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Synth 4 Part 3

Here is the tutorial video for the logic synth the ES-P. It is a simple yet powerful synth.

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Synth 4 Part 2

Here is my audio recording of the logic synth the ES-P

The photos in part 1 show the effects I used

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Synth 4 Part 1

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Co-Writing Assignment

I wrote this tune with David Hughes. We started off with a beat that consisted of synth and drums. I started writing a melody line for the vocals. David wrote the lyrics. I added in the guitar and bass tracks. They play the same thing over the course of the song as the chord progression also never changes. Just a nice little ostinato to give some flavor.

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MUSC B32 Synth 3:

I have been working with the Roland SPD-30 for the past few weeks, diving deeper into this machines capabilities. It has a whole range of differnet drums as well as synths, brass, string instruments, and sfx.

I recorded the above tune using only the octapad. Every sound in there is from the roland spd-30.

Here is my YouTube Tutorial:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdPAKL7kny8

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MUSC B31 Structure Plan Assignment:

I wrote another Worship song as that is my field of music. I had just finished reading the book of Ezra and noticed the theme of the book is that there is still hope despite all of the terrible things the people of Israel had done. I wanted to write a song with that very same theme in mind.

Keeping in accordance with the genre of Contemporary Christian music, the song has a verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, chorus form. Chord wise it uses the one, Four (sus2), six, five, one (major 7, third inversion).

I also kept the instrumentation of the genre; vocals, guitar, bass, drums, keys.

The tune is called “There is Still Hope (My Helper)”

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MUSC B31 Color Assignment

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MUSC B31 Color Assignment

So I wrote a song about the color grey. While writing the tune I thought about how grey is a mesh of light and dark. It’s a middle ground. 

I wet for a Bossa kind of feel for the tune as I feel like it is both upbeat but soft at the same time. Lyrically I talk about finding a happy medium, not going left or right or trying to decide what’s right or wrong. 

The song reflects that things in life are grey. There’s no one side or the other but we meet in the middle. I call it “Life in Grayscale.”

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Synth 2 - Electric Boogaloo

For the past 4 weeks I have been working in my Synth class with the Moog Grandmother. She is one heck of a machine that can do all sorts of things and I have only scratched the surface.

Soundcloud:

https://soundcloud.com/user-569253256/synth-2-electric-boogaloo

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxA0qcJvO3Y

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Synth Project 1:

For the first synth class project I was working with the Nord Electro 5D. This synth relies more on presets rather than creating your own sounds.There are a plethora of sounds to choose from.

Along with the sounds you can choose from, there are also a lot of effects you can add. You can add delay, reverb, tremolo, phasers,eq, and many more. You can also adjust the attack and release. .

On my audio sample, you will hear three tracks. One a main synth line that has no effects at the start but then they get added in. The second is just a pedal tone “A” in thge bass with effects. The third is an inverted Am7 chord where there are effects maniputlated throughout.

Listen Now:

https://soundcloud.com/user-569253256/synth-project-1

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwdEClwYuGs

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Commercial Comp 1

https://soundcloud.com/user-569253256/redemption-song

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https://soundcloud.com/user-569253256/the-little-drummer-boy-coverFor the final project for MUSC B34 I decided to record my own tune. I went with a cover of For King and Country’s “The Little Drummer Boy.” My band plays this as the opener to our Christmas Show. 

I started off by recording the opening snare track using a technique where I placed one microphone on top and another on bottom and sent it out of phase. I then doubled the bottom mic track with it still in phase. After that I recorded the Concert Bass Drum.

Guitar and initial vocals were recorded. I used an SM57 for nearly every track with a microphone. I recorded my guitar and bass using a DI strait into my interface. 

I used a midi controller to create my strings, choir, and organ parts as well as the arpeggiating phrase.

I decided to record just a crash cymbal on its own track. To do this, I placed an SM57 about 2′ away and 2′ high at a 45 degree angle. In my opinion, it captured it perfectly. 

I was dissatisfied with the main vocal recording so I went the lab at school and used a RODE NT-1 to record my main vocals. The other backing harmonies and “Drum” shouts were recorded at my home studio on an SM57.

I do not own a decent drum-set, so I went to the lab and recorded on the one in the lab. I miced up the kick using a Beta52 abd two SM81s as overheads.

In post production I did panning, eq, and added a compressor to almost every drum and vocal track. I also put the guitar and bass through amp simulators.

I am very pleased on how it turned out. Take a listen for yourself. Merry Christmas!

https://soundcloud.com/user-569253256/the-little-drummer-boy-cover

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MUSC B36 Final

1 Month –

         In one month I plan to continue working on my new album and to have a few Christmas gigs for my band to play. I want to be able to perform the show four times and in different cities. As I have been booking these gigs I keep in mind the “Perfect 30” concept. While I am not really looking for multi-million dollar paydays or even 100 dollar paydays, I’m mostly looking for great venues where I could return throughout the year. Essentially I am looking for places that would be great opportunities to get my footing in new places.

I want to finish this month with two more songs recorded for my album. I am a bedroom artist and have had this album in the works for a year now (at least in concept).

 3 Months –

         In three months I want to be about 50 percent done with my album, likely having at least 7 songs recorded.

         I would also like to book a few regular gigs for my band in some old places and new places. Using some of Ari’s methods of consistency and likeability, I plan to have more gigs. I will start a little earlier in the booking process and follow up more often with venues. I will also be heading out of town for one weekend to play a show with my touring group.

         I want to have some new recording/ live performance equipment. I think about the diagram of good, fast, and cheap when it comes to this. I want some good quality microphones and I am willing to wait for them [Good, Cheap(ish)].

 9 Months –

         At nine months I plan to have toured with my band through the summer.

         I also plan to finish off a successful spring season of shows with my band here in town. During all this time I will be continuing most of what I have already done for the band. I am the manager, booking agent, social media master, transporter, and band leader. I hope to have my video engineer passed on to someone else.

         The final thing I want is to have my album finished and released to the public. I want to put the audio on YouTube, and have the album be completely free and mostly digital with maybe a few hard copies. In order for me to make sell-able hard copy CD’s, I will need to purchase a mechanical license to legally cover me for any reproductions. The free ones I will not need to have the license.

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MUSC B36 A3 Music Monderization Act

The first part of the MMA puts in place a new way to make sure that the right people get paid for their creations. It works with streaming services and created a blanket licence to these services. This licence covers mechanical and performance licence. It helps to make sure that when a song is released on these services that a collective will find the right producers/artists and get them the money for their royalties.

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MUSC B36 A3 Copyrights.

In July of 2019 a conclusion was brought to the 5 year case of Katy Perry and Flame over the stealing of a riff in both Katy Perry’s 2013 single “Dark Horse” and Flame’s 2007 song “Joyful Noise.”

The riff in question was the main ostinato from both songs. Though they are in different keys (only a minor second off) they sound very similar. 

The case originated in late 2013 after the release of Katy Perry’s song. Flame and his team heard the tune and accused Perry of ripping off their song. The case eventually went to court with Flame providing a musicologist to weigh in on the matter.

Perry fired back saying that she had never heard of Flame (A Christian rapper) or even heard the tune “Joyful Noise.” This did not appease the jury in anyway though.

After years of fighting about it a resolution was finally reached in July of 2019 that found Katy Perry guilty of copying Flame’s riff. She along with capitol records had to pay $2.78 Million to Flame. 

Have a listen for yourself:

Katy Perry “Dark Horse”:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQAKD__j4gM

Flame “Joyful Noise”:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTLeHuvHXuk

As far as I am concerned, I find the whole case ridiculous. The riff in question has actually been used throughout music history. Bach has used it,it’s similar to the melody of “Jolly Old St. Nicholas,” The Godzilla Theme, and many other tunes. 

What they’ve done is essentially put a copyright on the minor scale. 

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Project 3A

For my project I did the first song. I ordered the instruments and began mixing drums. I did each individually and cut out unnecessary frequencies. I then mixed the drums all together (levels mostly). I then did my vocal tracks and panned them different ways. the first two are full left and full right, while the background ones are only at +or- 38 (half panned). I through some reverb on the vocals as well.

I then worked on my guitars, bass, and keys. and made this:

https://soundcloud.com/user-569253256/project-3a

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MUSC B36 A2

For my interview I talked to Kurt Johnson, who is a self employed, multi-instrumentalist, professional touring artist in children’s ministry musical theater. He started off by telling me about how he began his career at the age of 19.

(1) He and three other friends from college started a band (He was the guitar player) and tried getting signed to an agent, but it did not work out. Since they could not get an agent they began working with a program in their denomination (Lutheran) that sent musicians to various churches, camps, and conferences within the Lutheran denomination. Unfortunately they did not get to go the first time they tried out. Years later they did.

They completed a 90 day tour and afterward the band split up. While on tour Mr. Johnson kept a list of contacts from each venue he played at and kept up those relationships with past clients. After the band broke up he got in contact with some of his previous clients and began booking shows for himself. 

In all of this he learned from larger venues that a contract and a technical rider were a must have in exchanging details with clients.

He told me a story of how he got a show at the Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado due to an unavailability and after that show He and his newly formed band did not have to look for a venue to perform for the next ten years.

 (2) The second thing I asked him about was a challenge that he now has in his field. He told me that his challenge was booking new clients and keeping old ones.

He also told me how his ministry (Children’s) constantly has budget cuts from many churches. This is how he has lost many venues over the years.

Quote:“Business wise it’s finding new clients and keeping them”/ keeping old clients. Sometimes these venues get new management and they do not know me, so I lose a venue. My ministry (Children’s) is always on the chopping block for budget cuts for churches. 

(3) Next I asked him what his best decision was as an entrepreneur. He told me that it was his decision to turn into a non-profit. It cost him a lot of money ($10,000-$15,000) to do it but it became well worth it. Now that he was a non-profit his donors could receive a tax write off. It also allows him to perform at venues that he otherwise could not go to. He never turns down a church due to finances. If they cannot afford him, he goes to his donors and his board to see if there is money for him to still go.

(4) I asked him what changes he has made to his business side over the years. He said that about 15 years ago he stopped having contract workers.  It was a very confusing process when it came to doing the taxes. He started having paid staff (musicians, actors, etc.) as staff. This made taxes easier. He also stopped paying other people to do his taxes and other book keeping as he was ale to do that himself. 

(5) How do you market yourself to new clients?

He simply said to me “I don’t. What we do is so unique that video, photo, and other media cannot do justice to the performance value of what we do.”

He simply uses word of mouth and talks up what he does to new clients.

Another thing he does is that if there is someone else in church leadership from another church at one of his shows, he makes it a point to meet that person and establish a relationship with them. He also keeps in touch with them throughout the year by sending hand written letters, emails, and phone calls to keep in touch.

(6) Finally I wanted to know what do you do to grown in your field? 

He told me that the best way to grow was to force yourself to practice, write, and to get better at what you do. To play with people better than you. Learn new things about where your industry is heading.