EXP Proposal

• Introduction – you should provide a brief explanation of what your Extended Project is.

  
  

  For my extended major project, i have decided to mix, master and produce an EP.

• Context – you should provide an explanation of why you have chosen to focus on this area,
• 
  
My main focus of the project will be to effectively mix and master. This is an aspect of my production which I feel needs more attention. Therefore i feel it is appropriate for this project because i will be able to conduct the research and gain the knowledge needed in order to progress my mixing and mastering further.

• Areas of research – outline what you will research and why. Don’t provide research at this stage; simply talk about the areas you will need to explore to fully complete the Extended Project.

  In this project I am going to be investigating modern production techniques, particularly modern mixing and mastering techniques and how to apply these techniques to my own work. I will be conducting research into modern Hip Hop Producers like "Wondagurl", "MurdaBeatz" and "TheLabCook". The research will be presented in case studies, I will also be conducting interviews with some modern producers about mixing and mastering to gain some expert advice.

• Methodology – outline how you will achieve the aims and objectives of your project.

  I will need to improve my mixing and mastering in order to create a more cleaner and complex sound within my music in my EP. One way I will do this is by conducting research into modern mixing and mastering techniques used by modern producers. I will also conduct some interviews to gain expert opinion, these interviews will be recorded also. I will be going over my mixing and mastering process' step by step and will upload regular updates to my blog.

 

(This will give an indication of what you will be doing during the course of the project.) You should

also discuss how you will evaluate, reflect on, and review your work.

• Timeline – you must include a timetabled action plan showing what will happen at what point of

the project. This is liable to change but a clear indication from the start will help structure the project.

Bob the Baker

Bob drake

Bibliography for Portfolio

https://i-d.vice.com/en_us/article/d3p87x/sam-gellaitry-on-scottish-clubbing-conspiracy-theories-keeping-it-diy-and-fresh-escapism

https://www.xlr8r.com/features/2017/05/20-questions-sam-gellaitry/


http://stoneyroads.com/2018/03/getting-to-know-sam-gellaitry-the-producer-everyone-is-listening-to/

Preparation for progression

In preparation for progression to entering further education. I had the opportunity to visit Goldsmiths uni. I enjoyed the facilities, especially the big hall for the live performances and practices, however I felt that the courses didn't cater to me. The courses were more music performance and technology oriented though, I was looking for a course which was more production focused. I also visited UEL, I was much more interested at the courses offered here, yet I was still unsure wether this was somewhere I wanted to complete further studies, due to the fact that I found more interest in other university courses


interview at bucs-
I'd been accepted for two courses at the bucks new Uni. As I arrived I was given a tour of the facilities. Immediately something which stood out to me was the range of different microphone's and live instruments. I was impressed by these facilities because I knew they would allow me to produce the best sounds. The main studio was also very impressive with several screens, surround and sub speakers all equipped. Both of the courses which I had applied for appealed to me, the man differences were that. One of the courses was more business and industry focused, and the other more practical and studio based. The teachers for both courses seemed very knowledgeable and keen to share their knowledge.


I also got accepted to huddersfield uni. during the facilities tour here, i could tell that as far as facilities alone. this was an institution which stood out amongst the competition. there was a very large amount of rooms with numbers of different types of equipment from guitars and drum kits to Moog synthesiser's. They also had one of the gloves designed by Imogen Heap. I also liked the fact that every single speaker used in all the different rooms, were Genelec's. so you can refer back to the same sounds wherever you are.


I was asked by leeds college of music to produce a portfolio of work instead of having an interview. The portfolio had to consist of a variety of material, including some of my own compositions, and a notated version of one of my compositions. I also had to submit a piece of writing answering some questions, for example "why do you want to study at LCOM". So essentially an interview on paper.

communication in industry

one very effective method of communication within the industry, are social media platforms such as instagram or Twitter. These platforms are effective forms of communication because they are very accessible. you can access social media on your phone, so pretty much anywhere you go(as long as you have signal). social media is very effective because you can build a more personal relationship with your followers very easily from the comfort of anywhere. lots of frequent updates also provide more effective services of connecting with your audience. For example uploading pictures and live video broadcast's. This is important because it allows your followers to see more into your life and connect with you further.

Blogging is also an effective method of communication within the industry. It allows you to inform your readers on a range of topics, unlike social media's there is no word/character limit which prohibits what you say, so you are able to write as much as you'd like. You can also upload various video's and pictures and include hyperlinks. social media is also ran by company's however your blog is ran by you.

 if you run a blog you have complete control over what is published, how often, who can see etc you can do polls. have discussions, review albums etc

public appearances/pop up shops are also very effective methods of communication. This is because unlike social media and blogs. your fans can actually physically meet you and interact with you a lot more. They can also ask you questions and engage in a conversation with you, this is probably the most effective form of communication because it is the most personal. pop up shops also sometimes run workshops and sell merchandise which allows your fans to feel more connected to you.

Dissertation

Is there a relationship between drugs and the music industry, if so what are the effects?

https://soundcloud.com/user-568484798/midi-to-maxi-song-2/s-OfWQ1

Link to the original recorded version of play the fool:
https://soundcloud.com/user-568484798/play-the-fool-track/s-9qpsT

Midi to Maxi (weekly diary)

week 1(mic techniques phasing)
This week we were introduced to some different microphone setup techniques in order to discover more efficient ways to record sounds in the studio. A technique that especially stood out to me was stereo phasing. I found this useful because i realised the i really had to think quite a bit about mic placement.

week2 (shards drums)
This week we focused on setting up live drums for Sade. However there was quite a bit of confusion doing so. This meant that we had used most of our time however I did manage to record some live drums for her as a session player. This also helped me out because it gave me some more idea's on ways I can implement live sounds into my music.

week3 (matt drums.)
This week I was doing session playing again. This time I was playing the drums for Matthew's track. however I found this slightly difficult because the pattern which I was to replicate was quite complex. however despite the difficulty we still managed to get something recorded.

week4(play the fool)
This week we had an extra studio session booked on a wednesday evening. Our Band recorded live drums, piano, synth's and voice. All of these instruments were for the song. "Play The Fool"

Week5(play the fool)
I decided I was going to build my first track using the sample from play the fool, I wanted to make the song more into a style that suited me. I decided that I was going to use the part of the sample that contains the Tom roll as well because it added to the atmosphere of the piece.

week6(play the fool + jazz trap)
I pitched the sample much lower and added a kick and hi-hat pattern. I found this slightly difficult because the not all of the sample was completely in time. I decided that I was going to need to use the flex tool in logic in order to make the sample easier to work with. The flex tool allows me to manipulate audio by setting transient markers within the audio. The flex tool then allows me to manipulate those transient markers by moving them in and out of time.

 I also started my second track this week. I created an 8-bar loop of a midi piano, midi trumpet, and a midi french horn. I then added a kick, clap, snare and some percussion consisting of open hi-hats, brush and hi-hats

week7
i recorded the live brass sections for my jazz trap songs, i decided i was going to use the SE Titan and use different polar patterns to see which i liked most.


Week8
I added in some live bongo's to this track. I did this because I was trying to create two different styles using live instruments and see how well I could blend them together for a smooth transition.
I also used the flex tool to time stretch my sample. I slowed it down to create a more serious eerie vibe that would contrast more with the upbeat melodic tempo.

I also finished off the arrangement for play the fool I added a rising filter and some flanging just to change the atmosphere and tone of the piece so it wouldn't become too repetitive.

Week9
I spent this week mixing my tracks and trying to get the levels where I wanted them, I didn't want the high end to drown out the other frequencies, so i adjusted the levels until i could hear all the tracks playing at the levels intended.

Midi to maxi-Session Plan

play the fool Remix:

The microphone setup for the drum kit of play the fool was in my opinion quite complicated. The Audix D6 used the on the kick drum. This was because it was a very resilient mic that could pick up low end sound really well. for the snare and the high hat, sm58's were placed both underneath and on top so that the sounds could be blended further down in the mixing process. Sm57's were used for the toms and finally two NT5's were placed in stereo position, used as overhead mic's. I chose these because they were condenser microphones that could pick up very good high and mid range, which was exactly what I needed to grab detail from the whole kit.

Sade used a Rhode NT1A to record her vocals, we decided that this mic was most suitable for her voice because it gave a really nice tone that complimented the atmosphere of the song. 

on the piano we used an sm57 for the body and mid and we used a NT5 for top end because the NT5 has more detail and detail is essential in the top end, this is where the complex part of the sound is.

We also used the JUNO synth, we decided we would record it using a D.I. Box so it would have a nice clear signal.

I was a musician in this piece as the drummer. I informed Sade that I needed some drum sticks and some ear buds. she made this possible, so when I arrived to the session we were able to get started fairly quickly after setting up the mic's and I was able to start recording pretty much after that. I also felt very comfortable in the environment and was encouraged which allowed me to perform better.

we set logic up with multiple audio tracks and labelled each instrument and each microphone. we did this process because it helps keep everything else organised when it comes to the mix. When recording, we did individual takes where we would record to a baking track. We also did takes where everyone would record at the same time to get more of a realistic groove when playing as a band.

jazz inspired piece:

to record the piano I decided used I was going to use the..... i decided to use this mic because it is one of the best mic at picking up all the frequencies in the mid to high. All of these frequencies make a difference overall because they are located in the high end, an area where our ears listen in more detail.

To record the french horn and trumpet I used the SE Titan FET condenser. I selected this microphone because not only is it really good at recording the detailed harmonics, but it also allows you to change the polar patterns of the microphone. I found this feature to be very interesting because you can generate quite a few different sounds from the same mic.

 For the trumpet section i recorded in the omni-cardio setting. This was to ensure that I could achieve a nice stereo sound that i would then boost further in my processing in logic using the direction spreader. For the french horns I used the cardiod polar pattern setting to ensure I got a nice clear, clean crisp sound and then i processed it in logic by adding some saturation and reverb.

For the bongo's i used an SM58 i decided on this because i really like how it picks up the snap of the snare, i wanted to recreate that on a more subtle level.

Brief:

A comprehensive session plan outlining what you did to record your instrument(s). This should cover:

An itinerary of how your time will be distributed over the session for:

·      DAW setup

·      Microphone setup

·      Musicians and their needs

·      Tracking/bouncing/saving and exporting

The 2 or more original demo songs in MIDI format and the final 2 mixed songs.

These must contain 4 instruments recorded on each showing a variety microphone techniques and an evaluation of the final mixdowns and how they fare against the original demo’s and your expectations.

This is where you get extra technical. Talk about the equipment and its suitability in relation to the final sound. 

For example:

The Stereo pair of Rhode Nt5’s on the Bass Amp was unnecessary and didn’t create the presence of the midrange I desired, it would have been better to record in mono and do some stereo effects processing inside of the DAW to create a fuller sound. 

For that, I would have used a dynamic microphone such as the Shure SM-7 which has a distinction in the mids and coupled that with a condenser such as the…..etc.

Bounces

Jazz trap-midi version
Jazz trap version with live Jazz trap version with trumpet delay Jazz trap final

Funding Application

I would like to present an EP, it will include myself and a few other artists. More specifically some appearances from RCMD and zack, who I have collaborated with previously. I will be making a R&B/HipHop/Trap EP consisting of about 5 tracks, I would like all of the tracks to relate back to the same theme. My theme is fairytale/Fantasy. I'm going to incorporate this theme into my music through the music itself, lyrical content and EP artwork as well. I'm currently working on different tracks and I'm developing my idea's and skills for example in my midi to maxi class we are learning how to effectively record and mix with live instruments in our tracks alongside midi to create a sense of complexity. my aim is that this EP creates some exposure. For those who experience it, they will be able to experience it on soundcloud. this project will affect the arts on a more wider scale because it will be an example of how one can successfully plan, create and publicise and EP creating exposure. Which will help pave the way for any other artists in my genre who want to do everything independently also. 

I will contact and reach people using promotion on social media. main places I will use for promotion will be on instagram and twitter. I will keep my followers engaged by giving them frequent updates so that they are well and fully aware of my progress and they are properly informed for the release dates in order to reach the largest possible audience. I will release snippets, video clips from studio sessions and also some artwork images also all before the final release date of the project.

Other ways I could engage the public would be to network and use social media to enhance my own page. I could contact some already successful and sustainable promotion websites/pages and use these as a platform to gain exposure. the target audience who I want reach would be people aged 16-25. I feel like people within this age range are a suitable target audience because they are often on social media so they would be the first people to encounter my project in terms of exposure. But also people at this age are a large majority of the consumers of music from artists that are at a level of success which I aspire to reach.

I have an idea of my product and what production techniques I will incorporate into it. I need to create a time-based plan so I can effectively carry out my project in the most efficient way without wasting time and creating the best product. The main stages of my project will be when I'm composing my tracks for the EP I will take screenshots explaining step by step whats happening in order to give the best and most effective research. Last year I carried out a project similar to this for my final major project. The EP was smaller but the steps towards creating it and releasing it were similar, a main difference will be how I create exposure for this project however using the experience that I have from producing the project in summer I will be able to effectively create this EP project also.

Live production

Roland SPD-SX:
I was already comfortable using this piece of equipment because I had already used it a few times previously in live performances. I had planned to use the SPD-SX pad to trigger sampled sections that were bounced from a song I had produced and using the trigger pad I would be able to perform a produced song. One thing I really liked about the SPD pads was that they were very responsive and user friendly, I also like the extent of how much you can edit the samples using the SPD-SX software.

Korg Kaoss Pad Mk1:
This pad is useful if you are looking to add another element to your music to give it some more character, there are a wide range of things you can do, from doubling your vocals, to adding reverb and some vocoding effects also. I think this device is very useful because it can boost your overall performance by adding more techinical elements in which create effective moments that the audience will remember.

Boss Overdrive pedal

Boss Chorus pedal 

Electro-Harmonix Octave pedal

I used all three of these effect pedals at once, it was during a recording session and i was helping with the sound engineering for another student. we were recording a live guitar and wanted to give the sound more colour so we used these effect pedals and were able to create a really nice sound with lots of texture. the guitar sounded very wavey and relaxed, the guitar had a almost hawaiian vibe also.

studio demo-Feedback

Regurgitating Hypothesis- the intro to this song really nice, R&B soul chords creates a smooth relaxed atmosphere. the hi-hat pattern gives the song a subtle energy and paired with the ice the song has a nice bounce, perhaps bring the kick through a little bit more and the base.

Feeling-like the chord progression very jazzy. syncopation in the drum pattern gives a simple but effective feel. i like the reversed piano to keep things interesting, perhaps add a little bit of reverb onto that as well to give the song more space.

Little paradise- i liked the fact that it sounded raw, and i liked the use of natural reverb from the room. the structure allowed the listener to stay interested because it changed quite often. the chord progression was really nice, perhaps a use of broken chords to give the song more complexity


Shit true- i liked the energy that this song carried. a lot of the use of sounds and style of proaction reminded me of kanye west. this song has a very good use of texture. the bass should be lowered a bit to stop the song clipping

STUDIO DEMO-UNIT 9

For this track i was focusing on creating a tense atmosphere. in order to do this i focused on 3 main elements of my production. i started off trying to create a dark melody. i used a synth pad, synth mallets and a dark synth lead. the next thing i focused on was the baseline. i added lost of bass glides to give the song the sense of tension and to also create some more energy and excitement. lastly i focused on how much different syncopation i could incorporate into my hi-hats, which were my main source of percussion. i layered quite a few different patterns to try and create a sense of panic.   Normally when i compose, i start with the melody first, however for this track i decided to create the percussive elements and the drum pattern first. I was also focusing on incorporating some pitched hi-hats into my composition because it adds more complexity and detail to the piece by incorporating melody and percusion fused together. for this track i tried to incorporate different ways of showing structure within a song, I focused more specifically on the melody and how flexing it, can give different atmosphere's and vibes which allow your song to flow naturally and constantly change and evolve. I also started to incorporate some live drum sounds into my kit, for example if you look at 0:50 you can hear that i used a bongo in the percussion. i did this to again help with the constant changing feeling of the song and to also add more detail. For this song I tried to make a dark, halloween themed track. to do this I used a sample and played in over it with some dark pads and a mallet. I also focused heavily on syncopation in this beat and I tried to focus on giving each of the percussive elements enough space so that each hit would be more effective.