or pie charts to match your event branding.

Hanapin Marketing used an event app to great effect. They gave attendees the chance to provide their take on each speaker after a session. The feedback was then used to retain and attract the best speakers. The speakers loved the fact that they received individual feedback.

As well as surveys, you can use polls (see below). Additionally, you can vote up the statements which resonate the most with attendees. Some apps even allow visual data to be collected, with answer data displayed as heatmaps. By using technology you can have real time data to analyze immediately.

For conferences and events or conference panel discussions live polling can be a useful tool to interact with the audience. Allowing you to see current trends or habits in real-time. This can enable you to adjust the event itself to cater to audience wants and needs. It can involve thought-provoking questions or simply emotions but either way it generates audience engagement!

It's also a great way to energize an event. Attendees feel connected to the speaker, and the speaker can then react to poll results. A live poll keeps things fresh and current and dissuades attendees from drifting off onto social media.

For competitions or anonymous feedback, you don't have to track answers to an individual. Polls can be conducted via an event app, on social media, via a web tool, or simply by a count of hands.

Incorporating a purpose for event badges to be returned and recycled at the end of a corporate conference, as well as being a great feedback opportunity. are badge bins on the exits that allow attendees to place their name badges in whichever bin they agree with (e.g. loved the event or hated the event).

Commonly, it is used to denote whether an attendee had a good experience or not. It allows organizers to follow up with negative feedback for more in-depth answers and results. This is possible because you will have the name badge of the attendee and their contact information.

Doing something physical and providing feedback in a visual way can get people thinking, circulating and providing constructive feedback. Using stickers, cards or Post-It notes are a great way to incorporate your event theme into the feedback itself.

The great thing about this is that it can be done anonymously. In some instances, this actually increases the chances of feedback, particularly if it's negative.

To get the best results, carve out some time within the event. This could be before or after an important speaker. Outline a few key questions and ask for people to add their thoughts to the wall. You might ask "what have we done well?", or "what will I do as a result of today?".

You can make the stickers or cards to suit the theme. For example, martini glasses for cocktail events or running trainers for a sporting event.

Although technology offers the most efficient way to gain feedback, paper surveys can still have a place at corporate events. This is particularly true with certain audiences.

A useful idea is to leave them on tables at sit-down events. Furthermore, request completion to draw attention to them.

Keep them short and to incentivise responses. Consider offering free entry to the next event or a prize a sponsor has donated. Perhaps offer a paper and a digital version of the survey so people can complete in the way that works best for them.

In Conclusion

Constructive feedback is important to keep your events continuously improving and evaluation data from your attendees will be an important part of the event debrief .

There are lots of ways to collect feedback. By using a few different approaches, you can get a clearer picture of the event as a whole. Additionally, you can appeal to your attendees to respond in a way that suits them.

Looking for more event ideas? You've come to the right place. Check out: 200 Event Ideas To Steal Today

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Feedback at events is an essential development and improvement tool. Here are 15 ideas to help you collect valuable reviews.

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As the lead guitarist, I focus on refining the more technically demanding parts of the songs we are playing. I typically warm up by running through challenging sections of our original song, Never Mind, and other pieces that require precision and smooth transitions between chords and lead sections. This helps me stay sharp for the intricate solo work and rapid chord changes in our music.

Warm-up Routine:

Running through the lead guitar parts of Never Mind.

Focus on technique and speed for faster passages.

Working on phrasing and smooth transitions between chords and solos.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FE5MUwhzfeg

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The composition of Never Mind was a collaborative effort within the band. Each member focused on contributing their parts for their respective instruments, ensuring that everyone’s ideas and strengths were represented. I specifically worked on the lead guitar sections, crafting melodies that complement the vocals and rhythms. We also included rap segments in the song, a unique blend that adds depth to the piece.

Songwriting Process:

Brainstorming lyrics and music ideas as a group.

Discussing the structure of the song and how to blend the guitar lines with the rap sections.

Jamming together to work out the transitions and how each section of the song flows into the next.

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Rehearsing with the band was integral to solidifying the sound and feel of Never Mind. We spent a lot of time fine-tuning our parts, making sure the transitions between guitar and rap sections were seamless. During rehearsals, we focused on cohesion as a group—ensuring our individual parts came together to create a unified, polished performance.

Rehearsal Focus:

Timing and transitions between the rap and instrumental sections.

Synchronizing with the rhythm guitar (Mathew, Diego, and Brooklyn) and making sure the bass (Theo) and drums (Gillie) supported the lead guitar line.

Ensuring the vocals (Ed and Theodora) were prominently featured, with my guitar complementing their melody and tone.

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Working with my bandmates has been a collaborative effort, with each member contributing their unique skills and ideas to the project. We meet regularly to discuss logistics, artistic decisions, and how best to present Never Mind both live and in recordings. The creative process has been highly collaborative, with input from everyone on the direction of the song and the performance.

Collaboration Notes:

Brainstorming and contributing ideas for musical sections.

Discussing the integration of rap into the song and how to make it blend smoothly with the other musical elements.

Sharing responsibilities for parts of the performance, such as stage setup and live sound.

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We are preparing to perform Never Mind as part of our setlist at The Mashhouse on Cowgate. This performance will showcase the song in front of a live audience, where we aim to capture the energy and creative synergy of our band. We’ve worked hard to ensure that the flow of the song, along with the transitions, will be tight and impactful.

Performance Details:

Venue: The Mashhouse, Cowgate.

Setlist: Includes Never Mind along with other original songs.

Focus on engaging the audience with both the rap segments and the instrumental portions of the song.

Our performance video can now be accessed on the Out of the Box Website

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFbyrWKq5mU

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Evidence for Practical Skills and Knowledge

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Evidence for Practical Skills and Knowledge

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Practice Logs:

I keep detailed logs of my personal practice sessions, noting which techniques I focused on and what areas need more attention.

Rehearsal Reviews:

After rehearsals, I review the recordings and make notes on how we can improve the timing, transitions, and overall cohesion of the song.

(Notes from rehearsals are listed in the post below)

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Band Rehearsal Minutes - March 31, 2025

Agenda:

Tighten "Tek It" and "Super Trouper"

Start “Airplanes”

Progress:

“Tek It”: Worked out timing on the intro, with Theo's bass locking in with Gillie’s drums. I added some extra flair to the solo, and Mathew adjusted his rhythm part for a cleaner sound.

“Super Trouper”: Harmonies from Theodora and Ed sounding much smoother, especially in the chorus. Mathew and Brooklyn tightened up their rhythm work.

“Airplanes”: Erin introduced the synth intro, which sounded great. Brooklyn and Mathew made adjustments to their rhythm guitar sections, and we started syncing the drums to the synth.

Challenges:

The synth in “Airplanes” doesn’t quite blend with the rhythm guitar yet—had to pause a few times to adjust.

Goals:

Focus on tightening the synth/guitar sync for next week. Run through “Airplanes” and revisit the transitions.

Band Rehearsal Minutes - April 7, 2025

Agenda:

Focus on “Airplanes”

Run-through of “Black Sheep”

Progress:

“Airplanes”: Erin’s synth is now matching with the guitar, and the transitions between sections are getting smoother. Theo added a bassline that really complements the synth in the intro.

“Black Sheep”: Run-through was solid, with everyone in sync. Your solo section was smooth, and Ed’s harmonies with Theodora were tighter. Gillie nailed the dynamic shifts in the bridge.

Challenges:

Minor tempo syncing issues in “Airplanes” between the synth and rhythm section.

“Black Sheep” still has some lingering issues with tempo variations in the verses.

Goals:

Finalize tempo in “Airplanes.” Start thinking about dynamics for the quieter sections of “Black Sheep” and the original song.

Band Rehearsal Minutes - April 14, 2025

Agenda:

Rehearse “Black Sheep” and original song

Adjust dynamics for quieter sections

Progress:

“Black Sheep”: Tempo is improving, especially in the bridge. Your guitar solo is now tighter, and Brooklyn's rhythm section provides a solid foundation. Theodora’s and Ed’s harmonies are really starting to blend well.

Original Song: Erin brought in some new chords for the bridge, and Theo worked on a bassline that complements it. Ed's vocal melody is now the main hook. We also refined some of the lyrics for better flow.

Challenges:

Original song still needs work in the structure of the verse sections. Not all parts are flowing as smoothly as they should.

Minor dynamic issues in quieter parts of “Black Sheep” where energy dips.

Goals:

Finalize structure and lyrics for the original song. Focus on dynamics and transitions for quieter parts of “Black Sheep.”

Band Rehearsal Minutes - April 21, 2025

Agenda:

Polish original song

Full run-through of the setlist

Progress:

Original Song: The structure is solid now; everyone’s parts fit together. The new bridge added by Mathew and me adds emotional depth. Vocals from Theodora and Ed are flowing well.

Setlist Run-through: We did a complete run-through of the setlist. “Tek It” and “Super Trouper” are almost locked in, and “Black Sheep” sounds great now. The original song still needs some fine-tuning in the transitions, but it’s sounding good overall.

Challenges:

The original song needs tighter vocal harmonies in the chorus, as some notes were slightly off.

Timing still slightly off in transitions between songs—especially between “Super Trouper” and “Black Sheep.”

Goals:

Smooth out transitions between songs. Focus on tightening the vocal harmonies in the original song.

Band Rehearsal Minutes - April 28, 2025

Agenda:

Finalize setlist flow

Run-through before performance

Progress:

Setlist: Everything is coming together. We adjusted transitions between songs, especially the shift from “Super Trouper” to “Black Sheep.” Each song feels more connected now.

Performance Readiness: Vocal harmonies are spot on in “Super Trouper.” You and Theo worked out a smoother intro for “Tek It.” Gillie added some new fills that bring out the energy in “Black Sheep.”

Challenges:

Still need to tighten up “Tek It” during the solo section. Minor sync issues between you and Brooklyn at the start.

The original song needs a few more tweaks before it’s fully ready for the stage.

Goals:

Final practice on transitions and solos. Make sure the original song is set for the final run-through next week.

Band Rehearsal Minutes - May 5, 2025

Agenda:

Final run-through before performance

Progress:

Full Set: Everything is now flowing seamlessly! The transitions between songs are sharp, and everyone knows their cues. The final run-through felt smooth, and we hit every vocal harmony perfectly.

Final Details: You nailed the solo in “Tek It.” Ed and Theodora’s vocals in “Super Trouper” are clean, and Gillie’s drum fills add energy to the quiet parts of “Black Sheep.”

Challenges:

Minor solo tweaks on “Tek It” to add a bit more flair. Some final adjustments on stage positioning to ensure smooth transitions.

Goals:

Ready for performance! Feeling confident in the entire set.

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For this project, I worked with my band to prepare and perform a live set at The Mash House, a well-known venue in Edinburgh. I began by researching the venue’s accessibility, layout, and reputation for hosting indie and pop acts. This helped us understand the technical setup and the kind of audience we’d be playing to. We created a setlist that mixed well-known covers (Super Trouper, Airplanes, Black Sheep) with originals like Nevermindand Tek It. I studied how to build a setlist with the right energy and flow, balancing moods and tempos to keep the audience engaged. As the lead guitarist, I focused on developing technically demanding parts of songs—especially solos and transitions. I practiced regularly, working on speed, phrasing, and smooth chord changes, especially in our original track Nevermind.

Rehearsals were key to tightening our sound. We kept minutes from each session, noting what worked and what needed improvement. We worked hard on syncing parts, tightening harmonies, and polishing transitions between songs. I also collaborated closely with the rhythm section and vocalists to ensure a cohesive performance. Alongside the musical work, I researched vocal and instrumental techniques specific to pop and alternative genres. I also explored how musicians promote live events and gather feedback afterward—valuable knowledge for improving future shows. Overall, this project helped me grow as a guitarist and team member. I learned how to plan a live set from start to finish, and how to rehearse, perform, and evaluate our work like professionals.

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On the day of the gig, we kicked things off with a morning rehearsal to tighten everything up. After that, we grabbed some food as a group to keep the vibes high and stay relaxed. Once we got to the venue, we greeted everyone and took in the great atmosphere. We watched the first band perform, which got us even more hyped. When it was our turn, everyone was buzzing with excitement. The performance went really well—everything clicked on stage, and the audience was roaring with energy. Coming off stage to a round of applause was an amazing feeling and a great end to the night.

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In the future, I would focus on improving the timing and tightness of transitions between songs, as well as refining vocal harmonies earlier in the rehearsal process. I’d also like to spend more time on stage presence and audience interaction to create a more engaging performance. Better time management during rehearsals would help us address challenges more efficiently and leave more room for creative experimentation.