My goals are to first change the tuning a half step down to Eb for a more unique sound. Next I need to refine the song's rhythm guitar parts and place them into a full song structure. From here I can then map out the drums to implement a hip-hop feel, and begin recording the demo.

There are a lot of mistakes in this, but I think both guitar parts are really coming together. Further refinement in structure and finalising our individual parts will now help us focus on playing with more accuracy, locking in rhythmically, and keeping the song dynamically interesting.

Music Production

I have a great knowledge on music production. I’ve been producing my own music for over 7 years and have developed a great ability in capturing/recording any sonic pallet ideas I/others have. This will be effective when creating a demo for the single, as I will be able to give a detailed breakdown (as a co-producer) on how the song sounds when in the studio.

Solo Material & Other Bands

I have self-released music before on all streaming platforms under my own name ‘Josh Hazelden’. This includes 3 albums and 1 EP since 2020. I have also played many full-band live gigs with my solo material, including Glastonbury 2024, as well as guitar and bass in over six other bands like Dutch Criminal Record and Frankie LG. This has given me an insight into the competitive, ever-changing music industry from signed to unsigned, and what it takes to get your music heard.

Distribution

I have used Distrokid to distribute my music before, therefore I have gained understanding and experience into the payout rates from each streaming service, copyright protection/watermarking and algorithmic playlists.

Radio Play

My music has been featured on BBC Introducing & Radio X, these are great forms of exposure and good contacts to have as an independent band.

I have decided one single is a realistic goal to set myself in order to kickstart this new project. Putting my time and energy into one release will help me focus on its overall quality and refinement, rather than a large quantity of music that will lack full potential.

Why?

Releasing under my own name has given me brilliant experience into the music industry, however I have put a lot of time and effort into creating 3 full albums which were entirely self-produced on my iPhone. I feel as if this approach has almost used most of my energy musically over the years, ultimately leaving me with a creative burnout. I have also made many mistakes (being my own manager) in marketing, monetisation and professionalism.

Long Term Goal

I would like to have this new band be my main focus, rather than my solo project. A new fresh, project with a new direction and sound focused on singles rather than albums should hopefully re-spark my creativity. Releasing a single at a time will also allow us a band to test the water into what works and doesn't.

Functioning as a professional band rather than just myself will hopefully put a lot less pressure on it all being under my legal name as I will have a team alongside me to take on specific roles. The new possibilities are very exciting and I am ready to allow myself a blank canvas in which I can incorporate the new knowledge I have learnt from previous mistakes.

In the past I have avoided effective social media marketing as I didn't want to feel like I had to be a content creator in order to be a musician. It is important I adapt with the times, keep social media content fun to make, and find ways to maintain a good online presence whilst sticking to my creative values. I will do this by documenting the process as it happens.

• Promoting a single is simpler and more effective than an entire album.

• Singles can create buzz and boost engagement through platforms like social media and music blogs.

• Ideal for building attention, especially for newer artists.

  
  

Lower Costs

• Recording one song is far less expensive than producing a full album.

Earnings from single releases can support future projects and other music-related expenses.

Artistic Freedom

• Singles allow for greater experimentation with sound and style.

• Songs can be released as they’re completed, avoiding the need to finalize a full album.

• Helps artists adapt to evolving industry trends and audience tastes.

Maintaining Fan Interest

• Releasing music more frequently keeps fans engaged over time.

• Singles encourage steady interaction, unlike albums, where fans might only listen to select tracks.

• Builds a loyal, long-term following.

Expanding Reach

• Singles are more likely to be featured on blogs, playlists, and other media channels.

• This targeted exposure can attract new audiences and broaden an artist’s fan base.

Spotify Opportunities

• Regular single releases improve chances of playlist placement, such as on Fresh Finds or New Music Friday.

• Artists can pitch each single to Spotify’s editorial team via Spotify for Artists (at least 28 days before release).

• Albums limit pitching to just one song, reducing playlist potential.

• Singles are often a smarter choice for growing recognition on Spotify.

• Releasing singles helps indie artists build momentum, minimize expenses, explore their creativity, engage fans, and increase visibility.

• While albums have their merits, singles are more practical and effective for emerging artists aiming to grow their careers.

Boosts Engagement
Content like this is easily shareable. People enjoy watching the magic behind a song coming to life, and they may share it with others, which means more exposure.

Showcases the Brand
It gives a chance to show personality, style, and vibe. It’s a great way to show how much effort and passion goes into creating music. People respect the dedication, and it can make them more likely to support the music.

Gives Extra Content
The release won't just be only the single, but also the whole process. The documentary can be clipped into short-form content for social media, YouTube, or even to send to blogs and PR.

I also recorded in the rhythm guitar for the whole song. Already, these two instruments lock in well with each other. I am pleased with how full it sounds with just these two elements.

Now I have the full structure for the song, I can work with Oliver to refine his lead guitar parts around it.

Extra percussion elements like shaker and tambourine were programmed to add further dynamic variation to the track.

Josh Hazelden - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar, Production

Oliver Harket - Lead Guitar

Olivia Roberts - Drums

Dylan Harris - Bass

Christian Le Surf - Keys, miscellaneous

Caleb Absalom - Filmmaker, director, editor

Ben Hazelden - Graphic design, merch

I think Oliver's playing keeps the familiarity of the alternative rock sound, while including innovative playing to set us apart from competitors. Our guitar parts perfectly complement each other.

I am now going to do a rough mix of the track, taking inspiration from my influences. I also still need to come up with vocals and finish the lyrics. This should be easier now I know where to fit them in, and where to leave room.

With my current wages I will be able to cover the costs to start the project with one week’s pay. This is due to the fact I have a personnel who are happy to help out with this project for no charge.

Next term I will be recording this demo in a studio. My first option is Small Pond, which will be no expense as Waterbear offer the opportunity to record for free using the Small Pond recording studio. My second option is Raygun Studios, which would cost £175 for a full day session (8 hours). If I choose Small Pond, I plan to break the recording process up into three 3 hour sessions (one per week). In the first session I will track drums, in the second session I will track bass and guitar, and the third will be dedicated to tracking vocals. If I choose Raygun, I will record the entire song in the 8 hour session.

I'm leaning towards Small Pond at this time, as it is beneficial for me to take the opportunity to record the track for free while I can. Also, breaking up the recording process into three 3 hour sessions seems more of a realistic and less pressured approach, rather than trying to fit all of the recording process into one session.

I currently do occasional session work for three bands: Dutch Criminal Record, Frankie LG, and Mookie. Though the income isn’t regular from this work, I hope to build up my portfolio as a session musician throughout the next year, and by the start of 2026 I hope to be doing around 3 session gigs per month for various bands who have recognised me as a session musician. I aim to be paid a rate of around £50 per gig.

3 session gigs per month at £50 per gig =

Per month = £150

Per year = £1800

Streams

I aim to market my track enough to get around 1000 streams per month, this would calculate to around just £36 per year, averaging at around just £3 per month. I am only calculating income from Spotify, as this is the most used streaming service. I understand there may also be income from services such as Apple Music and Band Camp, but I feel that income from this is less simple to calculate. I have decided that this profit will not be split as I have the Distrokid subscription, however if profits start increasing I will give every member of the band a share.

Per month = >£3

Per year = >£36

Gigs

By the beginning of 2026, I hope to perform around 2 gigs per month with my band. In my experience from previous gigs as an indie band in Brighton, the income doesn’t reach much more than around £30 to split between the band. Being realistic, Sprungpup is a very new band to the Brighton music scene, and by the beginning of 2026 we would have only been gigging for a few months. However, with my connections I feel it will be attainable to perform 2 gigs per month, earning the band £60 per month, equating to £12 per month for each individual member.

Per month = £12

Per year = £144

Merch

I plan on selling T-shirts with the band logo (see below) at £12 a piece, and tote bags with the logo at £6 a piece.

Realistically, I hope to sell at least 2 t-shirts and 2 tote bags per gig. This would equate to £36 income per gig for merch, adding to £72 income per month (aiming for 2 gigs per month). This split between the five members of the band will equate to £14.40 per person per month.

Per month = £14.40

Per year = £172.80

Part time work

To financially support myself while I work on my music, I plan on keeping my part time job, and after graduating I aim to increase my hours to 20 per week, equating to £232 per week, or £928 per month.

Per month = £928

Per year = £11,136

If I maintain this level of income throughout the year 2026-2027, over the course of the year I will have earned £1,111 from my work as a musician. Including my part time job, this will add to £13,332 in a year.

This is as follows:

• My iPhone XS

  
  

  My iPhone will be used to record the demo for the track.

  
  

  
  

• Garageband

Since I am so familiar with using iOS GarageBand as a DAW to create my previous tracks, I find it easiest to use. So it only made sense for me to create my demo using the software I was most confident with.

• Logic Pro

Once I take this demo to the studio, I will be using Logic Pro to record it, as I have recently acquired a MacBook Air so can start using Logic Pro as my go-to DAW.

• MacBook Air 2024

• Pedal Board

The track uses a variety of guitar pedals to create the sound I am aiming for. This includes delay, overdrive and reverb.

• Guitars

I am recording this track using two guitars. The rhythm guitar is my Fender Telecaster Plus, and the lead guitar is Oliver's Squire Stratocaster.

• Bass

The bass I am using for this track is the Hofner Club.

• Korg Minilogue or Nord Stage Piano

Keys will be be recorded in the studio using either of these keyboards.

• Studio drumkit

Whether we are recording drums at Small Pond Studio or Raygun Studio, my drummer will be using whatever kit the studio provides. For live performances, she will be using a Mapex Armory 5 piece kit with Istanbul Agop Xist cymbals and hi-hats.

• Studio amps

We will be happy to use whichever amp the studio provides for bass and guitar.

• TC Helicon VoiceTone E1 Echo/Delay

I have acquired a new vocal delay pedal to use for the band. This will allow me to have my own specific settings for each track, helping me create a signature vocal sound.

• Camcorder

For our mini documentary, we will either be using a handheld video camcorder, or a DSLR camera (listed below). I think that using the camcorder will give the documentary a DIY, vintage feel which would be an effective marketing technique, as the track itself has an old-school feel to it.

• Canon EOS 1300D camera

Our second option for filming the documentary is this DSLR camera. Video on this camera will still have that old-school feel (as it doesn't film video in as good quality as a modern mobile phone) but I don't think we will achieve the desired affect with this compared to the camcorder. However, for shoots and behind the scenes pictures, this will be the perfect option.

• Adobe Premier Pro

My good friend Caleb, who is currently in the process of writing, directing and shooting a short film, is happy to help us with our filming process. He also owns Adobe Premiere Pro, which will be an essential tool for us in creating this mini documentary.

Another unique selling point I feel I have as an artist is my aim to make the recorded version of my songs as similar to the live versions as possible. I aim to achieve this by incorporating very minimal post-production elements, keeping the sound as natural and raw as possible. This ties in the old-school vibe I am hoping to achieve, as in modern music, a lot of 'big' sound is really pushed in post-production. I want to achieve as big a sound with just the instruments we are using in the studio.

Additionally, the themes of my previous tracks demonstrated the angst and struggles of a male teenager/young man, meaning it’s likely that it was attracting a similar demographic who could relate to the narrative within the music.

Generally, the majority of the music I have released previously is much more depressing than my intentions for Sprungpup, meaning it hasn’t been suitable for people who want upbeat tracks, or a mixture of both upbeat and sombre tracks.

Referencing my Instagram and Spotify insights, I can see that my main audience for Josh Hazelden are Brighton based between the ages of 18 and 24.

Bridge the Gap and other new music under Sprungpup is of much higher quality (for a start, being recorded on Logic Pro in a studio rather than on GarageBand on my phone). I have also made sure that the output is more accessible to a wider target audience. I imagine that the age range will stay relatively similar, perhaps expanding to slightly older groups, as it is less of a testament to the struggles and angst of a male teenager/young adult, but more relatable to other demographics, with more accessible themes and genre blends. I intend to make this music more upbeat, and have designed it to have strong grooves that make people move.

We came up with some solid lead guitar parts that compliment each other well. However, we need to work on getting these locked in rhythmically. I have come up with a few lyrical ideas for the first verse, but have been experiencing writers' block for them in general.

Verse 1 Lyrics:

When she's gone the night's so bleak

So keep it down man I can't sleep

Shhh

Overtired and on the wire

Got no fuel for the fire

My next focus is to finally realise the song's structure so Oliver can work on writing for the other sections. I think there is a great idea for the verses and choruses of the track. I think the walking melody in the chorus is really catchy, and I like how abrasive and abrupt the section is in contrast with the verses.

Below I have the attached rough drafts and first attempts over this week in the process of its creation:

Below I have talked about some of the main initial influences on 'Bridge the Gap' specifically.

Also, I will definitely make sure that we regularly practice playing the song to a click in the later rehearsals. This will ensure that each musician is able to play their part at the exact tempo that it needs to be recorded at in the studio. I have also found that doing this makes me feel more comfortable playing with a metronome, to reduce the feeling of pressure in a studio setting. 

I will make sure to record at least one proper run through of the song in every rehearsal, so that we can reflect on the track's progression. I think it’s also important for every member of the band to listen back to these recordings, so they can focus on refining their individual parts, and discuss any changes/improvements they feel can be made to the track as a whole. 

A very important element of good practice I will be including in my band’s rehearsal sessions is rest and recovery. I have experienced musical burnout a number of times from lack of downtime when working on a track. This has taught me the importance of taking breaks and focusing your mind on other things from time to time.

I will make sure that there is a set schedule for rehearsals (say 1-2 per week) so each member of the band has plenty of downtime, and knows exactly when the next practice is. A regular rehearsal schedule with clear goals will also help avoid over-practicing at the end of the rehearsal period, as nothing will be left to the last minute.

I am now going to show this to peers to gauge some of their opinions before end up tracking vocals.

Although I am yet to add vocals, I am very excited to finish the demo and can't wait to hear the song fully fleshed out. If it sounds this polished now on just an iPhone, I can't imagine how good it will translate in the studio.