In the first group rehearsal, I found it difficult to remember the chords. Therefore, to improve I need to ensure that I learn the chords and learn them well enough so that I don’t have to have them written down. Some research I could do to improve is to learn the most common/basic chords, and also learn the difference between major and minor chords, as this is something I have struggled with. This could also prevent me from getting confused in the future.
I think that as a group, we made sure to collectively listen to feedback, as even though sometimes Nic was giving us feedback individually, it helped to listen to other people’s feedback so that we could not only help each other, but also try identify some of our own weaker points as well so that we can improve more on upcoming rehearsals.
In the beginning it was difficult for us to get the timings right, but as we focused more and listened out for cues from one another, it became easier to know and work out the timing.
Overall, in my opinion it was a strong first rehearsal for us all, as we still didn’t know each other very well, but we were able to work well together and get the basics put together ready to collaborate and produce a solid piece of music.
Personally, I think that this rehearsal went a lot better than the previous one. This time I didn’t have to have the chords in front of me to keep referring back to, as I had spent time learning them. However, there were points within the song where I didn’t get the timings of the chords quite right, so this is something I should still work on and improve for future rehearsals.
As a group we worked a lot better together than the initial rehearsal. This is because we communicated to each other more often and more effectively. Throughout the session, we were able to give one another constructive feedback and point out what we can improve on to make the piece sound better as a whole.
We did this rehearsal independently, so Nic wasn’t there to give us any cues like in the first one. This helped us improve and communicate better because we didn’t have to rely on Nic to guide us on what to do and when.
For next time, we need to work on getting the timings of the song right, so that it sounds like we are playing actually as a band rather than just individual instruments etc. It was also quite hard to hear Leah singing, which is why I think the timings didn’t quite go right. So for next time we can either have the mic louder, or make sure that Leah sings closer into the mic.
The first thing I did before starting to learn Locked out of Heaven was listen to the song several times, making sure to focus on key parts and changes within the song’s chords etc. We managed to get through most of the song within the first rehearsal, and considering we didn’t have Leah there to sing for the first half, I think we did quite well.
In the beginning of the rehearsal, we were able to get the timing quite quickly. However, when we got towards the bridge of the sing it became hard to keep up with each other, so this is something we need to work on in future rehearsals. Something we could do that would help us improve with this is making sure that we all learn the lyrics to the song.
After reading over and memorising the chords for a while and making sure I was prepared before the lesson, it meant that I was able to lay the pre-chorus and verse well. However, I had to write the chords for the chorus on my hand as I kept forgetting them. I believe that the more we play the song and the more I practice at home, the better I will get at remembering chords, and will hopefully no longer have to write them down.
This was the first performance we did as a band in front of people outside of our group. I think we were all quite nervous, as most of us have never properly performed in front of an audience before, and it is quite noticeable at the beginning of the performance. Although we did feel the pressure, I believe that we handled it quite well; none of us forgot our parts and we played well as a band.
When watching the video back, I think that something I could improve on personally is getting over my nerves, as my hands were visibly shaking, and I was focused more on that than the song/performance itself. To improve this I could research techniques to calm my nerves before performing, as then I can be completely focused on the songs we do and delivering a great performance to the audience.
In previous rehearsals/performances, we have focused more on The Zutons’ version of Valerie, which is more rock than the Amy Winehouse version. However, in this rehearsal, we stripped it back to make it sound more appealing the audience when it comes to doing our final performance. We changed the tone of the song to sound more ‘laid back’ in a way.
Within this rehearsal, Nic showed me some extra things I could add in with the chords to make it sound better and fit in more with the rest of the band. He also helped me with the rhythm of the chords.
Something we need to focus on is being confident in our ability to play the song and play it well, and we also need to learn the structure of the song as well as possible, so that we can go back and correct parts without having to play the entire song through.
One of the main improvements within these two rehearsals from our first rehearsals is that we were able to get the hang of playing the bridge of the song, which is something we couldn’t seem to grasp last time. Because of this, we were able to get through the entire song without having to stop and start again.
I need to get a hang of the chords during the pre-chorus and the chorus, as I still needed to write them down on my hand incase I forgot them. To improve this I need to practice more at home and try become more comfortable with the chords.
Similarly to Valerie, we need to learn the structure of the song well enough to start different parts when instructed to, so we can tweak bits when needed, as it wouldn’t take as much time as it does to run through the whole song.
This was our first full rehearsal of Californication. When practising in the small band room, we didn’t have anyone to sing, so we had to play the song through the mic on one of our phones to try keep in time with the lyrics.
I really struggled learning the chords at first, especially for the guitar solo. It was difficult to get the timing/rhythm and to change chords a bit quicker than what I am used to. You can tell by my facial expressions when I messed up chords etc, and I think this is something that I need to work on, as it may be more noticeable for an audience than if I just played it off.
I needed the lyrics/chords there to refer to throughout the whole song, so in future rehearsals I need to practice more so that I no longer need them in front of me, as even though they can be helpful, they do also put me off a little bit.
I made sure to keep practising at home so that I could become more and more familiar with the song, as I hadn’t heard it prior to the first rehearsal of it with the band. Although it was quite tricky to learn at first, I think I am slowly getting the hang of it.
There were a few points in the video where my fingers slipped and messed up the notes a little, but for the most part I managed to get the chords right.
I still had to have the lyrics and chords there for reference, which is something I should improve on. I am hoping that by the next rehearsal I am able to play the entire song without needing the lyrics.
I believe that I have improved quite a bit from the last rehearsal in terms of not needing the lyrics/chord sheet. However, I couldn’t remember the notes for the riff, so this is something I definitely need to improve on for future rehearsals.
I also need to remember to keep changing the volume of the keyboard myself, as some parts need to stand out more than others.
I was a bit delayed in pressing the keys for the chords during the guitar solo, so I need to work on this part more for next time.
Overall, I need to practise the song a lot more so that I am able to change chords/verses etc. smoothly.
At the very beginning we got the intro wrong for Valerie twice. We need to make sure to practise this as it will be our first song in the set, and we don’t want to get off on a bad start. I also forgot the chords on the outro, I need to practise this plenty of times so that I don’t make the same mistake when it comes to the real performance.
In my opinion, the intro for Locked out of Heaven went really well, but we need to learn the structure of the song a little better. We also need to practise the bridge, as we messed up on that. Personally, I need to practise changing the sounds etc. on the keyboard, as I need ti swap between them during the song.
I stressed about the chords at the beginning of Californication, but once the song started I was able to get straight into it. I think that as a whole, the intro and outro of Californication went very well.
I think as a band we need to make sure to practise the intros and outros of all the tracks more, so that our set sounds a lot more fluent.
We chose to do Valerie as the first song within our set. For the most part we did well, but we need to make sure that we continue to work on the timing of the intro, and the breakdown of the song.
I was still quite nervous performing, as I haven’t really performed in front of people many times, so I am still getting used to it. However, I wasn’t shaking like I was in the first live performance which is an improvement, but I still need to focus on calming my nerves as much as possible.
We chose to do Locked out of Heaven as the second song in our set, then Californication as our final song.
Overall, I think it went quite well. In Locked out of Heaven, I need to remember to change the volume up during the chorus and down during the verses. We also need to work out how we are going to start/finish songs and move onto the next one.
Something we need to work on is our performance skills and stage presentation, as at the moment we look like we are rehearsing and just playing instruments rather than performing to an audience. I think this should improve as our confidence improves and once we know the songs/set well enough.
To try improve our performance skills, we mimed Californication. It was very awkward, but it gave us an idea of what to expect on the night of the final performance, and ways to improve our stage presence. I need to try look up at the audience more, or at least pick some points in the room where I can look up to so it seems like I am looking at the audience.