A busy week of activities once again as I finish off the last week of college before we start a 2 week holiday thanks to the historical Christians!
I started off my college week free of west end show research and the glam band and seen a big improvement in my vocal lesson as I showed a better control of the projection and range within my voice. I have been slightly concerned by the stress placed on my voice by recent activities and have set about researching different methods and treatments for resolving these issues. Between tutor exercises and herbal remedies like honey and lemon tea I am finding new ways of conditioning my voice on a daily basis which will be a skill that is needed if I am to be successfully employed as a west end singer. I have started working on another 2 songs and am enjoying the challenge of learning songs quickly then developing the dynamics within my own performances.
We had no band practice however we were briefed on the outline for the new outcome which sees us gather into bands who are to represent a year of albums or a festival in any given year. These topics will give us a huge variety to choose from as we attempt to perform across 5 different genres as well as composing our own relevant song and representing another in a different musical style. Myself and Jamie Mann, a fellow singer/songwriter, have assembled a band consisting of ourselves, 2 guitarists, a bassist and a drummer which should be more than enough to create a varied and big sound. We have been looking at showcasing "Woodstock 1969" however I am now swaying towards Monterey Pop Festival 1967, which I feels opens the variety of genres we can replicate.
In our graded unit we were fortunate to have a speaker from a video games company who is involved in musical composition and sound design and has celebrated success on a global level with games such as Grand Theft Auto 2/3. I was particularly impressed with Stewart's knowledge on the differences between musical composition and sound design and felt that he demonstrated a great deal of knowledge in the field. I was particularly interested with regards to the development of my own acts and record label and see these meetings as networking opportunities to showcase my own talents and potential. I am hoping to contact Realtime Worlds with regards to licensing my own material for them to use in their video games or even develop myself as a freelance composer through their services. I have took a great deal of knowledge from the various speakers who have attended this class with the biggest factor being all their emphasis on the importance of transferable skills and also multi-tasking. I believe these are areas in which I am strong and have found the advice of these speakers inspirational in fine tuning my skills and abilities.
This week saw me eventually lay down some vocals in session skills as I attempting to recreate "Moondance" by Van Morrison, which turned out alright although I feel I was acting a little like Harry Connick Jnr within my performance. Having got my maiden journey out the way I can now go on a do the vocal tracks on a variety of other Motown and funk songs which I hope to include in my portfolio.
Last but not least I want to mention Rocky rehearsals from this week which I felt went quite well as the entire cast attempted to deliver the first outline of act 1. There are 2 acts within this musical and we have skipped across most of the scenes from both but now set about the process of gelling it all together. I can see that my involvement in this will help me develop my organisational skills and my awareness of stage production. Simple tasks like be ready in the wings make all the difference in a successful show and I am trying to focus on picking up the necessary skills and knowledge to assist me with this task.
Overall a good week and I sign off for a few weeks as I look forward to hard work and relaxation across the Easter break. I will return to my blog on Friday 16th April 2010 and update on all the activities and progress I have made within.
Until then,
I Am Daniel.
Friday 26 March 2010
Sunday 21 March 2010
Sunday Is Not Friday!
First of all I would like to apologise to all those who might of tuned in over Friday and Saturday only to find that Daniel had not done his weekly blog that he said he would do every FRIDAY! I think I had become over satisfied with my week's work and let this important task slip my mind. 2 days late but just as great I hope.
Today is the last day of my west end show research and after 21 weeks of disciplined study I have managed to compile an impressive compendium of research notes covering 7 of the current top ten selling west end shows. Each show has brought a different perspective on what goes towards making a successful musical, however I feel that this variety has taught me to be prepared as well as being knowledgeable in this field. The concept of turning any event into a musical performance seems to be the secret into mastering this art. I have been impressed with the creativity and discipline within each performance I have studied and see how a well practiced musical performer can develop an abundance of transferable skills that can be applied across many industries.
In first study I feel I struggled again after glam band practice in the morning, although this was the last week of this as we had our gig on the 17th March and was pleased to find out that our efforts were in aid of raising money for the disadvantaged people of Haiti who suffered through the impact of a recent earthquake.
The gig itself was impressive and I felt that the atmosphere was more positive in comparison to the previous gig held in the college lecture theatre. I think performing for strangers as well as fellow students brought about the urgency to perform well more and I believe we delivered. Our band Pink Panther went all out to showcase Glam Rock as we dressed up in mostly female clothing and painted our faces in true glam style. I felt our stagecraft was the most impressive feature of our performance and although random at times, it seemed to go down well with the crowd who have final say after all. The photos and video evidence will be a great help as I try to prove myself as an actor/singer and all round entertainer. These experiences have contributed towards my development in "playing the role", a skill essential in musical theatre.
Not a great deal happened on Thursday due to the gig the previous night however I did tiredly make it into college to meet the 4pm deadline for our Fabbri essay and can now look forward to the other essay in music history on the ever interesting Ted Adorno.
I have not done a great deal of work lately with daniel dundee or Fuzzy Buck due to college commitments however I have scheduled some practice and composing sessions for during the Easter break which should help us catch up on any missed practices of late.
I have spent my time lately planning the development of my presentation and portfolio for my graded unit and have now returned to my action plan to finish of the remaining tasks I set myself. I have planned some visits to the 2 local amateur societies and also Centrestage and am also waiting for the return of my west end lead/understudy questionnaires that I left with my tutor and previous MD. I feel that between these involvements and the research I have carried out that I have a great deal of focus regarding what is required of a west end singer and can now see that I am more than competent enough to carry out this role. All I need to do is to provide evidence of this observation to satisfy the interviewing panel as opposed to my challenging ego, which has had hard time dealing with my new disciplined routine.
Next week is the last week of college before the Easter break and I look forward to the start of the new bands and also recording vocal tracks for the session skills class. This will give me some piece of mind before the holidays as I plan to use this time to develop my portfolio and also tackle the Adorno essay. I have made good progress lately clearing my feet of outstanding work and also freeing up some time to give more focus to up and coming projects.
Tune in next week as I lay out my plans for the break and give you all an update on the progress of.........
"West End Daniel",
Peace out, love in!
Today is the last day of my west end show research and after 21 weeks of disciplined study I have managed to compile an impressive compendium of research notes covering 7 of the current top ten selling west end shows. Each show has brought a different perspective on what goes towards making a successful musical, however I feel that this variety has taught me to be prepared as well as being knowledgeable in this field. The concept of turning any event into a musical performance seems to be the secret into mastering this art. I have been impressed with the creativity and discipline within each performance I have studied and see how a well practiced musical performer can develop an abundance of transferable skills that can be applied across many industries.
In first study I feel I struggled again after glam band practice in the morning, although this was the last week of this as we had our gig on the 17th March and was pleased to find out that our efforts were in aid of raising money for the disadvantaged people of Haiti who suffered through the impact of a recent earthquake.
The gig itself was impressive and I felt that the atmosphere was more positive in comparison to the previous gig held in the college lecture theatre. I think performing for strangers as well as fellow students brought about the urgency to perform well more and I believe we delivered. Our band Pink Panther went all out to showcase Glam Rock as we dressed up in mostly female clothing and painted our faces in true glam style. I felt our stagecraft was the most impressive feature of our performance and although random at times, it seemed to go down well with the crowd who have final say after all. The photos and video evidence will be a great help as I try to prove myself as an actor/singer and all round entertainer. These experiences have contributed towards my development in "playing the role", a skill essential in musical theatre.
Not a great deal happened on Thursday due to the gig the previous night however I did tiredly make it into college to meet the 4pm deadline for our Fabbri essay and can now look forward to the other essay in music history on the ever interesting Ted Adorno.
I have not done a great deal of work lately with daniel dundee or Fuzzy Buck due to college commitments however I have scheduled some practice and composing sessions for during the Easter break which should help us catch up on any missed practices of late.
I have spent my time lately planning the development of my presentation and portfolio for my graded unit and have now returned to my action plan to finish of the remaining tasks I set myself. I have planned some visits to the 2 local amateur societies and also Centrestage and am also waiting for the return of my west end lead/understudy questionnaires that I left with my tutor and previous MD. I feel that between these involvements and the research I have carried out that I have a great deal of focus regarding what is required of a west end singer and can now see that I am more than competent enough to carry out this role. All I need to do is to provide evidence of this observation to satisfy the interviewing panel as opposed to my challenging ego, which has had hard time dealing with my new disciplined routine.
Next week is the last week of college before the Easter break and I look forward to the start of the new bands and also recording vocal tracks for the session skills class. This will give me some piece of mind before the holidays as I plan to use this time to develop my portfolio and also tackle the Adorno essay. I have made good progress lately clearing my feet of outstanding work and also freeing up some time to give more focus to up and coming projects.
Tune in next week as I lay out my plans for the break and give you all an update on the progress of.........
"West End Daniel",
Peace out, love in!
Friday 12 March 2010
The Details Of The Detail
As promised, here follows the more specific details of my busy week as I close in on the final stages of my HND year and also draw nearer to the many different types of performances I am involved in between now and the end of May 2010.
In my first study class I am currently preparing 3 songs for assessment and also looking towards a practice schedule for the vocal showcase planned for the end of May. There may also be the opportunity to enter the "Burn's Song" competition which will allow me to gain experience at performing under pressure. I have felt a hindrance in this subject due to the demands placed on me from the Glam Band and found it difficult to maintain a clear tone before I commence my lesson due to the harsh style of vocals in the song we are performing. My vocal tutor has given me some more exercises to strengthen my larynx and hopefully improve my stamina during performance.
Next week brings the gig at Pivo Pivo in Glasgow, which I am really looking forward too, and after another pleasing practice session I now have the confidence to perform with the band and not over study the songs, leaving me room to perform on the night. Good luck Pink Panther! That's the band name.
I am also continuing with my cartoon composition with my group and also my individual composition for final year assessment and hope to deliver on both fronts and showcase my talent for creativity and stagecraft.
Another week of Rocky rehearsals and things are shaping up as we begin a more balanced practice routine across the acting and singing within the show. I am learning a lot from each session, especially the difficulty for one person to co-ordinate 20 other people with regards to their own creative vision. The directors are quite disciplined and I feel this is helping to maintain order within the cast at these vital stages.
In Music History we are all busy stressing over the first essay assignment on Fabbri's theory of genre, which seems to have stirred up a great deal of hate for the poor Italian. I personally enjoyed researching his work and see a lot of potential discussions with regards to each of his genre rules. I have also took the time to understand and appreciate the views of Adorno despite his obvious attempt to define his Marxist views. Next week brings the deadline for this essay and I am confident that I have done enough research to go forward and produce a compelling discussion.
Graded unit this week allowed us all some time to discuss our portfolio with our tutor on a one-to-one basis and pick up on any potential mistakes we may be making. Although I am confident in my own abilities to promote and present myself I find these mentoring sessions helpful in ensuring that I am on the right path.
Session skills hasn't brought me many challenges lately, however there has been a lot of backing tracks laid down by different bands and I am now to get the opportunity to sing over my own bands tracks and tracks from other bands. This will give me a good amount of evidence to include in my portfolio as I look to prove my worth as a potential west end singer.
DAW has been uneventful also as the work we are doing is an area that I have been working on in my personal projects. I am learning a lot at home regarding recording and producing MIDI and audio as well as mastering the final mix of multi-tracks. I have also bought all my own web domains to promote myself and my record label and have also secured web hosting facilities to display my web designs and profile. I will not become complacent however and will continue to work well with the work I am required to do for this module.
Overall a busy week again and next week looks to be busier as we have our gig in Glasgow and also deadline day for the Fabbri essay. I am confident I have done enough work to complete these tasks with some ease and look forward to letting you all know about the outcome of each event.
Until then, love til you bleed.
Daniel
In my first study class I am currently preparing 3 songs for assessment and also looking towards a practice schedule for the vocal showcase planned for the end of May. There may also be the opportunity to enter the "Burn's Song" competition which will allow me to gain experience at performing under pressure. I have felt a hindrance in this subject due to the demands placed on me from the Glam Band and found it difficult to maintain a clear tone before I commence my lesson due to the harsh style of vocals in the song we are performing. My vocal tutor has given me some more exercises to strengthen my larynx and hopefully improve my stamina during performance.
Next week brings the gig at Pivo Pivo in Glasgow, which I am really looking forward too, and after another pleasing practice session I now have the confidence to perform with the band and not over study the songs, leaving me room to perform on the night. Good luck Pink Panther! That's the band name.
I am also continuing with my cartoon composition with my group and also my individual composition for final year assessment and hope to deliver on both fronts and showcase my talent for creativity and stagecraft.
Another week of Rocky rehearsals and things are shaping up as we begin a more balanced practice routine across the acting and singing within the show. I am learning a lot from each session, especially the difficulty for one person to co-ordinate 20 other people with regards to their own creative vision. The directors are quite disciplined and I feel this is helping to maintain order within the cast at these vital stages.
In Music History we are all busy stressing over the first essay assignment on Fabbri's theory of genre, which seems to have stirred up a great deal of hate for the poor Italian. I personally enjoyed researching his work and see a lot of potential discussions with regards to each of his genre rules. I have also took the time to understand and appreciate the views of Adorno despite his obvious attempt to define his Marxist views. Next week brings the deadline for this essay and I am confident that I have done enough research to go forward and produce a compelling discussion.
Graded unit this week allowed us all some time to discuss our portfolio with our tutor on a one-to-one basis and pick up on any potential mistakes we may be making. Although I am confident in my own abilities to promote and present myself I find these mentoring sessions helpful in ensuring that I am on the right path.
Session skills hasn't brought me many challenges lately, however there has been a lot of backing tracks laid down by different bands and I am now to get the opportunity to sing over my own bands tracks and tracks from other bands. This will give me a good amount of evidence to include in my portfolio as I look to prove my worth as a potential west end singer.
DAW has been uneventful also as the work we are doing is an area that I have been working on in my personal projects. I am learning a lot at home regarding recording and producing MIDI and audio as well as mastering the final mix of multi-tracks. I have also bought all my own web domains to promote myself and my record label and have also secured web hosting facilities to display my web designs and profile. I will not become complacent however and will continue to work well with the work I am required to do for this module.
Overall a busy week again and next week looks to be busier as we have our gig in Glasgow and also deadline day for the Fabbri essay. I am confident I have done enough work to complete these tasks with some ease and look forward to letting you all know about the outcome of each event.
Until then, love til you bleed.
Daniel
Friday 5 March 2010
Busy Times Ahead!
I have been very busy this week with various tasks across my personal, professional and academic life. I find that I now have a lot more musical activities going on in my weekly routine which I feel is a blessing in comparison to previous routines I have been in.
On Mondays and Tuesdays I am practising with Fuzzy Buck and daniel dundee as well as doing production work on the recordings for these 2 acts and also the solo act AF Truman. Across these 2 days I am managing to practise across piano, guitar and bass as well as developing my vocal technique.
Wednesday brings a busy day from morning til night as I work my way through college band practice, my vocal lesson and then finally composition class in the afternoon. My evenings are now committed to Rocky: The Musical with a routine of both acting and vocal practise across 3 or more hours as we prepare for showtime in May.
Thursday sees me working through 4 back to back classes in Graded Unit, Music History, Session Skills and Digital Audio Workstation/Information Communication Technology for Music Industry Promotion. This is probably the most academically intense day of the week for me, however I find the time constraints a benefit in my development at college and am aware that these type of transferable skills need improving as much as my musical abilities.
On Friday I only have one class, from 2pm til 3.30pm, however I have been going into college at 9am and making use of the computers and pianos to assist me with the progress of my essays, assignments, portfolio, presentation and vocal lessons. The articulation class from 2pm is one of the most challenging nodules of semester 2 and requires a pass for access to the degree course. I feel this is the class I must work hardest in as I have less comprehension in this subject.
Finally across Saturday and Sunday I have time to tie up any lose ends from the preceding week and also take some valuable relaxation time which energises me for the week to come. This busy schedule looks to continue weekly until the end of my college year as I also try to complete the final steps of my action plan to develop myself as a west end singer.
Next week I will get back to the details of the detail above and let you all know how it's all going.
Until then take care and love.
Daniel
On Mondays and Tuesdays I am practising with Fuzzy Buck and daniel dundee as well as doing production work on the recordings for these 2 acts and also the solo act AF Truman. Across these 2 days I am managing to practise across piano, guitar and bass as well as developing my vocal technique.
Wednesday brings a busy day from morning til night as I work my way through college band practice, my vocal lesson and then finally composition class in the afternoon. My evenings are now committed to Rocky: The Musical with a routine of both acting and vocal practise across 3 or more hours as we prepare for showtime in May.
Thursday sees me working through 4 back to back classes in Graded Unit, Music History, Session Skills and Digital Audio Workstation/Information Communication Technology for Music Industry Promotion. This is probably the most academically intense day of the week for me, however I find the time constraints a benefit in my development at college and am aware that these type of transferable skills need improving as much as my musical abilities.
On Friday I only have one class, from 2pm til 3.30pm, however I have been going into college at 9am and making use of the computers and pianos to assist me with the progress of my essays, assignments, portfolio, presentation and vocal lessons. The articulation class from 2pm is one of the most challenging nodules of semester 2 and requires a pass for access to the degree course. I feel this is the class I must work hardest in as I have less comprehension in this subject.
Finally across Saturday and Sunday I have time to tie up any lose ends from the preceding week and also take some valuable relaxation time which energises me for the week to come. This busy schedule looks to continue weekly until the end of my college year as I also try to complete the final steps of my action plan to develop myself as a west end singer.
Next week I will get back to the details of the detail above and let you all know how it's all going.
Until then take care and love.
Daniel
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