Group Evaluation:
I think a decent understanding of the song’s contents are heard and are put into a simple loop. Many small errors occur particularly in the guitars and keys. The structure needs to be worked on here as there isn’t a clear distinction between any sections. Many errors occurred within drums, mostly to do with hesitation and lack of confidence in this particular song. The drums need to be consistent and at a reasonable tempo for the band to follow with ease.
Personal Evaluation:
My timing was irregular at times as the rhythm that the drums held was inconsistent, but I tried to stick with the guitars and the kick. My tone is appropriate, it sounds warm and is played smoothly. I need to work on how long I hold the second note in the pattern for as it needs to be sharp and in time with the drum’s kick.
Group Evaluation:
Our stage presentation is still poor as the majority of us are sitting, despite having guitar straps or microphones. We need to be standing to show enthusiasm and build up the energy of the song as we’re more likely to want to move around if we stand. I think the keyboardist in the chorus is holding the bass notes for too long as it sounds like it clashes, but the higher section is appropriately timed but may be a little loud. The dynamics in the chorus could be louder to add emphasis and energy. The tambourine could come in during the first verse rather than at the very beginning and drop out right before the chorus to come back in, adding a bit of anticipation. Our outro should be decided properly, I personally think it would be appropriate to end right as the singer finishes her line.
Personal Evaluation:
The bass in the original is the feature of the song alongside vocals, so I need to bump up my volume, particularly in the chorus and first verse. My accuracy to the original has improved greatly but I’ve added more variation in parts, particularly to the bridge before the last chorus. My timing is good and acts as a guideline to the guitars. Lukass focuses on me during the chorus as we both change our parts, so we can focus on timing between us.
Group Evaluation:
This rehearsal was significantly better regarding timing than previously. This is likely due to the drums slowing down to a reasonable speed and having the guitarists properly learn the chord sequence as to not fall behind or skip a bar. Some error occurs in the first chorus as it was our first time trying a different strumming pattern and we didn’t have a singer to keep us in line. Our outro is dependant on the singer too, but it could have also been cleaner and more definitive. The long pause in the introduction is less than ideal for the drums, although this may have just been an accident. Lukass had a really harsh tone for the chords in the chorus, it would have sounded much more smooth and pleasing if the tone was changed.
Personal Evaluation:
There are multiple times where I mess up here. In the end of the last chorus, I lose focus and completely mess up the part I was playing. To correct this, I rehearsed more at home and took note of how and why I zoned out. I believe it was because I was thinking about where to end rather than what I’m playing and found a spot to look that stole my attention. My consistency of switching between the verse and chorus was awful so I needed to learn the structure properly and rehearse both alone and in our band.
Group Evaluation:
The tone on the rhythm guitar is excellent, but is overall too loud. The distortion should take power above the clean tone. Our timing for our first run-through is very good and the structure of the song is defined by which parts drop out or play at a louder dynamic and join back in, as well as the variation and dynamic change in drum beat. Jozef played the melody that signals where I begin singing early at first, but corrects this before the second verse after the first chorus. I think the piano playing was consistent for the most part and minimal notes were wrong but were quiet in comparison to the rest of the band. Our outro was a little bit messy but could be fixed with practice and clarification that we end after two choruses together.
Individual Evaluation:
I think the biggest problem in my performance is confidence as at this point, I had no previous experience in singing. I need to work on my projection and overall confidence by practicing more as a band and figuring out how to perform with the same level of confidence as I do with any other instrument.
Group Evaluation: Our confidence as a band on stage was significantly less than it had been in a practice room, which caused a drop-out in the introduction. Our timing seems to have improved here as there were minimal mistakes, other than my confusion with a few lyrics. This was fixed immediately after with some practice and a few plays of the original song. I think the energy was lower in this version due to different dynamics and and the lack of phaser in the rhythm guitar’s tone. The kick’s squeak was irritating but will probably be fixed before the final performance. I’m not sure what the strange sound was around the 1:50 mark, it might have been equipment feedback or incorrect keys being hit.
Individual Evaluation:
My confidence is, again, not too great here, shown in my inability to properly project my voice with accuracy. Some notes are too high due to feeling tension in my throat. I messed up some lyrics before the last chorus, which messed up my timing a bit and made me lose confidence right before the loudest section. The main points of improvement are still confidence and projection and trying the song without reading the lyrics may help with that. I do know the lyrics, but being on stage and singing is making me more nervous than usual for a performance. I think when the time comes to stand at the front of the stage and perform in front of an audience, I’ll feel safer than having a small group of people due to the audience not being likely to critique me and instead just being there to have a good time and see what we’re capable of in our first term. I don’t usually get stage fright and would be very surprised if it did happen since I’ve performed plenty of times before. To combat the nerves and raise the energy during the chorus, I’ve asked another student to sing with me during the second verses and choruses. I think we can organise to harmonise at points and have more fun, resulting in a better feeling for both the band and the audience.