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Week 11 Summary:

- Guitar Technical Development, last week so a bit of recap and a look ahead to next term when we will be investigating modes in more detail.
- Production, a bit of recap over this term and an opportunity to work on mixing our tracks.
- PPW feedback session, went well with lots of improvement from the week before, good focus on the transitions of the song and sounding much tighter, focus on adding performance elements.
- LPW feedback session, went very well and sounded great, everyone is tight and knows what they are doing, getting much better energy on stage and look like we are enjoying it.

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This went really well and sounded really good.

- Very happy with the work that everyone has put into this and the sound that we are able to create
- Everyone knows the transitions well and so it is sounding tight
- The sound levels were good and we were able to get a good heavy tone
- We are getting a couple of howls into the bridge for effect and a bit of fun
- Everyone really seems to be enjoying playing the song which is great to be a part of

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Looked at our own Summative Assessment essay and how we are feeling going into it:

- Looked through a previous essay that marked well to see what could be learned and taken away
- Had a 1 - 1 with the tutor to talk through how I have been getting on
- Gave me a much better idea of how I am going to approach it and I now have a framework to work towards

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This PPW went much better and the feedback was really positive:

- The band I am playing with have gotten better every time we have played the track and it is now really enjoyable to play
- They thought that the sound was much better
- The solo was better paced and more controlled
- The levels were good and everyone was tight on the transitions
- Need to keep focusing on those moments and think about how to move around and perform on stage

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Final week so summed up the work done this term:

- Looked at the tracks that we have been recording and received feedback on areas that we could work on
- Final opportunity to ask any questions of Jack and get his opinion on the work that we have done

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Final Guitar Technical Development so summed up the last 10 weeks and looked ahead to next term:

- Looked at Modes and how they relate to the C Major scale
- Practiced playing them over a C chord to hear the sound they create
- Played them with a simple chord progression to again start to relate the sound they have

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Week 10 Summary:

- Guitar Technical Development, using limitations in your practice to provide a challenge and enable yourself to come up with creative solutions and aid the writing of new licks or riffs
- Production, mixing and the process that you use when creating a final mix, being sure to do it with fresh ears and in a 20/30 min time frame
- Focus this week was on the Summative Assessment cover track 'Of Wolf and Man'
- PPW, played the cover track and received feedback on the work that I have been doing and the areas that they think will improve the cover.
- LPW, performed the cover track at the WaterBear Venue and received feedback on the performance.
- They were much happier with the performance and sound, feedback was about focusing on the transition parts of the song so that it sounds really tight and then to practice the solo slowly to really take note of the subdivisions.

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The 1st LPW feedback session for the cover I am playing:

- Went well and sounded good, much improved from the PPW
- Everything was much tighter and the guitar tones were much more accurate
- Feedback was about slowing down the solo when I practice to really take note of the subdivisions and make it sound deliberate and in time.

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Feedback for the Live Production Workshop of the Summative Performance

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A lesson looking at some past essays to give us an idea of what we will need to produce and what structures work well.

- There were 3 essays all of which passed
- 1st had a good lay out and was easy to read and go through, but the content was poor and didn't use the best sources.
- 2nd didn't have quite as good a structure but had a better content.
- 3rd one was difficult to look at but the content was really good

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Had the 1st PPW for the cover that I am playing:

- could've been a bit better, only had 1 guitar rather than 2 and had only just set up when it was assessed.
- Feedback was good and specific and gave me an understanding of what to work on next

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A 1 hour rehearsal at Smallpond, where we had tutors listen to our rehearsal and provide feedback for us.

- This was a useful session to get to an understanding of the cues we'll be using in the song to help make the performance tight.
- It was a good opportunity to help the other members, playing the song with me, iron out any issues that they may have

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Choir practice of "Fairytale New York" by the Pogues and Kirsty MacColl.

There is an opportunity to help out the Some Voices Choir in Brighton for a Christmas performance and everyone was keen to practice this song.

- It's quite fast and fairly wordy, so remembering the lyrics and cues was a bit of a challenge.

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Had a recording session at Smallpond, to record the drums, vocals and rhythm guitar

- This was a good session as the bulk of the song is now recorded for use on the assessment.
- Having the Drums, Vocals and Rhythm Guitar is the foundation of the track and will allow me to focus on the Lead Guitar, Bass and Backing Vocals next time.

Now the recording needs to be mixed and then it is ready for the deadline.

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Mixing, and the process that you may use when you are creating a final mix.

-  Making sure that everything is clearly labelled and coloured and easy to follow.
- Giving yourself a timeframe (20-30 mins) to work in so that you are approaching it with fresh ears.
- Thinking about how you can enhance the sound and make sure that everything is heard and that it is not too loud.

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Limitations in practice to challenge yourself to play differently and find creative solutions.

- We were playing within limitations such as only using one string, having a rhythm that you have to use or only playing for a certain number of bars.
- The more limitations you use the greater the challenge.
-  A good way to be more creative in your playing and find new things to play.
- Taking it in turns to solo over a chord progression whilst trying to stay within the limitations.

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Week 9 Summary:

- Guitar Technical Development, playing 7th chord arpeggios using the 4 intervals as start points on the thickest string to create 4 patterns, then manipulating the intervals to make the chords Major, Minor, Dominant or Minor 7 flat 5.
- Production, using reverb and different types of reverb to make the mix sound like it is in a bigger space.
- Song for the week was "Ain't It Fun" by Paramore.
- PPW, spoke about how we were going to play the guitar parts as there were 3 guitarists and we changed the ending so that the guitars and bass dropped out and there was just the vocals and drums.
-  LPW, performance went very well and sounded good with more movement and engagement from us.
- Feedback was positive and was praising us for our performance, they thought that we had improved a lot over the term.

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A Gibbs Reflective Cycle reflecting on week 9

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Video of the LPW performance of the song "Ain't It Fun" by Paramore.

- This performance went well and was very enjoyable
- I was happy with the sound and the way I played
- There was a late change with one of the guitarists helping a different group, so we had to agree how to divide up a couple of parts in the sound check. I forgot to play the last lick at the end as a result

- Feedback was very positive and that we had good energy and sound
- They thought that we performed the song well, which was good to hear as that has been a work on for a few of the songs
- They thought that my guitar playing had really improved over the course of the term, which was again very nice of them to say

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Here is a video of me practicing "Ain't It Fun" by Paramore ahead of the LPW on Friday.

- It's coming on quite well and feels comfortable
- I need to keep on practicing making sure that I am not catching strings that I don't want to ring out and that I am muting them properly

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Week 6 Summary:

- Guitar Technical Development, looked at 7th chords, how to play them and what intervals make them up, also looked at some 7th chord inversions and how we can use the intervals to make them
- Production, looked at recording drums both using the Glynn John technique and fully mic-ing up the kit. As ever it is important to get a good initial sound.
- Architects, had a fantastic opportunity to go and have a Q&A with Architects, see their sound check and then watch their gig that evening
- Song for the week was "From Eden" by Hozier
- PPW, we took a bit of time to look at the structure of the song and then played it through together to make sure we knew it. The day before we'd been at the Architects event, so we needed the time to make sure that we knew the song
- LPW, the performance went quite well and we played the song well. Could still have made the end more definite and tighter
- Feedback was to perform the song more and engage in it, whilst staying to the feel of the song. Also that we have really come on in recent weeks as musicians as they thought it sounded good and our timing was good given that it was in 5/4 time

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An explanation of the cover track that I am doing for the Summative Assessment

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Becoming an Artist, getting the most out of the music industry:

- Looking at things to do before releasing music, such as; getting agreements in place before you do anything and setting up the relevant accounts and registrations
- Being sure to have everything you want to do, videos adverts, mixes etc... before you release it
- Controlling the things that are in your control

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Recording from the PPW session on Wednesday, rehearsing "Ain't It Fun" by Paramore

- There are 3 guitarists, so the parts are split between us
- We changed the ending so it was just the vocals and drums, which I think sounds quite good

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A video recording of my practice for "Ain't It Fun" by Paramore

- Happy with the way this song is coming along
- I need to practice the line at the end a bit more to make it more comfortable, still thinking too much
- I will pay more attention to the structure of the song as well so that I am more definite on the changes in the song
- I hadn't listened to this for ages and had forgotten how much I liked it, so I'm looking forward to this one

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Choir practice of "You Can't Always Get What You Want" by the Rolling Stones.

- There were only six of us, 2 in each grouping Tenor, Alto and Soprano, the rest of the sound is the recording that we were working to
- I thought that we sounded really good here and made up for the numbers
- This choir has really helped me with my singing and feeling more comfortable singing I now need to start pushing myself to do backing vocals on the song performances that we play each week

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Looked at using reverb and the different types of reverb

- 5 different types of reverb; Chamber, Room, Hall, Plate and Spring
- each one has a different sound and decay so you can choose for what you prefer or what you need
- looked at how to use them in the DAW's, by applying individually or creating a send

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7th Arpeggios in 4 shapes and ways to practice them

- Played 7th chord arpeggios using each note as a start point and seeing the different shapes
- These can be played all around the neck, you just need to keep track of the notes being used.
- Looked at manipulating the shape to play Major, Minor, Dominant and Minor 7 flat 5
- Can take these arpeggios and play them in a chord progression to make them sound more melodic

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Week 8 Summary:

- Guitar Technical Development, linking different scale shapes using sequences and runs of 3/4/5/6's, thinking about the scales on one string as well as the shapes.
- Production, using compression to reduces the noise levels of the louder parts of the recording to allow the quieter parts space to be heard.
- Song for the week was "Treasure" by Bruno Mars.
- PPW, spoke about how to play the guitar parts as there were 3 guitarists and we made the ending shorter and more punchy.
- LPW, performance went well and sounded good and clear, there wasn't a lot of room to move on stage so we were quite static.
- Feedback was to move around more, or sway or look at each other and the audience more so that you can get the most out of the situation.

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A Gibbs Reflective Cycle, reflecting on Week 8

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Video of the LPW performance for the song "Treasure" by Bruno Mars.

- The performance went quite well, and sounded good
- It was a very busy stage with 7 people up there performing

- Feedback was that they thought we needed to move around a little more and perform the song
- Thought that it sounded good and that a bit more energy would've lifted it again

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Practicing "Treasure" ahead of the LPW:

- The chord changes are feeling more comfortable
- Still a bit of work to be done, but feeling better about playing it now

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Target audience

- what is a target audience?
- who is the target audience for my cover?

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Social Media and Online Strategies:

- Looking at ways of using social media for promotional purposes
- Watched an interview between Rob Town and Damian Keyes
- Use Social Media as a tool to build and house an audience so they can act when you want/need them to and help push your music using the algorithms
- Instagram plays to current audience, TikTok gets you in front of people you don't know
- Target posts at relevant media platforms and their demographics
- Create content when you have time and then schedule the posts

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Audio recording of the PPW rehearsal session for the song "Treasure" by Bruno Mars

- Had to work on the texture of the guitars so that everything had space as there are 3 guitarists.
- Changed the ending, by ending on the chorus rather than another loop of verse chords to make it more punchy

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Week 7 Summary:

- Guitar Technical Development, playing melodic patterns using the Three Note Per String Scale. Used all 7 shapes, playing both slowly for timing and in quick bursts for speed and relaxed playing.
- Production, using EQ both correctively and creatively, understanding the range of human hearing and where instruments sit. Making sure that everything is placed correctly and nothing is clashing.
- Song for the Week was "Crosstown Traffic" by Jimi Hendrix. This was a fun one to play.
- PPW, spoke about the structure of the song and just checked we knew the parts, found we needed to look at the rhythm parts underneath the solo. Once that was sorted it came together quite well.
- LPW, performance went well and I preferred playing the song on stage than in the PPW, so the work for that had paid off. Ending was good and tight, and Dan was able to join us on the keyboard, which we didn't have for the PPW.
- Feedback was positive and that we are really improving, still need to try to perform the song a bit more and move and look around. Liam also told me to believe in myself more, which I will keep trying to do.

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I thought this performance was a bit better than the first, but the audio goes a bit funny in the middle

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- This song has a few different chord shapes to get to grips with, so I will need to take the time to practice the changes
- I need to take care on the chords higher up the neck and make sure they are ringing out clearly

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- Recapped 2 of the songs from the weeks before; The Chain and Dog Days are Over
- Actively listening to those around you so that you start and end at the same time and sing at the same level
- Loosen up a bit and move while singing

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- Using compression, how it works and what it does
- Tips for how to use it, such as to bring up some of the quieter parts of a recording, or to make parts of the recording stand out more
- Examples of when it isn't used so well and how it makes everything sound a bit small and flat
- Listening for the sweet spot when using compression
- Always "A and B'ing" it to hear if it has achieved what you wanted it to

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- LPW went well and the song was fun to perform
- Dan, on the keyboard, was part of a different group but played the keyboard part for everyone and it really added to the sound.

- Feedback was that it sounded good.
- They thought that my guitar level could be brought up a bit to cut through the mix. (found out later that the PA on my side had been muted, something we need to spot in the sound check).
- Need to move and look around more, as Liam (Tutor) said "believe in yourself more, think that's all you need to hear right now".

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- Happy with the way this song has come on looking forward to the LPW on Friday
- Need to continue looking at the structure so that I'm not having to remember what comes next so much

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My reflections on the feedback that I received for the Formative Assessment.

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- Identifying transferable skills that we possess or are currently acquiring and thinking about where else we could apply them.
- Looking at the importance of time management and planning, making sure that we are on top of everything so that we can hit deadlines and reduce stress
- Looked at techniques to use when working to help us be more productive, such as the Pomodoro Technique

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Audio Recording of the PPW session practicing "Crosstown Traffic" by Jimi Hendrix

- Had to work out the rhythm underneath the solo/instrumental break
- Bit of discussion about how to end the song, decided on the outro being 2 bars then 1 bars then 2 bars to finish

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Early practice of "Crosstown Traffic" by Jimi Hendrix

- Happy with the way it's progressing
- Need to get the rest of the parts down and look at the structure

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This week we were singing "Dog Days Are Over" by Florence and the Machine. This was a fun song to sing with a lot of strong melodies to connect to. There was also a lot of males there so the Tenor/Bass section was big, so I didn't feel exposed.

Jade announced that the choir we are linked to are looking for male voices, so I think I'll have a go as this has been a lot of fun

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In production we were looking at EQ and how it can be used correctively and creatively. We spoke about the range of human hearing and where some of the instruments sit, and how we want to make sure that everything is placed correctly. Also how you want to get rid of some overtones that might be clashing.

Afterwards we were able to work on our own recordings, which is really useful as I get to use Jack to help me with the cover that I have to do. He showed me a way to make the guitars tighter, and made me think about where I've placed them in the mix.

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This week we were looking at some melodic patterns using the Three Note Per String scales.

We played a couple of different patterns and used all 7 positions of the scale, so that we were using the whole neck. Sam showed us a few ways to practice them by making sure we know the pattern first, then slowing the metronome right down for the timing and speeding it up as a challenge. We also spoke about playing in bursts to build that feeling of relaxing when you're playing.

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The LPW went quite well, thought that the song sounded quite good. The end of it fizzled out a little bit and we could make that a bit tighter and more definite.

Feedback was to engage in the song a little bit more and not be quite so rooted, but at the same time it is quite a relaxed song so not too much. Essentially perform it, don't just play it.

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Week 5 Summary:

- Guitar Technical Development, playing the Major scale all over the neck using both the CAGED system and the Three Note Per String system, and how they relate.
- Production, recording electric guitar, talked about the different speakers and how different areas give different tones, and the use of multiple mics versus one mic.
- Song for the week was "Call Me" by Blondie. Found this to be a very enjoyable song to play.
- PPW, we took time at the start to make sure we understood the structure of the song, then played it through a few times and decided on how we wanted it to end. We had three guitarist so divided the parts up between us. Had a really good session with this group and a lot of good work was done in the ppw.
-LPW, played "Call Me" by Blondie at the LPW. It went very well and we delivered a really good performance. I took the learnings of centring myself at the start and making sure the song rises in the chorus and at the end, into this week. It worked very well and the preparation from the whole group paid off.
- Feedback was to make sure that the guitar playing the solo is slightly louder on the amp and then reduced on the guitar so you can raise the volume and cut through. Also to be more confident and own my part of the stage more.

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The sources that I have used researching the song 'Of Wolf and Man' that I will cover for the Summative Assessment

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This week we spoke about what makes an artist. We were shown a video of a conversation between Rob Town and Toby Jepson discussing this, amongst other things, which was interesting.

One of the things which really stood out to me was when Toby said "you need to work 99% on your work and music, so you have something to sell" and "make things that you feel good about and you get excited by, don't try to do what others have already done, but build on it and make it something that you really like and can't wait to share".

I thought these were useful bits of advice and were similar to what I heard from the Architects Q&A.

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The song this week is "From Eden" by Hozier. I've struggled to connect to this song, so it's taken some work to get it to a comfortable place to play.

I think that as a group its sounding quite good and that we'll perform it well on friday, just need to make sure that we are all on the same page for the ending.

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We were very fortunate to have the opportunity to go and see Architects on Tuesday.

We had a Q&A with the band and were able to watch some of their sound check, and then we were able to see the show later as well.

The Q&A was brilliant, it was interesting listening to them talk about how they are hands on with the touring and deciding where they want to play, they also mentioned knowing what it is worth to you, which was a good point that I hadn't considered enough.

They talked about writing songs and how you need to push yourself when you are writing to make it as good as it can be, and that it is something that you are excited by.

The sound check was good, at one point the drummer had an issue as the vibrations were setting off his track pad, so they needed to increase the pressure it required. It was a great opportunity to see and learn in that environment.

The show they played was brilliant with a lot of energy, and the singer worked the crowd really well. I would have liked the guitars to cut through the mix a bit more, but other than that it was really impressive.

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Here I am practicing "From Eden" by Hozier. I struggled to connect to this song, but I am working on it to get it up to a level where I can play it.

It's a little trickier than it first seems, and its in 5/4 time which is different, I will have it playing well by the PPW and LPW, just a case of getting the job done.

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This week we were singing a song called "Creator" that I hadn't heard before. It has quite a fast rhythm and is very wordy, so was a challenge. When we had gone through it and got the rhythm, it was sounding good, we also spent a bit of time trying to get the energy right for the song. I think they are looking to use it as part of a TikTok challenge for WaterBear's socials, which will be good.

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This week we were looking at recording drums. We looked at the Glynn John technique for recording drums, to have two mics equidistant from the kit, one above and one in line, to get a nice natural sound when recording. Then we looked at using multiple microphones to really capture the sound of each drum and the differences between the two techniques.

As with everything, it is about getting a good original sound and then having a solid recording to start with.

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This week we were looking at 7th chords, or four note chords. We looked at how to play them, what intervals are used in them, and some inversions of them that can be used. Again Sam showed us how to play them in different places around the neck and encourages us to try to use them in different progressions to make them more musical.

Had a chat with Sam after the lesson to see if I could improve the way I practice, he said to use my Real Book to practice the 7th chords, and to focus on Rhythm and accuracy when trying to play faster and slowly increase the speed.

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This LPW went really well, and I'm really happy with the performance that we were able to put in.

There wasn't a lot of feedback for us as a group, as they thought we played it very well, they did say that we needed to make sure the guitar doing the solo had a bit more volume to it so it cuts through a bit more when they play that part.

For me personally, although it doesn't look like it for the angle of this video, they said I need to take more command of my part of the stage and not to tuck into the side so much. This is something that I will have to bare in mind and work on over the coming weeks.

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The song this week is "Call Me" by blondie, was a lot of fun to do and has multiple Guitar parts which allowed us to share things around.

The structure took a bit of discussion to figure out, but when we played it together it worked well. Needed to figure out the ending, decided to use the intro fill as an outro which gave us a nice cue for when to stop. Looking forward to the LPW.

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Here I was looking at "Call Me" for the PPW, at this point I needed to go through the parts a few times and get them comfortable. Played it with a metronome after this and brought it up to speed.

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This week we were singing "Cold Little Heart" which is a song I hadn't heard before. As the tenors and basses we were sing the lead for it, so that was a challenge. It was difficult at first, but once we got a bit more comfortable and started to sing with a bit more confidence, it was better. Being taken out of my comfort zone like that though is good, and will help me to back myself more in future.

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This week we were looking at recording electric guitar. We spoke about the speakers that are being used and how you can get a different tone from different areas of the speaker. We looked at mic placement, again in search of different tones, and depending on the mic, making sure that it can handle the sound pressure levels.

We then moved on to recording with 2 mics and the difference that this makes, and how it can let you get a fuller feeling, but you need to watch for any phasing issues, as the sound reaches the mics at different times. We also looked at how room mics and hall mics can be used to create a more live feel, as it picks up more of the natural sounds of the room.

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This week we were looking at taking the major scale all over the neck of the guitar, using both the CAGED system and the Three Note Per String system. We were being challenged to see how they all linked together to allow us to move around the neck more easily.

There were some good tips for practicing, including starting in one position and finishing in another, but also looking for different runs to practice the scale. We were also told to find different ways to practice it and see if we could make it less mechanical.

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Week 4 Summary:

- Guitar Technical Development, looked at developing the major scale into modes and playing the chords of the major scale without leaving the scale shape.
- Production, recording acoustic guitar and vocals
- Song for the week was Stevie Wonder's "Master Blaster" I found it a little tricky at first, but when I got it I found it to be a lot of fun to play.
- PPW, before we practiced as groups we were split into each section (Guitar, Bass, Drums and Vocals), as guitarists we were asked to look at the Horn part of the song as well.
- LPW, played "Master Blaster" at the LPW, it went well. I took the learnings from last week and made sure that I centre myself before I played, we also checked with each other in the sound check when we were going to end the song, as it fades out on the record. This worked really well at meant that the ending was on point, we used the longer run for the ending which was a fun way to finish.
- Feedback was they felt the song needed to grow in energy a bit more as we got to the last chorus.

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The LPW was really good, I enjoyed playing this one. We spoke in the sound check about the end and when it happens, which really helped to make it tight.

Feedback was to make sure the level rises at the end, felt we plateaued a little. Personal feed back was to look at my muting and make my right hand more expressive for the reggae feel of the song. Will bare these things in mind in the future.

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This week we spoke mostly about what we were planning to do for the formative assessment. I am doing Nightwish for the post 2000 period, and Andre Rieu for the pre 2000.

We also spoke about management in the music business, making sure we understood what it is and what it does.

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This week the song was "Master Blaster (Jammin')" by Stevie Wonder. Found I had to work through it a few times to get the feel of it.

One learning from last week was to really spend time making sure I am grabbing the chord correctly and everything is ringing out as it should be.

I think it is sounding quite good, just need to go over it a few more times to make sure it is as prepared as it can be for Friday.

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Tuesday: - I recorded the rhythm guitar parts, I thought it would be a good idea to get the core of the song down now so I can then work on what I am going to add to it.

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I went along to the WaterBear Voices again, was a lot of fun, really enjoying the feel of it and just singing in a group. This week we were sing 'the Chain' by Fleetwood Mac which was a fun song. It is interesting hearing how the different harmonies come together. Looking forward to the next one.

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Here on monday I have been working on Master Blaster again. Think it's sounding better. Almost ready for the PPW.

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This week we were looking at recording acoustic Guitar and vocals. It was quite interesting, having to think about how the mic placement gets different types of sound, whether or not you record with 2 mics and deal with phasing issues, how close you want the mic to be or if it will get in the way, and of course getting comfortable playing with a click track (which is also about knowing your parts really well).

For the vocals it was about using popping shields and where they are placed, where about you stand, eliminating unwanted noise by using a screen. Also, we were told that it was about making sure that the vocalist is comfortable so they can give a good performance. They told us to make sure that we record all the takes, even the warm ups as they are sometimes the ones that get used, and then listening back and deciding on the best takes and which ones you would like to use.

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This week we were looking at developing the Major Scale into modes and beginning to think about how that might apply. Was interesting and has given me some things to practice, Sam also encouraged us to take a look at the chapters around modes on canvas, so that is something I will include into my routine.

There was a good little exercise in the lesson about finding the chords in the major scale without leaving the scale shape you are in, which tied nicely with the CAGED stuff from last week. I'm going to need to practice those changes more though.

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Week 3 Summary:

-  Guitar Technical Development, looked at the CAGED system and how it allows us to navigate around the neck.
- Production, used MIDI and the software instruments. Started with a drum beat and then starting to build from there.
- Song for the week was "Roxanne" by the police, uses a lot of chord shapes that I haven't really used before so it's a challenge.
- They mix the groups up each week. No dominant personalities in this group and we didn't really decide how to end the song, on reflection when this happens I need to step up more.
- Played the LPW on Friday, it could have gone better. I got a bit rattled when we were stopped the first time as the guitar was out of tune, found myself chasing things after that and then we didn't end the song very well. Need to reset better, and make sure that when we leave the PPW, we know what we need to do, or book more time if we don't.
- Will get new strings on the guitar and make sure it is tuned correctly in future.

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This LPW didn't go well. We started to play the song and were then stopped as they thought the guitar was slightly out of tune. I was unable to sort it at the time and spent the whole song worrying about the sound and played really sloppily.

Things to learn are to take more time on Friday morning to double check that everything is where I want it to be, and to re-centre myself when something unexpected happens so that I can still perform.

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This is a two days later after practising it as a part of my practice routine, its getting better still a few areas to pollish up, but I'm pleased with how it is progressing. Apologies for how close the video is, I was using the laptop to film and am connected to it by my head phones (so I don't disturb people in the flats around me) so this is about as far back as I could get. Will see if I can use my phone or something else to film in future.

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Project Management - Planning for the Assessments

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Project Management - Planning for the Assessments

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I have been thinking about the music video idea, it will probably be a good idea to get a live performance video done so that if I cannot deliver the music video, I have something else to hand in. I still want to have a go at the music video though as it seems like a good thing to practice.

I have included a SWOT analysis of the project:

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Looked at record and publishing deals, what they are, how they work, the different types of labels that are put there and some things to keep in mind when looking for deals.

Good bit of advice from Rob was to; make relationships and have conversations with everyone you work with and around, you never know what connections you might make, and to always do some research on who you Re going to be working with so that you know they will work hard for you.

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No video or recording for this one unfortunately.

Played through the song a good few times, realised I misread the pre-chorus and sorted that out in the ppw.

Looked at the structure of the song, need to understand the number of bars in each section fully.

Going to work on those points throughout Thursday, to make sure it is good for Friday.

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An early look at the solo section of the song, this is the 1st half of the solo. I'd only been through the sections of it a couple of times at this point - when I then remembered to get a video of it.

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This is the rhythm part for the song that I have been practicing. It's starting to get to where I would like it to be, however a couple of times I was unsure of which section came next so I need to go and break the song down a bit more when I practice it and make sure I fully understand the structure of the song. But I am pleased with the progress so far.

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Worked using MIDI and the software instruments. Starting with adding drums and then building up from there. Something I'm going to need to work on and try more.

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This week we were looking at the CAGED system and the how it relates to the scales that we play and allows us to navigate around the neck.

There were a few different practice ideas that were brought up such as; creating a loop to improvise over, using a metronome to practice grabbing the chords, and playing the chord and then improvising a little over the top.

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Week 2 Summary:

- Guitar Technical Development to start the week. Looked at Minor Pentatonics and playing the five shapes, some good ideas to practice and use the scale. Lead playing is definitely a work on for me.
- Production was looking at the basics of using Logic. We were moving audio around and changing the song stems a bit. Need to bring my own stems for the next week.
- Song for the week was 'Cochise' by Audioslave. This was a lot of fun to play.
- The groups we were playing in got mixed around, so we could play with new people, really enjoyed the group I was with.
- We talked about the feedback we all got last time - to be tighter and know the structures of the song and put on more of a show - and tried to work on that in the rehearsal time.
- Played the LPW on Friday, went very well, it is a really fun song. No changes of line up which probably helped, but everyone had worked hard to know the song and try to action the feedback from last time.
- Everyone said we'd played it very well and they thought we were tight and looked like we were having fun on stage, which was nice to hear.
- Feedback was to get some different sounds into the intro (helicopter sounding) part, I can definitely look at experimenting a bit more. Something to take into next week with 'Roxanne' by The Police.

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Idea for Assessment Song "Of Wolf and Man"

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Idea for Assessment Song "Of Wolf and Man"

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It has been 30 years since the Black Album and lots of people are covering those songs, could be an idea to choose Of Wolf and Man, which hasn't really been covered yet.

Thought that I could do a music video for it in more of an 80's aesthetic, and look for images of Wolves to fade in and out with

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Pre Napster:

- Metallica who ended up suing Napster, could be good to focus on as to how it got to that point and why
- Andre Rieu is a musician and composer who works in classical music and orchestras, could be interesting to look at a different part of the music industry and what effect Napster had

Post Napster:

- Nightwish is a band whose success is largely post Napster and a band that I know well and really enjoy listening to

- The Pretty Reckless is a band that has had a lot of success recently, who again I know and enjoy, should also be a good amount of info as they are more mainstream

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Working with new people for this one. First we worked out the structure:
Intro 16bars
Verse 12 bars
Chorus 4 bars
Verse 12 bars
Chorus 8 bars
Bridge 8 bars
Long vocal 1 bar
Chorus 8 bars

Played it through and got comfortable with the parts.

All set for the LPW on Friday

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Practising using Logic and the different things it will let you do.
Tried to use busses and sends in the lesson, and copy and paste different parts of the track.
Need to bring my own next week to start working on it for the formative assessments.