What is a motif?:

A motif is any repeatable musical part, it can be melodic, rhythmic or harmonic. The key characteristics of a motif include being short and recognizable, repeated throughout the piece (and often transformed or manipulated to create variance) and being a 'foundation' for the rest of the songs structure.

Motifs are often used in classical and pop music with the later being the most easily recognizable, although almost all music utilizes motifs in some way or another. Take for example Stronger by Kanye West, here amongst many other motifs the repeated Daftpunk sample easily shines through serving as the most effective motif and likely largest reason for the songs widespread popularity.

Why are motifs important?:

A motif is usually the most memorable part of any given song. When a song is stuck in your head on repeat most of the time its the motif that keeps it there. The repetition of certain parts is what give's popular songs their long time grasp on peoples minds, ensuring they're not easily forgotten about. Motifs also help songwriters to tie parts of the music together and further emphasize (or similarly de-emphasize) more important parts. We can use motifs to single out certain ideas or to familiarize them with the rest of the track. A well made motif will also commonly incite specific emotions which can be used to increase the emotional impact of a part.

https://youtu.be/PsO6ZnUZI0g

What is a cliche?

A cliche is any idea or concept that has been overused to the point of being 'boring' or 'worn out'. This often has the effect of disengaging or switching off an audience reducing the emotion impact of your target audience. An example of cliches in songwriting are phrases like 'I'm lost without you' or the concept of 'giving your heart'. At the surface level these may seem like effective metaphors for expression of devotion and sorrow when in reality the over-use of these phrases has led them to bore most listeners and lose there emotional impact.

Fall back in love with music:

There are many ways to reignite your passion for music. We spoke about playing favorite songs instead of trying to force creativity, experimenting with new gear and joining a band or just playing with new musicians to see others passions in real life.

Talk to strangers:

Another piece of advice we talked about was to talk to strangers. Break out of your 'echo-chamber' and engage with people from different break grounds to see other perspectives on music and how it can effect people emotionally.

Write spoken word songs:

We also discussed the idea of writing a song without the constraints of a defined melody or harmony focusing instead purely on lyrics. Through doing this we can hope to refine our message and reignite creative thinking.

Meditate:

And finally we discussed meditation. Quiet your mind through guided, unguided, or transcendental meditation. Regular practice promotes mental clarity and calm, indirectly fueling inspiration.

So how can we counter this? Stay focused and know exactly what you want to express before adding needless complexity. If your track feels as though it may be overly complex ask yourself; What is important for the core message?; Are any of the layers redundant?; Does the song still make sense with just bass, vocals and drums? Often the extra complexity doesn't need to be there and exists purely through attachment to the piece. Strip back what you can and if you can't bare to part with a musical piece save it for a future track.

In days session these basics consisted of reading sheet music something I personally had never explored before.

This included learning about staves and clefs

What is a stave?

A stave is a set of 5 horizontal and parallel lines on which notes can be applied to convey pitch and rhythmic information.

What is a clef?

A clef is a symbol placed at the start of a stave which denotes the pitch of the notes on the stave. There are 4 main clefs which each precede different musical parts. These include; the treble clef for higher pitches (usually violins and flutes); the bass clef for lower pitched instruments (like a bass guitar or a tuba); the tenor clef for the higher ranges of low frequency instruments; and the alto clef used for middle-range pitches (almost always used for violas).

For the music theory part of the session we discussed time signatures. Specifically in terms of simple compared to compound time.

Simple time:

Simple time is when the beats divide into equal, undotted notes and each beat splits naturally into 2 parts (E.g. 2/4 3/4 4/4).

Compound time:

Contrarily, compound time is when each beat is dived into 3 equal parts (e.g. 6/8, 9/8, 12/8) The top number is typically 6, 9, or 12.

For the music theory part of this session we covered the chords in the major scale.

The major scale:

The major scale is an order of notes played in a major key. The order of chords (Maj, Min, Min, Maj, Maj, Min, Dim, Maj) and interval between notes (Tone, Tone, Semitone, Tone, Tone, Tone, Semitone) remains the same with the root note just changing for each major key.

Major chords contain the root, major third and perfect 5th. Minor chords contain the root, minor third and perfect 5th.

Diminished chords contain the root, minor third and diminished fifth.

-Semibreve

-Minim

-Crotchet

-Quaver

-Semiquaver

-Whole Note

-1/2

-1/4

-1/8

-1/16

And the different rests. What these note durations and rests look like on the stave and how to recognize them.

The two tips were:

Look at the last sharp and raise it a semitone. That is your key

Or

Look at the penultimate flat. That is your key

During the waiting period though whist performers were getting ready we discussed defining success.

Success is personal Whether quantifiable or intangible the important part is that its your success and it can manifest in an infinite number of ways. Keeping this in mind progress towards this takes time. Therefore, its important to build positive habits that sustain motivation.

The tasks we were given between performances were centered around our personal development as an artist. To maximize self growth it's important to strategically plan to develop both existing and new skills. We also identified strengths and weaknesses that will influence future decisions.

On the project development side of things this week we discussed streamlined project planning. After identifying your goals it's important to clearly outline your objectives and the steps you need to take towards them.

We also discussed developing research skills. Organizing your research with things like the SWOT method is an effective way to increase workflow.

What is sampling?

Sampling is a creative technique used in music production in which a section of another independent recording is repurposed for use in a new recording. In can include the use of any recorded sound not just clips from other songs.

Why is sampling important in developing music?

The begin of sampling in music creation can be traced back to the 1940s when composers such as Karlheinz Stockhausen and Edgard Varèse experimenting with tape looping on early tape recording technology developed in WW2 Germany. From here as technology developed sampling slowly became an indispensable tool for music creator everywhere. The Beatles track Revolution No. 9 can be pointed to as a standout early use of sampling in mainstream music. Early hip-hop producers in the 1970s began integrating sampling into tracks using samples from older soul and reggae tracks on tape loopers to create the unique and iconic sounds of early hip-hop pioneers.

Ever since the earliest days of sampling on physical tape recorders sampling as a technique has only continued to become more intuitive and accessible to all music creators. after the home studio revolution of the 2010s advanced techniques that once took years to master became available to all. Now music producers the world over can freely use sampling to express there creative freedom and access sounds just not possible through any other means.

Humanization:

This is one of the most important parts of programming in MIDI as without proper use of this technique you are locked out of creating organic sounds. Purposely off setting MIDI notes creates a more human pattern and can be used to simulate different instrumental play styles. Things like bending notes or positioning notes in stum patterns are effective ways to achieve this. However, arguably the most important factor when humanizing MIDI is velocity control. By controlling the dynamic expression of the MIDI notes you can achieve a more human sound.

Another thing we discussed was printing VSTs into organic stems. This is when you bounce a MIDI part out into audio. This can help to reduce CPU and also 'finalize' MIDI recordings/arrangements by locking them in. Furthermore, in this state the piece can now be subject to tape editing techniques (reverse, stretch, granular processing)

Its also important when producing to have a good ear for mixing to decide how and when to apply mixing techniques. For example, knowing when a mix is too muddy, when there are frequency clashes and when dynamics need adjusting. Developing listening skills is essential for achieving a polished, radio-ready track and conveying your desired musical ideas to your audience.

In this session I also learnt for the first time about understanding FM synthesis. FM synthesis uses one wave form to generate complex timbre and uses these unique sounds to alter another wave form, the first being the modulator which effects the later which is the carrier. This form of synthesis creates unique bright harmonics often being described as metallic or bell sounding. FM synthesis is powerful for crafting punchy basses, sharp leads, and evolving sounds that are difficult to achieve with other synthesis methods.

Automation:

Automation is the process of having different parameters on a track dynamically change through the passage of time to achieve a desired effect. Almost all parameters within a processor, VST and mix can be automated. A simple example would be slowly 'ramping up' the reverb on a guitar part to give the effect of the sound slowly become larger and more impactful.

Parallel compression:

Parallel compression is a production technique that utilizes automation to make a sound more defined at certain points. One of the simplest uses of parallel compression would be applying it to a kick drum during a chorus to make it 'push through' the mix more. This is achieved by placing a compressor with a harsh ratio and fast attack on a bus and then automating the amount of send on the bus to a desired track. A good way to visualize this effect is the parallel compression singling out the track and placing it above the rest of the song.

• Being able to produce mix and master my songs to a radio level standard is a great strength as it means I can save time and money on studio sessions/producers.

• My vocals are a big strength of mine and therefore, something I can put less focus on.

Weaknesses-

• Harmonies are a big gap in my musicality and I definitely need to spend more time understanding the fundamentals of harmonics.

• Creating unique and human melodies for any given piece is a weakness of mine and something I would like to spend more time on.

Opportunities-

• Living in Brighton and studying at waterbear means there are lots of great artists and producers close to me who would be great to work with.

• Again living in Brighton gives me the opportunity to play live and increase my confidence on stage and at different venues.

Threats-

• Procrastination, low motivation and general mental well being are likely the biggest threats to this project. Staying on time and on top of work loads will be helpful to combat this.

Target 2: Further develop Vocal mixing techniques for my DAW track

Vocals are king:

Vocals are always the focus in any song's arrangement so its important to make space and plan ahead for their inclusion. Anything that is distracting from the topline vocals should be removed or moved to allow the vocals to shine.

Leave space:

The key to an amazing arrangement is not just the content within the song but also the gaps and emptiness within the track. It's important to remember to use space as an intrinsic component of the song itself. This is key to dynamic clarity and definition.

Avoid exactly repeating yourself:

It's common within music to have an element of repetition through-out the track. For hard hitting choruses this can excused however it's important to remember that an audience can become bored with repetitive elements and so showing variety within the repetition is key to key your listeners engaged and not complacent or bored.

Loud to soft - Fortissimo (ff), Forte (f), Mezzo Forte (mf), Mezzo Piano (mp), Piano (p) and Pianissimo (pp)

Get louder and softer - Crescendo and Decrescendo

Get faster and slower - Accelerando and Ritardando

Short & sharp - Staccato

Long & fluid - Legato

Etc.

A well-organized signal path is also crucial for efficient workflow and minimal confusion. This includes routing audio and MIDI tracks through buses and auxiliary sends for effects like reverb and delay.

In this weeks spark session we discussed how to go about writing better and more effective toplines.

Dynamics are key:

Tension and release is one of the most important aspects of any song. So it's important for the topline vocal to have highlights and lowlights (moments of high-energy and low-energy) this keeps the listeners engaged in the song and creates more impactful emotional beats.

Meaning free words:

One of the most effective ways to create a song that is a 'hit' is for the topline to be specifically designed for audience involvement. Meaning free words like 'yeah' 'woah' and 'hey' are easy to remember and often irresistible for an audience. A prime example of this phenomena is the song Ho Hey by The Lumineers.

In this weeks spark session we discussed some tips on how to actively improve your writing.

Keep it enjoyable:

Songwriting should not feel like a chore, it should feel liberating. Schedule breaks or even full days off and remember you never have to write just doing your best when creativity strikes is enough.

Use your phone wisely:

In todays word everyone is constantly carrying with them an extremely capable computer that can help songwriters in many ways. Voice-memos and notes is probably the most important one, if creativity strike away from home don't be afraid to take a quick voice memo and don't forget to revisit these in the future.

See live music:

Nothing sparks inspiration like other musicians. Hearing a songwriter that is not yourself is an effective way to expand your mind and approach to songwriting in general.

The biggest challenge for a modern songwriter is building an audience/online following. Todays social and artistic landscape is almost solely based on online platforms like twitter, Instagram and TikTok and due to the universe accessibility to content creation standing out is harder than ever. Viewers of your art will most of the time align their expectations with familiar and much more successful artists so competition for listeners is very hard.

However, there are some effective ways to win the battle for attention. Start strong. Avoid long intros and start with impactful lyrics out of the gate. This grasps listeners attention and makes them less likely to just ignore you. Front-load your vocals and get to the point fast. Never before in history has the average human attention span been shorter so get to the point and show people what you want to as quick as possible.

Benefits of revision:

Revision deepens comprehension of complex ideas insuring that you remember them for longer and can effectively recall them when the need be. Revision also helps to identify gaps within your knowledge and understanding. Providing you with a sense of direction to the parts you need to work on most.

Effective revision strategies:

Revise progressively - Revisit material at regular times and not just before you need it.

Plan systematically - structure your revision so as to spread focus to the areas you need most.

Nurture focus: make sure revision takes place when and where you are unlikely to be distracted.

Write to remember - Writing down notes of important information is a way of ensuring the information is not forgotten and sets in more.

Suspended chords (sus2, sus4) are triads which replace the minor or major 3rd with the 2nd or 4th respectively.

Example = Asus4

Add chords (Add9, 11, 13 etc.) are stacked chords that include the original triad plus an extra higher note.

Example = F#Add9

The minor scale follows a set pattern of notes in a minor key. Its chord order is (Min, Dim, Maj, Min, Min, Maj, Maj, Min) and its interval structure is (Tone, Semitone, Tone, Tone, Semitone, Tone, Tone). This sequence stays consistent across all minor keys with only the root note changing.

However, I was once again able to share my most recent music and received feedback on it that was helpful in developing the final versions of my 2 songs.

Mid/Side EQ was another topic we covered. Mid/Side EQ gives you more control over the stereo image by processing the center and sides of a mix independently. Bass kick and vocals are mono elements found in the mid channel whereas guitars, pads and overheads provide stereo width on the side channel. This method works particularly well for mastering but its also effective for mixing to improve depth and separation.

These are the core parameters on a compressor:

Attack - how fast the compressor acts on the sound

Release - how long the compressor acts on the sound

Ratio - how strong the compressor cuts

Threshold - the volume level the compressor starts to work

And these are the different main types of compressor:

Opto compressor:

An optical compressor that is controlled by an LED light source and a sensor. This then adjusts the compressor based on the intensity of the light creating a smooth, slow-acting and more natural source of compression. This type of compressor is best used on vocals.

VCA compressor:

Voltage controlled compressor and it is the most common default compressor. This is the most standard type of compressor commonly used on everything.

FET compressor:

FET compressors (Field-Effect Transistor) provides quick forceful compression with a sharp punchy character. It has a noticeable harmonic saturation that gives signals more grit and excitement and it reacts faster than optical or VCA compressors.

Tube compressor:

Tube compressors use vacuum tubes to add warm, musical compression with smooth, natural saturation. They react slower than FET compressors, making them ideal for gluing or taming vocals without killing dynamics. Their harmonic richness works great on bass, vocals, and bus processing for a vintage sound.

This week we covered motifs, sheet music and music theory basics and sampling’s history. I was able to analyze my strengths and weaknesses with SWOT allowing me to narrow my focus in areas to develop. Creative performances and discussions with my peers allowed me to better visualize my goals.

Feelings:

I felt excited to learn new music theory ideas I had not previously discovered like sheet music. While others performances sparked both admiration and self-doubt. The success conversation was grounding as it reminded me progress is personal and patience matters.

Evaluation:

Theoretical aspects helped me improve my understanding of music. However, applying them creatively is still a challenge for me. Furthermore, SWOT analysis helped clarify my gaps. Exploring the evolution of sampling was very useful for my production side. Watching other perform was motivating but also made me question my own ability.

Analysis and conclusion:

Motifs and sampling are great for creating memorable music and dissecting more examples will help me improve my own creative work. Collaboration could help to bridge this gap also with harmonics. I’ve learned theory’s importance but will continue to practice in this area.

This week we covered multiple important areas including; Cliches in songwriting and there impact; simple vs compound time signatures; and MIDI humanization.

Feelings:

This week I felt excited to learn and apply new concepts in songwriting. Creative performance workshop allowed me to feel inspired by my peers performances. I felt motivated and hopeful when receiving my feedback keeping me aware of gaps in my skill set.

Evaluation:

This week I gained deep understanding of time signatures and MIDI techniques applying them effectively in my own work. I also used SWOT analysis to highlight areas for improvement. Comparing myself to others is still causing me self doubt which is a good and bad thing as it will continue to push my improvement.

Analysis:

It's clear I need to find fresh lyrical expressions and unique top line melodies. I can also experiment with 6/8 or 9/8 time signatures keeping tracks fresh. I also need to work on my stage presence and arrangement improvements. The key to this being rooted in consistent practice.

In spark this week we covered Chords and there emotion impact plus sequence arrangements. Then in songcraft we discussed major scale chords and I was able to get some good feedback on my demo from my peers.

Feelings:

This week I felt positive and excited about applying new chord ideas creatively. I also felt challenged with balancing correctional techniques without losing that 'human' feel.

Evaluation:

Peer feedback was really positive this week and definitely helped me to identify mixing/structure improvements to be applied. Focusing on chord theory this week helped to clarify creative application possibilities. Subtly applying pitch correction is still a challenge for me and something I need to shift some focus on to.

This week we focused on rhythm, recapping note durations, rest and notation on a starve. We also discussed the impact of quantity and quality in music production and some discussion on advanced synthesis.

Feelings:

I felt confident in recognizing notes values but need more practice in applying rests in composition. I also felt inspired by prioritizing artistry over algorithmic trends and balancing productivity with precision.

Evaluation:

I feel I had a clear understanding of notation and synth parameters and the discussion on intentionality in creativity helped greatly. However, translating rhythmic theory into practical writing is still a challenge for me.

Conclusion:

Rhythm is foundational and more practice on how it carries the base structure of a song will be helpful. Quality comes from refinement and more scheduled practice on crafting the perfect mix will also be great.

This week we covered minimalism in songwriting and avoiding overcomplication/'business' on tracks. I also applied feedback to my tracks and further improved them. During creative performance workshop I was able to observed peers performances and learn from them. Finally, in production we covered automation and parallel compression.

Feelings:

I felt confident in the 'less is more' approach discussed in spark and applying this to my own work. Applying feedback to my songs was still a struggle and I felt shaky on this.

Evaluation:

Sparks focus on stripping back songs helped with workflow and overall productiveness. The feedback discussed in songwriting also made a significant impact on my tracks and tips were useful. More focus on automation in production made tracks feel sharper and more defined.

In spark this week we discussed arrangement techniques. We also covered music terminology and I was able to learn more music theory. In creative performance workshop I received good feedback on my performance highlighting stage presence as an area to improve. And in production we discussed core recording principles.

Feelings:

This week I felt hopeful towards the 'vocals are king' mantra we covered in spark with this being one of my strong suits. I was curious about applying my knowledge of new terminology with new ways to describe music. And I felt that the new recording techniques learned had streamlined my approach to recording.

Analysis:

Space and variation are powerful tools to heighten emotion on tracks and increase impact of certain parts. Physical presence is a key factor for stage performances, keeping the audience interested and engaged in the performance.

In this weeks spark session we covered crafting dynamic toplines using tension and release for effect. In songcraft we continued developing some music theory with sus chords. In performance workshop we covered strategies to combat procrastination. And in production we looked at some advanced EQ techniques.

Feelings:

I felt inspired by the way tension and release can be used to achieve desired effects like in the example track 'Hey Ho'. Songcraft intrigued me with how sus chords can be used to achieve variation in chord sequences.

Analysis:

Audience engagement is reliant on contrast, simplicity is not a crutch it's strategic. Sus chords can be used to effective deliver a sense of tension in the piece adding color to progressions.

In this weeks spark we focused on improving songwriting habits such as keeping the process enjoyable, using phone tools and seeking inspiration from live music. In songcraft we explored chords in the minor scale and their structure. Creative performance this week allowed me to perform a more advanced version of my track. And in production techniques we learnt how to use reverb more creatively.

Feelings:

I was motivated by the reminder that songwriting should be an enjoyable process and not feel forced. Initially I found exploring the minor scale chords challenging but after some practice the rewards became clear. I was nervous going into creative performance as performing the revised version of my track felt uneasy. However, after performing and receiving good feedback the benefits outweighed my unsureness.

Analysis:

Recognizing that forced creative processes are unlikely to yield positive results will help me moving forward to 'jump' on creative sparks and keep things organic. Peer input on my performance this week accurately highlighted the areas for development not just for my track but my performance as a whole (stage presence etc.).

This week in spark we discovered some strategies for modern songwriters to stand out in an industry so heavily geared towards the online world, such as adapting to shorter attention spans and understanding how algorithms work for finding an audience. In songcraft we recapped previously learnt music theory ideas and received feedback. In creative performance we explored active and critical thinking, analyzing song structure and emotion impact. And in production we talked about creative compression techniques.

Feelings:

I felt pressurized by the expansive and competitive online landscape but understood the importance of strong tactics.

I was confident in revisiting theory and excited to begin applying them in the creative process. I was hopeful for new production idea in creatively utilizing reverb and compression on my mix.

Evaluation:

Spark's tip of front-loading vocals and keeping intros shorter immediately improved my demos engagement whilst critical listening was impactful in identifying faults in my track.

During this week in spark we discussed revision techniques to help retain the knowledge learnt this term in the long-term. In Creative performance we delivered the final versions of our tracks before the recording took place. And in production we took a deep dive into advanced compression.

Feelings:

I felt grateful for the guidance during the term and the revision strategies learned. I also felt proud of my songs continued development but nervous for the final recording. I was initially overwhelmed by the nuances of advanced compression but I feel I've advanced my understanding of compression.

Evaluation:

Writing summaries of essential concepts is an effective why I've learnt to solidify recall. Peer feedback revealed the advancements made to my track and how it has developed during the term. Realized my mixes lacked harmonic depth because I defaulted to minimal and un-thought-out compression.