# data[].attributes.body
My piece is going to be a indie rock sounding song. Sitting at about 90-100 bpm a fairly fast tempo. I will be heavily Influenced and taking ideas from the likes of paramore and Radiohead. I’ll be following a basic structure of verse pre chorus, chorus, verse bridge/instrumental, chorus, and a fading outro section. I will be using guitar as the main instrument as it’s my first instrument so I’m therefore most familiar with it, followed by a basic lineup on bass, drums, a possible second guitar, and keys. I would like to incorporated a guitar solo or improvised section in the outro to finish the song on a strong beat ensuring the listener doesn’t get bored. I’ll be paying attention to adding little chimes or jingles throughout to keep the listener engaged.

# data[].attributes.body
I feel I followed through with my original plan as my idea was to create a indie rock beat incorporating guitar, bass, and drums. I made a few changes throughout the process including adding a bridge section with keys, and a recurring catchy riff. I added in some vocal background singing during the final build up whilst the solo plays to create a broader range of sounds. I feel the recurring riff worked well as a familiar sound piecing the whole track together, cresting that I used auto loops which did remind me of Paramore. next time, I would add vocals which I feel would really complete the role track.

# data[].attributes.body
One thing I was worried about leading up to the performance was that the sound was going to sound off and imbalanced, though we had a sound check, all went well and the overall performance sounded good.

I was confident in the performance because I felt I knew my parts well and could easily get on the stage and just have fun. Even after the performance all I wanted was to get back onto the stage and play again.

We as a band in group D worked well together and all became good friends, I think this really benefited us in our performance and practices as we could well communicate.

Next time if we could I could definitely try push ourselves for some harder songs and also to look and act a little more free and happy on stage. Overall I really enjoyed playing with these people and can’t wait to see what the year has in stall for us.

# data[].attributes.body
I feel as our presentation went pretty well, we all showed up knowing what we were going to say, yes there was nerves but overall very glad with how it went. If I could do it again I would definitely add more information for my own part, going into a bit further detail as to why song choice matters for every band not just ours. We kept the presentation slides rather simple which I feel is better as it gives the audience a better focus point with not too much going on. Overall very happy with how it went, I felt confident and comfortable within myself and think it turned out pretty well.

# data[].attributes.body
motivational and fast pace sound track, with sound effects for the flying in the wind. determined and mystical, instrumental. start off mellow and friendly and then as it progresses going into a fast pace military style drumming which builds up into a string orchestra as she is being chased around.

# data[].attributes.body
I created a movie with a slow, layered start to start off a bit mysterious. I then changed it to an increasing bass an drums track to show the intensity of the scene. including some sound effects like wind noises and effects to represent the sound of the ink blast in the air. by slowly fading out certain sounds helps create a less harsh transition between music and effects.

# data[].attributes.body
26/11/25, Band 2

Present- Ava, Dorina, Maya, Jason, Katie, Oilibhear, louis, Ivan, Antosh, Nico.

Absent- Eva

Songs worked on- ain't it fun [paramore], Rooster[Alice and chains].

Set-up- tune instruments and warm up

band chat- talk about what to rehearse

sectional work- work on specific sections needing improvement or changing.

final run throughs- apply changes to a full run through of each song.

For aint it fun, we had changed the ending and added a guitar solo the previous week, so for this rehearsal we put that into real time and practiced the full song with the changed ending to make sure the whole band was on the same page.

We then began working on the newly chosen song rooster, we started this by splitting guitar parts and listening through the song as a group to get a feel for the song and decide what parts were best for each person, we also made the decision to speed up the song as on the record its a very slow tempo song and we agreed we wanted a faster-pace up beat tempo.

# data[].attributes.body
3/12/25, Band 2

Present- Ava, Dorina, Jason, Katie, Oilibhear, louis, Ivan, Antosh, Nico, Eva

Absent- Maya

Songs worked on- ain't it fun [paramore], Rooster[Alice and chains].

Set-up- tune instruments and warm up

band chat- talk about what to rehearse

sectional work- work on specific sections needing improvement or changing.

final run throughs- apply changes to a full run through of each song.

Whilst rehearsing aint it fun we had multiple clean run throughs of the ending we decided practicing starts and endings to the song.

For our second song, rooster by Alice and chains we started by giving each singer a run through of the song to help split vocal parts. we then tried the song by slowly combining parts, Oilibhear and Jason decided on a harmonised guitar part during the verse. I feel much better about the song choice as although it was a bit out there and we weren't sure how we would go about it, we all think its starting to feel more comfortable.

For my part in aint it fun I play the main melody line which comes in at different parts throughout the song, reoccurring. I enjoy this part, its catchy and has a good rhythm. As for my part in Rooster I play with the other 3 guitarists the main intro to make it have an almost chorus effect, I then repeat this throughout using distortions in some parts to create heavier choruses and add more to the dynamics.

# data[].attributes.body
I was working with:

Maya,

Dorina,

Katie,

Antosh.

Our Process

we started off by me and Katie playing different chords until we found something me liked. we recorded each track into logic along side a drum lopped tracks. Maya and dorian then started humming along to the instrumentation to come up with a melody. once we decided on one we all liked we recored the humming into logic and then moved onto lyrics.

Next steps:

id like to come up with a new chord sequence, to stop the overall song from sounding too repetitive.

So far I think it's sounding pretty good as an initial plan, I'm excited to see with what else we owe up with. we also need to next week further separate what we want as a chorus and a verse etc.

# data[].attributes.body
I wanted to create a range of audios to make the video seem as realistic as possible, I feel I did this well as not only having music to set the scene and mood of the video but sound effects to make it seem like it was all actually happening in real time. I had originally planned to create one music track for the whole video continuously but decided to fit the mood better having music come in at separate points or not having any sound at all to create atmosphere. I learnt how to use music in a way to help an audience feel something more and to put automation on effects to make them sound more distant or dramatic. I feel the no sound at the end works well to create the sense of emptiness because the man dissipated and the fact we don't know what happens and there's a dramatic change, I really enjoyed incorporating that into my project. next time id like to create my own music to implement into the track and use a variety of tracks rather that limiting it to one or two.

# data[].attributes.body
The name of my bands original song is down the line, we collectively wrote different parts including he melody, chord sequence, solo, and sections. We worked as a group well throughout the song writing process as multiple times throughout me sat down in a circle around a notebook of lyrics and ensured we shared all our ideas and were all of the same page about the song. This conversation also included figuring out what elements were missing as well as what ones we need to practice more, the main theme that continuously came up was rehearsing the ending of the song and the transition between sections for example the bridge and the solo. I helped in the writing process the most with all the guitar parts and order of the song for example if we felt the bridge would sound better before or after the solo as well as when each of the guitars would come in. I created the opening riff of the song with the arpeggiated like chord sequence, I made this with Katie as she played the first few notes on bass when we were having a jam and felt that was a good way to start a song as well as helping wrote the chords for the rest of the song and giving ideas and opinions throughout. one of the biggest challenges we faced was knowing when to reintroduce vocals after the guitar solo. we ultimately decided we wanted more flow so I suggested when the singers feel its right they come into the song mid solo and Jason will fade out his solo to give a more seamless transition. I learnt that during the song writing process its important to listen to others ideas as you never know what will sound the best in the end. Its also a good opportunity to share all the riffs I create on my own and then into something really worthwhile. I really enjoyed this as its something o feel proud of and share with friends, I also have learnt song writing is a great opportunity to show your skills and become a better musician.

# data[].attributes.body
Intro, Verse 1, Chorus, Interlude, Verse 2, Chorus, Middle 8, Solo, Outro

Structure and Arrangement

-mid paced

-4/4

-4 vocals, 4 guitars

Lyrics

-personal and storytelling

-1st person

-melody changes into chorus and again for the middle 8

Melody

-verse rhythm is short and fast

-chorus rhythm is long and slow

-there is a repetition of melody in all verses and all choruses but different words

-good range of dynamics and notes

-highest note is at the end of the second verse [Ab]

Chords

-Simple chords

-slight change in chords into the verse

-major

Hooks

-vocal hook repeated a couple times through the song

-chord sequence sort of used as a hook along with the vocal hook

# data[].attributes.body
The project 2 performance went very well, I really enjoyed all coming together and seeing the originals each band wrote. I feel ours went well as we all knew what to do and when as well as having fun doing so. What I felt could’ve gone better was the sound check and maybe having some better stage presence, for example keeping my head up when playing or singers moving about a bit more. I’m excited to learn from this experience and put it into practice with our next performances. I’ve found it a very good experience learning off of eachother and out individual ways we write songs, it was a great way to get used to learning with new people and can’t wait to do it again.

# data[].attributes.body
-warm up on guitar to prevent hand stiffness

-stay hydrated to stop over heating

-revise part so 100% confident, 1 less thing to forget about.

know that this is what you put all the effort in for and just do the best you possibly can.

# data[].attributes.body
For my first step in the mix I decided to keep the kick drums, vocals, and bass in the centre. I panned the keys and guitar left and right, one guitar being fully right and one halfway to create more depth in guitar. the toms were all panned left and right as well as the hi hats and cymbals to not keep all the drums in one direct line. I did this until I felt the audio was a well rounded sound and had an even mix of all instruments.

# data[].attributes.body
for this section I decided to compress the female vocals, the 2 guitar mics, snare, and the kick. I wanted a less scratchy snare and a snappier kick. the female vocals reached a lot of peaks I didn't feel fit so I added a slight compression to calm those peaks. the guitars felt too in your face to added a little compression and turned the volume down of both to try make the guitars fit into the overall sound of the song.

# data[].attributes.body
Rationale

Throughout the year I have gained new skills in a range of areas including new mixing strategies, how to plan a band practice and how to effectively split parts to cover a wide range of sounds in a group setting. Doing projects such as the live performance have heightened my confidence on the stage and helped me prepare to perform with my band at mash house this coming may. I've learnt many things to use to give the best performance possible. such as pre show rituals, warm ups, and effective ways to learn a song.

Project concept

For my final project I am going to be performing at the mash house and documenting all the steps taken to get the set up to standard.

Our set list is made up of 5 songs, our original, back in 74, she looks so perfect, super freak, and give it up. The most challenging one so dad has been give it up as on the record it’s very synth heavy and with 4 electric guitars there’s a lot of working around that and creating new parts so the song fits our band the best it can.

Resources

I find watching a range of performances of the songs weather they're on stage, records, or tutorials, it helps get a better feel of the song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwLRDMQYh9M

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=El8Imv44kRE

# data[].attributes.body
To prepare for my solo performances practiced the piece slowed down until it was up to speed. I played for friends and family to see what it would feel like playing the song in-front of others. I felt really good about it as it showed another side to my guitar playing that I’m really proud of as the finger-style guitar is one of the harder styles of guitar I’ve learnt. I also recorded myself at home playing to hear myself back before the solo performance date.

# data[].attributes.body
During our band rehearsals we do find it challenging to split vocal parts as some days if a vocalist isn't there its hard to mow where they should be in the song and can't further develop the vocal harmonies. another challenge we've faced is finding a way for 4 guitarists to equally play a song. knowing that sometimes you just shouldn't play is very important and the sometimes not playing makes the overall sound less clashy and cleaner.

# data[].attributes.body
So far band rehearsals have been going well, trying to adapt songs to fit our band and choose parts for each vocalist and guitarist to give a good split. We’ve made good progress on the majority of our songs and have just picked a final song. We have been working well as a group by communicating, sitting down and proposing ideas together has become the best most effective way to do things.

# data[].attributes.body
I added EQ to the guitars and snare drum to get the exact snap of the snare and funky strumming sound on the guitars I liked. I made the vocals louder to be the more prominent part as well as upping the compression on the female vocals and there was a lot of higher notes that didn’t sit in the frame I wanted.m, the compression bright this down to the right level. If I were to do this mix again I would focus on making the keys a little brighter and spend a little more time playing around with different sounds in the EQ and possibly branching out to other effects, other than that I was really happy with the overall sound.

# data[].attributes.body
After listening back to the halfway mix and the last mix I’m very proud of the mix. It’s brighter and more balanced which is exactly what I set out to do. I wish to continue to develop my mixes with new techniques and can’t wait to see what’s next.