In this project, I aim to further extend my knowledge of composing, arranging, and music production. I will then create a portfolio of three compositions that I have made myself. One will be an original song that I have written along with my band from the last project, Smoke Break. The second will be an electronic production made on Ableton. I have lots of experience with making electronic music as that is the genre I specify in. However, this will still be a challenge as Ableton is not my usual DAW. Lastly, the third composition we will make is a soundscape for a video game or film. We will make this in Logic. I have never made a film or video game composition and I have never used Logic. This will be a challenge.
I have had quite a bit of experience with production before but only ever on FL Studio. I do have a rough idea of how to use Logic after sitting in on band studio sessions and helping with recording. Ableton however, is a completely new DAW for me to use. I am really excited to learn more about music theory and the process of writing songs using real instruments. I have only ever used electronic plugins and songs to create tracks. This will be a new experience but will definitely further my knowledge and understanding of music.
Feedback from project 1:
I have managed to achieve a good grade in project one and have come into this project with new confidence. I have developed my skills in both playing an instrument and working with others a lot. I can now analyze a song, study the chords and structure off said track, and start playing it. All of this is because of the rehearsals and performances I had during project one.
To improve this project I can first explore different types of music. I did two live performance analysis presentations last project, one being Disclosures’ live performance at reading and Leeds (electronic/house music) and the other one being Gorillaz at an award show in 2010 (rock/experimental). Although these are two different types of music already, I need to explore other styles such as classical and jazz to further understand my knowledge of music and how it should be played.
Secondly, I may benefit from researching different job roles within the music industry and live sound. I can further my understanding of how live sound works, how equipment is set up, and how I can do that myself. It will help massively to learn how to set up equipment properly and set up a sound and lighting rig. This way I can do it myself during rehearsals and try and make them run more efficiently with fewer tech problems. It will also help to know who I may be working with when I do a gig at a club or arena. I will know who to go to for which issue and who will be able to help me.
Lastly, I will use Harvard referencing throughout my work to make sure I avoid any trouble with plagiarism. I have done this to an extent by adding links to the YouTube videos I have watched, but I can further my referencing by adding the names of the authors/who made the video and adding exactly what I have taken away from the video. This will keep me safe from any plagiarism claims and make sure that all my work is fine for grading.