Project 1: Charity Gig
My name is Lars Harrison, I am a music student at Bradford College and the drummer for a band called rhapsody. Our first project was to take part in a live musical performance, fulfilling a role in both performance and production. The concert is to raise money and awareness for the lost chord charity, which is a charity, dedicated improving the quality of life for dementia patients through music. Because it was a live performance, we had to do a lot of preparation and rehearsals in the relatively short time of 4 weeks. This meant we had to rehearse regularly and in a professional manner when we did.
Elements of live performance:
There are many different aspects of live performance, which contribute to a successful performance, such as:
Technical proficiency – if the performer is very technically accurate and can complete their performance without making any mistakes; they could class that as a successful performance themselves. However, if the performers technical skill allows them to add flair and showmanship to their performance, the audience might class that as a successful performance as it was enjoyable for them.
Interaction with the audience – during a live performance it is vital to engage the audience, as they are the ones supporting you. A successful performer will put on an exciting and engaging show for the audience. They could achieve this by engaging with the audience between songs so the performance feels more personal. Or they could engage the audience whilst playing music by doing things such as pointing the microphone towards the crowd to get them to sing, or getting the audience clapping in beat to the song. Is the audience is doing these things and seem to be having a good time, that could be classed as a successful performance.
Stage presence – when performing, it is important for the performer to have an interesting stage presence. If at a heavy rock show, the audience was jumping around and the band was sat on chairs on the stage, it wouldn’t be very interesting or exciting for the audience. However if they were jumping around with the audience and had an exciting stage show with things such as lights and props, the audience would find the show more enjoyable and could therefore be classed as a successful performance.
Sound quality – the live sound quality is a huge factor on how successful a show can be classed. If the performers are very technically proficient, but the sound is terrible and the audience can’t hear a thing the band is playing it won’t be a very successful show. Similarly, if the band can’t hear themselves play, they won’t be playing as good as they could be and again, wouldn’t have a successful performance. However, if the sound out front is top quality and at the right volume, the audience will enjoy the sound. Also, if what the performer is hearing on stage is of a good quality, the performer will enjoy the sound and will class it as successful.
Research:
In the past couple of weeks, I have attended a number of performances which have been research into live performance. The first being a classical piano recital, our tutor purposely made us attend this concert because it would constitute as valuable research. By watching this live performance, we could judge what could be constituted as a successful performance. Because this was an acoustic performance, the sound quality of the performance wasn’t as important as other gigs with electric gear. However, the hall in which the concert took place was acoustically treated so it still sounded good. Another reason as to why it was successful was because the performer reached his target audience, which was music students and older audience members. These are the person that showed up to the concert and therefore was successful in that sense. Also, the venue was appropriately arranged for a classical recital because the audience was sat down. This shows that the audience was there to enjoy the music and not there for the atmosphere.
Another performance we attended was another charity gig for the Manchester bombings. Another band that I am in called migraine also played. Because I was both in the audience watching other acts and on stage performing, it was the perfect opportunity for me to research what a charity gig should be like. As a performer, it was a successful gig because the sound on stage was of an acceptable quality, and the feedback I got of the sound coming out of the PA was also positive. Another reason that it was successful was because I played without any mistakes and managed to keep the band solid and in time. However, this doesn’t mean that the whole event was successful. At the start of the gig the sound coming out of front of house had too much top end, to the point where it was sometimes painful. Also, the gig started late because the company who organized the gig showed up late, and once they arrived, they had to find a power source as they had not previously arranged this.
From this concert, i learned that to have a successful charity gig, it needs to start on time, have high quality sound coming out of the front of house, have strong performers who know how to interact with an audience, and be organized well enough to keep the audience entertained and not waiting around.
Repertoire
The songs we chose to perform at this concert were as follows, along with reasons on why we chose them:
Riptide, we chose this song because lea, our singer and guitarist, already knew the song and it was relatively simple for the rest of us to pick it up. This was good because it got us used to playing songs together and getting used to how each other play
Where is the love, we chose to play this song because it is a song that has become synonymous with charity performances. For this reason we thought it perfect and appropriate for our charity performance.
All along the watchtower, we chose to play this song because it is an instrumentally challenging song to play but also has breakdown sections with raps in them. We thought this would suit our band and style well
Miss Jackson, our tutor chose this song for us because we couldn’t decide on the final one to play. He chose this song for us because he knew it would be a challenge for all of us musically. It was also a song we could add a lot of personality to because it is quite easy to develop on. It was also a song that suited the rest of our repertoire very well.
seven nation army. We chose to do this song because it is very well known and everyone who played an instrument in our band already knew how to play it. We also put our own spin on it by playing it swung and making it a lot jazzier.
Whilst choosing these songs, we had to consider our target audience, which was family, friends, students, tutors. We based our songs around our target audience by not playing anything too depressing, but also nothing too extreme that would distress some of the audience. Because of this we went for mostly middle of the road type songs that a general audience would enjoy.
All of these songs work in our ensemble because they are all songs we would listen to individually and all enjoyed playing. Also, because in our band our front man is a rapper, the songs we picked had to be suitable to have a rap in them. The songs themselves weren’t overly difficult to start with which was helpful because in our band each member was of a varying skill level.
We had to change a couple of elements in each of the songs to make them work. In “where is the love” we had to add a breakdown section where all the instruments dropped out and gradually built back up to explode back into the chorus. We did this because without it, the song was too repetitive and boring.
In “all along the watchtower” we merged two versions of the song, the Jimi Hendrix version and the Ed Sheeran version. This was because the Jimi Hendrix version was technically more interesting in the instruments, but the Ed Sheeran version had a rap section. We also added a breakdown section in this song with just bass and vocals and drums building up in the background. Again, we did this to add more dynamic contrast to the song. In “miss Jackson” we had to change some parts of the lyrics as they were quite explicit and wouldn’t have been appropriate for the show we were playing. For “seven nation army” we changed the feel of the whole song by swinging it playing it more in the genre of jazz. We also added a half time section for the rapper to rap over and also a solo section for guitar bass and drums. This was necessary as the original song is too common and expected but we put an unexpected twist on it.
Rehearsal diary
Because we only had 4 weeks to prepare our set we had to have a lot of rehearsals during that period to make sure we were ready. This meant practicing almost every day whilst we were in college and also staying behind on some days to get more practice in and also coming in early on others. Our practice routine was very effective. We would go in, play through the set, then afterwards, we would discuss what went well but also what could be improved within the songs. For example, if there was a specific section that needed more work done on it, we would go back and go over that section with more attention to make sure we nailed it, then implement it back into the song. We would also play things slower if we found them too difficult to play at first.
One problem area that needed addressing was the manner and speed in which people were learning their parts. We had some occasions where we would come in and be ready to practice but some members would have forgotten their parts or not learned them properly. This was addressed by going through the parts then so that we could practice, and having a conversation with the members to stress how important it is to learn the material
We also had a couple of band meetings. The first one was to decide the set list and what our name would be. This was a successful meeting as we were all in agreeance and it was easy to make the decisions. We also had a band meeting later on to talk about what our stage presence would be like. We decided on our attire for the gig and that we would all be dressed in smart black and white clothing. We also discussed who would be doing what, such as that ant would be our front man by talking and communicating with the audience. Also, we talked about the instruments and gear, and decided that we would bring our own instruments, apart from the guitarist, who decided he would rather use one of the colleges guitars. This was a successful meeting as we got to discuss some important topics and come to conclusions on them.
Individual role
Individually, I have had to work on my parts and making sure that I know them off by heart. This meant practicing them as often as I could on my own and also listening to the songs throughout the day.
My contribution to the ensemble was helping to organize the set list, our stage presence, and the parts of the songs. I also had to help come up with the other instruments parts such as the guitar solo in “seven nation army” and the different sections in the other songs.
My specific role was t come up with drum parts and to play the drums on the night of the concert.
I learned the material by listening to the songs we had agreed to play and learning the drum parts by ear. I also had help from my college drum tutor on what I could do for my drum solo in “seven nation army”.
Other aspects of performance
In our performance, communication was vital, both with the audience and each other. As far as communication with the audience was involved, we agreed that ant, the rapper, would communicate with the audience. However, it was very important that we all communicated with each other on stage to make sure that we were playing perfectly. For example, if someone wasn’t sure what change came next in the song it is important that we were all able to make eye contact and easily communicate to solve any problems.
We all decided we would have an average stage presence with casual movement on stage but nothing too extreme. Also, we didn’t want anybody to be stood still for the entire performance. We also decided for our attire that we would all wear black and white and smart clothing. This was because we didn’t want anything too visually spectacular but wanted to be coordinated.
For the sound, we each had our own individual monitors on stage so we could hear ourselves and each other. We also had a say in what our monitor mixes would be like during the sound check the day before. For the bass, guitars, and keyboards, they all got to dial in their own tones so that they were all happy with their own sound.
The lighting for the gig was fairly basic although effective and done by one of our tutors.
Health and Safety
Health and safety is an important consideration for any musical performance. it was important for gig because there were multiple bands changing over on the stage, there was also a lot of people in the audience which meant we had to look out for their safety and well being too. Some of the risks we could have encountered were; lifting heavy objects, fire, tripping, electrics, aggressive members of the public, crushing. We worked to reduce these risks and here is the manner in which we did so:
Lifting heavy objects: made sure that there was at least two people to lift a heavy object, we also made sure that everyone knew how to lift properly by explaining to them to lift with the knees, so that nobody would hurt their back or strain any muscles by lifting incorrectly.
Fire: we had the fire exits pointed out to us before we performed, so that we could get ourselves to safety and assist others if the worst was to happen.
Tripping: we made sure that all cables that were in the open were taped to the floor and all neatly organised to minimise the risk of tripping.
Electrics: we made sure that all the electrics were PAT tested and that all the extension leads had fuses in them. This ensured that the risk of having an electric shock was minimalized. We were also only allowed water in a bottle so that it wouldn’t spill and run the risk of ruining the electrics.
Aggressive members of the public: we had barriers in the college entrance to stop random people walking in, and all of the members of the audience had to sign in so that we knew exactly who was in the audience. College security was also on hand during the concert so that they could remove any members of the audience if it was needed.
Crushing: the risk of crushing is quite large especially in a live music scenario. The risks we faced were amps falling over. On stage we prevented this by having all the amplifiers at waist height so that if they were to fall there would be no risk of them landing on somebody’s head. We also had the PA system on the floor at the front of house so that there was no risk of them falling over and crushing one of the performers. They were positioned at the front as well so that the seated members of the audience wouldn’t be able to get up and tip them over. Also, in the audience, we prevented the chance of crushing by making sure we didn’t over sell the venue, and we made sure that everybody was seated so that nobody could get crushed.
After considering the health and safety risks listed above, we managed to avoid all of these with careful consideration and general awareness. because of this we had a successful performance where nobody got injured.
Mock performance and evaluation
The mock performance was fairly successful. The sound on stage was of a good quality and I could clearly hear the rest of my band. As a band we were tight and technically proficient. Also, the audience seemed to enjoy our performance as you could see they were getting into the music. However, as always, there were some weaknesses. One was that during my drum solo in seven nation army I had a small slip up but managed to carry on playing and play to the end of the song. Another mistake that I made was that during miss Jackson there was a section that I messed up the counting on and came in at the wrong time throwing some of the other instruments off. This was the most noticeable slip up. I rectified this by practicing that section on my own and altering the way that I played it, by keeping the hi hat clicking throughout that section and loud enough that the rapper could hear it.
I think that my role throughout the planning and developmental stages of our ensemble was important as our band is a democracy and everyone’s opinion matters. Also, I helped with organizing the music and helping the other musicians in our band with their parts and arranging different parts. I also gave direction to the other members in my band in order to be constructive so that our performance would be the best that it possibly could be.
Final performance and evaluation
The strengths of our final performance were quite similar to our mock performance. We were quick to get on stage and start playing so that the audience weren’t waiting around whilst we were getting set up. We had good communication, both with the audience in the sense that our front man was good at engaging the audience and talking to them in-between songs, and with each other in the sense that we were making eye contact and through body language such as dancing making sure everybody was in time and comfortable. We played the set without any technical mistakes and did so with flair and personality. Because of all this, I class that performance as successful. However, our weaknesses were that I sped up slightly during my drum solo, which could be improved by rehearsing my drum solo every day along to a steady metronome. We also played miss Jackson for too long, it seemed like the ending dragged on and could’ve been cut short to make it more effective.
I believe my role throughout the planning and developmental processes of our ensemble was important and effective because of what I brought to the band. Such as ideas of what we could do throughout the songs to make them differ such as breakdowns, ideas for solos, and harmonizing melodies. Also, I helped with organizing our stage presence. What we would be wearing and how we would behave on stage was something that I contributed to.
For future performances I have learned that I need to practice more. I knew my parts well and I never missed a cue, but the fact that I sped up during my solo, I could have practiced that a lot more to a metronome to make sure that it is solid. Therefore I have learned that it is not only enough to know my parts through and through, but to also be playing them as well as I possibly can which means constantly striving to be better.
Bibliography
(https://youtu.be/T7Jzt1JAgMo) – Mason Greenwood performs Chopin – Nocturne in C sharp minor, Op. 20 at Bradford College BCM – 24 oct 2017 – BCM sessions. recording of mason greenwoods classical piano recital
(https://youtu.be/C_IvBfptFmU?list=PLv5YDh62USJxRlNCrmHAT1vYVlNvlhHbR) – Lars and Blake – 26 oct 2017 – BCM sessions. recording of my other band migraine playing at the sorm charity concert
(https://youtu.be/gapq4YYk5dA?list=PLv5YDh62USJxcf6wxRtdn3L-yv40YOY7N) – Band 2 Rehearsal 3 Sept/Oct 2017 – 24 oct 2017 – BCM sessions. recording of one of our earlier practices
(https://youtu.be/vGzP9cN4VHQ?list=PLv5YDh62USJxcf6wxRtdn3L-yv40YOY7N) – Band 2 Rehearsal 2 Sept/Oct 2017 – 24 Oct 2017 – BCM sessions. recording of one of our earlier practices
(https://youtu.be/2PM_wEPNHuM?list=PLv5YDh62USJzaMP6SPfUjXfiAII875NPk) – Rhapsody HMH rehearsal 3 – 24 oct 2017 – BCM sessions. video of our rehearsals in the henry mitchell hall to allow us to get used to the acoustics and get used to playing on a stage
(https://youtu.be/2PM_wEPNHuM?list=PLv5YDh62USJzaMP6SPfUjXfiAII875NPk) – balcony camera 2 – 24 oct 2017 – BCM sessions. balcony view of the final concert