Yr 1 Music Production - Performers Essay

These are the notes from our class discussion last week. Use it as a guide to help you to complete the essay.

Yr 2 - Sampling - Drums

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/laom6zmz8ufejw5/AABWPC0xe0zrsGe9rj-DlFbWa?dl=0

Yr 1 Music Production - converting mp3 to video files on iMovie

We have done research that suggests the majority of our audience access their music through YouTube. Therefore we need to have a presence on there if we want to be sure to reach our target audience - which means our music needs to be converted into video format. The following steps will show you how to use iMovie to do this.

1: Open iMovie. Drag your media (images/video and music) into the bottom section of the window.

2: Drag the right side of your image (in bottom section) until it is the same length as your song. You might want to look at the options for cropping your image (in the top right window).

3: When you have aligned your image and your song, and are happy with the crop and any other details, it is time to export. Go to the File menu, then choose Share, then choose File.

4: Name your video file - make sure it contains Your Name and your Song Title. You do not need to export to the highest setting, it will just create a huge file. When you have exported the file, upload it to your Google Drive so the video file lives online.

Yr 2 - Portfolio - setting targets

This class is about building a portfolio of work that is relevant to your career path. In your first assignment, I asked you to write a plan that outlined what your portfolio content will be.

Today we looked at breaking this down into smaller tasks and setting time-based targets to work towards. It is important that you have plan your time carefully and set yourself targets because I am not going to plan content for the lessons, I will be helping each of you work towards your targets whatever they may be. The steps you need to take should be already written on your blogs - this is Question 4 from the first assignment. Now we are going to establish a schedule.

Please complete the work we started in class today. Write a list of the things you need to do in order to complete your portfolio by the end of the year, and set a deadline for each part. This should be a new blog post called 'Portfolio - Targets'.

Here are a few examples of how you can plan your time. It will be different for each one of you. The ideas need to come from you - I can't plan your career for you!


Content: 10 track album (hip-hop)
Instrumentals - already done
Finish recording vocals - December
Mix all tracks - Feb/March
Mastering - April
Release single: May (Soundcloud)
Release album: June (Bandcamp)

Music video: find director - Feb
Music video: planning - March
Music video: shoot - April
Music video: edit - May
Music video: release - June


Content: 4 track EP (singer/songwriter)
Finish lyrics - December
Guide tracks - January
Rehearsals - Jan/Feb
Recording - Feb/March
Mixing - April (who will mix the songs? do you need to find a mix engineer?)
Release - June (Soundcloud)

Artwork: moodboard - December
Artwork: photos - Feb/March
Artwork: editing - April
Artwork: publish (Instagram) - May


As well as the art/music/videos think about how you will present your work....
Do you need your own website?
Do you have all the social media channels set up?
Do you have a brand name/artist name?
Do you have a logo?
Do you have press shots?

Website: set up your domain (eg: http://philthdj.com ) - December
Website: plan your pages/layout - January
Website: design - Feb/March
Website: content - April/May

Yr1 Music Production - Studio Tasks

This term you have two task for Grant. Please read the briefs carefully, and if you do not know when your recording time is then please ask us.

Task 7 (A) - Equipment Quizzes

Task 7 (B) - Studio Recording

Yr 1 Music Production - Performers Essay

Here is the assignment brief - please follow these guidelines, the assignment is about musicians and their equipment, not their life story!


1) Performers comparison
Choose two performers, one DJ and one live/electronic musician or band. Write a case study comparing:
• their style(s) of music and how they choose to present this music to their audience
• their equipment and how they use it to engage with the audience
• performance techniques they use to engage with the audience

Use photos and videos to provide examples and illustrate your points. I want to know your opinions – which techniques are more effective? Why?


2) Techniques you plan to employ
You have watched numerous live performances, along with your studies of DJ’s and contemporary musicians. Make a list of three performance techniques/methods that have stood out for you, and for each technique write a few paragraphs explaining why you think this technique is effective, and how you plan to use it in your own performances.

 
You must list all your research sources in a Bibliography at the bottom of the assignment. Listing Wikipedia or copying from Wikipedia is an immediate fail. However you may find that the reference list on a Wikipedia entry is a starting point to find online articles and other resources.


Submit your work as a blog post, titled ‘Performers Essay’ and labelled ‘Decades Project’. 

Yr 2 - Sound Design - Sampling

Download these files. First use one of the pads (they are labelled with the notes of the samples), then one of the 'pre-prepared' sounds, then finally try chopping up part of a full song.

Don't try to run before you can walk!

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/2tg2a82cqvzv5h4/AAD3x4IqL1NIDxaj4QnX5G8Ua?dl=0