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Specific

measurable

attainable

time bound

Academic - to work on my time management ( work on stuff weekly rather than last minute

Production - work on writing my own songs

Professional - network with my peers to find people to collaborate with

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My first vocal tech lesson

task - Analyse your voice and reflect on strengths and weakness

strengths

wide range

nice tone

good diction

weaknesses

breath control

voice shakes when nervous

harmonies

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what went well - this was the first time playing with a band and I think we did well with encouraging each other. I was singing in pitch and remembered the song well

what went wrong - very nervous so minimal stage presence and my voice was a bit shaky

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choose 2 bands

pre 2000s

Fontaines D.C.

After 2000s

Rolling Stones

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Professionalism - To build confidence and stage presence by performing at open mic nights within the next 6 weeks, aiming to perform at least one new song at each event and reflecting on each performance

techniques - work on head to chest voice transition.

performance - to work on stage presence ( moving around stage more)

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This week in the first take I naturally went into head voice by accident so in the second take I tried to switch into chest voice to work on one of my SMART targets. I seemed to have used more of a mixed voice which did sound better but I still want to be able to switch into my chest voice with ease because at the moment I have to think about it a lot which takes away from my stage presence which is another area for improvement and a SMART target of mine.

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chest voice

better projection

fits better with the song

although still having to think about it too much and not consistent throughout the song

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here is a plan for my assignments

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Growth Mindset

A growth mindset is the belief that, through effort, learning, and persistence, skills, intelligence, and talent can all be developed over time.

Fixed Mindset

A fixed mindset is the belief that abilities and intelligence are relatively static and cannot change much over time.

Why It Matters:

A growth mindset promotes resilience, learning, and development — all of which are critical in music and the creative arts.

A fixed mindset will hinder you from reaching your full potential.

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I am going to do a cover of a jazz song

potentially:

Ella Fitzgerald

laufey

why?

to work on breath control (SMART)

I am going to work with a guitarist as I want to work with only one person to ease myself into the organisation process.

I need to become more proficient in using logic as I have no prior experience in production.

challenges

organisation

using logic

combating anxiety

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Resilience means the ability to recover quickly from setbacks and to keep powering through even when things are hard and not going to plan.

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SOVT

I have been using this vocal warm up to work on strengthening my voice

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Warm Up and Strengthen Your Voice with SOVTEs - Semi-Occluded Vocal Tract Exercises

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I have found this warm up very helpful but I do think that I still need to work on using my chest voice more.

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Strengths

Vocal Development: I've had a few years of singing lessons so I know a lot of techniques. Performance Experience: I have done singing exams so am used to performing under pressure. I have worked in a choir so am used to working with lot's of people.

I am good at working with others and friendly

Weaknesses

Performance Anxiety: My Confidence may fluctuate during live performances or assessments.

Limited Industry Exposure (initially): May need to seek extra networking opportunities outside of the course.

Time Management Challenges: Balancing rehearsals, assignments, practice, and personal life can be difficult for me

Opportunities

Open Mic Nights & Gigging: Chance to build stage experience and audience confidence.

Collaboration with Other Artists: Cross-course or industry collaborations can boost my portfolio.

Workshops & Masterclasses: Access to visiting professionals can offer new insights

Threats

Highly Competitive environment: Many talented performers trying for the same opportunities.

Health Issues: Vocal strain or illness can impact my ability to perform and progress.

Burnout Risk: Pressure to perform academically and creatively can become overwhelming.

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Formative for Navigating the Music industry.

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Formative for Navigating the Music industry.

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feedback

This plan details the potential for a paper that compares the career of trhe rolling stones with the current career of Fountaines DC.

The paper is in an early stage of deveopment, with three references currently considered useful in the discussion of the comparision between an early 1960s band and the contemporary indie artists.

The two periods are widely different, and the role of Artist Management could be a useful gauge to explore how the two different bands have prospered in their period. For instance, the Stones have enjoyed a number of high profile managers before settling on the current structure where the band largely manage their own affairs. Each manager used different approaches, and the divergent nature of the music industry in the 1960s meant that different approaches could be successful in guiding a band to success.

The contemporary music scene has a different relatioinship to major labels, and the type of artists who are currently success with a major record deal may indicate the ambitions of the band or the length of career they believe might be possible. To assess this, you are likely to need more information that the single source currently listed.

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choose song

find a guitarist

start rehearsing together

receive feedback

I have made friends with a guitarist from second year as he is very good at playing a jazz style so I have asked him to play with me

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Falling behind - Laufey

Lowered larynx & darker vowels Adds warmth and vintage timbre

Legato phrasing & clear diction Smooth, expressive makes it emotionally engaging

Controlled register shifts which creates emotional depth

Jazz-inspired phrasing Creates a relaxed, nostalgic mood

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during practice I have noticed that I am struggling to know when to breathe.

The phrasing is quite difficult and a lot of the notes are difficult to hold.

There are a lot of words in each phrase so diction is very important.

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Video I've been using to help with breathing. 

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Video I've been using to help with breathing. 

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I watched and sang along with this video to help me sustain longer phrases with just one breath as this is something I need to get better at for my assessment as The song falling behind doesn't allow for many breaths. After using this video I've learnt to use more vibrato to help and to make sure I have good posture.

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Holding Notes Vocal Exercise to SUSTAIN NOTES WITH EASE

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I struggled to hold my breath for the whole phrase at the beginning of the video but towards the end I did get better and figured out when to take an appropriate breath if I needed to. I do feel that I'm improving on my target to get better breath control

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I think this week went really well overall and I felt more confident. I still need to work on moving around the stage more as this is one of my SMART targets but I do think that it is better than the first week. I also need to go into the high notes with more confidence and continue to work on using my chest voice. In the first take of the song I sang it in head voice unintentionally but when I was reminded to try it in chest voice for the second take it sounded much better as I sang it in more of a mixed voice. I still need to practice using my chest voice more so that I get used to the feeling.

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I was unable to hand in the rest of my formatives due to personal reasons. I did make a start on some of them but missed the hand in date as I was going through some issues. I am on track for my performance as I have been rehearsing with my friend. however I have left the mixing very last minute.

I have sealed help outside of uni and am trying to sort some stuff out.

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Breakdown of the Song ( Falling Behind Laufey) 

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Breakdown of the Song ( Falling Behind Laufey) 

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Tempo: About 76 BPM

This slow tempo complements the intimate nature of the lyrics.

Key: C Major

Time Signature: 4/4

Structural Layout (Bar count)

The layout will vary slightly based on interpretations and arrangements, but the layout is as follows:

Intro - 4 bars

Verse 1 - 16 bars

Pre-Chorus - 8 bars

Chorus - 8 bars

Verse 2 - 16 bars

Pre-Chorus - 8 bars

Chorus - 8 bars

Bridge/Instrumental - 8 bars

Final Chorus (soft) - 8 bars

Outro - 4 bars

Total number of bars ~= 88

Harmonic Ideas (Chords)

The harmony is jazz influenced and contains the following:

Cmaj7 – Am7 – Dm7 – G7 (classic ii – V – I)

Use of extended chords such as maj7, m7, and dominant 7ths.

Passing chords, with chromatic bass motion in some areas.

These chords contribute to the dreamy and reflective character of song and evoke Laufey’s jazz influence and heritage.

Main Rhythmic & Melodic Ideas

Rhythm:

Mainly steady, soft, and piano accompaniment with some gentle syncopation.

Vocals float on top of the rhythm and use rubato and light swing for phrasing.

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Laufey - Falling Behind (Official Audio)

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I have found that after doing a warm up I am able to hold notes better and sustain phrases. I have now been using vibrato to help and trying to calculate when I take a breath to make it seem less obvious

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Production techniques to use for a Jazz style 

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Production techniques to use for a Jazz style 

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Warm EQ

Boosting low mids adds warmth to acoustic instruments (Izhaki, 2017). Cutting harsh high mids (2-5 kHz) helps reduce brightness or harshness on vocals and horns.

3. Reverb

Using plate or room reverb adds natural ambience to jazz tracks without overwhelming the mix (Owsinski, 2013). Subtle reverb settings for different instruments maintain separation and intimacy (Izhaki, 2017).

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Why this song shows where I'm planning to go creatively 

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Why this song shows where I'm planning to go creatively 

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This song is Jazz inspired and I have recently discovered that my voice suits jazz. I would like to work on a cruise ship as a Jazz singer and want to work on jazz songs through my time at university to improve. I used to sing mostly musical theatre and although I am good at it I don't think I want to pursue that in the future.

I prefer taking part more intimate perfomances and am more comfortable singing in this style as I am not a super entertaining person when it comes to stage presence. I prefer conveying songs with emotion through facial expressions and my voice rather than moving around a lot.

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unfortunately I didn't book into a studio due to the fact I was busy with some personal issues and lacked organisation. Luckily me and my friends had the equipment we needed. I used a Rhode nt130 (Large-diaphragm Condenser Microphone) this was good but picked up some background noise.

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Compressor to make a more consistent sound

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EQ

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Reverb for a Jazz feel

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Amp used

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Critical Evaluation – Recording Process for “Falling Behind”

For my recording assignment, I performed “Falling Behind” by Laufey, with me singing and my friend playing guitar. We recorded the song together, and I then mixed it using Logic Pro. I added EQ and reverb to give it a more jazzy, atmospheric sound, and I used a compressor to help control the vocal dynamics.

Although I originally created a Gantt chart to plan my time, I didn’t follow it closely. I left most of the work until the last minute due to personal issues, and I missed lessons. This made the process more stressful and limited what I was able to achieve. However, I still completed the assignment by doing research and asking others for advice when I needed support.

The final mix was quite simple and could have been more polished, but I was happy that I managed to finish it despite the setbacks. In the future, I need to start earlier and stick to my planning so I can spend more time experimenting and improving the overall quality of my recordings

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Critical Analysis of Laufey's "Falling Behind"

I decided to sing Laufey's "Falling Behind" for my final performance. I spent several weeks working on it, and initially I ran into some difficulties. It was difficult for me to get used to the jazz style because I usually sing musical theatre. Since I'm more accustomed to using my head voice, I found it difficult to reach lower notes, hold notes, and sing in a single breath.

I performed warm-up exercises and viewed YouTube videos about breathing techniques and chest-voice singing to get better. I made significant progress thanks to these strategies. I was able to sing the lower parts with greater confidence and clarity as my breath support improved over time.

I put a lot of effort into controlling my breathing, and by the final performance, it had significantly improved.

My live performance didn't go as well as some of my practice sessions, despite the fact that I got better during rehearsals. It was difficult for me to focus because I was so anxious. I cut off a few notes too early and had a voice crack during one section. The performance's overall flow was impacted by these minor errors.

Even so, I believe I was able to convey the song's emotion and a little bit of its jazz vibe. I also achieved my SMART goal of improving my stage presence and improving my breath control so I'm happy about that.

I learnt how crucial it is to control anxiety and maintain concentration when performing live. I want to continue honing my confidence and improving the consistency of my performances in the future.