Viva Voce:
Project reflection:
This project has been one of the most difficult, yet most enjoyable projects I have done in my time at the college. The Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns have been very heard to work through at times both physically and mentally, however I feel as though I have persevered and worked through any setbacks, and remained fully committed to my project.
My goal has been to show my musical and technical ability through writing and producing a three track metal EP that expands upon what I already know and pushes me to play in more complex ways.
I feel strongly that I have achieved my goal. I have successfully written and played in irregular time signatures, and used varying tempos. I have used more sophisticated scales, such as the harmonic major scale in my last track ‘System Pile-Up.’ I have also included the use of both plug-in effects, and physical effects in the form of my wah pedal. Lastly I have also managed to collaborate with Abi the drummer, and learn about recording and mixing a live drum kit.
I have kept referring back to the Gibb’s reflective cycle when working, and this has helped influence my decision making in a positive way in order to improve upon the work I was doing.
I am most happy with the song writing aspect of this project as this is where I personally wanted to improve the most. I have never really attempted to use unorthodox time signatures or moved out of standard tuning on the guitar, but I really pushed myself to experiment in these aspects and I am extremely pleased with the results. I feel as though I have written and performed the parts confidently, and opened my eyes to new possibilities when writing music.
Usually, the biggest problem to any project like this is being stuck to a schedule. Being a creative mind and working in a creative industry can be hard, and inspiration can arrive at the most unusual times. Fortunately for me I managed to really work at getting some songs written that I really liked and didn’t sound rushed, however I could have easily spent months getting every part perfect and potentially producing a full album. I feel as though I have worked well to my plan, and kept on top of my work throughout the project.
One problem I encountered during this project was the short amount of time I had available to record the drums. I could only book a single afternoon to record some drum takes, when I really could’ve done with a full day or more. Because of this I was only able to record drums for two of my three compositions, and neither of these takes were perfect. In future I would like to spend more time with the drums as they are one of the most crucial elements to any band or composition.
Another setback I had encountered was in regards to the artwork for my EP. My friend Ato, who was working on it for me, was in touch with me a couple of days before the release saying he would have it ready, and then didn’t send me anything since. In future I will prepare some kind of backup artwork to avoid a situation like this, and also try to secure some artwork sooner into the project.
Ultimately I am very pleased with what I have produced. I have achieved the goals I set in my proposal, and have managed to keep a good log of my progress throughout the project. I have learned a lot in regards to recording and mixing songs, and I feel that I can produce something to an even higher standard in my future work.