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What went well with my assignment? Personally, I believe that what went the best for me was the improvements on my level from last year. My attendance is better and so is my lateness ratio. Being here is something I really want because music is something that I love, something that has kept me going even in some of my hardest times I life and I want to one day be able to give that to somebody else through my own music. What went well for me I would say is the production of my track for the final assessment. It didn't take me too long to create the full track, and it gave me a great amount of time to be able to perfect it including allowing me to mix it. What would I improve? I know that I need to improve on my transitions in the track that I made. I would also like to focus on improving my time management. I feel it has taken me too long to finish on some sections of the Padlet. What have I learnt? Well i have learnt how to create buses in ProTools and in logic from Ewan along with how to mix my tracks in logic, I was shown the different note repeaters and transposers. I have also learnt from Chris Pettifer about the history of some producers and some other job roles in our Wednesday theory lessons. What I enjoyed was the studio lessons with Ewan and Suze, learning how most producers work in their studios. I have also enjoyed being able to make music again, it is something that I have missed during the time where I wasn't at college from last year. But the thing I have enjoyed the most is being united with my friend by the same common passion for music. I also enjoyed perhaps breaking the fourth wall slightly on one or two parts of the assignment. What would I say needs to be improved on this course? Chris Robinsons lesson. We have him for a lesson where it isn't his strong point, it has gotten to the point where I don't believe myself or my friends get along with him as its almost as if the lesson is bland, I feel we should maybe get a chance to have him in the studio as that is where i have heard he is the strongest.

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Song one "Panic room" by Au/Ra.

https://open.spotify.com/track/7uUahoeqGNRMbpdeiLj1rS?si=26f94fd583d34ad9

what I like about this song mainly is her voice. she has one of those soft eerie voices that perfectly fits the lyrics of the sound. Instruments that I believe might have been used in the song consist of keyboards, synthesizers, electronic programming, electric bass and guitar but also the vocals from Au/Ra herself. The song doesn't necessarily mean anything to me it is just a song that i enjoy even if i don't listen to it as much as i would for other songs. the vibe is mostly just something i would listen to while trying to relax.

Song two "in a little" by Alec Benjamin.

https://open.spotify.com/track/3avPLbzzQcHRSN68lBX79s?si=60c689eb50cb4407

This is a one that I really love the meaning of as it is a song about caring and loving so much you don't want to let go or leave that person. songs like this are ones that pull on my heartstrings. I believe to have been used in this song insists of an acoustic guitar, a piano or a slight subtle keyboard, a bass guitar and obviously Alec's vocals which would be the main part of the songs feel and story. To me this song is about sacrifices and how much it truly means to cherish moments with those that you love. One of my favourite songs that I could listen to on repeat for hours.

Song three "wu willst du hin" by Xavier Naidoo.

https://open.spotify.com/track/3tPoDyHhd5h9xUSQ5w3NR7?si=ba3be769e1f547cd

I enjoy listening to this song even though it is actually in German so I don't truly know the meaning of the lyrics, however this is exactly why I like this song I can admire the beauty of another countries music tastes. Instruments listed on the album played by the credited musicians vocals and keyboard by Xavier himself along with keyboard, piano, guitar/baritone guitar, another guitar, bass and percussion. What the song vibes/mood for me is more a sentimental matter as it is a song I was shown by my long time family friend and neighbour who is like an uncle to me. to me this reminds me of all the fun hangout nights that we have had together as friends/family.

Song four "joker and the queen" by Ed Sheeran.

https://open.spotify.com/track/3NuLxTXowTRcguTh9RsPmM?si=3a60a0570efd45a4

This song to me is a reminder of what i want in life, a reminder of a love that is unconditional even when somebody makes mistakes or makes a fool of themselves they both still give everything for each other. a love where money and status doesn't matter but instead they see behind that and love each other for who they are. Instruments listed on album notes in this song are bass, drums, keyboard, acoustic guitar plus other guitars like electric, piano, drum programming, strings programming and normal programming, cello, double bass, glockenspiel and marimba.This song is a slow and emotional vibe and it hits me in the feels whenever I listen to it. To me this song means to always appreciate and love what you have while you have it.

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ABOUT ME: Write a about you and your interests in music, giving examples of artists or bands that have inspired you. You should discuss:

Who you are and your interests and hobbies

Do you play, sing or produce music?

Favourite bands and artists

Favourite songs - explain why you like them

Have you been to any gigs? Who would you like to see perform live?

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This is where you will write a final evaluation of your assignment work. You should discusss:
What went well?
What would you improve?
What did you learn?
What did you enjoy?

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Each week, you should reflect on your practical sessions. You should discuss:

What you did

What you learnt

What went well

What you could improve on

Include screenshots and videos from your own projects and performance sessions

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Write a bit about yourself and what you want to achieve with your music one day:

What are your aspirations in music?

What job in music would you like to have one day?

Why do you want to achieve these things?

How do you think you will achieve them (college study, making beats, university, playing in bands etc)?

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Add links to at least 2 songs that you listen to. You should discuss:

What it is you like about each song

The types of sounds and instruments used

What the lyrics, vibe or mood of the songs mean to you?

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Explain the following keywords, using definitions ions and explanations from your own research sources

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What is research within music? Research is a systematic investigation into aspects of a certain field. Research is discovering and interpreting any ideas, practices or history along with any theory involved. In the case of music this would also include performance research and producing research. Much like in science or history, research in music requires asking a lot of questions, analysis of data and gathering any information possible. Music also requires you to draw conclusions for your research. There are many forms of music research such as historical music research. This focuses on the past of music for example who paved the path for a lot of modern music, styles of music such as R&B or hip hop or rock music. It is also about time periods for music such as the classical period or the 2010s period or modern-day music. Another example could be researching how Baroque music was developed by Europe in the 17th century. Methods of rersear5ch could be to analyse the letters or writings of the past long with old scores or performances. However, there are other types of research within music. Theoretical music is also a type of research in music. This focuses on how music is how it works as in its structure like its melody and rhythm. Methods for this type of research is breaking down the structure of the pieces you’re looking into by using the theory of music. Am example of this type of research is analysing the structure of a symphony of say Beethoven, Mozart or Franz Schubert. Key elements of research in music are the research questions, the methodology, collection of the data, the analysis of the research and finally your conclusion on said research. But what are these? Well starting with the question, you look for exactly what you’re trying to find out. For example, how can some musical tracks show emotion? The methodology is how will you find the answer to your question? Well, you need to look at the analysis of performances or look for interviews on podcasts or on tv shows such as the jimmy Fallon show. The data collection is how you gather that information. An example is surveys or historical documents. The analysis is the breaking down of the data and interpreting it properly. Studying rhythms or harmonies during recordings are an example of this. The conclusion is last, and it is essentially the summary of what you learnt.

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What is the music industry? It is a businesses and individuals that are a part of the creation, recording, performance and the distribution of music. It has many roles within it including producers, performers, record labels, streaming services, and promoters/distributors. But what are the key terms and concepts of the music industry? Firstly, we have artists. Artists are individuals or groups that create their own music and perform it. They are the heart of the creative side of the industry which includes singers, bands, songwriters and instrumentalists. Second, we have record labels. These are companies that help to distribute, market and assist in producing music for artists that they have signed to their label. An example of a music label would be Sony music, universal music group or warner music. They often take a cut of the revenues from the artists however as they do finance the recordings etc. Thirdly we have the music producers they oversee. And manage the production and recording of albums or singles. They help the artist to acheive the best possible performance by shaping the sound of a record and in a way working as a guide. Fourth we have copyright which is the protection of original works for their creators. It is the legal right to any music compositions or sound recordings. This is something that gives owners the rights to exclusively own their music including the right to perform, distribute, licence or reproduce their music. Next, we go onto streaming services these are digital platforms where artists can promote their music for people around the world to listen to by using the internet. Streaming is now the main way people listen to music via sites like Spotify or YouTube. Lastly, we have distribution. This is the process of delivering the music to the consumers if this be vinyl or Cd which would be a physical distribution or if its digital like downloads or streaming. This can be handled by independent companies or record labels. But how do these fit together? To put it simply artists, create music, they often do this with producers. Record labels handle the marketing, finance recordings and they also distribute the music. Streaming services and other platforms deliver the music to the listeners. The royalties which haven't been discussed in this explanation. They go to the artists, songwriters, publishers and of course the record label.

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What is a DAW? The three-letter word stands for digital audio workstation. These are electrical systems or software that is used for producing audio files including g the recording, editing and mixing of said files. A DAW is essential for sound designers, composers, audio engineers and music producers. They often enhance or replace the traditional based studio hardware and setups because they allow the manipulation of sound digitally. Simply the core functions of a DAW are recording, editing, mixing, MIDI sequencing, exporting/bouncing. First recording nis the capturing of live audio e.g. instruments or vocals. This is done through interfaces directly into the digital track. Editing is where the modification of audio or MIDI data.  this includes correcting pitches, quantizing, humanizing, moving, fading, stretching, cutting excreta. Mixing is the process of balancing the volume, panning to the left or right, adding effects like delay or reverb and it is also adding EQ to tracks to create a better sound. MIDI sequencing is using a MIDI which stands for a musical instrument digital interface. This is used for controlling virtual instruments and external synthesizers to program the progress of a track. Exporting or bouncing is the final project/track in an audio file format like an MP3 or a WAV file. Popular DAWs are GarageBand, ProTools, Fl studio, Ableton live and logic pro which is my personal favourite. GarageBand is known to be friendly for beginners. ProTools is the industry standard when it comes to studio recordings. Ableton live is best for electronic music or live performances. FL studio is a beat making DAW with a friendly user interface. And lastly logic pro, a mac only DAW commonly used for professional music production. Honourable mentions for popular4 DAWs are Reaper and Cubase. But how does a DAW work? Imagine it as a recording studio but virtal. You do everything inside the computer instead of using the outboard gear, tape machine and any physical mixing consoles. In a DAW you can undo or redo any mistakes or accidents, you can also save versions of your tracks and work in a non-destructive manner. The raw audio will be preserved. You can see waveforms or MIDI notes and arrange them on a visual timeline. Tracks can receive multiple layers in a DAW such as the basics like drums, bass, vocals and guitar. Lastly you can plug in instruments virtually and arrange MIDI notes on a timeline. But what are the features of a DAW? To name a few we have the plugins this includes add-ons like virtual instruments (VSTs) and audio effects. Another feature is the piano roll, which is an editor for MIDI notes, you can even play on a keyboard into the DAW sometimes. Automation is also a feature which is basically controlling the changes for example volume or fade. To put it in a simple summary. A digital audio workstation is the music industry's photoshop in a way. It gives you everything that you need to edit, polish and create tracks including all the tools to make it perfect from scratch. If you're recording live or producing on electric beats.

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What is a professional? Professionals are individuals who have specialized skills and/or knowledge in a certain field for example Ariana grande in music, Nicholas cage in acting or JK Rowling in writing books. Professionals perform work for payment and for a career. They often have formal educations or certification of their training in the area that they are considered a professional in. They bond to the responsibilities and ethics of the occupation that they are within. But what are key characteristics of a professional? First off, the have good expertise, this means that they have an elevated level of experience, knowledge and skills gained through years of training and education. Professionals should also have accountability. They need to take responsibility of their work, its quality, and an action that they may commit. They need to have an ethic. The must follow a code of conduct specific to the profession that they specialize in. This is so they ensure honesty, fairness, and integrity. professionals are required to deliver competent services that are reliable in a consistent manner. If they are not consistent then they may lose their jobs or in the music industry may lose anyone's willingness to work with them. Lastly, they need commitment. To desire to continuously develop in their field of work, to stay updated on any changes and always improve on the skills that they have and to learn any new ones That may be required when the levels in the profession changes. Here are some examples of professionals, first on theme with This course, musicians. They perform or compose †heir music as their primary job. Another example is teachers. Their profession is to educate their students in a subject that they are considered experts in. But why? Why are professionals important? Well, that is because using their knowledge they can assist in solving extremely complex issues within their fields. Their skilled work also allows them to contribute to the society that they are part of this also applies to the economy. Businesses and people can also rely on them as they provide high quality services that are often reliable. To summarise, a professional is someone who uses their education and experience to gain specific skills and knowledge that are specialized into a specific area of a certain. Industry. They use these skills to perform works in a responsible manner usually as their main occupation in life.

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What is composition? Simply it means to put it together. The word is based on the Latin word componer. Composition is the process of arranging and creating elements and parts of something to build it into a whole. It is putting things in an organized way so that they are together and create something that is considered meaningful, if that be music, writing or art. It is usually associated with forms of creative work. The general definition is “the way different elements are combined and arranged to form a unified work.” there are many types of composition, I will only be going through the type that matters for this specific course, and this is musical composition. This is the procedure of the creation and organisation of sounds including melodies and harmonies along with rhythms to create a piece of music. An example of musical composition is Mozart's symphony no.40. This is a famous composition where he arranged the rhythm, notes and instruments into a complete masterpiece of musical art. To explain this simply, a composer would think about the melodies, chords, and the tempo to create an emotion that they can then use to shape the feel and flow of the music that they are creating. yet why does composition matter? Well, it matters because it brings unity and coordination to the creative works it is used in. Yet it also helps for the audience to understand it allowing them to genuinely appreciate what has been created. In music it would show the skills and intentions of the producers. A summary is that composition is the process of arranging the parts into a meaningful whole such as the notes in music or the elements in science.

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Being part of the music industry requires many things, the most successful producers and artists need to understand the job roles within the industry, each job requires a specific set of skills. Focusing on producers there are many famous producers like Rick Rubin, Sylvia Massy or even world known artists have started their careers as producers like Pharrell Williams or someone I will go into more detail on later, Kanye West. Producers need to be a mentor to those that they work with, giving advice to who they work with while also giving them some creative freedom. A good producer should also have lots of patience along with very good communication skills since if somebody approaches them wanting to collaborate and they don't know how to communicate with them? well the collaboration might fall through which could cause them to be given a bad name/reputation among artists especially if their communication skills are so low that they can't even give a response to the inquiry. On the topic all producers should know how to reach out for collaborations, they need to know how to email or message another producer or artists. Other things producers are responsible for in the projects that they work on are budgets. For example if their project has a budget of £3400 but it comes up to £4000 then they may have to cut something from their project, luckily song budgets can range from between £500 all the way up to £5000 however some people go cheaper for recording times and some people might charge more for recording time. Producers are in charge of planning the recordings and rehearsal sessions, they must be present during these sessions and must always be on time. coming back to the maintaining a good reputation, if a producer is late to their own recording and rehearsal sessions then it'll give them a bad name within the industry making other producers and artists not want to work with them as they're paying for the studio for a certain amount of time and if the producer is late then they aren't getting all the time that they paid the producer for. Producers get paid to improve songs too which means they need to know what will sound good on the track and with the artists voice plus style then knowing how to make and incorporate it into the track. Often producers will use mixing, top mixing and mastering in order to make their tracks better. Mixing is balancing, enhancing and blending audio tracks individually in order to make a pleasant and pleasing sound mix. Producers will often adjust volume levels and other characteristics of elements included such as drums or vocals along with tools like compressors and EQ (equalizers) which will help in creating depth, clarity and separation. Doing all of this can help in ensuring a good sound for the song in different systems. Top mixing is where the producer will start at the top of the foundation with the melody or lead instrument before working their way down for example when you take the lead vocal to begin with before eventually adding backing audio tracks and soon after adding all the instrumentation. Lastly mastering. The final step in the audio post production. it is where the mixed audio recording is polished, balanced and optimal for it to be distributed across different platforms and even devices too. Mastering involves EQ, limiting and compression in order to enhance the sound quality overall along with consistent loudness levels which helps with a reliable listening experience for any and all listeners. Mastering is what makes a professional track that is ready for release and commercial distribution. Producers should talk with those around them for not only advice but to tell each other how they think the track can be improved and what is important for the track. they need to have a good workflow often always having a piece of equipment in front of them to work on their music they're working on. whether that be a computer or an instrument. producers should be able to build connections and interacts a lot. They shouldn't ever delete a number or email because one day they could need that email or number for a project. Producers should also go to others gigs and performances to learn from that and to find people who could be good to collab with at some point in the future. All the best artist and producers have their own identities and vibes giving an unique feel to begin making an atmosphere that draws people into the track. Producers also must know how to be efficient with their studio time and working on projects especially with others. Lastly all producers need to be good at problem solving in order to ensure that they can get past any roadblocks in making a track and ultimately finalising it.

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What is a music performer? They are someone who presents music in front of audiences. That could be live or recorded. Their role is bringing music to life through their performances of it like Eminem with his song stan. Describing a song about obsession. But what does it mean to be a performer? There are different parts of being a performer. Theres DJs whop are electronic performers; they manipulate sounds to create live mixes or a recorded performance. Another type of performer is a vocalist, these are the singers, or they could be backup singers. These people use their voice as an instrument which allows them to perform songs, an example would be Ariana grande. A third type of performer is an instrumentalist. They are people who can be can either live studio recordings or in live performances in front of a crowd. They play instruments such as a bass guitarist, pianist or a drummer. A performer can interpret their own or another person's music pieces for example if it was their own it would be mainly singer-songwriters performing their own compositions however if they were interpreting someone else's it could be like a classical pianist playing a Beethoven piece. Music performers have many responsibilities some of which go beyond just playing their music. These responsibilities can be grouped up into professional, technical and artistic. To start with the artistic responsibilities, the interpretation of music is one of the things that they need to account for. they need to bring their music to life through emotion, style, an expression of them as a person and dynamics. Another one is their practices and rehearsals. They need to ensure that they are consistently training to maintain along with improving their confidence, accuracy and skills. Thirdly they require creative development; to be unique in their interpretations, arrangements and improvisations, this is to make all their performances engaging for those involved and watching. But they must also build a repertoire, in a sense that means they need to maintain diversity in their pieces so they can create a range that is suitable for all different audiences and venues. Moving on from the artistic ones and onto the technical responsibilities. To list them we have vocal and instrument mastery, equipment and sound managers, movements and stage presence then lastly adaptability to conditions of venues. Let's start with adapting to venue conditions, essentially this is adjusting the performances based on audience size, setting like studio or stage but also on acoustics. Instrument/vocal mastery is being able to preserve high skill levels on voice or instrumentals this includes proper care and technique too. Now we mov e onto the sound and equipment management, this simply is understanding how to set up and use any of the equipment needed which includes sound systems, instruments, microphones and much more. Last on the list for technical responsibilities is the stage presence. This is the awareness of body language, visual presentation and even stage usage. The last responsibility i will go through is the professional responsibilities. A music performer needs good punctuality and to be well prepared. The have to arrive on timer for sound checks, rehearsals and performances together with being fully prepared for them. They are responsible for collaboration. They need to ensure they can work fluidly with sound engineers, producers, bandmates and other artists. They need to know the engagemnt of the people they are performing for, to communicate and respond to the target audeince in order to create a much more memorable atmosphere and experience. An important responsibility for them is to maintain a professional image. To keep a good reputation on and off the stage this also goes for their social media presence, otherwise people will avoid working with them and their career can just go on a downhill spiral. Performers must also cohere with any contracts that they have signed, they need to stick by these agreements if they be about performance or behaver or even the fees for the music. Other optional responsibilities with certain performers would be their songwriting and composition, if they decide to create their own original material, purchase material from someone else or even remix. Others are the promotion and marketing ensuring the development of their brand through social media and networking. Lastly education, they can choose to mentor other, younger musicians just how all the teachers on this course are with us. But what are the skills and characteristics that are required for these musical performers? Personally, they need to have a deep passion for music, genuinely loving performing and creating art. They need discipline to be able to commmit to a regular amount of practice, to want to improve themselves on a sustained basis. They must have confidence (unlike me) they should be able to perform infront of others without any trace of hesitation or dismay no matter how large the audience is. A musician should always be creative and have strong perseverance; they must be constantly processing as much personal expression and originality as possible to each performance along with being able to handle the rejection of any ideas from others around them, they need to be able to take the criticism and the long hours that also comes with any performance challenges. They need to be emotionally sensitive to able to convey emotion through the music to understand and connect through it. They also need patience and adaptability, to learn to perfect each piece takes time and persistence, for some it could take months and for other people it may take weeks. But they also need to be able to adapt to different styles and genre of music for example if an RnB artist collaborated with an emo artist they would need to adapt to each other's styles and audiences. Another skill needed is well musical skills, the need to be proficient with tech, to be able to master instruments etc with control, accuracy or tone. They need a musical interpretation, to express the mood and meaning of their piece. To be able to accurately read and perform music notation. Another part of this is improvisation; to create music of their own accord whenever it is needed especially in live shows or even the jazz genre. They need a stage presence to be able to connect and engage with the audience in both an emotional and visual way.  another requirement is rhythm and timing, to keep a steady tempo and so on. Along with this they need ear training, to recognize harmonies, chords or pitch just by hearing them. Other examples of skills needed as a music performer are cognitive/psychological along with professional and impersonal skills. To put it in simple terms, a successful performer must combine emotional intelligence, professionalism, hard work and talent to transform notes into a moving and powerful experience for those who see it.

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1. Theatre Director

2. Sound & Lighting Technician

3. Stage Manager

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PLAYLIST: Create a playlist of music that inspires you. Try to pick a range of genres and tracks that highlight your interests within music. This can be:

Spotify links

YouTube links

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PROMOTION - Using the online graphic design software Canva, create some artwork that represents you as an artist.

https://www.canva.com/

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I am a student at Northampton college in the level two music course. I am on the tech side of the music course which makes me a producer. Currently I am unable to perform what I write and make which is why I have decided to stay on the tech side of this career course for now. I often write my own songs in my own time and this is something I have wanted to do for a while even if I myself didn't know. My interests are obviously the possibility of a career in music. alongside that I enjoy writing stories which is likely what helped me get a pass in English back during my GCSEs. Other things that I am interested in are wrestling with companies like WWE or AEW, I also have been wanting to try my hand at a sport called volleyball for a while. It seems very enjoyable to me based off when I played it in PE back in secondary school. lastly i enjoy a franchise called Pokemon including games, card collecting etc. My favourite artists consist of Chris brown and Usher Raymond, both RnB icons alongside them I have recently become interested in songs by Charlie Puth and a few others like a band called ATEEZ. The most recent artist I have began listening to is a newer artist named Melody T. I listened to her song called Ineffable and immediately knew I liked her music. The song is slow and to me it is rather soothing. It means a lot that I have gotten the chance to find an upcoming and amazingly talented artist who actually cares for her fans. I hope one day I can reach a point where I am good enough to perhaps collab with her on a song. Some of my favourite songs are by artists like Zayn Malik, Chris Grey and Chris Brown. The Chris Grey song that I would consider a favourite is "let the world burn" this was a song that somebody I dearly loved had shared with me, in a way it was our song, it reminds me of her even if it does hurt to know that we do not speak anymore and are not on particularly on good terms with one another, I still love her so this song is a reminder of what I have lost and keeps me motivated in a way to do better than what I was before. For me this song and the memories are a fuel for improvement. This is a song that I hold dearly to my heart and I will for a long time to come and that is why I put this in my favourites and inspiration selection. Next is a song by Zayn Malik called "there you are". honestly the entire album this song is from could all be considered in my favourites selection however i listen to this one the most alongside another song from the album called "tonight". this is an album called Icarus falls. the two songs i mentioned have both been with me through a tough time, instead of turning to songs that were considered more sad i turned to this. it kept me going, and overall i take a lot of inspiration from these songs and Zayn as an artist altogether. he has one of those voices that i can really get behind and his songs just draw me in. To me these Zayn songs and the album in general are like comfort songs, songs that I know I can always love and enjoy listening to. lastly is the Chris Brown song Indigo from the album Indigo. When I first listened to this song it was like a click. My sister showed me what she was listening to and it hit me like a truck that I wanted to be like that too. I wanted to be somebody who people could show to their family and friends. To be somebody else's inspiration of realisation that they want to create music one day too. That is what this song means to me. Chris Browns song Indigo was what really helped me see that being a musician was one of my biggest dreams. Not only that but it is something I can share with my sister, a bond over music that we both enjoy. I have only ever been to two gigs/concerts in my entire life. The first was a Chris Brown concert back in 2023 on the 21st of march. this was a present for my birthday that year as I was the only member of my family that hadn't been to a concert before. At the time this was something I really wanted and truthfully I am very grateful that I actually got the opportunity as Chris may be my number one favourite artist out of all of them. This concert was probably the highlight of that year and one of my best memories ever. I enjoyed that night so much but my throat was left hurting for days from singing to every song at the top of my voice all night which very recently I was reminded of when going to my second ever concert. The second concert/gig that I went to was one by a group called Blackpink it happened in august 16th of 2025 in wembley. this time around my whole family went and it was an amazing night that I will likely remember for a long time. Both of the concerts I have been to only make me want this profession more, to be able to share this passion with so many people. One day I hope to collaborate with these artists and so many others and if I ever make it to their level I hope that I can give other small artists that push to reach the next level and make others feel the passion too.

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https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6okHR5PenFWLKFgmBOaRoA?si=0053b6c0dc144d1c&pt=4487272b269b93fd27f898239522183a

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my aspirations in music are to be a producer and possible artist. i want to be an all rounder in the profession. the job that i would like in music is to produce. i want to achieve this because i hope to help others through some music one day but also because this is something i very much enjoy. i will achieve this by working hard in college and at home.

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We listened to Ewan talk about the studio equipment and his past running a studio in Canada for 1:45 minutes. I learnt the names of some of the equipment in the studio for example the recording console. I now know the differences in types of microphones. To improve I could work on remembering fully the uses of each piece of equipment along with wrapping the cables as i was very bad at that.

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Present research on music industry job roles explored in class each week, discussing the responsibilities needed for each job. Give examples of famous people.

TIP: You should make use of at least 2 research sources to help you gather your information (websites, articles, videos etc)

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Explain the importance of health and safety in the music industry. Provide examples from different environments:

Live performances

Recording studios

Theatres

Music Festivals

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Performing arts refers to any art for that involves performing etc music, dancing or theatre.

Roadies, techs, light and sound engineers, audience, janitors keep the stage clear, theatre director.

Theatre director:

Guiding actors performances.

Needs leadership, creativity, communication, deep understanding of theatre.

Leads rehearsals and final creative choices.

Interpret scripts and shape the vision of artistic.

Collab with designers and technical teams.

Often delegate jobs to other people.

Lighting and sound engineers:

Designs lighting effects and the mood.

In high demand as it is needed to be done by a human. For example, it helps going with the flow like if the actor forgets lines or falls off the stage. They could miss their cues if it was done by AI

Synchronisation needed.

Uses the lighting boards for a show.

Keeps everything safe and keep good technical accuracy.

Manages sound levels and microphone levels.

Mixes live audio.

They need to ensure clarity and balance.

Stage manager:

Organises the people. Ensures that rehearsals and schedules are kept spot on

Communicate between different departments

Handles cues, props along with the logistics backstage.

Skills needed are that they're, Calm under pressure, Good at problem solving, Communication and organisation.

Be flexible

Compassion

Detail orientation/attention to detail

Explain job role description, key responsibilities, skills required, include images or video links for support.

Stage manager, Job role description:

Theatre managers are there to ensure the smooth and safe running of the show, alongside that they are responsible for coordinating the production in every aspect including rehearsals and performances especially the final performance. Stage managers are there to deal with any emergencies that may come up in the performance creation process and running of production. They work closely with the directors, producers and actors of all performances and with any technicians, costume/prop designers and the production teams. Smaller shows a stage manager would typically work alone however with larger shows there may be a deputy stage manager along with up to two assistant stage managers.

Stage manager, key responsibilities:

Theatre stage managers are typically at the centre of any and all of the production which provides the link between the artistic vision and the technical deliveries. Depending on the type of production and the size of your experience, the responsibilities can fluctuate in amount. However, they would commonly be along the likes of

The schedules for rehearsals and setting them all up.

They help in arranging the costumes like wigs or even props like furniture, set dressings and in the smaller companies they aid in constructing the stage into a place where the performers can do their job.

The help carry out any important information that is needed all to other departments of the theatre.

They must handle the budgets for any designs, props and need to communicate with the production manager regarding costs and any concerns.

Stage managers also oversee when the theatre is set up along with the installation of light and sound equipment. After that they must watch over when they are being removed and packed away. These processes are known as the get in and get out periods.

Another responsibility for them is to ensure the actors know when rehearsals and the performances are along with the locations etc.

They should also be taking any notes that they can, write up any reports for the show for the director along with giving notes and feedback to any actors who need it.

They have to keep the keep a good amount of knowledge

They need to have a keen eye for any and all details

Lastly, they need to have excellent communication and organisation skills.

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What is health and safety?

Why is it important in the music industry?

Give six examples of health and safety risks in the music industry.

How can these risks be prevented so musicians can stay safe?

Why is maintaining good physical and mental health important for the music industry?

Give an example of a famous musician who has publicly discussed this.

Health and safety are any policies put in place to protect the wellbeing and the health of any. People in certain workplaces and anywhere that their career path may take them if that be in public spaces or elsewhere. The point of these procedures is to avoid any and all injuries or illnesses by minimizing the hazards and locking onto any risks to prevent them. The health part refers to the state of an individual's physical and mental wellbeing. For example, ensuring that they have no exposure to any conditions that may be considered harmful. Such as, toxic substances, excessive stress or work hours. The safety part refers to the focus on prevention of injuries, accidents or other issues. This is done by controlling and attempting to eliminate all the risks in an environment like slips or falls, any hazards from the machinery that could possibly be i the environment or fire and electrical risk. Regulations of health and safety usually require an employer to provide the safest working conditions they can for the job that they are employing along with giving their employees the correct training and protective equipment. They also need to maintain the safe environment that they need to create in order to ensure the environment remains safe for employees. A few of the health and safety laws in the profession of being a music producer are the control of noise at work. For example, if your ears are exposed to loud music or sounds for a prolonged amount of time then your ears may be damaged. This law would require you to continuously monitor the levels of the noise and provide protection in the studio for hearing along with limiting the exposure time of those in the studio or in a live concert setting. Producers may also need to ensure the regulations of electrical safety since a lot of electronic equipment is often used by a producer. This means they need to ensure that all the wiring has been done correctly, any electronic devices are used properly and in a safe manner, this is a mandatory requirement as if not used safely they can cause shocks or even fires resulting in high damages to both the environment and those in it. They also have manual handling regulations, this is if a producer is moving around heavy equipment such as amps, monitors or instruments. They need to follow the practices of safe lifting to evade any chance of injury. Lastly, they need mental health awareness although this is not legally mandated for them the repeated recognition of the importance of mental health support in the creative industries. This is due to the irregular work hours causing a tonne of stress.

In the music industry health and safety is super important. There are several reasons for this if you’re a producer, performer or a technician working behind the scenes of a performance or track. Examples of health and safety risks in the music industry are

Protecting hearing- musicians, producers and any technicians like sound engineers are often exposed to loud sounds or music for long periods of time at once. The risk of this is that they may get tinnitus or even worse, permanent hearing damage to avoid this they need to ensure safe sound levels while working and using hearing protection which helps them to preserve their long-term hearing capabilities and health.

Preventing physical injuries- producers and technicians are often handling heavy Equipment like setting up the monitors or instruments for the musicians. If they handle this equipment in an improper way then it may cause them to get strains, sprains or even bad back injuries. Harm may also come from cables and wires that connect equipment as they could cause staff to trip over and land badly. These types of injuries can be avoided by using safe lifting techniques and having more than one person setting up along with this ensuring that everything is set up properly helps in preventing any injuries.

Avoiding electrical hazards- the music industry has a heavy reliance on the usage of electrical equipment or gear and wiring.  so, a crucial risk is the possibility of electrical shocks, fires or equipment malfunctions.

Reducing mental health risks- the pressures of performances, irregular work times and deadlines can cause immense stress on the mind. Creating a safe work environment involves promoting and supporting mental wellbeing and reducing burnout.

Ensuring safe work spaces- studios, concert venues or festivals can have a slip or trip hazard., unsafe stages or crowded spaces. These risks need to be managed in order to protect everyone involved from any accidents including artists, technicians and even the audience at said festivals and concerts.

Legal compliance and professionalism- following all health and safety laws within your profession avoids any legal issues and always shows professionalism. This also creates a culture that shows care and responsibility within the industry.

To put it simply. Good health and safety are keeping those within the music industry happy, healthy and able to continue making music no matter their role all while avoiding any injuries or sickness that can be prevented.

It is crucial to maintain a good state of both physical and mental health as it can directly impact long term career requirements like performance and creativity. Without these one may not be able to sustain a long career. Here is why this matters.

Performance and productivity- having a good physical health will allow musicians to effectively do their jobs whether they are performers or producers. If that be live performances or setting up equipment even in playing instruments. And a good mental state can help a musician with focus and creativity. This allows them to make the better end of decisions in the high-pressure environments such as studios or tours. Bouncing off from that is creativity and innovation. As the music industry thrives within creativity, with a clearer and healthier mind the chances of coming up with original ideas if that be in writing lyrics or in mixing tracks effectively. A healthy state of mind allows better skills at solving any problems that come up during the process of creating a track. Another factor affected by the mental and physical state is endurance and stamina. The demand in both aspects when it comes to tight deadlines, extremely long hours in the studio when producing a track and the late-night gigs or tours. Good health will help the musician with maintaining their energy through this along with the resillience that is needed to keep up the stressful fast pace without causing a burnout. A good state of health will also prevent long term issues. The repeated use of instruments or computer screens can cause strain injuries that may or may not end up a reoccurring factor in the career. The high sounds from either instruments or the loud music on computers can cause serious ear damage which could be devastating as hearing is a big requirement for the music industry as without it making sure tracks actually sound good will be extremely difficult. The long hours can cause sleep deprivation which bodily can make one feel unwell and unable to work or concentrate it can all also lead to anxiety and depression which are huge problems in the musical world. Many amazing artists have ended their own lives due to the low mental health that this lifestyle can bring including names like the EDM Dj Avicii or Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain, Linkin Park’s Chester Bennington, K-pop stars like Moonbin or Sulli and even the country singer Mindy McCready. To summarise this a better performance comes from   a healthy body and better creativity comes from a healthy mind. Without both even the most talented people can and will struggle to succeed in the music industry.

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Billie Eilish has openly spoken about how she has had struggles with depression and anxiety along with body issues. She tried to use her platform as one of the most successful artists in the world to encourage other artists and young fans to talk about their mental health, promote it and seek help if they need it especially in an industry that is so high pressure. In interviews or even a documentary named “the worlds a little blurry” billie expresses and highlights how fame at an age as young as she found it impacted her wellbeing mentally. Billie also has hearing issues; she wears custom earplugs during live shows and encourages her fans and other artists to always protect their hearing. Out of all the pop stars billie is one of the few to actively discuss the risks of noise including the possibility for hearing loss which as mentioned earlier is a major risk to health and safety in the music world. But why does this matter? By promoting the safety of hearing billie has set an example for others to take action to prevent these health issues. Her openess and promotion has also helped to reduce the shame around mental health within the industry and hopefully the world as a whole.

Another artist to be open about health and safety is Zayn Malik. He had admitted to feeling restricted creatively when he was a member of world loved boy band One Direction. He told “there was no room to experiment creatively” he described situations where he had tried to sing a hook or verse that was more R&B or true to his style of music, it was usually altered to fit the vision placed for the band. “Recorded fifty times until there was a straight version that was pop, generic as fuck”. Zayn felt disconnected from the music that the band was releasing he said it was “music that was already given to us” and the group was instructed to follow only what management thought would sell the best. He had also revealed that in the band they were expected to project happiness it didn't matter if that wasn't the reality. He felt that the image and expectations imposed by the industry (mainly management) sometimes would overshadow what he and other members of the group personally felt. One of the key reasons that he had left the band was that he wanted to make music that to him felt real or connected to his own tastes or influences. He wanted to make music that he himself thought would be seen as “cool shit” that he could be proud of even if it didn't end up selling at a “mass scale” like it would have in One Direction. In his solo work Zayn has spoken about how he is wanting more ownership not just of music but of expression, image and identity. He speaks on resisting being shaped and defined fully by another. He has also been open about how it took a toll for him being ina high profile band and the fame that came with it. H=in interviews he had said that staying “in his own bubble” helps him to maintain sanity. He highlights the point that artists need space to express how they feel and not just what the fans and the public expect them to express. Otherwise, it gets harder to continue knowing that you don't feel good with it. After he left the band, he went on to working solo, he spoke on how his songwriting had developed as he had much more creative room. He described how his first album mind of mine was a “brainstorm” in some way and how his later works and albums were more organised. Recently his says how his upcoming work is shaped by his environment and his roots. For instance, one of his newer albums room under the stairs draw on his Pakistani heritage and is more personal and authentic to him.

https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/zayn-malik-on-how-one-direction-worked-we-were-told-to-be-happy-a6738861.html

https://www.vogue.co.uk/gallery/zayn-malik-post-one-direction-interview?utm_

https://www.gqindia.com/magazine-story/zayn-malik-gq-interview/?utm_

https://www.capitalfm.com/artists/zayn/news/hometown-bradford-family-solo-career-dazed/?utm_

https://www.nme.com/news/music/zayn-malik-talks-organised-second-album-2125400?utm_

https://www.harpersbazaar.in/celebrity/story/new-direction-1040262-2024-07-01?utm_

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Using CANVA, design a H&S poster for a chosen performance/production space.

Upload your final poster here

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inst 46 alchemy

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inst 1 alchemmy

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bass alchemy

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What is evaluation?  it is assessing or judging the value, quality, or effectiveness of something based on evidence or a specific criterion. In a straightforward way, evaluation is figuring out how useful or successful something is. The core idea of it is to make a judgement based off looking at the strengths, weaknesses, and the overall value of something. However, what would be the key parts of evaluation? Well, those would be the criteria, the evidence, and the judgement. First the criteria. This is what you use to make your judgment; examples would be accuracy or creativity or even the clarity. The evidence is the information and examples that you use to support your judgement. And then the judgement itself this is the conclusion, your opinion on how well you believe something met the criteria. My two examples of evaluation will be education and art/creative work. To start with education. This is assessing ow well a student has completed an assignment or how well the understand the topic. For example, how teachers would evaluate essays by checking the grammar, argument strength, creativity, and structure. In fact, just how my tutor will likely be evaluating my work here on Padlet. As an explanation, teachers would use the criteria set if that be evidence or organization to give a judgement commonly known in education as a grade or feedback based off the performance of the students work. Moving on to the creative works example. This would be the judging of a song, performance, or art pieces impact or quality. In music a critic would evaluate the song based on different segments like the lyrics, the emotion and feel or the melody just to name a few. To explain the critic would form an understanding using the personalized taste and objective criteria if that be the originality or balance. What makes evaluation important? It helps to identify and weakness or strengths that an individual may have, it helps to verify the effectiveness of somebody, it can support the decision making and helps to tell someone if they should continue or change how they do their research. Lastly it can encourage those who are under evaluation to improve and learn from said evaluation. To summarise this an evaluation is the technique used to make a knowledgeable judgement based on the value and success of something using unmistakable evidence and fitting a criterion.

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this week Ewan taught us how to control MIDI and showed us some things that would help us especially with keys. here is a picture of one of my pieces of arpeggiator and note repeater. (will post other pics of this being used along with chord trigger and transposer.) the note repeater is essentially a delay system, you can adjust how many repeats of the notes happens and the velocity at which it happens, wether it gets louder or more quiet. the arpeggiator can assist with deciding the order of the notes, which variation they have along with which octave that they will be used in giving four different options based of the MIDI that you had made along with that you can change how fast or slow the rate of the MIDI is at.

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warped pluck 1 note repeater and transposer

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warped pluck 1 arpeggiator and chord trigger

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warped pluck 1 arpeggiator and chord trigger

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warped pluck 1 note repeater and transposer

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Week six was well there is not much to talk about for this one. We were in on Monday, and we had a lesson with Suze and Ewan where we set up channels and handled the inputs and outputs. DAD preamps (digital audio Denmark) which you can use to manually change the levels. Tie lines are little boxes on walls that you use to plug in mics and other things. There are various buttons that will record or allow the producer to speak to the artist and vice versa. Feeback is bad and there is a flashing button that lets you get rid of red clips which is basically clipping. However, Wednesday and Thursday we were not in college due to an issue with the colleges water that needed to be fixed, it was weird week where we did online classes. The issue for me was my internet quality is unbelievably bad and does not allow me to set up the online classes, this has always been the case even back during covid times. I informed my tutor and could not do the lessons on these days. Friday I was off unwell so that was another day that I had missed. This put me behind although this I believe is when Chris set the health and safety task about the poster and the research task. It took me a week to catch up onto this fact but now that task is done.

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On week seven we had a studio lesson with Ewan. In this lesson we were tasked to set up mic stands and connect microphones cables to the tie line which is a kind of box on the wall which is used to plug microphones etc. My mate Ryan and I had to help a classmate setting up her mic stand and putting the mic into the stand. We had another student in the room who could play guitar, we had to set up our microphones and angle them to catch the sound of the guitar best. Then we had a member of our group use the DAW (digital audio workstation) known as ProTools and they named the different microphones that were connected to each person's name for the microphone stand that they set up. From there Ewan went through with us who had good positioning for it and who didn't. When it came to who’s was in a good spot mine name was one of those who popped up. Later in that day we had a Padlet lesson with Suze. I worked on starting my health and safety poster having completed the first page however running out of time before i could get onto the second page. That was all i did that lesson other than a brief assessment on what we did in the studio lesson. The last lesson of that Monday was with Abby. Now i was very tired having not slept and having been at college all day so this lesson was tough for me, i did the starting task and got the questions correct. However, the rest of the lesson was Abby teaching us what we had already learnt in level one. Because of this Oliver and I both finished the task together in the first week so had no work to do.

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bass

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bass

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bass

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drums

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drums

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drums

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drums

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inst one

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keys

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keys

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keys

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shakers (drum bus)

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shakers (drum bus)

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synths (keys bus)

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tough kit (drums bus)

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synths (keys bus)

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tough kit (drum bus)

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synths (keys bus)

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tough kit (drum bus)

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In week eight we were mainly preparing for our presentation. To our surprise we were presenting our tracks to the class on video for physical proof of our examination, we did this on Monday when we all thought it was going to be Friday. The teachers were vague on what exactly we were all presenting so ma my of us were panicked and rushing to get most of our padlets finished including me. I even worked during my lunch and my break. I spent all my lessons that day working on Padlet to ensure I could finish off before the presentation. I didn’t manage this but luckily for me the Padlet work wasn’t due in until Friday. During the last lesson on Monday Chris Pettifer and Suze were in our class. Chris was recording us and asking questions about our tracks. He also asked random students in the class to give one another some feedback. I gave a few people feedback but the only piece of feedback that I was given was that my track and mixing was very good however my transitions needed work. I plan to next term ask for assistance e on improving my transitions from the tutors. As of right now it is Wednesday and the first lesson today, we had Chris Robinson. He was chill today and allowed us to do our work checklist on teams and then after that he said we could make sure our padlets were finished. He let some students get macs from the basement to take screenshots for their blogs as proof of their progresses on their track making. I worked on my Padlet as that is where I very much need to finish before the term ends this Friday. The second lesson of the day was with Mikey. He was mainly going through with us about making sure that we are kind and respectful, that we don't mess around too much in lessons and don't piss of the people who are here to help us. He also went through with us about the signable email that we received from the college to confirm our places on the course for next term, we had to make sure that it was signed or there would be a chance we wouldn't be able to come back. We needed to make sure all the information was correct like phone numbers and emails. The last lesson of the day is with Chris Pettifer. He is going around the class doing one to ones with people. But at the start he had people check their proportals to see what colour that their main qual was and their attendance was. My main qual is currently in amber but I hope to improve this. My attendance is in green which is good. In this lesson he sat with me and Oliver, we spoke about the grade system and how it would work. We also spoke about what we wanted and where we should improve. He said he will give us feedback and said he could assist me in improving my transitions in my tracks. Other than that, I am actually working on both a keywords task that being the professionals' section along with this blog. I will do a part two on Friday based of my days of Thursday and Friday. For now, i plan to continue my keywords research for the remaining 13 minutes of the lesson.

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what the final version of my track looked like in logic