Production/performance planning and research

This is the actual stage plan of our band for the Easter gig.

Second song for solo set and other songs/Rehearsal diary 11.

For my overall rehearsal diary,I kept practicing songs,Music related stuff as I spoke about in my rehearsal diary refferring to the previous posts.I am planning to play Wavin flag by K'naan and treat you better by Shawn Mendez for the solo set next week.I feel the Song K'naan Wavin flag is much faster than Shawn Mendez treat you better.

Technology in context

Part 1

I Feel It Coming - The Weeknd (Feat. Daft Punk)

-      ‘I Feel It Coming’ is a song by Canadian singer The Weeknd featuring French electronic duo Daft Punk, it is from his third studio album, Starboy (2016). The artists co-wrote and co-produced the song with Doc McKinney and Cirkut, with additional writing from Eric Chedeville.

The use of technology used in this track are Drum Machine, Synthesiser, Vocal transformer is also used when singing for improving the voice.

The vocals and the whole beat of the song especially use technology. The guitar and synthesiser harmonise quite a lot in the song. The guitar is playing the chords and the synthesiser is playing the arpeggio in an electronic version compared to the guitar – this effect is used to create depth in the song.

The effect of the vocal transformer was that it was changing the voice making it higher and lower and especially when it goes higher it creates a harmony. The voice was also sounding robotic. The effect of the robotic voice was that it makes the song sound more electronic. The outcome these effect of the use of technology used in this music is that the song sounds so nice.

Pink Matter - Frank Ocean (Feat Andre 3000)

Pink Matter is a song by Frank Ocean Feat. Andre 3000 of Outkast; it was released in 2010 on Frank’s first album Channel Orange.

In this song, the Guitar is used to play the solo of the song, A vocal transformer is being used to make the voice and the lyrics sound slow. It made the song sound emotional as it is not too much of a rock and pop track.

There is a synth being used and the synth sounds like the strings are being played in most of the song and the effect is that it makes the song sound peaceful. The Drum machine is being used and plays a very straight beat. The drum and the guitar are being playing together in the song.

All the instruments change in the middle of the song and different parts are added (i.e. Andre 3000) but the synth is played throughout the entire song and stays the same. The changes of the instruments create melodies. The synth keeps the song within the tune.

Part 2 

We are using the Mini brute analog synthesiser and vocal transformer, it is used for playing instruments like bass etc. It is smaller and slightly different to the normal keyboard and piano. In Minibrute keyboards we can tune to wave sounds as well. When setting up the keyboard,it is very important to take a picture as to how it is set up because next time or next lesson,when you have to use it,you will need the picture of the settings and also how it is connected to hear inputs and outputs. In minibrute keyboards,you can make it sound like what it needs to like bass
 sounds,sounds of wind instruments etc. For example,I was using it to make it sound as if I am playing a bass. Even in a normal keyboard we can select the sounds which we want to play, but the minibrute keyboard is only different in size as compared to the normal one becausethe minibrute analog synth is smaller than the normal one. In a normal keyboard you have numbers to tune, but a minibrute analog synthesiser consists of mostly controls - this allows you to control the exact sound you make as opposed to preset keyboard sounds.

My equipment also includes extra wires to connect to the guitar and bass amps to listen to the Output when rehearsing our songs for the performance.These amps are used to listen to output and also make sure that the sounds are coming clear when we do sound check before the performance.These are very important and also working on the panel settings for sound effects and while connecting the equipment.

In our band we also use a Voice transformer which is used for singers for tuning the parts into vocoder  etc for the voices to be reflected. Its used to make the vocals sound different while singing in the band and also using reverb and other effects.

Ampere is a main extension chords which are added to the equipment for outputs and the other sound effects and also it is a very small extension chord as compared to the plug points and the Guitar and bass amps for outputs. Along with the equipment,There are other wires which are connected to the speakers so that it can be loud enough while playing and performing on stage.

Dub FX,(real name Benjamen Stanford) is a worldwide street performer and studio recording artist
from St Kilda,Melbourne,Australia. At the start of his career he was singing in a local alternative rock and rapcore band initially known as Twitch, in 2004 they released a debut and the only album Exeunt Omnes. Dub FX is completely independent, using only live performance, word of mouth,Internet social networking, and a number of easily accessible free.

Dub FX uses many different effects in his live performance; he started off with a Boss GT-6 multi-effects pedal which he then traded up for the GT -8,and now uses a Boss GT-10B bass guitar effects pedal for nearly all the effects used over his voice. He uses reverb,live looping,Delay,Production controllers,Keyboard synth.

Welcome trust visit 1

The welcome trust where we went last week was an amazing experience but Ok.When we arrived there,we first went upstairs to a room and one man told us what tasks are we going to do at the time of the visit.So,first we went to the gallery and looked at things related to electricity and in the paper,it was written to find out the following things and write about them,it had 3 stages including a presentation we had to make how music was made with electricity,This task went Ok but we couldn't complete it because It took time for us to look and write about and make short presentations of what we learnt.

What I learnt from this task is that music can be played with electricity,like we saw a bulb which is used for electricity.

The next task was that We went back upstairs to the room where we were,and we did an experiment,on how to make music with electric equipment,So first of all the guide showed how he was doing it,He connected his phone to the wire and music was being played on his phone,and as the music was being played,the electric equipment such as the plate was moving along with it up and down. Then we sat in our places and used the electric equipment which the previous group was using,the there was an equipment given to us and we made a musical drum sound with it and there were speakers connected and then when the time was up and the other group came from the gallery,we shared what we did,Like I was playing a drum with the equipment with two people Jacob and Danioll. We made an amazing drum sound with the equipment, and Of course others as well,after that the other group who went to the gallery,gave short presentations of what they did.

In this instrumental workshop,what I learnt is that You can make music using electric equipment anywhere,by playing music on your phone and using sticks to play drum but one must connect tit to the equipment and it should be very clear for listening and especially using from input to output.

The task I liked best was the nostrum entail one because it was easy for us to make music whatever came into our mind.The Gallery task was quite tough,because it took us a long time trying to finish the task of 3 stages which was given to us,but it was good because we participated and utilized our time going around the gallery and doing things high were related to the task which was given to us.

Another thing which I forgot to mention is that,When I came back to the room where we had a talk about what the visit was going to be like,with my group after seeing the gallery,We shared our presentations and the other group was showing how they made their music using technology of the electric equipment.

This was an amazing experience,and we use electric equipment for other things like making models.

When we went to the gallery,we saw all the things of electricity and how it can be used in music such as the screen in which the molecules were moving in Circles,the musical tune was being played.

Music producer(Overall Working as a music producer)

https://soundcloud.com/user-376849124/mp-1-samarth-saxena-1

For this whole work,after I had uploaded the first bit of the track,What I mean to say is that what I did to improve is that i added drums,playing and recording piano chords to the track which will match the beat and tuning structure of the track.I also added a Guitar,Vibes and bass as well.During the beginning of this project,I kept listening to my track many times and increasing the tempo to not make it sound boring.I had also listened to my guide track which was Muguel Adorn. in this track what happens is that there is a water sound,drum machine for an actual beat in the song.How I made my MP1 track,is that I stretched the vocals with the other instruments,I also did some cutting and chopping of the instruments in my track. Whatever editing and arranging I did in this track was within time. I also worked on the panning and volume and made sure that the number of instruments which were in the track should be -4.3 etc.meaning the volume should not go up to a positive number meaning maximum up till 7.9 or something like that,if it was going to be like this,then that means some instruments would be the loudest and would damage the ears of a person who is listening to a track.So,its like saying that dont create or rehearse too loud. Sound effects are very important and also made sure that the vocals are louder than the other instruments because they are very important in this track and in any track/song because the lyrics should be clear as to what they are singing. Especially in a  band performance  or solo performance.

Tuesday, 14 March 2017

Easter gig

spec and stage plan for the Easter gig

Tech spec and stage plan by me

Guitar through amp

Minibrute Keyboard through amp(Bass)

Vocal transformer/Vox

Piano

Drum kit

Ampere( Extension Chord) if necessary




Kessana                    Drum Kit (Drums) Junior                      Minibrute keyboard through Amp.( Bass
                                                                                                Amp Guitar through Amp.)
                                                                                                Wire for input and output to hear properly


Piano and vocalist




1.)                                                                                 2.)                                                                      


Vox 1.                                   Vox 2.Marco ( Singer)                             Vox -3 Kessana- Singer.          
Hasna
Singer
               

                                  

Vocal Transformer















3.)                                                                                  4.)               Bass and Guitar amp with wires for                                                              Monitor Mixes.                                                                       inputs and outputs.Guitar and bass amps.

1.) All keys,guitar,Vox .

2.) Bass/Minibrute Keyboard,Vox.

3.)All Vox .

                                                                Today's Easter gig was fantastic,I had been practicing and recaping my parts a lot in my free time,For pink matter which was a cover,I listened to the song on YouTube and played accordingly as how I did with my band members. I had also been practicing with my band using technology and it was a new thing which I learnt including the vocal transformer which is a type of music equipment as to how the voice would like to sound and the Minibrute analog Synthesiser which is like a keyboard but small in size as compared to an original one. I enjoyed playing the bass sound on it and the normal keyboard and Piano. For the first original,I played the original big keyboard,For pink matter cover I played the piano and in the second original,I played the Minibrute analog synthesiser.We named our first original Do you know my name? and the second original,we named it Need the kind of love.It was an amazing event and the use of technology helped us very well to practice,rehearse and perform.This gig was better than the practice gig because,We changed some of the parts in the original Need the kind of love and two other songs.I looked around the theatre while performing and moving my head with the beat but focused more on the keyboard and kept in eye contact with the band members especially the guitarist and drummer.So,the band consists of Reece(guitarist),Junior(Drummer),Hasna and Marco (Singers) And I played the piano,Minibrute and normal keyboard.In the practice gig,We played Need the kind of love only.Both the gigs were very good but the final one was the best.I enjoyed practicing with the band and practicing individually.We had a good sense of rhythm,Confidence and enthusiasm while performing. I also liked the other bands as well and especially the song roll and smoke by Alyx,Russa,Jansen,Kenny and Shade and everyone's performances of this entire Easter gig. We named our band Soulfoultrigger and we were the last who performed for the gig.

Problems which I overcame were that sometimes,when I had problem connecting the new equipment to the output and tried to make sure that they were connected to the right places.Finally I managed to do that and also I had been playing out of time when rehearsing but kept practicing and made this a better performance with the band members. I always communicated with my band members as to what I needed to do and we all prepared to perform well in the Easter gig.
https://youtu.be/7hPEwpNVNjg
This link gives you the band In which I was performing.My mother took the video but it is not for the entire gig and the entire band performance.It was still very good.

http://ollysellwood.blogspot.co.uk/2017/02/band-workshop-funky-junk-run-through-gig.html

And this one gives you the videos of the performances which we did for our practice gig.

These all consist of how I had been working from the beginning of the funky junk project band for the Easter gig.

Band workshop session today assessment 1 for Easter gig

Today,We had to perform one of our songs using the new equipment especially the Minibrute analog synthesiser and vocal transformer.We performed our original song today and it was neat the candil law,Something like that.I could play the notes very well on the  keyboard. Hence the performance went very well,for our Easter gig,I will perform much more better with my band including the cover which is a song called pink matter.Hnce,I am doing well.I practice a lot from time to time.

http://ollysellwood.blogspot.co.uk/2017/02/band-workshop-funky-junk-run-through-gig.html

This is the run through gig which we had yesterday as part of the 1st assessment for the Easter gig which we have time till March 14th. Band no 1.Thursday, 23 February 2017

Feedback from the funky junk run through

For my feedback,It was a good performance which we did for the practice gig,but Olly told me that While I am performing,I should not look at one place continuously,I should be looking around and all of us should enjoy more as to what we are doing. Of course,I was enjoying as I moved with the beat and playing the bass synth sound on the Minibrute analog synthesiser.But we all will keep working in the band workshop and Songwriting sessions to make it a good Easter gig.